Sandi Layne's Blog, page 10
March 16, 2015
Book Review – Blood of a Stone
Blood of a Stone by Jeanne Lyet Gassman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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“I remember every step I took to find Jesus.” – Tabitha, Blood of a Stone
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Demetrios is a layered protagonist that the reader—though they might wish to wash their hands of him and his choices early on in the book—is compelled to get to know intimately. In doing so, they might find echoes of their own lives and their own choices.
We come to meet this man in rather horrid circumstances. He’s a twin whose twin has died, and he himself can’t move so well due to a physical deformity. He is sold into slavery, abused, and—though taken under the wing of a careful and good-hearted elder servant—he takes matters into his own hands and thus shades his life for years to come.
The servant is a man named Elazar, who is Jewish. His faith plays a huge role in his life as the story begins, even to the point of creating a divide between himself and Demetrios. Still, Elazar does as much as he can for his fellow servant and, when Demetrios makes very poor choices, still protects and guides him. They even go into business together.
The journey that Demetrios takes in Blood of a Stone is long and painful. His heart throbs over the beauty and vulnerability of a young woman he is offered as a wife, but his impetuous choices once again make things hard for him and he loses her. He has courage, though, and he learns and grows to not just be cared for, but to learn to care for others, even more than his own life. And he hears about Jesus of Nazareth on his journey, and his feelings toward this teacher, this healer, change over the course of the story until even Demetrios cannot help but acknowledge Jesus’ power.
This is also a love story. Demetrios never forgets Tabitha, the girl he could have wed if not for the impetuosity of their youth. Their paths cross and finally join, and Tabitha has by then come to be a Christ-follower, who helps Demetrios and walks at his side.
Jeanne Lyet Gassman is a fantastic writer. I’ve been privileged to know her for more than a decade, and have benefited from her brilliance as well as enjoyed her words immensely. This, her debut novel, is rich in historical detail, landscape descriptions, and emotional journeys. She’s a gifted writer and I was so pleased to have been given a complimentary review copy of this book.
I recommend this for anyone who enjoys Biblical Era historical fiction, human drama, and journeys of faith.
Filed under: Book Reviews Tagged: biblical fiction, book review, historical fiction, Jeanne Lyet Gassman, Jerusalem, Jesus of Nazareth
March 13, 2015
Two Historical Fiction Authors Talk Vikings – Scarred
This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.
HEILL!
THE SHIELDMAIDENS OF HISTORY (PROTECTING THE INNOCENT FROM ANACHRONISMS) WELCOME YOU BACK TO OUR REVIEW SERIES ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL SHOW VIKINGS.
Author Lissa Bryan (whose post-apocalyptic trilogy concludes this month with Shadows Have Gone) and I spent last night on twitter (@LissaBryan, @sandyquill) during Season 3, Episode 4: Scarred. Today, we present our discussion, recap, and thoughts on this episode. Lissa’s comments will be in blue.
Lissa: My, things are moving in rather interesting directions, aren’t they?
All Vikings gifs from the official History Channel Vikings tumblr and are used only for illustrations regarding their show.
Sandi: They really are! One thing to note is the continuation of Floki’s concern about the Christians’ influence on Ragnar (and Rollo). I’m glad that—what with everything else happening this week—this theme wasn’t lost. Historically, it’s significant.
L: Kwenthrith discovers Ragnar has been injured as he lounges by the banks of the river. She climbs up on him and urinates on his wound. (It’s not a jellyfish sting, Kwenthrith.) A somewhat unusual method of treatment, I should think. It’s a little unclear when she resumes her perch on him if there’s going to be a little bit more “healing” going on – of the Marvin Gaye type.
S: Urine is actually indicated for the treatment of wounds, if there aren’t other methods available. It may seem really gross to us in our present day world, but urine is a filtered substance and is even potable at need. As to whether she employed any Marvin Gaye treatments, we don’t know… I’d like to think not, but with Princess Kwenthrith? Who can say?
L: Back in Kattgat, Rasputin – I mean Harbard – is still using his magicks to soothe little Ivar’s pain. Aslaug begins to spend more and more time with him, strolling with him as he tells her stories. She argues with Siggy about it, who still mistrusts the stranger and his intentions. Aslaug more or less casts her duties into Siggy’s lap in turn for having the freedom to spend her time with Harbard He lures Aslaug inside an empty building and seduces her. Well, maybe “seduces” isn’t the right word, because Aslaug doesn’t seem to need much persuasion in that regard.
S: Her behavior seemed out of character to her second-season behavior. Aslaug is now a wife who is perhaps feeling neglected and under-appreciated, certainly not loved as she wishes she could be. So, bring in a charming stranger and..? Still, I would have liked Aslaug not to be so easily seduced.
L: I think the parallel with Rasputin was strong here. Empress Alexandra was also accused of being under Rasputin’s sexual thrall, and she hung on his every word to the detriment of her duties, according to her detractors.
The next scene shows Judith and Athelstan in bed together. I was hoping it was one of her dreams, but no, she and Athelstan crossed the line into the physical. He tells her he loves her and pulls her in for another embrace.
S: his really surprised me. Last we saw of these two (together) Judith was putting up a big “Oh, no! I couldn’t possibly!” façade. The advances in this relationship initiated from her side, though Athelstan did grow more forward during and after the steamy bath in last week’s episode. But last night, the two of them appeared entirely comfortable with one another, and the princess seems no longer to be at odds with her choice, while they are in bed together.
L: We see Porunn, too. Her face is horribly injured from the battle. She says Bjorn won’t want to marry her any more (one can wish!) but Bjorn assures her that isn’t true and kisses her forehead.
S: Had quite a few comments about Björn’s perfect post-battle hair. It was a bit amusing. Porunn’s poor face was a mess, and her flippant attitude was designed to shield her from Björn’s possible rejection. And he, poor guy, is not shallow enough to think of abandoning her due to her injuries, but I think he’s engaged in a considerable amount of self-castigation over how he didn’t protect her as he should have. This could drive a wedge that has nothing to do with her looks.
L: Lagertha is in the king’s bedroom, listening to him as he tries to convince her to shrug off her duty as earl and stay in Wessex with her settlement. Lagertha tumbles into bed with him with a smile, but says she has come to discover that King Ecbert cares about nothing but himself. Lagertha has gone into this affair with no illusions. She is not a wide-eyed girl to have her head turned by a king’s attention and a few trinkets. She had fun with him and accepted his gifts, but she has no intention of staying as his mistress.
S: I really enjoyed her clear personal strength in that scene. She’ll take her pleasure, certainly, but not forsake her responsibilities. Has she strengthened the alliance with King Ecbert? I think so, at least in the short term. Will King Ecbert continue to pursue her now that he’s been with her? Not sure, because Ecbert is a practical man and if she’s not going to be his, he might seek someone else who would be.
L: But Lagertha is going to be surprised when she returns to her lands. Kalf’s advisor frets over the fact she’ll be returning with seasoned warriors at her back. Kalf says he has a plan for that, an ally coming to support him.
S: The Kalfling’s arrogance continues to surprise me. Granted, he managed to get the support of Earl Ingstadt’s people in the short term, but Lagertha’s personal charisma is great, and her battle prowess undoubted. How can he think to win out over her, no matter who he has in alliance?
L: In Kattegat, Ragnar’s sons wonder to Siggy where their mother is. Siggy tells them Aslaug is with Harbard and one day they will understand the sacrifices mothers make for their children. The boys wander off, presumably in search of her. Siggy chases after them to see the boys trying to cross the frozen expanse of water. She shouts at them to stop, but it’s too late. The ice cracks below them and boys plunge into the water.
S: This almost had a dreamlike quality, her pursuit. The winter landscape once again contrasts with the more springlike views where Ragnar & Co. are, which helped in this otherworldly feeling. When Siggy took off her shoes, I winced. Loudly. Hissed, too. Frozen feet are so not fun. The wonderful thing about this is how determined Siggy is to save the lives of her lord’s sons. She had just been demonstrating her own proclivity for personal leadership, yet she will preserve the right bloodline even at the cost of her own.
