Jorvik Calling, a Star Riders joint for equine adventure girls

Is your StarFam calling out to you? If you don’t have a girl aged 8-17 then “StarFam” Star Stable or Jorvik could be a foreign language. It was for us, and then I dug into it and found out that the game has been massively popular since 2012 as a safe, online gaming opportunity for girls that weaves in horses, adventure and magical elements. In short, it’s a gaming juggernaut where 98% of its players are girls who now have the opportunity to read about the four friends and the magical realm of Jorvik.

Soul Riders: Jorvik Calling is the first book in a trilogy that will give fans of the video game a deeper dive into Jorvik. Jorvik is the place that Lisa and her dad have just moved to. It’s nice enough and is famous for its love of horses and their ability to train them. Her dad got a new job on an oil rig that keeps him there for days at a time. The scenery with all of the horses and ranches is pretty, but it also leaves a bittersweet taste in her mouth because her mom was killed by a horse.

As Lisa starts to acclimate herself to town she meets a couple new friends, namely Alex, Linda and Anne. Not surprisingly they all ride horses and meeting up at the stables become their go-to activity. Lisa starts to notice some odd things about town, it’s nothing major; just things that she thinks she sees or odd mannerisms.

All of that changes one day when she’s out on a ride on her horse, Starshine. Starshine breaks her leg and Lisa is scared that she’ll get blamed for it and no longer able to ride a horse. Suddenly, Lisa turns around and the horses’ leg is healed. Was this a dream or did it really happen?

Fans of the series know that each of the four teenagers has a certain power or ability. Lisa’s power happens to be healing. Jorvik Calling is a book that fans of the game will want to read and it will paint in lots of details to the girls’ lives. If you’re unfamiliar with the game then you’ll want to pack some patience. The buildup to the girls discovering their powers and meeting the nemesis of the book, Mr. Sands takes a while.

That’s not entirely a bad thing because when the pieces come together it’s at a point where you want to read more. However, this all happens in the final 10% of Soul Riders. If you’re a patient reader who loves mystery, friendships, horses and fantasy at a middle grade level then this book and series is custom made for you.

We like fantasy, so will be hooked in for The Legend Awakens, the second book in the series. That book most likely starts with action, battling druids and working together. For me, Jorvik Calling was a surprisingly fun book that took a while to get to the meat. The people in the StarFam will salivate over every word and description. Book people will mildly enjoy Jorvik Calling and hope that the second book moves faster.