Welcome to my stop on the NBtM virtual book tour for Frostborn by Michael Haddad. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a great guest post from the author. There's also the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more content. Enjoy!
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Author: Michael Haddad
Publisher: Tellwell Talent
Publication Date: May 14th 2021
Print Length: 227 pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
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The Frostborn—the one destined to end the war, the one blessed by the magic of Aether—was supposedly nothing more than a hopeless fairytale, a myth lost to time. But as the centuries-long war between the kingdoms of Eljud and Surtrol forces Elias Jökull to evacuate his village, a run-in with the fearsome Gjallarhorn army awakens within him a dormant power long since forgotten by the people—a power signaling the existence of the Frostborn.
With such critical news, hope of victory against Surtrol becomes contagious, yet Elias's former life of slavery leaves him apprehensive about lending a hand to his own flawed kingdom. Even still, knowing the world will soon be in search of him, the newfound Frostborn must choose his allegiances quickly. And after encountering a ranked Surt captain, he does just that.
But while acting as a double agent, feeding intel to Eljud's southern enemy and working both sides of the same border, his conflicted self struggles to anchor his loyalty to a single kingdom as buried secrets begin to unearth.
The incessant clash between the north and south is soon coming to an end and Elias will have to find a side to stand on. The hard question is: which side? Everyone wants the Frostborn for themselves, but for how long can Elias let the world string him along?
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EXCERPT:
She moves in front of him. “You’re going to get us in trouble.”
“I’ll be sneaky, don’t you worry,” he says, placing a hand on her narrow shoulders to move her aside.
She would argue more if he was not already treading up the path, slipping past the tight groups of travellers while May is engaged in a discussion with another merchant. He shakes his jacket off, folds his arms close to his chest, and lets the coat cover the bindings on each of his wrists. Elias scans the moving sea of people, lifting onto his toes to peek over them. There is no sign of the praised soldiers anywhere, but he perseveres regardless.
He gathers up a pace just quick enough to gain ground, though slow enough to avoid unnecessary attention. Every few steps, he looks to either side and up ahead. Each look yields no promising results, and when the third time comes for Elias to straighten himself out to see, his body knocks against an arm.
A hulking man wheels around, the furrows around his mouth deepening in rage. “By Kaldr, watch where you’re going!”
“Won’t happen again.” Elias eases away discreetly before his foot catches a slick patch of mud, threatening to trip him over.
He slams a hand against the nearest cart to steady his weight, but the jacket drops in the jolting movement.
The enormous man—who Elias now recognizes as a local fisherman named Eero—dives to grab the chains. “Looks like we have a slave on the run.”
He dips under Eero’s arm and the brawny hand snags air. Elias then pushes off the mud, readying his body for a sprint.
Without time to properly register, a jab strikes at the nape of his neck and another sinks into his gut. A foot then blurs at the corner of his eye, hooking behind Elias’s knee and bringing his body down to the mud, his back flattening over the ground. Pain bursts through his muscles, but he has no air to scream. He blinks through the swarm of black dots clouding his vision and heaves a ragged breath. His lungs are a brutal furnace of agony.
“Stop the convoy.” The command comes from a different voice, one too laced with poison to be Eero’s.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hardworking university student and recent John Abbott College graduate, Michael Haddad doubles as a fiction author of the fantastic who throws himself into his own writing—who can't stop imagining new worlds, new ideas, new characters. His passion for roleplaying games has earned him his fair share of teasing, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't open his imagination. When not at his computer, typing away, Michael is often with his friends and family, losing terribly at tennis, hunkering down for movie marathons, and trying to get a good night's sleep. As someone born and raised in Montreal, he is no stranger to having ice rinks for streets and snow up to the knee—but that's nothing a warm cup of coffee can't beat.
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GUEST POST:
- If you could visit any fictitious book world, which one would you choose and why?
This is a far more challenging question than anticipated. I must put a lot of thought into making my selection. There are so many fascinating worlds out there and it’s difficult to just pick one. Of course, it does make it easier that I’m only visiting this fictional world and not living there, since living permanently would be an entirely separate issue. This is a very popular question and from what I’ve gathered, I see that most authors or readers tend to pick Hogwarts as their answer.
I see a lot of reasoning and logic behind that answer. Hogwarts is a beautiful school with breathtaking scenery, architecture, and an old century charm that is nothing but alluring. Despite its massive size, the school is cozy and welcoming on the inside. Yet, that’s probably not the deciding factor. The mysticism and magic enveloping the castle grounds is probably the most enticing feature of the school. Secret chambers, moving paintings, hovering candlesticks—it’s all amazing! A lot of people grew up with the Harry Potter series and have dreamed of becoming a part of their hidden world. I think Hogwarts definitely ranks top three in my books. However, that ranking does depend on a few criteria. For one, would I be able to use magic in my time at Hogwarts? When am I visiting and for how long? Do I get my own wand and robe? Will I be sorted by the Sorting Hat? Overall, it seems like a lot of fun to spend one’s day casting spells and roaming those ancient halls with your friends. I’ve always wanted to visit the Wizarding World in Universal Studios. It’s as close as I can get to being fully immerse in the magical realm of Harry Potter.
Also, mostly because I’m in love with the Six of Crows duology as well as the general aesthetic of the story, I’d like to take a look and visit the Grishaverse. The newly released season on Netflix may or may not have something to do with my intrigue of the world. I think they did a great job at capturing the imagery and incorporating themes from the novels. With that said, I don’t want to explore all of Leigh Bardugo’s kingdoms. I mainly wish to visit the Little Palace in Os Alta and Ketterdam in Kerch. I was technically born and raised on an island myself, so it would be fascinating to see both the similarities and differences if I were to visit those bustling streets. Let’s also not forget the Grisha! They’re wizards without wands! Okay, that may be a gross oversimplification, but the charm of supernatural power is still there and I definitely wish to see it all play out in my leisurely visit.
This was a tough one, but as always, it’s my pleasure to answer them! Feel free to reach out with more thought-provoking questions. I’ll try and respond to them as best as I can.
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GIVEAWAY:
Michael Haddad will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Good luck!
