Blurb
Through chaos, a warrior finds his path.
When Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor declares war on the pagans of Denmark, Pomerania and the Baltic lands, he is unaware of the true might of the storm he is about to unleash.
Meanwhile, in a small fjord in the north of Norway, a young Norseman is about to make his first kill. As Leif Longstride slays a fierce wolf, little does he know that in committing that single, fateful act of bravery his life is irrevocably altered. With a sword gifted in thanks and a sacred wolf skin as a trophy, Leif the Wolf Killer now has the makings of a warrior and will soon embark on a raid that will take him far to the south, to the treacherous landscapes of unknown peril.
Join Leif on a sweeping epic filled with adventure, emotion, and the quest for belonging. As he navigates the treacherous waters of fate, readers will be compelled to reflect on the meaning of courage, the ties that bind, and the indelible mark that every choice leaves upon the soul. Prepare to be transported to a world where the heart of a Viking warrior beats fiercely against the tides of history.
My Review
This book gives us an interesting perspective of Norse raiders from their own point of view, rather than the victim’s. It strikes me as a “coming of age” story of a young man eager to prove himself—and doing a good job of it. Early on, he managed to kill a wolf which already set him apart from the rest of his peers. Nonetheless, he still had a long way to go. Interestingly, the youths started out with pitiful weapons, some borrowed from their father, others with almost nothing at all. A good sword and hauberk had to be gained in a raid or battle:
With a good breakfast inside me, I hefted the shield over my back and rested my spear on my shoulder. Mikkel awaited me outside his house. His shield was his father’s. It showed the signs of wear and war. The boss was dented and there were cut marks in it. His spear was also his father’s, as was his helmet. Mikkel’s head still had some growing and the helmet was looser than it should have been. He looked at my shield and said, “You have done a fine job, Leif. When we return from this raid I will make my own. Would you help me?”
The youths of the village needed to prove themselves and were taken on their first raid; no heavy fighting was intended. In fact, they raided a monastery. The plunder was good and they all gained experience rowing. We, the reader, are taken one step at a time in Leif’s journey into manhood. Going on raids was a necessary part of proving one’s self. This was just how it was done. Any incidental villages along the way were taken, hopefully with the least amount of risk to the raiders. If fighting was necessary, it was seen as an opportunity to pick up a sword or a piece of armor from the loser. Although Leif didn’t have much interest in killing an unarmed man—like a monk—he had no compunction dispatching any opponent, young or old. All raiding was done with the perspective of protecting each other, and the occasional death of a friend was sincerely mourned. But that was the order of things. I found the point of view very interesting, and it really changed the image of a Viking raider into something more than just a brutish ogre.
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DKCJK4DF
