Review: Emperor’s Axe by JC Duncan

Blurb

The greatest threat to the empire is not a foreign army, but the thirst for power at all costs.

1038 AD, Constantinople

Harald Sigurdsson has risen through bravery and glory in battle to become the commander of the legendary Varangian guard, the oath-sworn protector of the Roman throne in Constantinople; The wielder of the emperor’s axe.

With the estranged Emperor and Empress consumed in a deadly palace war for sole control of the empire, Harald must somehow keep the peace. In a city where everything is taken by subterfuge, violence and deceit, what must an honourable man do to protect the empire from both its enemies and itself?

Harald might be forced to choose between his life and his oaths, to take a side or become an enemy of all, and watch, outcast, as the empire crumbles.
Harald is a master of war, but victory in battle will no longer be enough.

My Review

We’re on book three of the series THE LAST VIKING, and we’re still in Constantinople. What a story! Harald Hardrada strives to gain enough money and experience to return to Norway and claim his crown. But the politics in the Empire are more sneaky and tortuous than a straightforward Norseman can comprehend. Though Harald tries, with one step forward and two steps back. He is certainly a force to contend with, but his pledge of loyalty gets in the way when he is forced to obey orders contrary to his—and his men’s—interests. The empress is unforthcoming, the emperor is weak, the and his eunuch brother John is running the show. John needs to get rid of the troublesome Harald, so he sends him far away on a potentially impossible assignment to Syracuse that should tie him up for years. Of course, Harald goes, but he never loses sight of his ultimate goal:

‘I want men of Norway, a thousand years from now, to remember my name with pride and respect. And perhaps, in that time, when men gaze upon these walls and consider those who came before, they will know that I was here, and be humbled by it.’
‘Why does it matter so much to you, what men think a thousand years from now, or even a hundred?’
‘Because if a man is known and respected, is he even truly dead? My brother Olaf’s body is in the ground, but the men of our country now revere him as a saint, have built a church around his tomb, and so his glory will last forever. I just want the men of Norway, when they speak of him with the fondness and respect that he deserves, to remember me also…’

And that, in a nutshell, is what drives this irrepressible man. Unfortunately, it becomes all too clear that too many of his loyal followers are destined to lose their lives while he pursues his destiny. We see a fine parallel between his slow and painful climb to greatness at the expense of others, and the losses the rulers of the Empire are willing to take in order to retain their own power. Harald sees it too, but doesn’t seem very disturbed by it. Our narrator, his faithful friend Eric, is much more cognizant of the strains on Harald’s integrity. But, good or bad, he’s committed to Harald for the duration, even against his own better judgment. As Eric said on more than one occasion, “I have told you, being Harald’s man was not an easy path, it tested every part of my honour, my courage and my soul. They call me Eric the Follower and damn you all, I earned that name.”
Great stuff!