Sandi Layne's Blog, page 9

Blind Date with a Book – Week Two

Four weeks of GiveAways!!!

Enter this week to win one of the following titles in eBook.

Week 2

Breeder,  K.B. Hoyle, Dystopian

Everything about Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when an Enforcer named Pax infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program, a program he claims is hiding a dark secret. Mired in confusion and doubt, Seventeen takes the name Pria, the identity of her childhood, and embarks on a quest to discover the truth before it’s too late.

The Six, K.B. Hoyle, YA

Darcy Pennington feels like she is an insufferably average thirteen-year-old, but when a change in her dad’s job forces her to attend Cedar Cove Camp, she unwittingly stumbles upon a magical gateway. Along with five other teenagers, she will travel to a world called Alitheia. The “arrival of the Six” was prophesied long ago, but will she have what it takes to save Alitheia?

The End of All Things, Lissa Bryan, Dystopian

After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau, trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food.  She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier intent on making his way to Florida before winter sets in. This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life and a home in each other.

How To Get Ainsley Bishop To Fall In Love With You, T.M. Franklin, Romance/YA

Oliver Holmes likes making lists—meticulous procedures for achieving his goals, step-by-step. So when he decides it’s time to declare his feelings for Ainsley Bishop, it’s only natural for him to approach the challenge with a logical and methodical plan.

He decides a perfect birthday gift is the key to success, but finding that gift proves to be a challenge. Oliver will need to watch her carefully for clues to pinpoint exactly what he should give her. And along the way, he might just learn that what Ainsley really needs is not quite what he expected.

More, T.M. Franklin, YA

Haunted by terrifying nightmares and certain she’s being watched, college student Ava Michaels finds an unlikely ally in Physics tutor Caleb Foster. But Caleb isn’t quite what he seems. In fact, he’s not entirely human, and he’s not the only one.

Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bent on Ava’s capture, and possible extinction. As Ava fights to survive, she learns the world’s not what she thought.

It’s a little bit more.

Sebastian and the Afterlife, William J. Barry, YA

Sebastian is an average 17 year-old boy, there is one catch … he has just died.  Sebastian awakes in a surreal world somewhere between mortal life and the afterlife.  The Grim Reaper and his loyal agents maintain the law of this mystical realm.  Sebastian soon finds himself at Sapentia, a high school for the departed.  He longs for his lost love, Sarah, who is still alive in the mortal world.  Some things are forbidden; some lines cannot be crossed.  What will Sebastian risk to be close to her again?

 ENTER RAFFLECOPTER AND WIN YOUR NEXT BOOK BOYFRIEND!

Filed under: Giveaways, Publishing Tagged: Blind Date, book giveaway, dystopian, K.B. Hoyle, Lissa Bryan, T.M. Franklin, TWCS, William Barry, young adult

An Historical Fiction Author Talks VIKINGS – PARIS

This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.

I am missing my cohort as I type this. Historical fiction author Lissa Bryan, who wrote the wonderful Tudor love story, Under These Restless Skies, is a brilliant researcher. But, alas, she didn’t make it to Paris last night, so I’m on my own today. Next week, she’ll be here!

I’d also like to encourage my readers to check out the podcast done for last week’s episode by The Wild Hunt of the No Ship Network. They do a podcast for every VIKINGS episode and their insights are keen and broad. Also, they include interesting cultural references that I’ve found entertaining.

On to the show!

Last week, in episode six, there was nonstop action, beginning even before the first commercial on my end, which culminated with the murder of Athelstan. This week, things were all about preparation.

This struck me as particularly apt, as there is a great deal of preparation to be done before any major military undertaking. This whole season, as I see it, has been about undergirding Ragnar and those who look to him to ready him for the invasion of Paris. There has also been a great deal of politicking in Wessex and Mercia that has occupied the fans of this show and this has not abated.

The episode begins with a seeming face-off between Ragnar and Floki. At this juncture, we have no idea if Ragnar knows that Floki was the one who killed Athelstan, but as it appears the men are playing a sort of mental chess game, I imagined that Ragnar does indeed suspect Floki’s guilt.

Of course, Floki would not acknowledge any guilt. As he tells Helga later, he performed a needed sacrifice and he’s not unhappy about that at all.

The silhouette of a well fortified Paris looms in the background and next thing we know, we’re in the court of the Emperor Charles of France. He’s known in history to be steadfast against the Northern Invaders, insisting on fortifications to be erected, among other things. When Charles is advised by the iron-handed Count Odo to leave the city for his own safety, he refuses.

He is no doubt at least partially influenced by his daughter, the Princess Gisla. Now, here is a woman with a backbone. I look forward to seeing great things from her in future episodes. She is dignified, proud, and seems fearless as she confronts the men of power in her sphere. Is she the Princess who has been prophesied by the Seer to wed the Bear? I believe so.

Back at the Viking encampment, Floki—looking a bit wild and electrified—and Ragnar have a little chat. Ragnar doesn’t confront his old friend on the Athelstan issue, but he does decide to make Floki the leader of battle for the invasion. Which visibly freaks the shipbuilder out, but he steps up to the task. Everyone else, as they meet around the planning table, is also rather unnerved at Floki’s appointment. (To say nothing of the Game of Thrones-type chair in which he sits.) Lagertha and Rollo impress me with their decisiveness, while Jarl Kalf (I still call him the Kalfling) seems to continually encroach upon Lagertha’s space. Björn and Rollo together make up the best part of the battle plans, after which Rollo looks to Floki—who has been squirming uncomfortably in his chair—and tells him to build whatever was necessary.

Floki agrees. Let’s face it, we all know who was really in charge of that meeting, don’t we? Aside from Ragnar who roamed behind the seated participants, watching carefully with an intrigued light in his eye.

Back in Wessex, King Ecbert is unmanning his son, Aethelwulf. Now, I’m not a fan of the prince, but he’s been given a bit of a raw deal. Ecbert has clearly expected his son to acknowledge—despite a public declaration of cuckoldry—his wife’s son by Athelstan: Alfred. And Ecbert is asking Aethelwulf about his wife’s opinions regarding King Aelle (her father) to see if Ecbert would cause a massive row if he were to seek to overthrow the other king. In addition, there is talk of disenfranchising Princess, er, Queen Kwethrith of Mercia!

King Ecbert is showing himself to be an ambitious, corrupt man who looks smooth and persuasive but is actually quite heartless, no matter how soft his words are. He sends Aethelwulf to see Kwenthrith as a warning, no matter that many Wessex nobles have perished at her hand.

And while Aethelfwulf is obeying his father? Ecbert is applying the same academic seduction techniques he was using early on with Athelstan – with his focus now being his daughter-in-law, Judith.

I saw this coming weeks ago. He kissed Judith, who was trapped, really. Judith is in a really bad place for her own peace of mind, I think. Now that she has proven herself unfaithful toward her spouse, and now that King Ecbert has promised (like anyone can believe a promise of his?) to protect her, she is unable to leave. She’s married. She has position – but everyone knows what she’s done. She’s disfigured. And if her lord and king and father-in-law puts the moves on her, how can she say no? A truly untenable position and I am worried for her.

Let’s peek in at Kattegat. Porunn—also disfigured this season—tries to give her daughter, Björn’s daughter, to Aslaug to raise. We have no clear idea as to why, except that Porunn seems to feel ill-equipped to raise the girl as a Viking. Jill on Facebook said:

I think Porrun has some PTSD or brain damage from her head injuries… I felt horrible for her, but at the same time wanted to shake her!

I fear for Porunn if she were to relinquish care of her daughter. She might do herself further injury, run, or worse.

Aslaug, though, stepped up and imparted wisdom to her stepdaughter-in-law and managed to keep Porunn with her and to engage the younger woman to keep her child for the time being. The domestic sphere is Aslaug’s and she inhabits it well.

