Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "viking"

Kings and Pawns: A Novel of Viking Age England by James L. Nelson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


No matter how hard he tries, the gods refuse to allow Thorgrim “Night Wolf” Ulfsson to return home to Norway. He and his men, numbering between three and four hundred, as well as their seven ships, are now in Engla-land, where they have captured a rich monastery and many English soldiers. Night Wolf prefers to ransom them and be on his way, but the conniving machinations of two locals vying to be proclaimed ealdorman interfere his plans. Cynwise, who would pay the Danegeld and secure her claim to the title, must contend with a father who would usurp her rights and her brother-in-law who feels he should inherit his brother’s position. Nothwulf, allied with the influential and wealthy thegn Leofric, has no intention of paying the ransom. He plans to decimate the Norsemen through slyness and trickery, thus proving he is the best candidate for ealdorman.

Night Wolf has two sons: Harold Broadarm, who accompanies him on this long raiding journey, and Odd Thorgrimson, who remains at home taking care of both his own farm and his father’s. In spite of being clever and good at what he does, a small part of Odd also resents being left behind, unable to prove himself as a true Norse warrior. But news of unexpected visitors to Night Wolf’s farm and King Halfdan’s insistence that Night Wolf owes back taxes, even though Odd has diligently paid them, stir unwanted trouble that finally provide him with the chance to prove his mettle to both himself and the other hauldar, prosperous landowners like himself. They are reluctant allies until they realize that what Halfdan proposes for Odd could well be their own fates as well.

Kings and Pawns is the ninth book in The Norsemen Saga and has all the hallmarks of the previous titles – intrigue, betrayal, courage and bravery, cleverness and brawn, and fickle nemeses – to guarantee that readers find themselves on a whirlwind adventure where expectations and actualities don’t necessarily coincide. Starri Deathless epitomizes the berserker of history in a way that illuminates how these warriors must have appeared as they fought their enemies. Failend’s soul-searching seems an important component at the beginning of this tale, but as it unfolds, both she and her struggle fade away unresolved. The introduction of Odd and his conflict with the power-hungry and jealous Halfdan promises a new and compelling dynamic to the saga. Odd’s surprise attack makes for interesting comparisons to those that his father endures.

Nelson’s expertise lies in his portrayal of battles, whether they take place on land or water – and this tale incorporates both. Nothwulf’s snare and Halfdan’s ambush are equally harrowing but in different ways. Nelson interweaves the various threads of this epic tapestry of nail-biting drama in a way that leaves readers clamoring for more tales of Night Wolf and his family.




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The Midgard Serpent: A Novel of Viking Age England by James L Nelson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After years of raiding, most recently in Engla-land, Thorgrim “Night Wolf” Ulfsson is finally going home. Or at least that’s the plan until his son, Harald, tries a crazy stunt. If not for the timely intervention of another group of Norsemen, Harald might well be dead. The leader of this band is an old friend, who has need of Thorgrim’s help. Together, they will have sufficient men to stage a raid on an inland town called Winchester ripe for plundering. After all, it is where King Æthelwulf lives and has a cathedral rich with treasures. Thwarted by the gods once again, Thorgrim agrees to join this venture.

His years of hard work and experience have finally garnered Harald what he wants most – command of a ship. But what is the best way to gain the crew’s respect and form them into a cohesive unit? The whale seems an excellent solution, even though he has never hunted one before and has no idea how best to slay the creature. On the one hand, he succeeds in his endeavor. On the other, he gains the wrath of his father. But Harald is no longer a boy. He is an accomplished warrior who’s ready to stand on his own two feet, which causes a rift between Thorgrim and Harald that neither is willing to bridge.

Back home, King Halfdan has left Odd Thorgrimson no choice but to fight for his rights, his land, and his father’s land. He and the other landholders concur that his plan will work, and to a large extent it does. While Halfdan is away, they’ve captured his hall and fortress. They just make one small error in judgment, one that results in a standoff between Halfdan and them. Although they decide to fight to the bitter end, Odd cannot let the others suffer for his own mistake. Plus Halfdan holds a card Odd didn’t count on, and he will do what he must in order to safeguard his younger sister.

For some time, Failend has been troubled. She loves Thorgrim, but does he love her? Feelings aren’t something he shows or talks about. Her time with the Norsemen has taught her much and made her into a warrior, but she’s far from her homeland and her god is not their gods. When she hears that they plan to plunder another church, her disquiet resolves into a decision that has severe consequences for her as well as Thorgrim and the men he most trusts.

Felix, Æthelwulf’s gatekeeper, has spent two years preparing for the king’s pilgrimage to Rome, but on the eve of their departure, the dreaded Norsemen are sighted. They must stop the invaders and, although it will delay this noteworthy journey, he helps the king and his men see the wisdom of his plan. The enemy will expect them to stand and fight on land. But what if they take to the ships and lay a trap that will finally rid them of this scourge?

Among the many tales recounted in the sagas, Odin tossed one of Loki’s children into the ocean. This serpent grew and grew until it encircled the Earth and grasped its own tail, earning it the name of the Midgard Serpent. This book in many ways resembles a serpent, twisting and turning, creeping and stinging as events unfold in what is perhaps the best of the ten entries in Nelson’s Norsemen Saga. From tangling with a whale while in a longboat, to a battle at sea, to a race on water to elude pursuers in the midst of a storm, to burning at the stake, The Midgard Serpent ensnares the reader until you are swept into the midst of the action. It is impossible to stop turning pages, to catch one’s breath. Just when you think the stakes can’t possibly become higher, Nelson shows you just how wrong that assumption is. He is a gifted raconteur and for anyone who dreams of rousing Viking adventure, strap on your mail, grab your shield, and heft your sword. This wild ride of the mid ninth century will fulfill those dreams.



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