L: Siggy morphs into a superhero. Dashing across the ice, she tosses off her cape and leaps into the hole, diving after the boys. She surfaces for a gasp of air and sees a ethereal girl sitting on the edge of the ice. With a sweet smile, she takes Siggy’s hand. Siggy’s whole face lights up when she sees her. Last night, you wondered if maybe it was the daughter Siggy had lost. My True Love said it was a Valkyrie. In either case, after saving one (or both – it was unclear to me) of the boys, Siggy surfaces one last time and sees Habard watching her flounder in the water. She sinks back below the surface, her hair floating in the current. Siggy died a hero, battling to save her people.
S: In an article I read this morning on Entertainment Weekly, it was revealed that the lady waiting for Siggy on the ice was indeed the spirit of her daughter. The idea was that Siggy would get to return to those she loved in death, since her loves in life had not proven permanent or satisfactory. I think that her death was a good one, as she saved the lives of two children, and her expression as she sinks is not one of despair, so I am left with a good feeling.
L: Back in Wessex, there’s a party to welcome Ragnar home. He looks around quickly and spots Athelstan, and you can almost hear him say, “Okay, there’s one, where’s…” He asks Ecbert, “How is … the settlement?” but he’s not really asking about the farm. He’s asking about Lagertha, to whom Ecbert defers the question. She’s wearing the opal necklace that Ecbert gave her. There’s a bit of flirting between Lagertha and Ragnar, and Ragnar notes that Lagertha seems to have gotten to know Ecbert well. Lagertha doesn’t deny it.
S: I still love Ragnar and Lagertha as a couple. They understand one another so well, and she is his equal in every way. Ecbert, though an astute man, does not comprehend the full nature of the bond Ragnar and Lagertha share, I don’t think. The dynamic is fascinating.
L: A bit later, King Ecbert embraces both Lagertha and Athelstan in a gregarious and overly-friendly crouch-hug. He asks them both to stay in Wessex when the ships leave. Lagertha says she’s already given him the answer to that one, and Athelstan says he’s going where Ragnar goes. Ecbert is not best pleased to be losing both of his favorite chesspieces – I mean Vikings – at once. He tells Athelstan that’s the wrong decision.
S: His manner with both of them is so familiar. Athelstan looks a bit uncomfortable. I am wondering if he is feeling that way due to his relationship with Judith or his relationship with the king himself? Not that anything untoward was overtly demonstrated, but Ecbert has been quite attached to him.
L: Judith draws Athelstan into a cove and asks him to stay. She sinned for him after all. But Athelstan tells her that her husband, Ecbert’s son, has returned now, and Athelstan is going to leave with his people. Judith kisses him, and they are seen … possibly by Floki? It was so dark, it was hard to tell. Considering the follow-up scene outside where Floki says he’s talking to the gods, I’m betting it was him. What he will do with this very dangerous information is a question that will keep me guessing all week. As he told Siggy before, he can’t keep a secret.
S: This scene is really odd and necessary. I’m not sure if it was Floki catching a glimpse of The Priest and the Princess—might have been the cuckolded husband—but either way, they’re keeping it to themselves…for now. What might Floki do with the information? It’s possible that he could use it and talk to Aethelwulf about it, since elsewhere in this episode they’re almost sort of talking with one another. And I don’t know. I think Floki can keep a secret, but only if it matters to him. After all, he played us all last season!
I wanted to mention another moment I really liked. When Ragnar and Ecbert are talking, sitting side by side, man to man. Not making eye contact, but speaking to the air in front of them. “Are you a good man?” “Are you corrupt?” And they both agree that they both are both of these things. Yet still they sit, observing those around them with a casual sort of jaundice that I think is amusing and also sad. Ragnar of many years ago wouldn’t have been able to deal with this in such a calm manner, I don’t think. He had to prove himself and so on, but now…he’s different. He’s a king. And he calls Ecbert out on Ecbert’s own schemes. I like it.
L: Kwenthrith introduces her brother to court and tells everyone that she has now gotten past the abuses she endured. She proposes a toast to her brother, but she pours out her own wine as her brother begins to drink. Predictably, he begins to choke, and blood pours from his lips as he collapses to the floor.
S: What struck me is that no one, but no one, said anything.
L: Kwenthrith looks a little horrified at what she has wrought, but she stands and asks everyone to lift their glasses to the sole heir of the throne of Mercia. Ragnar doesn’t looks surprised by this turn of events, but neither does anyone else, frankly. They gaze down into their cups and as one, pour the wine onto the floor, and toss the empty vessels at Kwenthith’s feet.
S: This was one of the most amusing moments of the episode last night. Everyone holding their cups and then they’re all, “Nope, not gonna risk it.” All that wine, all over the floor. And still, Kwenthrith is utterly unrepentant. Just, “So, that’s done, eh?”
L: We discussed last season that Kwenthrith was a real person, though little is known about her. She seems to have had an unusual amount of power for a woman of that era, and even minted coins wth her name and face on them. Like many figures of the era, her name is entwined with legend, so it’s hard to tell what’s truth and what is fable.
I will say that most historical folks prefer to do their poisoning in private, or with a bit more subtlety. An oaf her brother may have been, but he was still a prince, and the church frowns upon fratricide.
S: One of the chief draws of murder by poison is that the murderer is often allowed to remain anonymous. If someone was going to kill someone in full view of an entire royal court, why not go for something more direct? Lagertha, for example, wouldn’t poison someone to do away with them in front of others. She’d see it as a show of power and would indeed show her strength. Kwenthrith, on the other hand, simply watches with avid interest as her brother chokes to death and dies. It’s morbid. And does not gain her any respect, in my estimation.
L: In Kattegat, Harbard has a bit more of a frosty reception when he next sees Aslaug. He tells her that Ivar won’t experience as much pain any more, because he has taken it into himself. It’s time for him to move on. “Who am I? A wanderer,” he says as he leaves, pulling up the hood of his cloak, and stepping out into the mist… where he vanishes.
S: The change is really sudden here, for me. Is Aslaug frosty because she feels she’s been taken advantage of or are her feelings due to Siggy’s death and her suspicions about Harbard’s possible involvement? And has he really taken Ivar’s pain? If so, how? Three women had a vision of this man who strode into Kattegat, helped, told stories, had sex with the queen, and then left again. The dream would seem to indicate he has more importance than the few episodes in which he appeared, so I will wait to see what happens next with him.
L: Kalf’s new ally arrives. It’s the son of King Horik, the princeling that Ragnar spared at the end of last season. And he has brought with him Tovid, Earl Borg’s wife. She carries Borg’s baby in her arms. An alliance of two claims to the land, it seems, joining with Kalf’s forces. Ragnar’s mercy has come back to haunt him.
S: Shouldn’t ever spare a princeling if you want to rule peacefully. Isn’t that in the How to Be A Conquering Overlord handbook? I wonder how problematic this will be for Lagertha. This is such an amazing season. Again!
Thank you for reading and to all those who tweeted with Lissa and me last night! It was great to hear from you! Have any questions or comments about this episode? Let me know. See you next week for Episode Five: The Usurper.
Heill þú farir, heill þú aftr komir, heill þú á sinnum sér!
Hale go forth, hale return, hale on your ways! – Vafþrúðnismál 4
Filed under: Discussion Tagged: Athelstan, Bjørn, Ecbert, history, History Channel, Lagertha, poisoning, Ragnar, Siggy, spoilers, Vikings
March 8, 2015
Sunday Sneak Peek – Lorenz Font
Indivisible Line
by Lorenz Font
Release Date: March 12 , 2015
Published by The Writers Coffee Shop
Genre: FICTION / Romance / Contemporary / Thrillers
ISBN e-book: 978-1-61213-373-7
Together, Sarah and Greg must both decide whether they can overcome the vast differences between them, or if the indivisible line that separates their worlds will ultimately pull them apart.
~~SUMMARY~~
Pre-med student Sarah Jones is back in Beaver, Alaska, for summer vacation. A loyal member of the Gwich’in tribe, she accepts the rules set by her father, the leader of their small town. Raised in a strict household, she learned early on to do what is expected of her and has agreed to an arranged marriage. Despite her reluctance to marry without love, Sarah is unwilling to defy her father’s wishes. She hopes to help usher in an era of independence and stability for the town, but for now, her focus is finishing med school so she can become Beaver’s resident doctor.
