History and legend combine in the gripping tale of Hakon Haraldsson, a Christian boy who once fought for the High Seat of a Viking realm.It is 935 A.D. and the North is in turmoil. King Harald Fairhair has died, leaving the High Seat of the realm to his murderous son, Erik Bloodaxe. To solidify his claim, Erik ruthlessly disposes of all claimants to his throne, save one: his youngest brother … one: his youngest brother Hakon.
Erik’s surviving enemies send a ship to Wessex, where the Christian King Athelstan is raising Hakon. Unable to avoid his fate, he returns to the Viking North to face his brother and claim his birthright, only to discover that victory will demand sacrifices beyond his wildest nightmares.
Praise:
Mr. Schumacher stands ready to be a ‘Great’ in a world full of mediocre authors. -Dads&Dragons-
I was swept up in the action and enthralled by the descriptions of Hakon’s struggle.-Roundtable Reviews-
I highly recommend this historical fiction novel, both for its entertaining story and historical information. -Historical Fiction Review-
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There are some horrific scenes in this book, which I’m not sure needed to be there, or at least could have been muted. I learned a lot about the time period and found some of my ancestors referenced in the book. If you’re squeamish, this may not be the book for you but if you’re interested in medieval England and Norway, it’s worth reading.
This and the two sequels tell the story of a Christian Northman. It is very authentic and entertaining. I couldn’t put it down.
Sorry but I couldn’t get into this book. Did not appeal to me.
Good read. Tragic but hopeful.
Great book Cant wait to finish reading the rest of the series.
Good story telling. Abrupt ending but it is a series.
Seems to be, mostly, historically correct.
Enjoyed Hakon’s story – I had never heard of him before reading this book and the next in the series. Will most likely read the third book as well.
Hakon Haraldsson, a young prince of the Northmen, is shipped by his father to an English kingdom, where he is fostered by the powerful king. His care and education are overseen by the king himself, including lessons in language and history, and battlefield skills. He converts to Christianity, the religion of his foster father. Hakon’s birth father, Harald Fairhair, is forced to turn the kingdom of Northmen over to Hakon’s merciless, self-serving brother, Erik Bloodaxe, who kills his father and brothers to take over the kingdom. Erik funds a large army and effective navy, and devastates the populace wherever his troops land. Neighboring kingdoms defeated in battle recruit Hakon as a teenage boy to attempt Erik’s defeat. Hakon proves a mature strategist and negotiator, and leads a combined army against Erik. Throughout, Hakon is torn between his new religion and the savage beliefs of the Northmen and their neighbors. The epilog explains the underlying history of the narrative in a very satisfying manner. This is the kind of action-packed book that could bring young boys to engage with history.
A good read.
I liked it well enough to buy the second in the series which I’m enjoying now
I liked it. I enjoy historical based stories
Great historical fiction.
I enjoyed this book very much.
This was a blood thirsty book but interesting.
I enjoyed it.
If you like history, this is for you.