Books One to Three have been edited and improved, in this re-released series of versions, the Collector's Editions.
Praise for Books One to Three of Sons of Odin:
Book One - Kirkus
In the opening volume of a complex new fantasy series, Hammer offers readers lavish battles, dizzying amounts of gore, and a system of magical patrons called Battle Angels that fans of the Final Fantasy video games should enjoy. - Kirkus Reviews
The battles, during which the Sons of Odin-and Jean, the Daughter of Thor-summon superpowered guardians, are splatterfests (demons are blasted "into dust and smoke, torn flesh and large spurts of dark blood"). - Kirkus Reviews
A marathon of fantasy gore and slow-building characterizations in a land confronting demons. - Kirkus Reviews
Book Two - BlueInk
Hammer's vivid visual imagery . . . makes the character's journeys exhilarating and the battle scenes intense. - BlueInk Reviews
Druantia's Curse is entertaining and full of surprises-from wormholes to vampires-but it requires dedication to track all of the subplots. Casual readers of fantasy may be frustrated by the wealth of detail, but diehard fans will appreciate the Robert Jordan-esque layering of characters, relationships and lands that brings Kismeria to life. - BlueInk Reviews
Book Two - Kirkus
In this second installment of Hammer's (Odin's Awakening, 2014) epic fantasy series, the complexities of magical warfare and romantic loyalties continue. Taking center stage once again, however, are the action sequences. They're akin to panoramic oil paintings of orgiastic chaos, as when "Hawks, Crows and Pixies broke away from the Shadow Men to punch through vampire chests in bright flares....Skulls exploded on impact, limbs falling as torn debris." - Kirkus Reviews
The use of time-travel and other twists-like the fallout from a romantic triangle among Adem, Jean, and Princess Isabella-deftly prepares fans for a rousing sequel. - Kirkus Reviews
This immersive, colorful, and action-oriented fantasy series smoothly maintains its rapid pace. - Kirkus Reviews
Book Three - Kirkus
In his third installment of the series, Hammer continues to tap a vein of phantasmagoric mayhem that should mesmerize video gamers and fans of the Lord of the Rings alike. Nearly every page displays eye-popping battle visuals: "Lightning filled the sky, a rainbow of coloured bolts, a thousand falling every second to turn the grey haze into a bright neon flare." - Kirkus Reviews
The underlying themes of humanity's imperfection and the individual's struggle toward a truer self permeate this narrative, which sets the heroes in a new direction. - Kirkus Reviews
Provides an action-packed turning point in the series and sets the stage for fresh adventures. - Kirkus Reviews
About the Author: L. A. Hammer has a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art Painting and Literature studies. He is currently studying his Masters of Writing and Literature, while preparing a Masters' exegesis of a new King Arthur mash up, with Cleopatra, Robin Hood, Julius Caesar and Dracula, all rolled into the one adventure, and that's just a few of the planned names to feature in this metaphorical reality where animals and humans fight side by side, and magicians are a rare breed. The exegesis will be complemented with studies into Arthurian Celtic Legends of the 12th to 13th centuries A.D. and looking at religious symbolism in such stories, as well as studying Joseph Campbell's hero journey, Freud's Interpretation of Dreams, and other related texts.
Hammer has walked the Kokoda Track at age 16, and has swum with white tipped reef sharks on the Great Barrier Reef in northern Queensland at a similar age. His childhood holidays included many trips to Queensland, including Expo '88, and a crocodile cruise at night where he played spotlight boy at the front of the boat. He fed the giant milkfish at the Darwin Aquascene at about age 8. He has many fond memories of those days, as well as his high school studies at a country college where he flourished in his love for art, reading and writing, drama, though his passion for reading fantasy novels began at a much younger age.
Hammer has plans to continue writing Sons of Odin in many new editions, with Books Four to Five in preparation to create in print, another 800 page single volume, though the writing of Book Five and edits to Book Four may take a few years longer. There will be another 800 page Book Six at least, with a possible middle series of six books that detail the early adventures of Highlander's son and grandson, Pendral and Rayne Dragonsword.