Business owner Greg Andrews needs a change of atmosphere, away from his philandering wife and life in general. Leaving New York City to join a hunting expedition in Alaska, Greg’s plans are turned upside down when he is shot on Gwich’in land and ends up on Sarah’s operating table. In the absence of a qualified doctor, Sarah must operate to save his life. She refuses to wait for the consent of their tribal leader, and her father banishes her from the tribal land in punishment.
Grateful for his life, Greg concocts a scheme to help. Plagued by the side effects of her unconventional operation, he convinces Sarah to become his live-in nurse. Without the means to support herself, Sarah agrees to the questionable arrangement, but she soon finds herself in even more trouble. Her new problem is that she is falling in love with this infuriating man, and the choices she now must make are much more difficult than the simple act of saving a man’s life.
Together, Sarah and Greg must both decide whether they can overcome the vast differences between them, or if the indivisible line that separates their worlds will ultimately pull them apart.
~~EXCERPT~~
Sarah spoke again once she’d gotten her frazzled nerves in check. She looked up and met his gaze squarely. “Is this why you had me kidnapped? So you can rub my mistakes in my face? Punish me?”
He seemed to consider her question before answering. “It’s one of my reasons.”
She angled her body toward him. “What are the others? You want to throw me in jail?”
“I thought about it, but what good would it do me?” Greg’s lips thinned, and without giving her a chance to answer, he added, “I have other things in mind as compensation for your poor judgment.”
“This is blackmail. I can sue you for kidnapping, Mr. Andrews.” She shook her fist at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders in response.
“Sue me? With what money, Sarah? Last I checked, you’d been driven away from your home. You have no money, no place to stay, and no other means to pull your life together.” He cocked an eyebrow. “As far as I can tell, no one has even missed you yet.”
That might have been true, but he had no right to sling the unfortunate details of her life at her. Sarah stood, refusing to listen anymore. “You have no right to talk to me this way, Mr. Andrews. If you want to put me in jail, go ahead.” She brought her arms together and turned them around, her wrists facing him.
“No jail time for a girl like you. I have other things in mind.” He smiled.
Goodreads * Add to Want To Read List
Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH
Filed under: Publishing Tagged: author-to-author, indie author, Lorenz Font, romance, thriller, TWCS
March 6, 2015
Two Historical Fiction Authors Talk Vikings – Warrior’s Fate
This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.
HEILL!
THE SHIELDMAIDENS OF HISTORY (PROTECTING THE INNOCENT FROM ANACHRONISMS) WELCOME YOU BACK TO OUR REVIEW SERIES ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL SHOW VIKINGS.
Author Lissa Bryan (whose expertise on the Tudor court is getting some notice!) and I spent last night on twitter (@LissaBryan, @sandyquill) during Season 3, Episode 3: Warrior’s Fate. Today, we present our discussion, recap, and thoughts on this episode. Lissa’s comments will be in blue.
Lissa: Whew! Need to catch my breath after that one!
Sandi: I need to replace my headphones after that one!
L: The mysterious stranger is invited into Ragnar’s hall by Helga. He claims to be a wandering story-teller, but I noted that his clothes seemed well-kempt and his beard was neatly trimmed. You (ever the medicine woman) noted that his bandage was filthy, but other than that, he didn’t seem like a man who slept in bogs or beds of straw as fortune’s whims dictated.
S: Okay. This is my thought on Harbard and his grooming. He did clean up rather well! I’m thinking a couple of things. One, is that if he is indeed a professional storyteller, it is possible that “show clothes” are all he possesses, and his image is his craft in many ways. Keeping it up would be important. And though he might say he sleeps wherever he can, it is evident by his size and grooming that he generally gets the good beds. The second thought I had with this was that he wasn’t a storyteller at all but has a much more nefarious purpose in mind!
And hey…was I the only one to see the sexual interplay involved with that storytelling? Hm?
L: He tells a long tale of going to a king’s hall and having a bet with the king he could drink all of the wine in his horn, but the level never diminished no matter how much he gulped. He then bet he could beat whomever the king challenged him to wrestle, only to be presented with a suprisingly strong old crone. Siggy watches him with dispassionate eyes as the others become enthralled with the tale. The king in the story reveals that the horn was connected to the sea, which is why it kept refilling, and the crone he fought was Old Age personified. Siggy looks away and says crisply that the “stranger” must be Thor because only Thor could drink the oceans dry or beat old age.
I didn’t have time to look it up last night, but these tales rang a bell in my memory. I could swear I’ve read them before.
S: I found the story of Thor and his journey to Utgard at Hurstwic Norse Mythology’s website: http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/mythology/myths/text/thor_utgard.htm
Thor doesn’t actually beat old age, but he does wrestle with her. It is a story in which, the website says, Thor is once again “outclassed by an adversary” regarding his verbal skills.
Thor does not have a silver tongue, which makes the idea of a storyteller taking on his persona to be even more amusing.
L: The “stranger” has odd Rasputin-like powers to soothe Ivar when he screams in pain from his legs. He claims to be taking the baby’s pain into himself. Aslaug is very grateful as her son drifts into a comfortable sleep, but Siggy is alarmed by it… something is amiss here.
S: Siggy is suspicious – Siggy is pretty much always suspicious. She was a jarl’s wife, of course, and has had her own ambitions to see to for a long time. She is not trusting of any man, in my estimate, though she seems to get younger every season.
Okay, I want to bring up King Ecbert and his nobles and their differing opinions as they travel to make nice with the Northmen.
The Pagan v. Christian thing is a big issue here in this season. There was the man who elevated an idol while Athelstan was praying for the farming in episode one, and of course we have Floki who is one of the most vocal supporters of the Northern Way, trying very hard to get Ragnar to see that they shouldn’t be supporting Christians.
King Ecbert is actually helping the pagan newcomers, to the dismay of his underlords. The lesser lords think that a conversion should be the price of the lands given. But Ecbert is looking to military strategy at present rather than a faith thing. It was not uncommon for the rulers of Briton to accept foreigners (and all their ways) to the Island and to give them lands and even titles in exchange for arms. England was rather isolated, but it was very accessible. Having strong arms helping hold it was considered wise policy.
How long, I wonder, until the lesser nobles dig their heels in against their king?
L: Back in Wessex, Kwenthrith asks Ragnar to spare her brother’s life in the upcoming battle. Considering the horrible things about her past that she revealed, I’m saddened for her that she may still feel emotional attachment to him. But perhaps she’s thinking pragmatically that she can rule through him, or ransom him back to his people. We’ll have to wait and see what her motive is.
S: Yeah…she acted a bit off I think. Even compared to last episode. It was really weird.
L: Ecbert continues his campaign to woo the wooly skirts off of Lagertha. He presents her with a plow, and she reacts much like a modern woman given a sports car filled with Gucci purses. She climbs up into the wagon, eyes wide and shining, and runs her hands over the wood.
S: Oh. My. Farming equipment. History Channel and the writers had way too much fun with this one. King Ecbert was a walking innuendo with his plowing and fertilizing and so on. And Lagertha was all comprehensive and, clearly, not averse to, er, plowing. Many kudos to the writers for that little bit of “Really? Did he really say that?” and to the actors for brilliant deliveries.
L: The battle against Kwenthrith’s brother’s troops begins and a not-dead-yet Torstein struggles to his feet. He wants to lead the way up the hill, checking to see where the enemy is. As it turns out, it’s more of his way of honorably ending things than anything, and he’s slain by the opposing force.
S: I had to give the man full credit. The ideal was to die in battle, slaying the enemy, so that a warrior could enter Valhalla with pride and live and drink with his fathers forever. Torstein, though maimed and ill, managed to get himself together enough to meet the enemy and—though wounded enough to remind me of Sean Bean as Boromir in Lord of the Rings—he was able to take a stab at the enemy before being slain on the field of battle.
