Books Like Troll

These days, the term troll is known more for the slang term meaning someone making inflammatory comments online to provoke others. However, in Nordic folklore, trolls are dangerous creatures that dwell in isolated areas and that are rarely helpful to humans. Although primarily found in Nordic folklore and Norse mythology, trolls quickly began appearing in other forms of media, too. These include fantasy stories where trolls were often the villains but can also sometimes be more than dimwitted brutes. For example, Troll by A. F. Jansson is set in the Vikings’ world of Midgard, where an orphan stable hand named Ash has to journey into the heartland of the trolls on a quest to stop Ragnarok. For more novels where trolls play an important role in the story, check out the following books like Troll.

The Troll Hunter

by Keith C. Blackmore

The Troll Hunter by Keith C. Blackmore is set in a world where the tired country of Sunja has been engaged in years of relentless and pitiless battles. In desperation, the king dispatches a company of soldiers to the north to plead for help from neighboring kingdoms. Bloor is the Sunjan cavalier tasked with leading the group and protecting a mysterious koch destined for the northern kingdom. The mission is complicated further thanks to tension throughout the ranks, and Bloor also has to deal with a rival cavalier who is bitter and resentful of him being given command. Their mission is to protect the koch at all costs, but Bloor and his group soon discover that there is a more sinister threat outside Sunja’s high walls than the legions of hated Nordish soldiers. 

Troll Mountain

by Matthew Reilly

An intrepid youth named Raf is the protagonist of Troll Mountain by Matthew Reilley. Raf is a member of a small tribe of humans living in an isolated valley with fearsome troll overlords. However, tribe members begin dying from a terrible illness rumors begin to spread that the trolls of Troll Mountain are the only ones with a fabulous elixir that can cure the illness. When the tribal leaders refuse to help him when his sister is struck down by the disease, Raf decides to journey alone to Troll Mountain. In defiance of his tribe, his plan is to steal the elixir from the dreaded trolls, but to even reach the mountain he will need to pass through dangerous swamps and haunting forests. The journey will expose him to the ever-present danger of rogue trolls, but Raf is determined to save his sister.
 

The Last of the Trolls
by G W Boutilier

The Last of the Trolls by G W Boutilier is the story of Harlan Campbell, a young amateur geologist. Harlan grew up in the city of Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada, which is not exactly the most exciting place on Earth. However, Harlan’s life spirals out of control when he comes into possession of an old Canadian Badlands mining map. Using this map, Harlan discovers an ancient underground troll village that has existed since before humans ruled the Earth. It turns out that trolls used to roam the planet in huge numbers until the Great Ice Age. While the trolls that remained on the surface perished, those that went underground survived.

The Sea of Trolls
by Nancy Farmer

The Sea of Trolls is the first novel by Nancy Farmer in the trilogy of the same name. The protagonist, Jack, is kidnapped along with his sister by Viking chief Olaf One-Brow from his Saxon village in the year A.D. 793. They are taken to the court of Ivar the Boneless, who is married to a half-troll named Frith. However, Frith is an evil and unpredictable queen, so when Jack mistakenly casts a charm on her, he is banished to the kingdom of the trolls, where he must find the magic that will undo the charm. Fortunately, Jack is not alone in this perilous mission as he is accompanied by a shield maiden named Thorgill, who wants to be a berserker, and a mysterious crow called Bold Heart. 

The Prodigal Troll
by Charles Finlay

The Prodigal Troll by Charles Finlay follows the adventures of a human child named Claye, who grows up in a society of trolls. Claye’s father, Lord Gruethrist, tasked a trusted knight and nursemaid to escape with baby Claye when an invading baron besieged his castle. Unfortunately, both the knight and nursemaid were killed, and Claye would have perished, too, if a mother troll grieving for her own lost child didn’t adopt him. Her husband was very much against the idea, though, and named the baby “Maggot.” Claye learns how to survive thanks to the trolls and other neighboring creatures, but eventually has to set out to find his destiny amongst his own kind. 

The Hanging City
by Charlie N. Holmberg

Trolls are a brutal species and the sworn enemies of humanity in The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg. However, Cagmar, their city, could be a young woman named Lark’s sole chance for refuge. She’s been on the run for seven years from her abusive father and has no more hope of sanctuary among the dwindling pockets of human civilization. However, she’s not defenseless, as she wields a cursed power that allows her to trust fear onto others and cause them to flee in terror. The troll high council is intrigued by this power and agrees that Lark could be useful for fighting off the unspeakable creatures that tournament their city, which is suspended from a bridge over an endless dark canyon. The only caveat is that if she uses her power against a troll, she will be killed, which is easier said than done when she draws the hatred of a powerful troll who loathes humankind.