Floki finally tells Helga that he killed Athelstan. He does this while gripped in a passionate frenzy of faith in himself and his gods, and Helga listens to him as she always has, but there is a hesitancy in her expression, now. Her husband has hurt her and she won’t forget that, though she forgives. But when he grabs her face, her concern is clear. And when he confesses, she breaks from him and runs. We never find out what happened with her after that, but I am very curious. Will she keep this knowledge to herself? Will she run to Ragnar?

We go back then to Mercia, where Aethelwulf is finally in a meeting with Kwenthrith. She tries to seduce him, but he prays audibly to be delivered from temptation and…she leaves him. In the morning, though, she threatens him with death. He, with a show of his own spine, defies the naked blades at this throat and reminds her that she is in the inferior position, no matter that she waves Ragnar’s supposed son in his face. Ragnar is said to have had many children—far more than we have yet seen in this series—but none of them are named Magnus.

In France, Princess Gisla meets with Count Odo and he reminds her he has offered for her hand. She still isn’t accepting it, though she does say she’d be in his debt if he managed to save Paris. She herself goes masked to Mass, which would seem to indicate she was not expected to be there. But it also shows the strength of her faith and, when she takes off her mask, that she wants others to know she was there, praying for her people, the night before the Vikings were due to invade.

For of course they’d been seen that day. Approaching the seaward wall in the longships, Rollo and his crews were attacked by ready crossbowmen. The power of the crossbow is what made it a superior weapon in many ways to the longbow. The bolts from a crossbow could pierce armor and shields where a regular arrow might not, so much power went into the firing of them. Still, it seemed that Rollo and the men came through that well enough.

Well enough that he was able, back on shore with his men, to engage in a fight. Where, yes, fangirls, he fought shirtless once again. His hair, though, had been wrapped into a semblance of a flat bun on the back of his head. This would keep it out of enemy hands during a battle.

As the episode concluded, Floki himself was with the main cast on a ridge overlooking Paris. He led a battle cry and the people took it up, shouting into the torchlit night. It seems that, at last, Paris will be invaded next week.

Now, I know that without Lissa I’ve missed a bunch of stuff, so if you have anything you’d like to discuss about this episode, let me know! See you next week!

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: Aethelwulf, Ecbert, Floki, Gisla, Invasion, Lagertha, Paris, PTSD, Ragnar, Rollo, Vikings

Blind Date With a Book

Four weeks of GiveAways!!!

Enter this week to win one of the following titles in eBook.

Week 1

Wellesley Wives, Suzy Duffy, Chick Lit

Popsy Power, a Boston society-wife, and her best friend Sandra seem to have it all with billionaire husbands and beautiful daughters. But things change . . .

From Bollinger to minimum wage, it’s a rollercoaster for the ladies who lunch. When the daughters land in a heap of trouble, too, it’s hardly surprising that their mother should worry about the next generation of Wellesley Wives.

Life can’t always be fun in the sun, but that’s why there’s fur!

Newton Neighbors, Suzy Duffy, Chick Lit

Newton Neighbors is a romantic comedy about the colorful residents of Crystal Lake. They’re all chasing their dreams. Maria’s chasing her lost youth and hot Puerto Rican body. Cathi is chasing a house in Newton’s most desirable neighborhood, and Jessica is chasing her firefighter. That’s not all—Noreen is chasing her randy Bulldog.  Ely’s chasing her business empire, and Ricky’s chasing his sitter.

It’s fast, furious, and funny. Can you keep up with Newton Neighbors?

Lincoln Ladies, Suzy Duffy, Chick Lit

Kate Kavanagh, an empty nester, and Madeline Stein, recently fired, find themselves leaving Lincoln and heading to Italy, all in the name of adventure. Kate’s daughter also needs to flee New York when she discovers the Big Apple bites back. With more ups and downs than a Florentine fairground, the ladies survive love, loss, and fresh pasta by laughing at life and using a doggie bag. Come enjoy the ride with the lovely Lincoln Ladies.

For Authentication Purposes, Amber L. Johnson, Romance/Erotica

They say you should write what you know, but aspiring romance writer, Dawn Sims doesn’t have much experience with romance, much less The Big O.

Warner Green knows a thing or two or a hundred about pleasing a woman. So when he reads Dawn’s latest work in progress he thinks she may be a lost cause.

The deal is simple: provide the hands-on experience that Dawn needs to be a romance writer. No strings attached.

After all, it’s only for authentication purposes.

Passion & Propriety, Elise de Sallier, Romance/Historical

There is absolutely nothing improper about Hannah Foster, the vicar of Hartley’s eldest daughter, nursing the badly wounded Viscount Blackthorn back to health. At twenty-seven, she is two years the man’s senior and a confirmed spinster. Not only is Lord Blackthorn determined to break the curse that has plagued his family for generations by letting his bloodline die out, a man of his calibre would never be interested in a woman like Hannah . . . would he?

Innocence, Elise de Sallier, Romance/Historical

Forced to flee her father’s brutal heir, Miss Anneliese Barlow masquerades as Lisa Brown, a servant, at Worthington Hall. Captivated by the beautiful maid, the duke’s heir, Lord Marsden, offers her his protection. With her reputation ruined, Lisa surrenders her virtue, finding unexpected passion in Nathaniel’s arms. Facing danger at every turn, she must keep her identity hidden . . . or Lisa’s innocence won’t be the only thing that’s lost.

Under These Restless Skies, Lissa Bryan, Romance/Historical

Will Somers has always thought himself unlovable until he discovers Emma, a selkie; one of the immortal fae-folk of the sea. He seizes the chance to have a wife and family of his own and unexpectedly finds love. But Will is headed for the glittering, dangerous court of Henry VIII, where a careless word can lead to the scaffold. Can he protect his newfound love from the thunder that rolls around the throne?

Eire’s Captive Moon, Sandi Layne, Historical Fiction

Éire’s Captive Moon, the first book of Sandi Layne’s Éire’s Viking Trilogy, brings you to the unsettled era of the early Viking raids along the coast of Éire – today’s Ireland.

Red-striped sails make their first appearance on the shores near the village of Ragor and the peaceful life of the villagers is obliterated in one deadly raid. Agnarr Halvardson and his overlord, Tuirgeis, have come to Éire for treasure, honor, and slaves.

White Trash, Alexandra Allred, Humourous

White Trash is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud book that serves as a bitter social commentary on American hypocrisies and prejudices.  As a small police department works the biggest whodunit in Granby history, a startling underworld of domestic abuse, gunrunning, drug use, illicit sex, and child molestation is revealed.  It’s a story that neatly summarizes the reality of every American small town peopled with neighbors you can’t get away from, you can’t stop talking about, and you may not want to leave.

Damaged Goods, Alexandra Allred, Drama

When Joanna Lucas moves to a small town to escape a scandal and a scoundrel, she finds herself in trouble again when she befriends a stripper-turned-Mormon, a one-legged woman thanks to a loose tiger, and a dirty-minded troublemaker with a love of inane questions, and they take on an industrial town. Erin Brockovich has nothing on these ladies!

Prepare to laugh out loud and cheer them on as they set out to right a terrible wrong . . . no matter how outlandish things get.

She Cries, Alexandra Allred, Romance/Suspense

Kali Jorgensen runs a dude ranch with her family in Horse Canyon, Utah, heading up cattle drives for celebrities and CEOs.  It’s a way to escape unbearable memories, but her solitude is broken when unwanted attention suddenly shines a spotlight on Rainwash Ranch.

Looking for a distraction from recent legal woes, a popular athlete decides her ranch is his best diversion. His presence is a concern for Kali and her daughters, but she soon learns that it’s Connors’ fans and his team of lawyers who may prove to be the most dangerous.