L: Floki cries over his body later and demands of Ragnar to know how many more of the men have to die for the Christians and their god. He says Torstein’s death was pointless. Ragnar reacts angrily and tells him to shut his face before stomping away. As @duncanpowers noted in our live-Tweet last night, Floki may respect people who occasionally tell him to cut back on the emo, but he looked so wounded.
S: Ragnar made good points in his reaction. Each man’s skein is spun and fated, and each man can make his own choices until his end. Ragnar has not demanded any of his men fight, though he chose to fight himself. He left everyone with their own choice. And Torstein chose to fight. So, too, did Floki. Floki was undoubtedly feeling wounded by his friend’s death as well as Ragnar’s reaction, but I think the words needed saying.
As I mentioned during the show, Ragnar is not just Floki’s friend; he’s also a king and has to lead.
L: Ragnar orders his men not to shoot the prince, who’s heroically … fleeing as his men hold shields over his cowering head. He drops his (unused) sword and shouts to Ragnar that he surrenders. The looks on the Vikings’ faces when he said that were just precious. “He’s …. what? What is that strange and unusual word he’s using? Not fighting? What odd ducks these English are…”
S: Princess K’s brother was SO wimpy, in my estimation. His guards kept him safe, but he was clearly not a guy who was ready to take a stand. Not in front of his men, who had to drop their swords or in front of his sister who treated him like a puppy. Wasn’t she abused at his hands? Ugh.
L: Ecbert brings Lagertha to the Roman bath house, and it’s not long before the two of them are canoodling in the tub. Judith and Athelstan are on the opposite side of the bath, and Judith gets agitated when Lagertha and Ecbert begin kissing. She says it’s not right and scurries from the room. Athelstan follows her, wrapped in an itty-bitty towel (did I actually see terry cloth there?) and tells her not to fret, she hasn’t sinned. But oh boy, does she want to. She really, really wants to.
S: This is where my sound went wonky, but the visuals were communicative. I think Athelstan’s towel was nubby linen, rather than terry cloth, lol, but the man was certainly not ashamed to wear it and only it, eh? It is rare to see him as provoking anyone, but he clearly was in Judith’s case. To be fair, she confessed her desire to him before, but she is now in a place where she is (or is wanting to be seen as) striving not to give in to what they both know is wrong in their society and in terms of their faith.
I wonder why Athelstan’s doing this and I wonder if Judith is playing him or if she realizes she might have overstepped and is having a problem drawing back from that.
L: In battle, Porunn falls, despite Björn struggling to get over to her in time. She’s laying in camp, hovering between life and death when Ragnar comes over after his talk with Floki. Björn is wiping away tears as he says he never should have let her fight, never should have let her risk herself. Ragnar says with his characteristic bluntness, “We’re Vikings! It’s what we do!” and essentially tells him, “Man up, crybaby.” It’s not clear whether she’ll recover or whether the baby has been harmed.
S: Here, what I saw was Ragnar’s known devotion to the health and welfare of the children of his house. I think he was livid to find out a) that Björn allowed his own child to be endangered and b) that Björn didn’t have the authority in the relationship to keep the mother of his child (and Ragnar’s potential first grandchild!) safe at home. Lagertha didn’t battle while pregnant, or while her children were too small, either. Ragnar honors that – it’s a very desirable quality, to be a good mother, in this culture.
I am with your tweet, though, in thinking it’d be okay with me if Porunn didn’t make it. (Sorry, Gaia Weiss! You’re fabulous!). I have never agreed with her as marriage material for Björn Ironside.
L: Lagertha offers to let Ecbert stay to see the spring planting and the harvest offering to Frey. They slaughter a cow, though I suggested they might want to bring back the ever-so-slightly-incorrect human sacrifice aspect and offer Judith up instead. I mean, it was a really nice cow, and she’s not doing anything but tempting poor Athelstan … But I digress. Ecbert agrees to stay for the sacrifice, though his nobles are outraged. They mutter behind him as Lagertha sews the blood into the soil that if the Northmen can’t renounce their pagan gods, they shouldn’t be allowed to stay in Wessex. Ecbert looks thoughtful at this, and as Athelstan dusts soil from his hands.
S: It was interesting to me to note that the nobles didn’t leave entirely. Also, did you note the defiance in Lagertha’s entire attitude when she informed King Ecbert that they’d be doing a blood sacrifice to her god? And what about the pouring of the blood all over her? Ecbert seemed to be evaluating the situation but was carefully refraining from an expression of approval or disapproval. Very cagey, that fellow.
L: Back in Kattegat, two little boys are pulled from the ocean’s depths, drowned. Not near the shore… Far out to sea where they had no business being. Siggy goes to the Seer to ask if this “stranger” might have anything to do with it. The Seer asks her why she thinks that, and she tells him about the shared dreams. But the Seer has no answers for her. The gods have shown him nothing… nothing. The Seer has been blinded and they have no guidance. As he said to Lagertha in the season opener, often omens are not understandable until it’s too late to do anything about it.
“No one can help you,” he says, holding out his hand to her for her expected offering.
S: And she gave him nothing, there as the episode ended. Nothing. I wonder what that portends (if anything).
L: Ominous words indeed!
= = =
We’ll be back next week, on THORSday, with Episode 4: Scarred. Questions? Comments? Let me know and I’ll try to answer! :)
Heill þú farir, heill þú aftr komir, heill þú á sinnum sér!
Hale go forth, hale return, hale on your ways! – Vafþrúðnismál 4
Filed under: Discussion, History Tagged: Athelstan, christianity, culture clash, History Channel, King Ecbert, Lagertha, Lissa Bryan, paganism, Ragnar, Vikings, Wessex
March 1, 2015
Sunday Sneak Peek – T.M. Franklin
Today we get a sneak peek at T.M. Franklin’s paranormal romantic adventure, Unscheduled Departure!
Rowan Elliott is devastated when her boyfriend, Finn, tells her he’s moving across the country to take over the family business, and thrilled when he changes his mind at the last minute and gets off the plane.
But then things get . . . weird. Finn’s acting strange, and Ro’s getting mysterious phone calls that have her questioning if her boyfriend’s really who she thinks he is. As Ro races to figure out what’s going on, she discovers it’s more complicated than she could have ever imagined.
And if she’s not careful, she could lose her Finn forever.
“You okay?”
I hummed something in response. “Where were you when you called?” I asked, half-dozing already.
“Hmm?”
I opened my eyes to look at him drowsily. “I got your voicemail, but I couldn’t really hear what you were saying.”
He scanned the road before turning the corner leading to my apartment building. “Voicemail?”
I sat up, the queasy feeling in my stomach easing back in. “You said you had bad service. Said you loved me and we’d make it through this.”
“Through what?”
“You tell me.” I was getting irritated. What the hell was going on?
“Ro, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, pulling to an abrupt stop in the parking lot of my apartment building. “I never left a voicemail. Not today.”
I fumbled in my bag for my phone. I was not imagining this. “You did. You called—” I thumbed through my calls and held it up victoriously so he could see. “—at 12:06 p.m. today. See?”
His eyes narrowed at the screen. “That says Private Number.“
“Yeah. Yeah, I know. I was going to ask you about that.”
“Why do you think that was me?”
I rolled my eyes. “Because you left a voicemail!” My voice grew louder, a little screechy, but I couldn’t help it.
“Babe, I never left you a voicemail today!” Finn said, aggravation growing in his own tone. He pulled out his own phone and stabbed at it a few times. Finn’s familiar ringtone sounded on my phone, his picture popping up on the screen, along with his name.
“See?” he said. “At 12:06 I was driving. I didn’t call you. Whoever that Private Number was, it wasn’t me.” He tapped his phone and the ringtone stopped.
I stared at my phone and rubbed my forehead. My stomach roiled and an ache throbbed behind my eyes. “I don’t understand. I heard—”
“Let me listen to the voicemail.”
“It…got deleted.” I met Finn’s unreadable gaze and knew how it sounded. Weird. Crazy. But I had heard him. It was Finn.
Wasn’t it?
Enter now to win a signed copy of MORE by T.M. Franklin, one of her eBooks, or an Amazon Gift Card!
T.M. Franklin writes stories of adventure, romance, & a little magic. A former TV news producer, she decided making stuff up was more fun than reporting the facts. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Awards. She’s since written three additional novels and several best-selling short stories…and there’s always more on the way.
