I'm basing this review on the ARC I received from Aethon Books。Frostworld starts out with Jarl， a lowly mud farmer who aspires to be more。 His sister is venerated as a Fireborn， someone who can use the magic of fire。 Their clan is set in the far north of a world that seemed very similar to Scandinavia， and was more than a little like the Vikings of old。Before I recount the plot， let me say that the book is very well written， and the story is richly developed。 The highborn can become battleborn， I'm basing this review on the ARC I received from Aethon Books。Frostworld starts out with Jarl， a lowly mud farmer who aspires to be more。 His sister is venerated as a Fireborn， someone who can use the magic of fire。 Their clan is set in the far north of a world that seemed very similar to Scandinavia， and was more than a little like the Vikings of old。Before I recount the plot， let me say that the book is very well written， and the story is richly developed。 The highborn can become battleborn， but the merchant and lower castes of the clans cannot。 There are stories of mudborn rising to become battleborn， but those are myths from the distant past。Jarl makes a couple of not so well thought out attempts to prove himself that he is worthy of becoming battleborn， each time embarrassing his sister to no end。 When he does finally make a kill to raise his level， it doesn't matter。The war leaders and other battleborn want nothing to do with him。 He doesn't give up， which is to his credit， even when he probably should have。 The story takes a turn around the 60% mark， and while I won't spoil it， it changes the tone of the story。 The carousing， drinking， and lusting after mates comes to an end as a real threat enters the scene。 Jarl knows what it is， but he's the boy who cried wolf too many times， and no one listens。 Until they are forced to， however。 The story is the classic heroes journey， where the underdog wants to fight， and then is forced to fight and prove his worth。 Is I've said during other reviews， I firmly believe Aethon books are putting out some of the best LitRPG books right now， almost all of them from first time authors。 It's a great time to be reading LitRPG right now， and Frostworld is well worth the time。Recommended。 5/5* 。。。more