Roadkill, Alexandra Allred, Mystery/Detective

When dead prostitutes begin to appear along the rural roads of Ohio, Allie Lindell cannot stay away despite the odds—the odds being her badge-toting sister; her partner, who only wants Allie to stay home and out of harm’s way; and two little girls in full potty-training and tantrum-throwing modes. But when an old friend from The Columbus Dispatch calls with an intriguing job opportunity, Allie can’t turn her away, Allie breaks all kinds of promises to track the killer, heat up a cold case, and discover what happened to a fallen police officer. As she navigates the backstreets of Columbus, following pimps, prostitutes, sullen teenagers, and seedy gamblers, the only thing more complicated is remembering all her aliases.

 ENTER RAFFLECOPTER AND WIN YOUR NEXT BOOK BOYFRIEND!

Filed under: Giveaways Tagged: Blind Date, books, ebooks, giveaways, historical fiction, romances, suspense, TWCS, women's fiction

Two Historical Fiction Authors Talk VIKINGS – Born Again

This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.

HEILLIR!
THE SHIELDMAIDENS OF HISTORY (PROTECTING THE INNOCENT FROM ANACHRONISMS) WELCOME YOU BACK TO OUR REVIEW SERIES ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL SHOW VIKINGS.

We’re back here in the middle of Season Three of VIKINGS on History Channel. I’m so happy to be able to discuss these episodes with that Woman of Win, Lissa Bryan, whose latest book, Shadows Have Gone, has just been released! Her comments are below in blue.

Lissa: I don’t even know where to start. Quite literally – because of a mix-up in the time zones, I missed the first ten minutes of the episode.

Sandi: Well, the beginning segment before the first commercial. I believe my exact words were: So, we’ve had religious tension, childbirth, death by kingly hands — all before the first commercial. 

A messenger came with the delayed news of the slaughter of the Norse farmers. Floki blamed this slaughter on Athelstan’s Christian God and the concept that they were at odds with the Norse gods. Ragnar didn’t want the news to get out, so after ascertaining that the messenger hadn’t told anyone else, King Ragnar strangled the man. Right there.

Additionally, Porunn had her baby—a beautiful girl whom Björn named Siggy. There were a few other ideas that were tossed around on Twitter, but I think Siggy is a worthy name. In the culture of the Northmen, the acceptance of a child hinged upon its father, so that Björn immediately did so was a relief to Porunn.

Who may or may not have called Björn her husband. Which would mean that a lot happened we didn’t get to see.

We also didn’t see Aslaug with a baby or a bump. So I guess The Wanderer didn’t get her pregnant…? That totally surprised me.

L: When I joined, Aslaug was having a nightmare about Siggy’s death. Ragnar watches her coldly as she jerks awake with a gasp. He tells her she could have slept with Harbard right in front of the children, for all he cared, as long as she was taking proper care of them. Aslaug is heart-struck, and she attacks him with slaps. Ragnar smirks as she draws away, stung by his indifference, and tells her to have sweet dreams.

S: Yeah. Ragnar isn’t all that keen on Aslaug at present. Still, her position is secure in that she has borne him sons and runs his household while he’s away. I am sorry she’s so unhappy. She wanted more and now even Siggy, her best friend, has been taken from her.​

Image from http://www.worldhistoryplus.com/worldhistorypictures/8/3%5BUK%5DA.jpg

L: Judith has just given birth to her child. She was dragged from her bed into the town square and sentenced as an adulteress. I question the historical aspects of this scene, because I think that a princess accused of adultery in this era would more likely have been stuffed into a nunnery quietly, rather than bring into question the line of succession by airing her crimes in public. Adultery at this time was seen more of as a property crime under early Anglo-Saxon law, something that was worthy of financial compensation, rather than public mutilation. The laws which created this punishment came under the reign of Cnut, a good two hundred years later than this show is set.

S: You are right on with that, there. The penalties in Wessex in this time focused on a wergild that would be paid from the male perpetrator to the cuckolded husband. The penalty for a woman wasn’t even stipulated in my research.

L: Judith is sentenced to have her ears and nose chopped off…. unless she named the man who impregnated her. She screamed in terror and agony as one of her ears was sliced off. She couldn’t take it – she broke and shouted Athelstan’s name. Ecbert’s eyes widened in alarm and he quickly grabbed his son. He said that Athelstan was a holy man, and it must have been God’s plan this should happen. And, besides, there are larger issues at play. The child, he decrees, will be baptized and named Alfred.

S: King Ecbert’s behavior here was, to me, very odd. The No Ship Network, whose thoughtful podcasts on this show have been filled with great insights, called Ecbert “Cream of Wheat”, because he’s so smooth and all. I look forward to hearing if they’ve changed his nickname.

L: It seems he’s going to be the historical figure Alfred the Great, though history records his mother as being a different wife of Athelwulf.

S: Well, I can kind of see that happening, if his mother were in disgrace.

I want to take a minute here and discuss the preparations for the invasion of Paris. I love how Ragnar and Athelstan employed their version of the sand table to highlight key obstacles, routes, and strategies for the proposed invasion of this city. Paris is impregnable, Athelstan says. Not something Ragnar wants to hear.

L: Athelstan, in his room, is enraptured by a beam of light. He plays with his fingers in the glow, and is suddenly stricken by a vision. He arises re-invigorated in his faith. He goes to the ​fjørd and throws his torc into the water. He tells Ragnar that he is now a Christian again, and has renounced the Northmen’s gods. He offers to leave Kattegat, and Ragnar is agonized by the idea. He tells Athelstan he can’t leave him – he loves him.

S: I think that, for Athelstan’s character arc, this was a necessary step. He was a man of strong faith, years ago, but his life experiences have had him divided in his loyalties for a long time. Here, he reclaims what I think is the purity of his faith and doesn’t count the cost to him. He cares only that he is back where he belongs.

Throwing away the torc, though, was a bad move. It was disrespectful and left him—and through him, Ragnar—open to hostility and criticism.

Still the scene where the two men confront this schism is wonderful. There is devotion and confidence between the two men, and Ragnar plainly expresses how valued Athelstan is. This is one of the key relationships in the entire show and I am wondering what will happen now.​

​L: Floki has seen Athelstan cast off his torc. He retrieves it from the water and tells ​Björn about it. Actually, it seems he tells everyone about it, because when Athelstan walks into the hall, it falls silent and he is given hostile stares. Rollo grabs his arm and demands to know where his armband is. Ragnar escorts him away, breaking the tension, but it was a bad moment.

S: It goes to show that Ragnar’s loyalty is to Athelstan his friend, without regarding their different faiths.​

L: Kalf has arrived with the princeling and Horik’s widow. The prince has brought with him ships and warriors to help with the raid on Paris, and so Ragnar welcomes them with open arms. Lagertha is not as pleased. Those are HER ships. Kalf meets up with Lagertha in the hall, and insinuates that their fates are joined. She should marry him if she wants to get her stuff back, it seems.

S: This whole thing makes me nervous. Lagertha does not back down, but she is seeming to let the usurpation of her earldom slide for the time being. She doesn’t trust Kalf, but he’s still coming on to her. I kinda hope she manages to have him, oh, meet an unfortunate end in battle. ​

L: Björn tries to coax Porunn into his bed, but she rejects him and tells him to go enjoy the favors of other women, indicating an elvin blonde Viking woman. Miss Big Eyes tells ​Björn she’s going with her husband on the raid to Paris – not because she simply doesn’t want to be left at home, but because she’s a VIKING. ​Björn meets up with her on the beach a bit later and they have a passionate embrace. Björn refers to Porunn as his wife at this juncture, so I am going to call that a confirmation that there was indeed a wedding between episodes five and six.

