Valley of the Vikings

Valley of the Vikings

By Author / Illustrator

Liz Kessler

Genre

Magical Realism

Age range(s)

9+

Publisher

Zephyr

ISBN

9781035916955

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

08-05-2025

Synopsis

A rip-roaring adventure story of magic, myth and mermaids, featuring Liz Kessler's popular character Emily Windsnap.  'Electrifying and magical... you know you're in the hands of a master storyteller' A. F. Steadman, author of Skandar

Neptune and Thor battle for power and their fight upsets the balance of the world. Lightning strikes, curses fly and towering waves swallow a Viking longship and its crew into a watery valley, taking with it the secret of the magical blue crystals.


A thousand years later, Emily, a girl who is half human, half mermaid, discovers a bangle with a mysterious and beautiful blue crystal. With the help of her human and mer friends, she discovers the truth about the jewel - and the danger the world faces. The team must race against time to persuade the powerful but notoriously selfish gods of sea and sky to make peace with each other, before disaster strikes.

Reviews

Sue

When Thor and Neptune are fighting a mighty battle, a chasm opens which swallows a Viking ship and its crew, taking them to the depths of the sea. Year later, semi-mer Emily Windsnap is swimming with her friend Shona when she finds a bangle set with a glowing blue crystal. They learn that the stone is a blue dumoanthratite, incredibly rare, which leads Emily and her friends on a journey of discovery and adventure.


A brilliant blend of fantasy, mythology and environmental themes, Valley of the Vikings is an engaging, enjoyable read. Fans of Emily Windsnap's previous adventures will love this new story, but it is perfectly possible to read as a stand-alone story. The book is written in the first person and Emily quickly explains being a semi-mer and what this means for her and her family, setting the scene for anyone new to her stories and offering a recap for those who are already familiar with the books.


Emily is as lively and engaging a heroine as in the previous stories, with clear values, willing to stand up for what she believes in. She has strong friendships, supporting her in all her adventures.


Perfect for inspiring discussions, the story challenges readers to consider how the often selfish actions of leaders can have serious environmental consequences and to think about the importance of standing up for what you believe in.


224 pages / Ages 8+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+

Louisa

Valley of the Vikings is the tenth book in the Emily Windsnap series but there is no need to read the earlier books to enjoy it. It's full of magical excitement and magnetic charm, with some underlying themes that feel very relevant to now.


For those who are new to the series, Emily is a semi-mer - half human, half mermaid. She is equally at home on land or in water and has two best friends, one for each. When she accidentally finds a mysterious bangle with a luminous blue crystal, it's the catalyst for a bit of research, which gradually becomes a fully-fledged adventure with its origins deep in the past.


Long before, Neptune and Thor had battled for power and riches, and upended the equilibrium of the whole world in the process with a thousand-years curse. Now the curse is due to expire without resolution and the world is on the brink of reaping the devastating consequences of the conflict between two greedy rulers. Emily and her friends must find a way to persuade Thor and Neptune to make peace to save the Earth.


The author explains in the end notes that the prelude to the impending disaster is informed by knowledge of tectonic plates and underwater volcanoes.  This is not my specialism, but the dangers certainly felt real as I was swept along in a pacy narrative infused with the vitality of the main character. To borrow a word from Emily’s best friend, Shona, this really is a 'swishy' story to recommend as a 'read for pleasure'!


256 pages / Reviewed by Louisa Farrow, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

 

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