Connect with T.M. Franklin – Web site | Facebook | Twitter
Filed under: Publishing Tagged: author-to-author, indie author, paranormal, T.M. Franklin
February 27, 2015
Two Historical Fiction Authors Talk Vikings – The Wanderer
This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.
Heill!
The Shieldmaidens of History (Protecting the Innocent from Anachronisms) welcome you back to our review series on the History Channel show Vikings.
Author Lissa Bryan (whose Under These Restless Skies is a fantastic love story set in the Court of Henry VIII) and I spent last night on twitter (@LissaBryan, @sandyquill) during Season 3, Episode 2: The Wanderer. Today, we present our discussion, recap, and thoughts on this episode. Lissa’s comments will be in blue.
Lissa: I think I say this every episode, but “Wow, what an episode!”
Sandi: Absolutely. From Wessex, to Kattegat and Hedeby, to Mercia, we moved from the warriors to the farmers to those who remained back in the cold white north while the others were seeking a new place for themselves. It was good to see the variety of their circumstances, I think. We got treated to more or less prosperous Britons as well as a rural community where there is building a conflict of faiths. This to contrast to Kattegat with the frosty weather – shows again why the Northmen were on the move to find new places to live.
L: We start with the aftermath of the battle from the premier episode. Kwenthrith reveals that she wants her uncle’s blood so much because he molested her, and offered her to others when she was a young girl.
These and all gifs in this post are from Vikings on History Tumblr, the official Tumblr for this show.
S: I have made no bones about my lack of happiness with Princess Kwen in this series, but this really did have to move me over some. A hellish life indeed, as a child, and it is easier for me to put her actions thus far in a better perspective. So long as she doesn’t try messing with Ragnar, anyway. When she said she wanted her uncle’s head, it was really interesting to see how very easily Floki took the request and he brought it back without ceremony.
L: She has a bit of a drunken breakdown in the aftermath, hacking at her uncle’s head and sobbing in relief when she tosses it aside. Her character has really evolved this season, and I’m intrigued to see what will happen with her.
S: Perhaps we’ll see on the other side of the river where her brother has his men, eh?
L: Rollo has a strange incident of his own, hacking at some of the enemy soldiers while in a haze. Clive Standen mentioned in the season previews that Rollo would become a beserker.
S: I am missing Rollo so far this season. The man has kept his shirt on so far, and has been stable and reliable…until he started eating whatever it was that blurred his vision. Were these the same plants/fungi/whatsits that Floki gave him before, to enable him to act in a berserker manner?
L: Torstein has been wounded on his arm, and as the episode progresses, we see that it’s become infected. I don’t know the statistics during the Viking age, but I know that during the Civil War, infection and illness killed more men than direct battle.
S: Too true. Without traveling kvinna medisin (medicine women, healers) it’d be tough to perform any kind of advanced medicine while raiding.
L: Siggy, Helga, and Aslaug are having the same recurring dream. A man with a burning ball of snow, whose blood hisses as it drips into the snow … and a bloody, bound, and blinded Rollo. Aslaug gives a pained smile in front of the children and says it’s “Just a dream,” but you can tell she doesn’t believe that. It’s an omen, and the women are terrified by what it may mean.
S: I called the ladies the Weird Sisters on twitter last night and I’m sticking with that. Aslaug has the reputation of a Seer, Helga – well she’s Floki’s mate and is perfect for him so this worked for me, but to see Siggy in on this? That surprised me. The power of three or a triad is something that exists throughout the history and mythos of humanity, so this was a powerful omen, I think. The dream.
L: King Ecbert is pressing his suit with Lagertha. He asks her if she’s unattached, and then later, we see him gifting her with a fine opal and gold necklace. A step up from his earlier gift of a handful of earth, eh? But, as you said, Lagertha is a practical girl, and she may have appreciated the significance of the handful of earth more. Lagertha seemed very demure during this scene. She’s obviously charmed by Ecbert, but are his intentions honorable?
S: I think “honorable” is a relative term, here. I believe he is serious in pursuing her as a romantic partner and he would treat her well and all that, respecting her body as well as her position, BUT does he mean marriage? I don’t think so. King Ecbert is a product of his people and he is a Christian. He likely holds those who aren’t of his faith to be a lesser type of person, and not worthy of any more binding ties. Such as marriage. I am thinking he wants Lagertha as a mistress of station, but not as a wife. As such, he would see to it that she had everything she wanted…to a point. We all know Lagertha would take issue with at least some of this, no?
L: Björn scolds Porunn for straying from his side during battle and taking risks. She shrugs it off, but then Björn suddenly comes out with a proposal of marriage. A delighted Porunn accepts. But Björn may be sadly disappointed if he thinks it will keep her away from danger.
S: I was very much unsurprised that Björn proposed to Porunn, but it would not be seen as a respectable alliance. I know we talked about the purity of the bride before, and Björn has not treated Porunn as a proper wife prospect in the manner of the Northern culture. He’s treated her as a concubine—a well-loved and fertile concubine—so I am wondering how a marriage proposal will be received by his parents.
L: Back in Hedeby, Kalf has decided to betray Lagertha.
S: That was what I thought he was planning last week. Behind the “Kalfling’s” pretty face is a cunning brain. And a traitorous one.
L: He wants to be earl himself and persuades the supporters of Lagertha’s dead husband to support him. Welp, that little romance didn’t last long, did it? 
S: Must not have been much of a romance. More of a playful faux flirtation on her part and an effort (successful) to beguile on his.
L: But the same thing happened to Ragnar when he left his lands, didn’t it? It just shows the danger that leaving with your best men to go raiding presented to a community. It left it vulnerable to outside attack and to usurpers who had the idea of taking advantage of the leaders’ absence.
S: The personality of the leader was a main factor in keeping the people together, at this point. There wasn’t a system in place to make changes, so the leader had to keep things in hand him/herself.
L: Athelstan s facing his own challenges. Lady Judith asks to confess to him because her own confessor is gone. Athelstan protests he was just a monk, not a priest, but she insists she needs to confess. They meet in a confessional booth. Last night during the episode, you and I discussed that confessional booths are probably a bit anachronistic for this era. They don’t seem to have been used this early in the church’s history.
S: Yep. As far ahead of this time as the 12th Century, it is noted that a priest taking confession would often sit on a stool or bench while the penitent knelt at his feet. There was no privacy, no disguising the complete awareness of one from the other. I think that in this instance here with Judith, the writers chose to use a booth as theatre more than anything.
L: In the booth, Judith confesses she’s been having erotic dreams about Athelstan. She leaves right after dropping this bombshell, leaving Athelstan a bit unsettled, to say the least. Later, as Athelstan is saddling up to leave, he reminds her he never gave her penance. She says his leaving is penance enough. As she watches him rid off, her father-in-law, King Ecbert, leans over to murmur to her that the object of her “fascination” is very dangerous. I wonder if the gears are turning in Ecbert’s mind that Judith might be a way to keep the “Tiny Viking” interested in hanging around Wessex.
S: King Ecbert is a visionary (according to the website) and I can see him using those around him for his own aims. It struck me as curious that Judith made very sure to call Ecbert “Father-in-law” during their final chat in this episode. I wonder if there is additional tension between them that has nothing to do with the king’s son.
L: The new “Jarl Kalf” is dining in his (Lagertha’s!) hall and says that he dreamt Ragnar tore out his liver while he was still alive and ate it in front of him with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. Okay, I made up that last part. Yeah, I’d say that’s an omen, too, son.
S: And according to your friend on Facebook, the Kalfling was actually eating Lagertha’s own cat. (Is this in place of the lambs from prior seasons, I wonder?)
L: Torstein’s arm has become too badly infected for him to ignore any longer. He calls over to where Rollo and Floki are standing and says the arm has to come off. He puts on a brave face, and even jokes about it a bit: “I never liked that arm anyway.” Floki, the one he has chosen to do the job, maintains the light tone. He tells Floki he would do it for him, if their positions were reversed. The amputation scene was tough to watch, but well-done.