S: Porunn is having serious body confidence issues, I’m thinking. Sounds like she and her man haven’t been intimate for a long time. He obviously wants her, but she is adamantly refusing. That she wants to act as something of a procurer for him surprised me. ​

And is it just me or does Miss Big Eyes remind anyone else of Helga? (LATE ADDITION: Per @duncanpowers on twitter, the women who play Helga and Torvi (Miss Big Eyes) are sisters in real life!)

L: Floki is carving ship prows when he has a vision of one bleeding. He starts to run off and Helga stops him. I was a bit disturbed by this scene, because I never imagined Floki would harm his beloved Helga, but he grabs her by the throat and squeezes as she gasps. He finally releases her, and she says that there is someone he needs to hurt.

S: Last time we saw blood, there was the sacrifice of the cow in front of the Christians. This time, we see it in a vision and one has to know that this means another sacrifice. As Floki said last week, the gods bring life and death. ​I was really surprised how violent Floki got, though, with Helga. He apologized after a fashion, but was clearly enveloped in his urgent need to carry out what he perceived as his mission.

L: And then it happens. Honestly, I’m still so stunned by this turn of events that I don’t really know how to describe it.

S: You were not the only one, last night. Even those who knew about Athelstan’s planned ​departure from the series, were stunned.

L: Athelstan is praying in his room, anointing himself with oil as he kneels, nude, before the cross. He sings a hymn, and when he finishes, he looks up with a sweet, beatific smile. “Floki,” he says in a gentle voice, a stark contrast to the fierce fury in Floki’s tear-filled eyes. Athelstan commends his spirit to God, and then Floki strikes. Athelstan falls, and Floki anoints himself with Athelstan’s blood, just as the priest had anointed himself with oils only moments before.

S: I don’t know that he was nude. Looked like he was wearing a loincloth. From behind, it appeared as if it were made after the images of Christ on the cross.

What struck me most was how abrupt and final that was. It worked, but we didn’t get a confirmation of “He’s dead” or anything from Floki. Though, I didn’t seen Athelstan’s chest move so I imagined that was a fatal blow.

L: I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. I was trying to figure out ways it could be untrue even as we watched Ragnar lugging Athelstan’s body up the hill to bury him at the spot where the two of them recited the Lord’s Prayer last season. It was, as Ragnar said, the closest he could get Athelstan to his god.

S: It took Ragnar’s words to confirm it for me, too.​

L: He weeps as he speaks to Athelstan’s grave. ‘How could you leave me when we have so much more to talk about?” Later, he slices his flesh at the creek, dripping his blood into the water as he dons Athelstan’s cross. “Forgive me for what I am about to do.”

S: When Ragnar shaved his head, I figured it had a dual purpose. One, it was a sign of mourning. Two, it would have had a cleansing effect. Like he was ready to start something new. Why did he choose to wear Athelstan’s rather elaborate cross? What purpose will it serve?

And why did he feel the need to ask for forgiveness about it? I imagine we’ll find the answers in Paris. Ragnar always has a plan.

And that’s a wrap this week! If you have questions or comments, let me know and I’ll get right on them. :) Predictions for the rest of the season? I’d love to know what they are. Only five more episodes to go! Next week: Paris.

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: Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Christian martyrdom, History Channel, Ragnar, spoilers, Vikings, Wessex

Éire’s Devil King – The BLOG TOUR

It’s happening!

The Éire’s Viking Trilogy is finished and the final book, Éire’s Devil King, will be available next week on April 2nd! There’s a tour happening over the next two weeks to share this book and the trilogy with folks, along with some interviews (someone has interviewed Tuirgeis!) and guest posts (surprising Viking facts is only one!). My publisher, The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House, is even hosting a giveaway, that will include not only paperbacks from this trilogy but also other upcoming titles from TWCS.

Here’s the order of events, as I have it from TWCS:

~~BLOG TOUR DATES~~



26th March



http://jessmollybrownauthor.com – Character Interview/ Review

http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/ – Promo Post

27th March



http://cheekypeereadsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ – Promo Post

29th March



http://nerdgirlofficial.com/ – Promo Post



31st March



www.TMFranklin.com – Guest Post

www.lisabilbrey.blogspot.com – Promo Post

shortsweetandsnappy.wordpress.com – Promo Post

1st April



http://myreadinglounge.blogspot.com – Guest Post

2nd April



http://www.firstpagetothelast.com/ – Review

Authorbrookewilliams.com/blog – Promo Post

www.sarahaisling.com – Guest Post/Review

3rd April



www.lilylovesindie.co.uk - Review Full Trilogy

6th April



lissabryan.com – Guest Post

http://www.bookwormbrandee.blogspot.com – Interview

http://www.warrencbennett.net – Interview

7th April



http://www.rehargrave.com/ – Interview

http://elizabeth-lawrence-author.blogspot.com/ – Guest Post

8th April



http://pagesbetween.blogspot.com - Guest Post/Review

9th April



http://itlnbrt.com – Review

As each post happens with my hosts, I’ll include the direct link to the EDK post for your convenience. You can go to the different blogs to enter the giveaway!
ALSO
There’s a SALE happening for the first book in the trilogy, Éire’s Captive Moon.  Click on the banner to find ECM for only 99¢!

So if you’re someone who prefers to read a trilogy when all the books are available, to avoid year-long (or longer!) waits, now’s a good time to come to 9th Century Éire with me. Meet Charis the Healer, Cowan the Christian Prince, Agnarr the Viking, and Tuirgeis, the man who would be High King of Ireland.
Filed under: Giveaways, Publishing Tagged: Éire's Viking, Éire's Viking trilogy, blog tour, Ireland, Tuirgeis, TWCS, Vikings

Starting something new: #TeaserTuesday @LissaBryan

Shadows Have Gone, the third book in the End of All Things series, will be released on March 26. Here’s a little excerpt for you. Enjoy!

Ω
 
 
 
The crowd surged forward, eyes shining and eager hands outstretched.
“We’re going to pass the toilet paper out equitably,” Carly said. “Divided up by household.”
“That ain’t fair. Some households have more people than others!”
“Maybe everyone should get a share, not just households.”
“Adults and kids? What about Dagny? She’s just a baby, and babies don’t use toilet paper, so why should she—”
“Jesus, people.” Justin rubbed his face. “Look, there are twenty-seven of us—”
“Twenty-three,” Carly said softly. “The Swintons left, and then we lost Kross.”
Justin grimaced. “I’m sorry. Twenty-three of us. There are three cases of thirty-six rolls here. That makes one hundred and eight rolls, divided by twenty-three. Four rolls apiece. We’ll distribute it that way.”
“There’s sixteen rolls left over. Who gets those?”
Justin took a deep breath. “We’ll keep them in reserve, okay?” He glared around at the group. “There may be more people coming this way in the future now that—” He stopped because he didn’t need to say that travelers and traders might start coming around again now that Marcus’s men weren’t preying on them, and once the bad reputation this area had gotten began to dissipate.
“Any problems with that? Good.” Justin tore open the plastic wrappers and began to distribute it to the eager hands that reached into the wagon.
“It’s like being a kindergarten teacher,” Justin muttered to Carly when the last of the crowd had scurried away with their bounty. “Good grief, none of them even asked for the food.”
“The person who reinvents a way to produce toilet paper is going to be the richest person in the wasteland,” Carly said.
“Carly?”
She turned and found the Reverend standing by, Dagny in his arms. She was chewing on her favorite toy, a set of plastic keys that she held out to Carly in an offer to share.
Carly took her baby into her arms and kissed her plump little cheeks. “No, thank you, sweetie, but thank you for offering.”
“Mom mom.” Dagny snuggled her forehead into Carly’s neck.
“I’m home now,” Carly said. “Sorry I had to leave you.”
“Where is Kross?” the Reverend asked.
Kaden was sitting on the end of the wagon, silent, staring off into the distance. The Reverend eyed Kaden for a moment and then rubbed his chin. “I see.”
“There were more,” Carly said. “More people. Beside Marcus’s crew, I mean. There were . . . victims.”
“The whole damn place is a blight on the earth.” Justin’s jaw clenched, and Carly saw that hard glitter in his obsidian eyes. “Cursed.”
The Reverend gazed at Carly. “Did it convince you that what you’ve done was right?”
“I don’t know about right,” Carly said. “But I know it was the only thing that could be done. What I’m asking you about is . . . they didn’t have any kind of funeral, and I feel like I should . . .”
“The dead don’t really need prayer, Carly. The prayers are for those who have to live on. But I’ll say a few words for them at our next Sunday service.”
She gave him a brief smile. “Thank you.”
Carly shrugged into the baby carrier, and Dagny kicked her legs in excitement. She said something that sounded like home, but it might have been hum, mum. Carly turned her head to smile at her and said, “Yes, going home.”

