author : J. A. Pitts

Sarah Beauhall is a blacksmith, ekeing out a living shoeing horses by day, supplementing her income as a B-movie prop handler by night. When a ham-fisted actor breaks one of her swords, she decides to reforge it. What she doesn't know is that it is the legendary Norse sword Gram, or Fafnir's Bane: an unsuccessful attempt to reforge it will curse her forever; a successful reforging might be even worse, for it will turn her into a hero bent on slaying dragons. Like she doesn't already have enough problems making a living, and working out where she stands in her relationship with her girlfriend. Fortunately, she is also a member of the local SCA chapter, who she can call on for help.

This is an interesting modern-day take on the Norse legends, with dragons, Odin, Valkyries, and berserker swords. It's pacey but not fluffy (despite use of an important pink sweatsuit at one point): people suffer, people get hurt, good guys die. A good page turner. Be warned: although there is closure to one strand of the tale, there is clearly much more work for Sarah to do in future volumes.