S: The amputation was pretty brutal. (No one gave Torstein any alcohol?) I was pleased to see that Rollo cauterized the stump. It’s messy, it’s gross, but it was better than dying of blood poisoning. And the byplay was very cool. 
L: But the last scene we see is of Torstein’s wound having re-opened and darkening the sand beneath him with blood. It seems he’s on his way to the halls of his fathers.
S: The Wanderer, for whom the episode is named, is Harbard. I’m very much intrigued by what his presence means to the storyline and individual characters this season.
Thanks for reading! Comments? Questions? Just let me know! I’ll do my best!
Heill þú farir, heill þú aftr komir, heill þú á sinnum sér!
Hale go forth, hale return, hale on your ways! – Vafþrúðnismál 4
Filed under: Discussion, History Tagged: berserker, Floki, History Channel, Lissa Bryan, Ragnar, Rollo, Vikings
February 22, 2015
Sunday Sneak Peek – Sydney Logan
latest novel, Pros & Cons!
Cover by T.M. Franklin
Book Release: February 21, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Suspense
Publisher: Mountain Media
Con artists Jenna York and Ethan Summers always seem to cross paths during their travels around the world. With their partners in tow, the cunning criminals wreak havoc across the globe, stealing from the rich and giving to the richer. While Jenna tries to convince herself that she sees him as nothing more than a professional rival, Ethan finds it a little harder to fight his attraction to the beautiful thief. When tragedy strikes, Jenna and Ethan join forces, but are the stakes too high? Can they escape this last job with their lives—and their hearts—intact?
Book Trailer by Jada D’Lee Designs
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a Rafflecopter giveaway
Amazon bestselling author Sydney Logan holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of three novels – Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, and Soldier On. Sydney has also penned several short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul.
A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
Visit her website at www.sydneylogan.com. She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Filed under: Publishing Tagged: author-to-author, romance, Sunday Sneak Peek, Sydney Logan
February 20, 2015
Two Historical Fiction Authors Talk Vikings – Mercenary
This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.
Heill!
The Shieldmaidens of History (Protecting the Innocent from Anachronisms) welcome you back to our review series on the History Channel show Vikings.
I am so excited to be back for a third season of History Channel’s VIKINGS series! Once again, author Lissa Bryan and I spent last night on twitter (@LissaBryan, @sandyquill) during Season 3, Episode 1: Mercenary. Today, we present our discussion, recap, and thoughts on this episode. Lissa’s comments will be in blue, this season. And boy, did we have a lot to say!
Lissa: This was a great premier episode! It had everything. Gorgeous costumes (cough boot heels cough), action, love, and conflicting alliances.
Sandi: I was enraptured by last night’s episode. Getting to see everyone, trying to study the interpersonal dynamics…wow. And I missed the boot heels! Who had them?
L: It was one of the men on the boat as they were leaving for Wessex. I saw it as they were lounging back. I’m thinking we might just have to learn to live with that one. I suppose History Channel’s commitment to authenticity does not extend to hiring a cobbler.
We started out with Lagertha going to the Seer to learn her future. She had an achingly sad expression in her eyes when he told her she would never bear another child. I think she already knew, but the last shred of hope she had died at that moment, and it was hard to watch.
S: I felt bad for Lagertha. I do wonder what this trip to the Seer might have had to do with her flirtatious behavior back in her own Hall. She strutted in there – it was great. Lagertha is a powerful woman. I was a little surprised, I confess, to see her flirting. She doesn’t often let her feminine side come out to play. I wonder how this will happen this season.
L: We haven’t seen that since some of her loving scenes with Ragnar early in the series. I suppose she’s been so busy being a Jarl, she hasn’t had much time to focus on being a woman. Perhaps with this young man, she feels safe enough to let it out. The actress looked so beautiful in these scenes. Lagertha would be about thirty in the series now, correct? In those days, that was certainly nearing the end of her youth, so her question to the Seer is understandable.
The Seer predicted a harvest of blood, broiling seas, a “trickster” whose weapon will cleave her, and a river with three crossings or shores, which I think may represent the three major power players in this situation: Lagertha herself, Ragnar, and Ecbert. Lagertha didn’t unerstand what he was talking about and the Seer chuckled. He said that the nature of prophecy is that its meaning doesn’t become clear until it’s too late to stop it. Dark times are ahead, it seems.
S: Well, yes. Dark times, indeed. Invasions are happening, and that is not going to be pretty.
L: She then asked about her own death, which is a question I’d never ask in a million years.
S: Me, either. Who would want to know that? How would that knowledge affect everyday decisions?
L: I certainly wouldn’t do so much saving for retirement!
He didn’t give her a definitive answer on that one, which worried me a little – is it already too late to stop it, or is there a fork in the road ahead where Lagertha could make a choice, and only when she looks back would she realize its significance?
S: These are a people who believe in the skein of their lives already being woven, so Fate is a given. Is it a matter of her choices or just a matter of time?
L: Lagertha’s hall seems quite prosperous! And she has a very handsome young gentleman who is her new right-hand man. And maybe left-hand … And maybe more than hands. She asks him about potential new spouses for herself, and then asks why he never approached her with his own offer. He essentially says he’s not good enough for her, and she should have a marriage that brings her wealth and status. Noble fella. He’ll hold down the fort for her in her absence, he says.
S: Ha. Noble indeed. Later, when he confronts Einar in the little rowboat with the axe, he intimates he himself will be the next earl. How does he plan on that happening? Will he woo Lagertha or depose her?
L: My money is on “wooing,” at least for now. He’s obviously smitten, but if Lagetha declines his offer, or marries another man, heartbreak could lead to some ugly decisions.
But she’s barely out the door before there’s a man challenging for her seat. It seems there are some who wish for rule that represented her dead husband’s interests. Lagertha’s new chief assistant puts that down quickly.
Björn and Ragnar overlook Kattegat and discuss the reason why they fight. Ragnar looked as though he was wearing the mantle of a king well across his broad shoulders, but it seems he recognizes the costs of his reponsibility. He tells his son that power is dangerous and it attracts the worst.
S: This is very interesting, seeing how this relationship plays out. Ragnar is a good father toward his younger sons (Ivar notwithstanding) but as Björn gets older, there is more of a confrontational nature between them. Which makes perfect sense. Ragnar is operating with knowledge of the prophecies about his sons, and Björn is coming into himself and, heck, out there with a lover and likely siring a child of his own. Ragnar wants to do right by his eldest, but communicating that means there will be harsh words.
L: What a conflict in Ragnar! He is so proud of Björn and wants to see him thrive, but at the same time, it would be hard to know your boy is destined to achieve more greatness than you ever will, especially given the emphasis on fame as a warrior in their culture and religion. Not only is poor Ragnar doomed to watch Björn outshine him on earth, but in the Afterlife, as well!
Floki tells Helga that he feels trapped and smothered by the happiness of his family life. He’s genuinely spooked by it, and I think it’s because he’s now realizing just how much he stands to lose. What the gods have given, they can take away in an instant. He tries to pick a fight with Helga, but she isn’t having it. He’s a hard man to love, there’s no doubt. His baby is beautiful, though. I mentioned on Twitter that I wondered if she’d be a Seer.
S: Floki’s behavior was unsettling here. After he played us all last season, I am going to try harder to understand him this year.
L: I am so glad he turned out to be a loyal friend and my faith in him wasn’t misplaced.
S: I’m wondering how much of this behavior is because he’s afraid he’ll lose all the blessings he has gained and how much of it is a sense of time passing? He is loyal to Ragnar, but he doesn’t agree with him on all fronts. He misses, I think, the old ways and the old days when things were simpler. Perhaps he needs to design more ships?
L: He is absolutely out of his comfort zone, there is no dfenying it. Floki has deep-seated problems. The show hasn’t really explored the root of them. He’s just “Crazy Floki,” the genius shipbuilder who is clearly a bit “tetched” but is ultimately a good guy. Now, he is utterly out of his element. He wasn’t a man made for peace, love, and happiness. (Remember his fear the first time he beheld his baby?) Perhaps you’re right that he’s the kind of person who always needs someone to battle against.
