Review of James L. Nelson's Kings and Pawns

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

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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

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

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

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




View all my reviews