The Frozen Scars

The Frozen Scars is a romance fantasy adventure novel written by Arianna Martin. Taking place in a rich, Scandinavian-inspired world dripping with its associated themes and folklore, The Frozen Scars is a story primarily revolving around a locksmith with an unknown history named Seth, and a bashful young woman named Gloria who has her heart set on the mysterious young man. After scheming up a brilliantly awkward plan to speak with Seth, one that would be practically see-through for anyone besides him, Gloria works up the courage to speak with him and ask him to a dance. Seth, paranoid of something still lurking in the depths of his past, plainly refuses. But later, wondering if enough time had truly passed, he relents on his aversion and tells her that he'd go with her. Despite having a lovely time together, the moment is cut short by a seeming assassin appearing in the shadows of the dance. Seth, panicked, flees the town after narrowly besting the men in his home. While he was leaving, he found that Gloria had picked up his trail and refused to abandon him. She had set her sights on him and refused to let him go without an explanation. Initially traveling without issue, an unexpected ambush leaves Seth incapacitated, resulting in him accepting the help of a bewitching voice that claimed he had paid her tribute. This thing that wormed her way into his body granted him strength, but he quickly learns it is far more than he bargained for.

The Frozen Scars is both a romance novel and what I would call a journey novel; a story wherein a set of characters find themselves pulled into an unlikely adventure or misfortune that sets them on a journey for something. The draw of these stories is watching a particular character or group of characters grow and mature as they go about their journey. The destination is the goal, but it is not the primary focus; greater importance is placed upon the adventure and the roadblocks the hero(es) encountered getting there. And to that end, I must compliment the author of this particular novel. The Frozen Scars has a trimmed, focused cast of characters that allows the author to pour their imagination and attention into each one, and the result is a tale of incredibly human characters that feels more like a transcript than fiction. Each page brought a sense of adventure and anxiety that kept me reading to see how it would all shake up in the end, and the conclusions never felt unsatisfying. The misfortunes and villains encountered upon the hero's journey are crafted with care to not only show the severity of the threat and the tenacity or ingenuity required to overcome them, but also how we as a reader can take a lesson from their choices when we find ourselves in similar situations. How should you protect a loved one in danger? How do you lift someone from the darkest pits of despair? How do you keep going when everything seems lost?

And while this is a subject that is ordinarily handled from a secular prospective, the author of this work is deeply Christian. As such, the situations that the characters encounter are realistic and understandable from a secular perspective, but for those of us in the faith, there is a deeper, primary spiritual lesson being shared across the tale. The main villain of this story is not unheard of; a reawakened ancient evil now bound to someone seeks revenge for their unfulfilled wrath, a story well-received across many series like Harry Potter or Naruto. For the secular reader, it warns of impulsiveness and the evils that can lurk in our own heart, and the lengths one must go to overcome them. But for the Christian, Arianna has made it clear what lessons can be taken from this tale. The Lady, the central villain of the book, is a clear embodiment of the Deceiver, and manifests his characteristics we have grown too familiar with. She isolates the characters from each other, speaks lies that are blatantly false yet all too believable, and turns their own fears and insecurities against each other to achieve her own goal. She oppresses and demoralizes the heroes, all the while marching them to the destination she had in mind. For the unbeliever, she is a well-written villain with a compelling arc; but for the believer, there is bound to be something in her exploits that we've all personally experienced, and she works as a message reminding us of the beast that endlessly prowls, seeking whom he may devour.

But that is only for the adventure side of this novel—what of the romance? Written romance is typically something that I begrudge but not indulge myself in. Most written stories are fantasies of grand gestures and immense affections bridging impossible odds to end up in every woman's dream relationship. Not here. The Frozen Scars paints a lifelike picture of a true relationship. It's messy, it's full of hardship, and characters have doubts of intent and wavering convictions for each other. Seth and Gloria are both incredibly flawed individuals, incredibly realistic individuals even if coming from very unlikely backgrounds, and the author forces you to watch as she makes them walk up and down a mountain both ways in the snow for their love. Their romance isn't sparked—it's kindled, slowly in a small make-shift hut during a blizzard, with great pains taken from both sides. Along the way there were several sparks they hoped would catch the kindling alight, but they only smouldered out, dashing their hopes. And yet, it now burns. Will it keep burning without maintenance? No, no relationship does. Love requires great effort both to start and maintain, and Arianna shows you what lengths were required to start this fire, and I am sure the next novel will show what is required to keep it.

Morally, though the novel is written from a Christian perspective, it does not shy away from the realities of the world. Characters can use expletives when frustrated or injured, both in-universe terms and some common ones. There are some moments of temptation that are not acted upon, but still described in detail. The Lady's exploits can be very disturbing, and it may be difficult for some who dislike dark content, especially with regards to realistic violence.

Despite its medieval Scandinavian setting, accompanied by some sprinklings of fantasy magic, The Frozen Scars is a story that is all too applicable to our practical lives, and I imagine most readers can see elements of themselves in the characters; either in the light they shine or the shadows they cast. I struggled to put the book down once I had begun it, and I was enthralled every page until I had finished it. There were some minor typos or typesetting issues here and there, but the author was aware of them and rectified most with the new revision that is now for sale.

I highly recommend picking it up for fans of fantasy stories, good romances, or Christians looking for something truly Christian that is not just an average story with a cross stamped on the front. Please be sure to pick up a copy for yourself if you're interested, and share the word if you enjoy it! It's very hard for independent authors to get word out about their book, and we can use all the help we can get. 

Check it out on Amazon (Affiliate Link)