She took Shadowfax’s bridle, but before she could begin to draw the horse toward home, Justin leaned over to murmur in her ear. “I’ve got something I need to do before dinner.”

Carly suppressed a sigh. Didn’t he always? But this was the life she had chosen for them. “Go on. I’ll have your plate waiting for you.”
He smiled and kissed her before pecking a kiss on the top of Dagny’s head. She let out a little squeal and reached for him, but Justin just gave her a little wave.
Carly watched as Justin headed across the commons and wondered where he was going. She supposed she’d find out soon enough, so she and Kaden started down the street.
Shadowfax apparently felt that Carly wasn’t giving her enough attention and nibbled playfully at Carly’s shoulder while Carly led her toward the barn. Dagny laughed as the horse’s breath tickled the top of her head.
“Let me take Dagny,” Kaden said, eyeing the horse with eyes sharpened by caution, and Carly agreed, slipping the baby carrier from her shoulders. As much as she loved her animals, she knew they could hurt the toddler without meaning to, and they had to be careful.
Carly kept pushing Shadowfax away, but the mare would dart in as soon as Carly’s eyes drifted away and start again. Carly stopped the wagon to give her a hug. Shadowfax laid her head over Carly’s shoulder and lifted a foreleg to hook it around Carly’s hip.
“Whoa,” Kaden said. “What is that?”
“It’s the way she hugs people,” Carly said.
“I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“Well, she’s a special girl.” Carly patted Shadowfax’s neck.
“No, I think Justin’s right about you. You’re some kind of animal whisperer.”
Carly laughed “Not quite.” She drew back, and Shadowfax turned her large head to gaze at Carly with one large brown eye. Carly stroked her velvety soft nose. “I’m sorry, girl. We’ll be able to spend more time together now. Sam’s mad at me, too, you know.”
She scratched the itchy place in Shadowfax’s mane near the top of her head, and Shadowfax gave a soft snort of enjoyment.
“I’ll put Shadowfax away,” Kaden said, taking over Carly’s grip on the horse’s halter and handing Dagny back to her. She propped Dagny on her hip and eyed him with speculation.
“Thanks. You okay?”
“Yeah, sure.”
She raised an eyebrow. “No, really.” 
“I will be.” Kaden shuffled his feet against the grass. “That’s the way it is, you know? You have to be okay these days.”
She gave him a hug, awkwardly with one arm but full of love nonetheless. “You don’t have to be okay all the time, you know? And when you’re not okay, we can talk about it. It really is better if you do. Ask Justin. He’ll be the first one to tell you that keeping it all bottled up inside isn’t a good idea.”
Kaden gave her a slight smile. “Yeah, but he still does it.”
“He’s working on it.” Carly bumped his shoulder with her own, and his smile grew. “Come inside when you’re done with the animals, and I’ll make you some dinner.”
“Okay.” Kaden headed toward the barn and then paused. He looked back over his shoulder. “Carly?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
She nodded. “Any time.”
 
 
Ω

Pre-order Shadows Have Gone from Amazon, or stop by Goodreads to check out the reviews and add it to your own shelf.
 
 
~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~

Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure for athlete’s foot…though only in her head. Real life isn’t so interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing.

She is the author of four other novels, Ghostwriter, The End of All Things, its sequel, The Land of the Shadows, and Under These Restless Skies.

~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Website

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Praise for  Shadows Have Gone

 

 

“I laughed, I cried, I was gently amused, but what could I expect? Times are tough, no one is trustworthy and yet there is a sweet innocence about some characters that hit you right between the eyes; they are always so positive and wanting to see the best in others. Once again, Lissa Bryan has taken the handoff from a previous book and run with it at breakneck speeds with barely a misstep in sight!”  – Dianne Goodreads Review

 

Ω

 

~~OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES~~

 

The End of All Things Book 1

 

 

After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly Daniels, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food. With her is Sam, a wolf puppy she found starving on the streets. He becomes her companion and a reason to continue when giving up sometimes seems like the more attractive option. Still dazed with shock and grief, she hopes for the world to go back to normal soon.

 

 

 

She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier who is intent on making his way to Florida before the winter sets in. Justin coaxes her out of her hiding place and convinces her to join him on his journey, because a warmer climate will be their best chance against the extremes of Mother Nature.

 

 

 

Together, they begin a perilous journey through a nation laid to waste by the disaster. Challenges abound along the way. The weather, injury, and shortage of supplies all help to slow them down. In time, they discover that they aren’t the only survivors. Some are friendly but some have had their minds destroyed by the high fever. Then there are those who simply take what they want, leaving Carly and Justin with no choice but to defend what is theirs.

 

 

 

But their journey is not without joy and love. Together, they face every struggle, including an unplanned pregnancy. Despite the perils of bringing a child into a world of chaos, their baby is a new beginning for themselves and a symbol of hope for the other survivors they find along the way.

 

 

 

This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life, and a home in each other.

 

 

Ω

 

Tales from the End Book 1.5

The Horsemen L.A.’s mayor has declared quarantine to try to halt the spread of the Infection. Pearl sets off across the city to buy supplies, but already the world is changing. Something strange is in the air. The Horsemen are coming …

 

Veronica

 

 

When Veronica’s mother doesn’t come home from work and no one answers the phone when she calls for help, a nine-year-old girl is thrown into the chaos of a world coming to an end. Veronica decides it’s up to her to find her family. “Veronica” is the story of a little girl’s courage in the face of the end of all things. “I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud”

 

 

They called her Shadowfax– the mare Carly and Justin found on their travels. But before she was found by Carly, the retired dressage horse was known as Cloud. An unusual tale of the end, told through the eyes of a confused and lonely horse, left in her pasture. Birthday

 

 

(A previously-published bonus story.) Carly knows Justin has never celebrated his birthday, and after society crumbled, no one knows what date it is, anyway. But she wants to do something special for him. Celebrating the little things helps them keep hope alive, and as a blizzard rages outside, a small gesture of love warms their home.



Tales of courage, tales of survival… Tales from the End.

 

Ω

 

The Land of The Shadow Book 2

After surviving the Infection and a perilous journey through the wasteland that was once the United States, Carly and Justin have found a safe home in the isolated town of Colby. Even so, balancing the duties of survival and a growing family isn’t easy. As they emerge as leaders, they face difficult questions about justice in a lawless land, basic human rights, and freedom in a world where strength defines worth. More than ever, they have to rely on one another for strength and support during the darkest of times.

 

 

The Crisis is far from over. Their fences won’t keep the world out forever, and a new threat is emerging—a gang of predators who see the town as easy pickings. When danger looms over Colby, Carly must decide how far she’ll go to protect those she loves. It’s a journey down the long and broken road through The Land of the Shadow.

