Title: Undercurrent
Series:
Standalone
Author:
Michelle Griep
Genre:
Adult Time-Travel Romance
Ratings:
Craft—3, Content—3,
Overall—3.7 out of 5 stars
Excerpt
from the Prologue of Undercurrent:
A
thread-thin shaft of sunshine needled Alarik’s closed lids, but he’d not open
them—it would hurt.
His
woolen tongue tasted of soured goat milk, and Thor’s own hammer beat against
his temples. He hadn’t felt this bad since Björn’s wedding feast.
Something
dripped a slow rhythm against his lips, trickling off into his beard. He toyed
with the idea of swiping it away, but that would require too much effort.
A
quiet rumble, low and throaty, moaned from afar. No, not far off. Near. And it
carried a message of pain.
“Alarik.”
He
blinked open his eyes, then swallowed back the shock of light and spit out a
string of curses.
“Alarik.”
“Ja,”
he answered, voice raw. His vision emerged like one who’d been in the depths of
a fjord and risen from black, to gray, to stunning blue of day. He focused on a
hand, palm open, relaxed, not more than an arm’s span above him. Deep red drops
fell from a pallid fingertip and splattered onto his face.
Blood.
A modern-day college professor is sucked back into the world
of tenth-century Vikings.
The
Craft: Undercurrent
swirls adventure, romance, and history into a story that tantalizes the senses.
Characters are likeable, and the members of the cast are
varied and distinct. The plot is solid, holding your attention page after page.
But what made this
story pop is the detail. Through the details, you are sucked into a
world away just as much as the main character, and an era removed by both time
and space comes to life. More than that, this attention to detail flavors not
only the description, but also the dialogue, giving the characters’ voices a
distinct roll and lilt that greatly pleases the ear, making the reading a joy.
The
Content: Undercurrent,
with its romantic subgenre and time-travel elements, focuses naturally on themes of home, a sense of
place/belonging, and love. Not quite as expected, the theme of love
is expanded far beyond the romantic kind. It also explores expansively the
sacrificial love that Christ showed us, that forgives, protects, hopes,
cherishes, and lays down self for another.
Concerning other topical concerns, both the genre and the
historical setting lend themselves to stronger sexual elements. Among other things, there is
attempted rape, sex between two secondary characters (which occurs off-page),
references to past promiscuity, and females & males sleeping beside each
other in a non-sexual context. Also, this romance doesn’t ignore the
physicality of the attraction between the main protagonists. These elements are
deftly handled and not at all out of place—indeed are necessary to the
story—but needed to be noted.
Violence is not shied away from either. This age was harsh and
often cruel. Undercurrent
doesn’t romanticize that aspect away. Rather, this story depicts this dark edge
accordingly—not unnecessarily, but still sometimes with stomach-churning
bloodiness.
Finally, the supernatural is primarily reserved for the time
travel element and couple brief, not-explain supernatural occurrences, which
are in keeping with a biblical perspective of such things.
Summary:
Undercurrent is a good
read with strong Christian elements and vivid details. However, some of
the content warrants some caution, especially for those with sensitivities
toward violence or sexuality. Not recommended for those under sixteen, but
readers who also enjoy historical will relish the texture of this story.
Ratings:
Craft—3, Content—3, Overall—3.7 out of 5 stars
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