Sunday 1 June 2014

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: God of Vengeance - Giles Kristian

Release Date: 24/04/14
Publisher:  

SYNOPSIS:

Norway 785 AD. It began with the betrayal of a lord by a king...But when King Gorm puts Jarl Harald's family to the sword, he makes one terrible mistake - he fails to kill Harald's youngest son, Sigurd. On the run, unsure who to trust and hunted by powerful men, Sigurd wonders if the gods have forsaken him: his kin are slain or prisoners, his village attacked, its people taken as slaves. Honour is lost. And yet he has a small band of loyal men at his side and with them he plans his revenge. All know that Odin - whose name means frenzy - is drawn to chaos and bloodshed, just as a raven is to slaughter. In the hope of catching the All-Father's eye, the young Viking endures a ritual ordeal and is shown a vision. Wolf, bear, serpent and eagle come to him. Sigurd will need their help if he is to make a king pay in blood for his treachery. Using cunning and war-craft, he gathers together a band of warriors - including Olaf, his father's right hand man, Bram who men call Bear, Black Floki who wields death with a blade, and the shield maiden Valgerd, who fears no man - and convinces them to follow him. For, whether Odin is with him or not, Sigurd will have his vengeance. And neither men nor gods had best stand in his way...


REVIEW:

OK, I like Giles’ writing and to be honest with you, I like to sit back with a tankard of mead, a roaring fire and a few hours of peace and quiet to devour a tale of vengeance, hard hitting action and bloodshed and with Giles’ that’s exactly what you get. Here in this outing is a book that has a cracking lead character, some double dealing and of course a pace that really doesn’t let up from start to finish.

As a reader it gives me everything I want and whilst for some it’s a little light on the time period detail, it’s the overall arc that really will sit with you. All round a great offering and one that I was more than happy to spend my time with. Magic.


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