Floki isn’t the only of Kattegat’s men to wants to leave town. Torstein, it seems, has gotten two women in the family way, and the ladies hate one another. He wants gone, like, YESTERDAY. Both women glare from the pier as the men hop in their long boats for the trip to Wessex to claim the lands Ecbert promised them.
S: Torstein cracked me up. “Get me outta here!” And the scene where the longships were pulling out of harbor showed images of the women being left behind. Some pregnant, some not, but it seemed rather clear that their men were content to go at that point.
L: I can’t imagine how I’d be.
“Did you pack your spear?”
“Yes, honey.”
“DId you pack that lunch I made you?”
“YES, honey!”
“You didn’t forget to sharpen your axe did you?”
“NO, HONEY!”
“You will be careful, won’t you?”
“By all the GODS, woman!”
“Maybe I should just come with you…”
“NO!!!”
Aslaug, too, is standing on the pier, eyes narrowed as she watches her husband talk with Lagertha. There was an earlier scene in which Ragnar giggled, chased, and wrestled with his children until Aslaug entered carrying Ivar. “How’s Boneless?” Ragnar asks, tactless as ever. The baby’s limp legs peek from under the blanket. Aslaug asks if Ragnar loves the boy and Ragnar replies that of course he does. But there’s no doubt he’s troubled by the child’s condition. And he may be feeling guilt in what he believes is his role in creating the child’s disability. Aslaug then asks a very dangerous question. “Do you love me?” We don’t see the answer to that, and it’s just as well. She should have known better than to ask it. S: She should have, yes. And I wonder if Björn would have anything to say to the situation if he were aware of the emotional currents, there. He was never in favor of Aslaug supplanting his own mother.
L: I think here may have been a bit of schadenfreude. I certainly felt it from the audience last night. There isn’t much sympathy for her character. But from her perspective, she has now spent years being a good wife to Ragnar and building him a happy home. he’s clearly enthralled with his children and he’s a wonderful father, but there’s a part of him that will never belong to her, no matter how hard Aslaug tries.
S: Ivar the Boneless goes on to be an enormously effective warrior (http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesBritain/EnglandIvarr.htm) but there is still a lot of controversy about what, precisely was wrong with him. It is unlikely that he actually had issues as a youngster since he was considered a warrior, but there is talk that he may have been afflicted with a degenerative bone issue in later life.
L: So many theories on this man and what his issues may have been -if any. Some theorize thast he may have been called “Legless” because he never needed his legs to walk off a battlefield – he was always carried off in victory. In any case, he was an amazing warrior, so if he did havea disability, he must have decided as a young man that he wasn’t going to let a little thing like not being able to walk stop him.
It would be interesting to see Floki design him a saddle in which Ivar could ride and remain uptight while he practiced his bow and sword.
S: Oh, and if you click that link above? There is mention of yet another Wife of Ragnar… We’ll have to keep our eyes open.
L: Yeah, the old stories aren’t entirely clear on how many wives he had or their order in his life. So the show has a lot of possibilities in that regard.
Björn is trying to convince Porunn, who has a new Mockingjay haircut, to stay home in Kattegat, but no dice. She’s going too. He kisses her as Ragnar watches, and I was still hoping Ragnar would take the young man aside and explain what Björn should know: she’s not a suitable bride for the son of a jarl and a king. Porunn may feel she can begin to win honor and wealth by participating in the raids, but she’ll still never be suitable to be his bride.
S: Mockingjay haircut. Nice! I was also reminded of that movie. I am with you on the Unsuitable Bride front. Porunn is undoubtedly a strongwilled woman, but she is not a good choice for Wife of the Eldest Son of a King. And is she going to Floki’s makeup artist? I keep expecting to see her eyeliner run. (Okay, so I’m not a Porunn fan, either. lol I think Björn can do better. And he should!)L: I’m just wondering when his parents are going to step in. Aslaug did something rather sly when she freed Porunn. I have to wonder if it was because she was hoping to reduce Björn’s status in favor of her own sons by making it easier for him to marry Porunn instead of a princess who would bring him wealth and status.
I respect Porunn as an individual. She’s undoubtedly strong and determined. She wants to try to make herself worthy of Björn by building her reputation and wealth as a raider. I imagine that Lagertha, watching it, has to have the same respect, but at the same time, her marriage to Björn just cannot be. Björn should know that too, but I forsee conflict with his parents if they object.
As a free man, how much power did his parents actually have over Björn’s choice in a wife? Could they legally forbid it? (I imagine most parents wouldn’t have to bring down force of law because the respect for one’s elders was so strong, but where did they legally stand over a man?) Add in the fact that they’re a king and a jarl, and it seems they would have full rights to forbid the union.
S: Marriages were generally arranged by the families of the higher classes, as marriage was considered to be for the forging of alliances. For a man to marry for love, so far beneath him, was not admired. Also, a well bred man would have seen to his fiancé’s virtue before marriage – anything less would be disrespectful. So Björn hasn’t treated Porunn as a prospective wife as much as he has a concubine or something. His family might not be able to legally forbid a marriage, but it would be deeply frowned upon and seen as a lessening of the man in this regard.L: Ecbert greets Ragnar and Lagertha with a banquet. Princess Kwenthrith is there, and I’ve got to tell you, I am pleased by what seems to be an evolution in her character. She was far more modest and subdued than the flamboyant, man-hungry, wild thing of last year. As you said, it’s only the first episode, but I hope we’ll see a real layered portrayal evolve here, instead of the Messalina caricature she was before.
S: She really did seem to have calmed down, some. She wants blood, yes, but she doesn’t seem to willing to consume every male in her vicinity to get it. But does she want to consume Ragnar…?
L: Gosh who can blame her there? Rawr. He actually might make a good husband for her. He has an army to win back her claim to the crown, which at this point, is more important to her than royal blood. He could help her expand her holdings, and make her a formiddable queen.
Ecbert uses Athelstan as the translator, and both Lissa and I cyber-drooled over the music of the languages. Ecbert convinces both Ragnar and Lagertha – whom he addresses as equals though Ragnar is now a king due to the “unfortunate accident” that befell his predecessor. They will support his military ambitions, and that of Kwenthrith, in exchange for lands.
S: I adored listening to the Old English and Scandinavian last night. Swooning did happen. King Ecbert seemed to be, initially, very casual and welcoming. I am not inclined to trust him, though he did amuse me greatly in his loquacious admiration for Lagertha.
L: Ecbert is delighted to see Athelstan again. He hands him the cross that Athelstan left behind when he decided to go to Ragnar and renounce his faith. Athelstan is reluctant to take it back, but he wisely does. He is in a very tenuous position in this regard.
S: Athelstan really must tread carefully. What actual status does he have? What protection does he have aside from the favor of two kings? How far will that take him? How has it changed him? The ease with which he interacts with Lagertha is good to see. They seem comfortable with one another, friends even. They’ve come a long way.
And with Ragnar! We ended last season with Ragnar learning the Lord’s Prayer from Athelstan (the only words Ragnar spoke for the entire episode, remember) and saying in this episode that he regards Athelstan as his John the Baptist (although I believe they would have called him John the Baptizer at this time). Ragnar says it’s because he will follow Athelstan (!!!) but I wonder if this is also because he expects Athelstan to speak for him and make introductions to the locals, too.L: I think Ragnar genuinely loves the “tiny Viking.” Because of that love, he’s dabbling in Athelstan’s faith, which was the source of much of his conflict with Floki in the last season. I think Ragnar was telling Athelstan that he would follow his lead because he trusted him not to lead him astray. One had to have immense faith in a translator, especially when negotiating such delicate matters. He had to be able to rely on Athelstan to full convey Ecbert’s meaning and vice versa.
But poor Athelstan, always having to walk the fine line between worlds!
Ecbert’s daughter-in-law is fascinated by Athelstan’s scars from the aborted crucifixion. She calls them stigmata and presses a kiss into Athelstan’s palm.
S: Oh, Athelstan needs to have a care with this woman (Yes, I saw the previews, too!). Not sure where he is in his previous (current?) crisis of faith, and the man deserves to love and be loved, but… that lady is very married. And pregnant, it sounded like. Her husband was certainly all kinds of possessive.