 

Ω

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Teaser Tuesday Tagged: author-to-author, dystopian, indie author, Lissa Bryan

Sydney’s Spring Sale @SydneyALogan

Sydney Logan is celebrating March with two fantastic spring promos!

If you’re new to Sydney’s stories, here’s your chance to grab two of her novels for just $0.99 each on Amazon Kindle. Just click on the banner to one-click!

Sydney has also joined up with some awesome authors, Digital Book Today, and The Kindle Book Review to give away two (2) $200 Amazon gift cards! This giveaway runs from March 23-April 5. Click the banner below to enter!







Sydney would also like to invite you to subscribe to her newsletter. In each issue, you’ll find news about Sydney’s books and exclusive subscriber-only giveaways!

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Filed under: Giveaways Tagged: book sale, Gift Card Giveaway, Sydney Logan

Searching for Dystopia – @LissaBryan

Part of Lissa Bryan’s blog tour for Shadows Have Gone involves writing about her experiences in, well, writing!

I asked her to tell me about finding the haunting images of her dystopian world in present-day America.

So she did.

Two years ago, I went on a journey to take pictures for a book trailer I was going to make for The End of All Things. I ended up traveling a bit around Ohio, West Viginia, and lower Pennsylvania, looking for ghost towns and abandoned buildings to photograph. We also traveled up to Detroit, which was an astonishing adventure in of itself.

All images herein the property of Lissa Bryan.

I’ve been fascinated with abandoned buildings since I was a child. They fire my imagination. What happened here? Why was this abandoned? Who has used it since? What traces of their story can I discren from the things I find? In some cases, the stories I encountered disturbed me. Right near the Ohio River, I found an abandoned house. All of the windows were gone, but the curtains were still there. They fluttered in the breeze as I walked up. The door yawned open, so I thought I could get some good shots of the interior.

The porch boards had nearly all rotted away so it was a precatious path, and I had to pick my way carefully across. I approached one of the front windows and saw a dirty mattress on the floor. Some clothes were draped from a stick, as though they’d been washed and were drying. I backed away, because it felt like I was invading someone’s private space, and headed over to the front door. I started taking a few pictures, but then I stopped, because I was so creeped out.

A chair sat by the window, beneath those ragged, fluttering curtains. Everything was faded and dirty except for a bright plush toy on the floor, which looked as though it had been dropped only moments before. The filthy carpet was coated with crumbling plaster and other debris, but right on top of it was a pair of child’s jelly shoes, spaced as if the child had vanished in mid-step. It was just so out-of-place, and vaguely sinister, so of course, my imagination was fired by it.

I found an abandoned school on that journey and got some great photos of the interior. That was the same trip where I found the abandoned amusement park. That one had a great story behind it.

There was also a small abandoned “village” a group of condos that had all been abandoned. There was still mail in the boxes, and people’s posessions were scattered on the ground outside. It looked like they’d all been evicted at the same time – perhaps when a factory closed, and simply never returned for the things that had been left behind in their hasty packing. Vandals had come in the meantime with their spraypaint and rocks. But outside, those unwanted things faded in the sun and rain.

I was hoping to get pictures of what the world Carly and Justin would inhabit would look like. A world without people. In some places, nature had started taking over again, giving a sense of life’s renewal and hope. In some places, the ruins told stories of misery and broken dreams. It turned otu to be an amazing journey for many reasons.

Thank you, Lissa!

My readers can find my review for Shadows Have Gone as well as information on her other work here.

Filed under: Publishing

Blog Tour and Book Review @LissaBryan

I am really so pleased to be involved with Lissa’s blog tour for this book!

Click here to read her guest post that she wrote just for us!

Shadows Have Gone

Book 3 of End of All Things Series

by Lissa Bryan

Release Date: March 26 , 2015

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Genre: FICTION / Dystopian/ Romance / General 

ISBN e-book:    978-1-61213-375-1

Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH

[image error]

~~SUMMARY~~

Carly Daniels knows what it is to suffer loss. She knows what it is to sacrifice. In the two years since a pandemic virus—known only as the Infection—decimated humanity, she’s made choices she never could have imagined. She’s condoned violence in the name of peace and done the unthinkable in the name of mercy. But with Justin at her side, she’s also learned there’s nothing she can’t face and nothing she wouldn’t do to protect those she loves.

But now another threat has arrived in the form of a uniformed man driving an army truck, claiming to represent the remnant of the United States military. Someone has set their sights on their community . . . and on Justin. The struggle to defend their little homeland is far from over, and the visitors may have brought more danger with them than just their weapons.

The shadows are closing in. Carly has to find out whether she has the strength to stand on her own when all of her support has fallen away. What remains when the shadows have gone?

~~My Review~~

It’s a hard go to write a trilogy. Each book has to have its own story, and there has to be a bigger story carried through all three books that concludes at the end. It’s a balancing act. It’s a tapestry. It’s a perfectly-timed feast served to a large family.

Lissa Bryan, in Shadows Have Gone, concluded her The End of All Things Trilogy with artistic balance, with perfect timing.

In Bryan’s dystopian world, the one that has developed since the Infection, people have had to learn to live in less sheltered ways. Necessity breeds blunt pragmatism.

“A pregnant woman doesn’t need the stress and strain of lugging around bodies in this heat.”

for example.

Because there had been a battle, you see, and the people of Colby, where Bryan has established her characters’ home in this trilogy, are civilized and aren’t going to leave death just lying around.

In fact, their society has brought to the fore examples of selflessness and insight that make books like this haunting reading.

“That’s why I know ghosts are real, Not visible phantoms floating through a house and throwing stuff. But the ghosts in your mind. They haunt you. Sometimes forever, I guess.” – Kaden

We ask ourselves, how does a young man come to think such things? How can he quote Beowulf over a cairn? But he can and he does.

Bryan shows a very natural pattern in this final book of her trilogy. There’s conflict between those who want to Just Relax Already after the altercations and tragedies of the last book and those who want to Investigate Possible Future Problems to keep an eye on things.

Carly, Our Heroine, is one of the former while her husband, Justin, is firmly in the camp of the latter. This makes for a domestic tension in their home. Also in their home, though, is the playful amusement new parents will recognize as Carly and Justin try to angle for some alone time while there’s a baby in house, a young man they’ve adopted into their family, and a slew of Colby-ites who need one or the other of them for something.

And, of course, Bryan keeps the balance. Because while this is happening, trouble is brewing. Names from the first book are coming back to engage themselves in our awareness. Carly gets in a dangerous circumstance.

Calamity strikes.

I can’t tell you the nature of that calamity, but I will say it totally works for me. This book has its own Big Bad and once again Our Hero and Heroine have to handle it.

Believe in Lissa Bryan’s storytelling, though. She makes it work all the way to the last page.

Really, I’m sitting here working very hard NOT to tell you what happens. So go, read this trilogy. It’s a blunt but hopeful adventure into a future I would rather never, ever see happen.

Thank you to The Writer’s Coffee Shop for the complimentary copy to review!

Goodreads * Add to Want To Read List

~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~

Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure for athlete’s foot…though only in her head. Real life isn’t so interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing.

She is the author of four other novels, Ghostwriter, The End of All Things, its sequel, The Land of the Shadows, and Under These Restless Skies.

~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Website

Praise for  Shadows Have Gone

“I laughed, I cried, I was gently amused, but what could I expect? Times are tough, no one is trustworthy and yet there is a sweet innocence about some characters that hit you right between the eyes; they are always so positive and wanting to see the best in others. Once again, Lissa Bryan has taken the handoff from a previous book and run with it at breakneck speeds with barely a misstep in sight!”  – Dianne

 Goodreads Review

~~OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES~~
Ω

The End of All Things Book 1



After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly Daniels, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food. With her is Sam, a wolf puppy she found starving on the streets. He becomes her companion and a reason to continue when giving up sometimes seems like the more attractive option. Still dazed with shock and grief, she hopes for the world to go back to normal soon.

