Book Review: A Spring for Spears, by Katie Cross & Derek Alan Siddoway

It’s a fantasy novel about a young woman’s coming-of-age story, but cooler... because– wolves.

Hey Space Cadets; I hope this review finds you well!

I found this book from an author who I adore. I’ve never read her books, but Katie Cross is a frequent guest on my podcast, The Blasters & Blades Podcast, where we talk about all things speculative fiction. She writes YA fantasy novels and is the wife of a former US Army special squirrel. So after we interviewed her about this book, I had to read it, and now here we are!

What is this book about? It’s a fantasy novel about a young woman’s coming-of-age story, but cooler... because– wolves. This epic fantasy adventure has plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat.

So, grab your coffee, set some Kibble out for the Amorak wolves, and prepare for the thrill ride of a lifetime!

Seriously, this book will have you hooked from page one!

The Story

The fate of the Wolf Riders falls on an outcast who struggles to process the fact that she still hasn’t been chosen. The main character, Astrid, would give anything to become one of the vaunted Ulfsark. She dreams of becoming one of the fearless warriors who ride giant Amarok wolves to glory. Like her ancestors, she yearns for the soul-deep bond with a wolf as its chosen—to share that connection and union. She’s desperate to prove her worth and live up to her mother's legacy.

Astrid refuses to accept her fate when it appears that the chance to be chosen has passed her by. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more desperate for her, a chance encounter with a nature spirit and a foreign princess dashes her last hope for normalcy. Everything changes for her when she’s accused of killing a royal guardsman. Forced to travel deep into enemy territory to clear her name and prevent another war, she must face her fears and march stoically to her destiny.

Will Astrid save a fragile peace and embrace her destiny? Or will her dreams of the Wolf Song fade in distant lands?

Join Astrid and her new friends on her thrilling new fantasy adventure in A SPRING FOR SPEARS, the first novel in the WOLF SONG SAGA series by Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway.

Now that we’ve sold you on the novel’s premise, let’s dive in deeper. First, the prose from Katie and Derek was conversationally poetic, made even more incredible when you listen to Katie narrate the story. I listened to some sections several times to hear the soothing cadence of her reading the story. Since this is the first novel I’ve read by either author, I can’t tell you where one of their voices stopped and the other began, but it blended seamlessly into a coherent, compelling style.

I could keep going about the quality of their prose, but let’s move on to the other facets of this story. These two seasoned storytellers also knew how to expertly pace the story so it flowed smoothly from one plot point to another. It kept my attention while giving me room to breathe and process the various parts of this epic adventure. Even better, this novel felt like it was setting up book two to kick the action up a notch, and I’m here for it.

Another aspect of this story that is worth evaluating is the audiobook quality. One of the authors, Katie Cross, read this novel. She hit the ball out of the park, telling me a story that I couldn’t put down and kept me going when I should’ve been doing other things. She nailed the various character accents, keeping my ears engaged from start to finish. I honestly hate Katie, just a little bit, for being so good at everything. She’s a business genius, a narration goddess, and an author who we’ll talk about long after her grandkids have grandkids. I predict this series will be one for the ages, and I don’t say that lightly.

The Characters

This novel follows one main character, the Skolvarg named Astrid. She is a 19-year-old young woman who is training to become an Ulfsark. It has been her lifelong dream of Astrid to become one of the mounted warriors who ride Amorak wolves into battle. She wants to serve her tribe through her bond with a chosen wolf companion. Her mother was a famous Ulfsark, and her people expected she’d also become one. Despite her dreams, no wolves had chosen her to bond with. During this process of continual rejection, we get to watch Astrid struggle to make peace with the idea that her dreams might not come true. Through this, we see the strength of her character, which is impressive.

What I like the most about Astrid is that she is a strong woman and a competent warrior. Despite being extremely petite in her society of Amazon-sized people, she is a fighter. She uses her cunning and speed to outfight and defeat warriors larger than her in very believable combat sequences. You can tell that Katie Cross relied on her husband’s special skills because these scenes checked out. Furthermore, while Astrid started out a bit naïve, watching her grow was worth the price of admission.

What I liked the most about this character was that she wasn’t a raft, floating along the waters of life in this book. Instead, Astrid was both affected by and affected the world around her. This symbiotic interaction added to the superb world-building that made Vigard a fun world to experience. It showed the reader her role in the world and added together to create a three-dimensional experience.

Astrid, the main character, will make you chuckle at her initial innocence. She will make you want to shake her silly throughout this novel, as she misses what was so obviously right in front of her. She was written as a cross between Arya from Game of Thrones by GRR Martin and Xena, Warrior Princess.

The World

What’s not to love about the world-building in this novel? It was expertly handled by Siddoway and Cross, who know how to tell compelling stories set in beautiful worlds they’ve created. Everything was extremely fleshed out, giving this setting a very lived-in feel. Unlike some authors, this incredible duo didn't info dump all their world-building up front. Instead, they fed it to us in drips and drabs. Seriously, these two were the perfect drug dealers. They expertly strung us along and always left us wanting more. I know that sounds toxic, but trust me, this story was anything but. It was an exciting thrill ride from start to finish. What’s not to like about their already expansive world? This novel was definitely a Tolkien-Esq Master Class in creating fictional universes. Seriously, I'm practically gushing over this novel.

Politics

This novel was apolitical in the sense that it didn't deal with any real-world politics. However, we did see some political struggles from the political parties in this world. It was a background struggle in this novel, though there were hints of more to come in future books. What I did love to see was freedom being lionized through the story of the Skolvarg People. The inhabitants of the Wolfmoor are the quintessential everyman, with the benefit of a boon to their natural healing abilities. They’re a nomadic people in a world that is quickly becoming more agrarian. Vigard, where the story takes place, is a medieval setting. This proto-Europe backdrop is par for the course of a modern fantasy novel. In addition to the world that’s trying to kill them, the main characters must fight the existential evil of greed, the pursuit of power, and an unthinking quest for vengeance. Predictably, it ends badly for everyone involved. Like in the real world, there are no real winners in war. You’ve probably heard that before; it’s a tale as old as time.

Content Warning

This novel would be appropriate for anyone over the age of 13. A Spring for Spears had zero vulgarities, though one scene hinted at unwelcome romance against the female protagonist. Nothing happened on screen, but it feels worth mentioning, as this can be a sensitive issue for some readers. Further, this novel is about a young warrioress, so there is violence in this book. It wasn’t overly gory, but it was there.

Who is it for?

This book is for people who enjoyed reading the Dragon Riders of Pern but think wolves are cooler than dragons! This novel, by the award-winning duo of Derek Alan Siddoway and Katie Cross, has the conversational prose of Neil Gaiman or Jim Butcher and the world-building of David Eddings. Throw in some shades of Xena, Warrior Princess, without the sexy leathers, and you’ve got this story summed up in a nutshell! This one will surely be a story for the ages!

Why buy it

This is the story of the everywoman, an underdog warrior who overcomes her tiny size to achieve greatness. The authors take into account the reality of size differentials. Instead, they had Astrid use cunning, wit, and speed to triumph against her opponents. If you love a thrill ride through nature that would make Alexander the Great proud, this is the novel for you!

Why buy it?

Seriously, why haven’t you clicked the link and bought this book already? If this tale doesn't make you a superfan of Katie Cross or Derek Alan Siddoway, then you didn’t read the same book that I did! Once you buy and read the book, come back and share your thoughts! Oh, and be sure to leave a review!

Option 1: https://store.derekalansiddoway.com/collections/wolf-song-saga/spring-for-spears

Option 2: https://books2read.com/u/boqWdR