L: King Ecbert hops in Lagertha’s wagon and proceeds to chat her up as they drive along. I half expected him to yawn and stretch his arms up so he could lay it down behind her shoulders. (He probably smells like Axe Body Spray, too. :D) He’s very interested in Lagertha, but she didn’t seem so keen. He would make a good husband for her, financially speaking, but I don’t think her mind is going in that particular direction.S: That was a very amusing scene. :)
L: They meet the forces of Kwenthrith’s brother, and the Vikings acquit themselves marvelously, as usual. Kwenthrith hangs back in the long boat, gasping at the violence, or whatever it is women in movies gasp at during battles. I mean, could you at least throw some rocks or something? Last season’s Kwenthrith seemed to have a bit more grit.S: I enjoyed the quick discussion/banter that occurred before Ragnar decided how to handle the situation. “I dunno, Boss, that looks kind of messy…” He evaluated the forces arrayed and then chose whom to fight. To excellent effect, apparently.
L: Floki picks up the battered crown of the dead king and smirks at it. Richard III much?
S: I was thinking Henry VII. :)
L: I was thinking of the play, dear, not the man. :D
Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty
From the dead temples of this bloody wretch
Have I pluck’d off, to grace thy brows withal:
Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.
But it’s just a bauble to him. I don’t think Floki has ever sought power. He prefers to be behind the throne… lurking.
S: He’s good at that. :) But I think he rather despises the English, overall. They are largely a Christian people and he finds that a weakness. A weakness that he is fervently hoping is not further transmitted to Ragnar.
L: All in all, a terrific opener. And that preview! Oh my stars and garters! I can’t wait to see Lagertha’s reaction when she hears a certain proposal!
S: For real! I was breathless by the time it wrapped up. Just amazing. The cast of this show is very sure we’re going to be appreciative of everything this season and I am inclined to agree.
Thanks, History Channel!
Thoughts? Comments? Let us know! And feel free to chime in next week (2/26) when Lissa and I are on twitter again during the next episode!
Heill þú farir, heill þú aftr komir, heill þú á sinnum sér!
Hale go forth, hale return, hale on your ways! – Vafþrúðnismál 4
Filed under: Discussion, History Tagged: Bjørn, history, History Channel, Lagertha, Lissa Bryan, Ragnar, Vikings
Release Day Blitz – M.B. Feeney
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover designer: Grafix Momma ~ Editors: Sydney Kalnay & R. E. Hargrave
There’s something about that one person we date in our teens but never become intimate with. Why does a sexless relationship render us unable to stop carrying that person, the what if, with us into our adult life?
For Heidi Johnson, Shane Hughes is her “one that got away.” Through the years, he has stayed in the back of her mind while she became an adult, a mother, and her own person. Meanwhile, Shane has lived a life of regret that he let Heidi go for the wrong reasons: fear and a misguided sense of not wanting to hurt either of them.
When they reconnect online, the memories they’ve tried to suppress over the years return, reigniting the feelings never explored ‘back in the day.’ Will a school reunion in their home town of London, surrounded by old school friends, help the pair address the questions the years apart left unanswered? Or will they still be left with wanting more?
For almost half an hour I sat at an abandoned table by the wall, smoking my cigarettes one after the other. Apart from a few voices filtering out through the open doors, I sat in complete silence. Not one other person came out, but I could hear voices. It seemed most of the smokers were outside the front, leaving me to feel like I was the only smoker in the building.
Leaning back against the wall, I let the soft breeze play over my flushed face and was savouring a bit of peace and quiet when I looked at my watch and jumped. I hadn’t realised that it was so late—time certainly does fly when you’re having fun. Which I had been having, before the need to escape into the dark overtook me. Crushing out my cigarette in the huge metal ashtray, I stood to go back inside. I stalled when I caught sight of Shane making his way through the crowded downstairs room of the pub, walking in the direction of the beer garden. Towards me. Crumpling back down onto the seat, I lit another cigarette, my hand shaking from nerves, and . . . something else. It was okay sitting close to him in a crowded room surrounded by people, but the garden was deserted and dark. He spotted me pretty quick thanks to the glowing orange tip of my lit cigarette.
“Nice spot.” He pointed to the overhanging branches of ivy that partially hid the table. Without speaking further, he sat down next to me and took my face between his warm, strong hands. All I could see were his beautiful eyes locking on me—right before his lips crashed into mine.
Amazon Author Page
M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, two kids and a dog. Currently at university studying for her BA (Hons) in primary teaching, she procrastinates on her assignments by listening to music of all genres and trying to get ‘just one more paragraph’ written on whichever WIP is open. She is also a serious doodler and chocoholic. Writing has been her one true love ever since she could spell, and publishing is the final culmination of her hard work and ambition.
Her publishing career began with two novellas, and she currently has multiple projects under way whilst Honour, a compilation of her own military based shorts, was released in November 2013. Always having something on the go can often lead to block which eventually gets dissolved by good music and an even better book.
Her main reason for writing is to not only give her readers enjoyment, but also to create a story and characters that stay with readers long after the book is finished, and possibly make someone stop and think “what if…”
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Filed under: Publishing Tagged: book release, contemporary romance, M.B. Feeney
February 19, 2015
VIKINGS Season 3 – Preview!
Images from VIKINGS on the History Channel used here only as illustrations for this show. All rights belong to History Channel.
Tonight is the night! Lissa Bryan and I will be watching VIKINGS on History Channel. 10 pm Eastern time, follow @HistoryVikings, @LissaBryan, and me, @sandyquill on twitter. Lissa Bryan is an historical fiction writer, as I am, and she is brilliant. You’ll appreciate her insights, I am sure.
What will be happening this year on VIKINGS? The History Channel has provided some peeks into the upcoming season. Check out their video preview as well as their official Tumblr site: Vikings on HISTORY.
Well, we hear Ragnar is taking his people to England and even PARIS. But, as he asks, “Since when does any of this have to do with my happiness?” I have to think that the battles are hard for him. Not so much physically as much as emotionally and psychologically.
He is confronted with a need to be loyal to divergent people. “How many of us must die for your Christians?” Floki demands.
“We fight. That is how we win, and that is how we die,” Ragnar tells his son Björn.
Princess Aslaug asks Ragnar if he loves her, but we don’t hear the answer, here.
And I always, I confess, wonder how Ragnar’s heart stands in relation to Lagertha. (Hey, I’m a romance writer, too, yeah? The relationships are HUGE to me.)
Writer Michael Hirst was interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, and has much else to say about Ragnar, Björn, Lagertha, the Seer, and even about Kevin Durand (whom I have enjoyed watching since I saw him ages ago in Mystery, Alaska with Russell Crowe) and his role this season. It’s so exciting! Hirst says, in summation:
Season three is our best season yet it’s our most ambitious season yet, and there are a lot of shocks and tragedies and unexpected events along the way.
Clive Standen, who plays Rollo, has been around and about on social media as well. He talks about Rollo’s future. He has more tattoos, the actor says, and “goes more down the rabbit hole of being a berserker.” But as we know, from watching him throughout the other seasons, Rollo can and does surprise us. Standen says:
So I think that’s midway through season three, maybe Rollo might surprise you and you’ll see a complete transformation, almost a phoenix from the flames.
Also, there have been rumblings that Athelstan will not be with us for the entire season. (George Blagden has a role in another historical production, and that is going well, so I have heard.) How will his crisis of faith play out? There is a series of short videos called Athelstan’s Journals on History Channel’s Vikings page. Check out their Videos section and look for them. There are several, each about five minutes in length.
And if that’s not ENOUGH to keep you occupied ’til the episode airs, check out the quick three-minute Behind the Scenes video. The actors chime in with words like “epic” and “better every year”. It sounds like everyone is really excited about what they got to film to share with us.
Find Lissa and me tonight and say Heill! We’re raiding England!
Image taken from the official Vikings Tumblr.
Filed under: Discussion, History Tagged: Athelstan, Bjørn, England, historical fiction, History Channel, Kevin Durand, Lagertha, Paris, Ragnar, Rollo, Season 3 Preview, Viking invasion, Vikings