She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier who is intent on making his way to Florida before the winter sets in. Justin coaxes her out of her hiding place and convinces her to join him on his journey, because a warmer climate will be their best chance against the extremes of Mother Nature.

Together, they begin a perilous journey through a nation laid to waste by the disaster. Challenges abound along the way. The weather, injury, and shortage of supplies all help to slow them down. In time, they discover that they aren’t the only survivors. Some are friendly but some have had their minds destroyed by the high fever. Then there are those who simply take what they want, leaving Carly and Justin with no choice but to defend what is theirs.

But their journey is not without joy and love. Together, they face every struggle, including an unplanned pregnancy. Despite the perils of bringing a child into a world of chaos, their baby is a new beginning for themselves and a symbol of hope for the other survivors they find along the way.

This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life, and a home in each other.
Ω

Tales from the End Book 1.5

The Horsemen

L.A.’s mayor has declared quarantine to try to halt the spread of the Infection. Pearl sets off across the city to buy supplies, but already the world is changing. Something strange is in the air. The Horsemen are coming …Veronica

When Veronica’s mother doesn’t come home from work and no one answers the phone when she calls for help, a nine-year-old girl is thrown into the chaos of a world coming to an end. Veronica decides it’s up to her to find her family. “Veronica” is the story of a little girl’s courage in the face of the end of all things.“I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud”

They called her Shadowfax– the mare Carly and Justin found on their travels. But before she was found by Carly, the retired dressage horse was known as Cloud. An unusual tale of the end, told through the eyes of a confused and lonely horse, left in her pasture.Birthday

(A previously-published bonus story.) Carly knows Justin has never celebrated his birthday, and after society crumbled, no one knows what date it is, anyway. But she wants to do something special for him. Celebrating the little things helps them keep hope alive, and as a blizzard rages outside, a small gesture of love warms their home.

Tales of courage, tales of survival… Tales from the End.


Ω

The Land of The Shadow Book 2

After surviving the Infection and a perilous journey through the wasteland that was once the United States, Carly and Justin have found a safe home in the isolated town of Colby.Even so, balancing the duties of survival and a growing family isn’t easy. As they emerge as leaders, they face difficult questions about justice in a lawless land, basic human rights, and freedom in a world where strength defines worth. More than ever, they have to rely on one another for strength and support during the darkest of times.

The Crisis is far from over. Their fences won’t keep the world out forever, and a new threat is emerging—a gang of predators who see the town as easy pickings. When danger looms over Colby, Carly must decide how far she’ll go to protect those she loves.

It’s a journey down the long and broken road through The Land of the Shadow.

Filed under: Book Reviews Tagged: dystopian romance, End of the World as We Know It, Lissa Bryan, the end of all things, TWCS

Two Historical Fiction Authors Talk #VIKINGS – The Usurper

This and all images from Vikings are the property of the History Channel. I use them only for illustrations regarding their show.

HEILLIR!
THE SHIELDMAIDENS OF HISTORY (PROTECTING THE INNOCENT FROM ANACHRONISMS) WELCOME YOU BACK TO OUR REVIEW SERIES ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL SHOW VIKINGS.

We’re back here in the middle of Season Three of VIKINGS on History Channel. I’m so happy to be able to discuss these episodes with that Woman of Win, Lissa Bryan, whose latest book, Shadows Have Gone, is being released this month! Her comments are below in blue.

Lissa: Treachery is everywhere this episode!

Sandi: Oh my word, yes. I’m still processing. I was left unsettled and unnerved by last night’s episode. I want to go and yell at different characters so that they know what’s happening. This is good, though. I react like this to my favorite books.​

from historyvikings.tumblr.com

L: We started out with Ragnar lounging in the longboat, asking Athelstan to tell him a bedtime story about Paris. “Again!?” Athelstan teases him. All that was lacking was Athelstan tucking him in with a warm glass of milk. (Goat milk, surely!) Athelstan tells him about the wonders of Paris, and the beautiful ladies that made the young monk question his vows of celibacy.

S: This was really an interesting exchange. For one, we see the very real friendship/relationship the two men share. And it’s lasted for years, through captivity, temptation, major life changes, worldview adjustments, everything. And they can still talk to one another in this manner. That’s wonderful. Also interesting of course was Athelstan’s reminder to Ragnar that at least he, Ragnar, has children.​ A nice bit of foreshadowing for later in the episode, eh?

Gif from vikinks tumblr.

L: Floki is watching, spider-like, from another boat. He asks Rollo what he thinks “that priest” and Ragnar are talking about. Jealousy drips from every word.

S: It really does. The writers have done a fine job of maintaining the tension between Floki and Athelstan (and Ragnar!) in this battle for Ragnar’s conscience, heart, and loyalty. No mean feat over a show that’s spanned not only seasons but years of in-show time.​

L: The boats arrive in Kattegat, and Lagertha’s ship pulls up with them. She’s riding in the middle, slightly elevated, and all I could think of was Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra:

The barge she sat in, like a burnish’d throne, 
Burned on the water…
Purple the sails, and so perfumed that 
The winds were lovesick with them …
Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides, 
So many mermaids, tended her i’ th’ eyes, 
And made their bends adornings…

What can I say? Lagertha makes me wax poetic.

S: She really does. :) The Shieldmaiden Longship was quite dramatic.

L: Anyway, they arrive at Kattegat. Lagertha is helping the wounded to shore when two ladies, large with child, approach her looking for Torstein. “Both of you?” she asks, and the women exchange uneasy glances as they nod. Lagertha tells them that Torstein is now in Valhalla, and the women slowly walk away together.

S: This struck me as quite singular. These women probably despised each other, having discovered they were simultaneously pregnant by the same man. They would perhaps have drawn together in some fashion while he was away, and had perhaps come to appreciate being known to one another, if only to bad-mouth Torstein for doing this to them and then being so eager to leave! ​

easycompany.tumblr.com

L: Rollo comes ashore shouting for Siggy. Aslaug has to tell him she’s dead. Rollo looks like he’s been hit between the eyes with the butt of an axe. Aslaug explains she drowned while ​trying to save the boys after their fall through the lake ice, and they never recovered her body. Rollo is crushed and says it’s his fault because he didn’t treat her well enough.

S: I really, really feel bad for Rollo in this episode. He is so very often disappointed in his life. The ambition he held as a younger man, being thwarted by his blue-eyed brother. The love he had (and still has maybe?) for Lagertha, the most amazing woman, wife, and mother. And then just as he’s finding a space for himself, maybe, his lover is killed saving the children of another man. Never mind that their relationship was odd at times and based upon an uncertain premise, it was still his relationship and where Rollo sets his loyalties, they tend to stick. It was dreadful to see him deteriorate.​

L: Ragnar, on the other hand, is more concerned with the reasons why it happened.

S: He’s grown and matured as a leader over the years. He knew there had to be something happening behind the scenes—his life has been filled with “behind the scenes” moments of great significance. ​

L: Why was Siggy tending Ragnar’s sons? Aslaug tries to explain it away by claiming the women shared child-tending duties, but Ragnar notes that Siggy had no children of her own to tend. He wants to know what was going on. In their bedroom, Aslaug drifts around in a filmy shift, and tries to lure him into their bed, but Ragnar rejects her and leaves.

S: She tried the classic sex diversion for what I believe to be a two-fold purpose. One, to get Ragnar to focus on his lust, not his brain. Two, because it is possible that she is pregnant and if she can get Ragnar to have sex, there would be no proof that she was unfaithful. (Of course, she didn’t know that Helga had spilled the entire story to Floki already.) ​

L: Porunn is having a breakdown in her quarters after seeing her scarred reflection in a bowl of water. Aslaug tries to comfort her but Porunn says there’s nothing she can do for her.

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S: I think there were a few hard truths hitting poor Porunn at that j​uncture. She fought, fully believing in her right to do so, even though she had been advised against it due to her pregnancy. She had been wounded to the point where she feels unattractive and unworthy, AND she miscarried the baby she carried. All of this is pounding at her and she knows that basically, if she’d listened to Björn, she wouldn’t be in this condition. For a proud woman determined to make her way in the world, this had to be hard to bear. Especially without a counselor whom she would trust. Therapy wasn’t an option.

L: Rollo is having a breakdown of his own, getting roaring drunk in the presence of the other men. They’re dismissive of his grief, saying they’ve all lost people in the battles in the Christian lands. Rollo tries to start a fight, but ​Björn breaks it up, telling his uncle the other men will kill him. But Rollo wants a fight. ​Björn obliges, giving him the physical pain Rollo can deal with better than the emotional pain he doesn’t know how to express.

S: I think it probably helped Björn, too. He has to be dealing with pain of his own.​

L: When ​Björn goes back into the longhouse, Lagertha asks him about his battered face and Björn tersely says he had a fight with his uncle, and “What of it?” Lagertha decides to accept that at face value. She asks Björn if he’s going to go see Porunn, but ​Björn says no. She doesn’t want to see him, and if she does, she’s a grown woman and can ask for him.

S: And here we see how very young Björn is, and it’s a very male trait, too, I think. He’s not rejecting Porunn, but he’s honestly confused I believe about how he feels because she seems to have rejected him. And he has to be blaming himself (thanks, Ragnar) for her condition to a certain degree. Being able to fight with Rollo helped, but again, this family needs a therapist and they don’t have one.​

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L: Helga confesses to Floki what happened during Harbard’s visit. Floki is excited by it and says Harbard is another name for Odin. They have been visited by a god. Helga doesn’t understand, because the visit resulted in Siggy’s death, but Floki shakes his head. The gods bring death, but they also bring new life.

S: Floki is a true believer. He dashes off to Ragnar to share his revelation with him, and Ragnar’s response was, according to someone on social media, the biggest eye-roll​ in history. Still, Ragnar is determined to continue to find out what happened in his absence. Another confrontation with Aslaug—in which she avoids his direct and offers instead a redirect for her own purpose—reveals that Harbard seems to have aided Ivar.

“Was he good?” Ragnar asks. He knew what had happened and he wanted her to know he knew.

Aslaug plays it off, but I don’t think she won any points.

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L: Another new life is on its way. Judith confesses to her husband that she is with child. He asks how this is possible, because they haven’t lain together since the birth of his son.

S: This surprised me because I really had thought she was pregnant before he left. His behavior and words seemed to indicate as much. But he was just marking his territory apparently.

L: He roars and smashes his hands onto a table as Judith sobs. He’s leaning against a wall, struggling to regain his composure when his father, Ecbert, calls for him. Someone has attacked the Northman settlement, and he wants the conflict to end because of the promises he made to Ragnar. Aethelwulf offers to go with a group of soldiers.

S: Now up to this point? I was still seeing King Ecbert as sincere. Just for the record. He had alliances to protect, not only with King Ragnar, but also with Lagertha. She might not have wanted to stay as his mistress—she’s an earl, blast his eyes!—but she did seem to have earned his regard and respect, to a degree. ​

L: Lagertha learns about Kalf’s betrayal and how he has seized her earldom in his absence. She marches up to Ragnar and demands he support her in getting it back. Ragnar essentially says, “Yes, dear,” but warns her that civil war could upset his plans.

S: Both of them have changed a great deal since we first met them. Their ambitions have grown with their experiences. I really think they both behaved in character, and even appropriately to this point. They made sense to me even if my Ragertha ship isn’t as smooth as I might like.

L: Ragnar goes to the Seer to ask about his Paris attack plans. The Seer tells him that “The dead will conquer Paris,” and that the “bear” or “bearer” (the sound was a little unclear) will be crowned king – but that’s not Ragnar.

S: The Seer doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but he surely can keep us thinking, no? Björn means “bear” as we were reminded ​on twitter last night, so if it is Bear, then the Seer could have been talking about Björn. Or it could refer to Rollo, whom we know in history does become a Duke of Normandy (essentially leading the way for Vikings to become Normans over the course of time).

L: “Bearer” would work to, which is why I wasn’t certain. “Something” will be carried, if the show sticks to the storyline of the saga.

They return to Lagertha’s realm, but the exchange with Kalf is not as decisive as Lagertha would have liked. She eyes Kalf coldly as he tells her that even as he was plotting against her, he lusted for her.

S: So he was genuine with her—to a point. He seemed insufferably into himself during that entire exchange, though. I believe that if Lagertha had been a man, his self-assurance would not have been so obvious.

L: Ragnar, it seems, has decided to settle for a peaceable agreement for the meantime, even if it means Lagertha has been unseated. She’s pissed, and rightly so. She mounts her horse and rides off. “You’re a man now,” she tells a protesting ​Björn. “Act like one.”

S: If she and Ragnar had not been married and had a life together before, I think the anger factor would have been less. But they were and they continue to have a good relationship even now, so Ragnar’s insistence on pursuing his own interests over hers rankles. I get it. Then, Lagertha’s talk with Björn leaves him dissatisfied. Be a man, huh? In terms of helping his mother? Helping his father? Helping Porunn? Seems like the young man can’t get it right no matter what. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t, and he is still also likely dealing with guilt. History knows Björn Ironside, though, so one must imagine he gets through this and becomes even stronger. I look forward to watching that happen.​

L: Rollo goes to the Seer as well, but his visit is less to ask for insight into the future than it is to unburden his soul at the unfair treatment he’s gotten at Ragnar’s hands. Everyone has preferred Ragnar over Rollo, and he asks if anyone can blame him for being disloyal in light of it. The Seer chuckles and says he wouldn’t be so tormented if he could see what the gods have in store for him in the future. In fact, he’d be dancing for joy on the seashore if he knew.

S: And we know the Seer to be right on target for this. Really a remarkable character, as I said earlier. Rollo will, I hope, rise to the occasion that his future presents to him.​

L: Aethelwulf arrives at the Northman settlement and decides to solve the problem of conflict by killing all of the pagans, which he piously says is for the Lord.

S: This really shocked me. Utterly. The children were so vulnerable here, too, and that was heartbreaking for me. What was he thinking, I wondered. Did he know about Athelstan and his wife? (Likely.) Was this in retribution? (Possibly.) Was he mad at his father and wanted to create further strife, uncaring as to the ramifications upon his future kingdom and reputation?​

L: After they’re all slain, he kneels before a burning cross and begins to recite the Lord’s Prayer, his eyes fixed on its flickering flames. Back in his father’s hall, Ecbert roars in rage that his treaties with Ragnar have been violated. He accuses Aethelwulf’s men of treason and has them all arrested. He orders his people from the room so he can deal with his son. As soon as they’re gone, he spreads his arms and laughs, embracing Aethelwulf – the plan went off without a hitch.

S: This was THE mindblowing moment for me. Up to this point, I had thought that Ecbert was sincere in his pursuit of an alliance and so on. Even now, I’m not sure what was happening “behind the scenes”. Ecbert’s tone never seemed sincere in this final scene, he seemed to be acting, even with his son in private, and I’m not (still) entirely certain he was being real for anyone.

He’s still playing his own game of chess.​

And that’s a wrap this week! If you have questions or comments, let me know and I’ll get right on them. :) Predictions for the rest of the season? I’d love to know what they are. Only five more episodes to go! Next week: Born Again.

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 Channel, Lagertha, Pagans v. Christians, Ragnar, Rollo, The Seer, Treachery, Vikings