Hakon Haraldsson returns in this fast-paced historical adventure set in Viking Age Norway.It is 935 A.D. and Hakon Haraldsson has just wrested the High Seat of the North from his ruthless brother, Erik Bloodaxe. Now, he must fight to keep it.The land-hungry Danes are pressing from the south to test Hakon before he can solidify his rule. In the east, the Uplanders are making their own plans to … Uplanders are making their own plans to seize the throne. It does not help that Hakon is committed to his dream of Christianizing his people – a dream his countrymen do not share and will fight to resist.
As his enemies move in and his realm begins to crumble, Hakon and his band of oath-sworn warriors must make a stand in Raven’s Feast, the riveting sequel to God’s Hammer.
Praise:
…250 plus pages of sitting on the edge of your seat… -Dads & Dragons-
…an exciting read about a very young king attempting to hold on to a kingdom cracking wide open. – Historical Novel Society-
An entertaining story of a man facing an increasingly impossible situation… -Historical Fiction Review-
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Imagine that you’re a young King, a Christian one, in a time and place where the old gods still hold sway over your subjects and your allies…allies and subjects that you desperately need to not only strengthen your hold but to even survive. Hakon faces many challenges to his rule and to his chosen religion and during the course of this tale, seems to do all the wrong things to meet those challenges. An entertaining story of a man facing an increasingly impossible situation…a tale of courage and steadfastness … a tale of intrigue and danger… a tale of unwavering belief. Immerse yourself in a time and place of great deeds and even greater changes. 4 stars
Great historical reseach! Hakon, King of the Vikings, has defeated his rival and brother, Erik Bloodaxe. Erik had been ravishing the lands and left a bloody trail. Rather than kill his brother, Hakon makes him vow to leave and never return. Hakon then travels with part of his followers and warriors to the Uplands, to fulfill the vow he has made to the Jarl of that area. He is to marry Groa, the daughter of the Jarl. He detests the woman, but he had promised to wed Groa to secure the backing of her father in the fight against his brother, Erik. The Jarl is ill, but manages to live long enough to see the pagan ceremony before dying. To make the marriage valid Hakon must have sex with her in front of female witnesses. He imbibes too much at the feast to execute the actual act. When both are unclothed and in bed, Harkon rolls over vomits twice, and collapses. When he awakes in the morning, he leaves his bride who is not his wife, and his warriors. The son of the Jarl refuses to swear allegiance to Harkon. Once Harkon is a good distance from the Uplands Hall, he send Groa and her retinue back. Upon his arrival at his Hall, he discovers the Captain of a kraal has delivered twelve monks from Engo-land, but refuses the silver promised. Hakon rescues the monks from his suspicious followers and gives them a thatched hut and permission to build a church. His pagan subjects are furious and Sigmund, the powerful Jarl that has been his mentor is furious at his not completing the marriage and the monks. Hakon must repair the damage between Sigmund and himself, fight the Dane that raids his lands, and the son of the Uplands Jarl that has wed his mother to a much younger Dane. All but one of the monks is burned to death and once again Hakon must prove his worth in individual battle before others will follow him to destroy the Dane that has raided his lands for years. Will his plan to bring Christianity to the Norsemen fall by the wayside or will he somehow once again succeed in battle? This book delivers excitement and page turning events as a young teenager matures.
The Story Pulls You In—The Polished Prose Keeps You There
I didn’t read Thor’s Hammer yet; I didn’t know of the first book in the series when I began Raven’s Feast, but no worries—you needn’t read it first to become entrenched in Hakon’s story. As a historical novelist and history buff, my favorite genre is historical fiction, and this did not disappoint. First let me say the level of writing is of such a high professional caliber, it’s better written than just about every best seller I’ve ever read. The prose is superb, clean and polished. I don’t know Scandinavian history, but the setting and era caught my interest. It was fascinating to be brought back through time into this long-ago world and see how they lived, fought, worshiped, and I learned a lot about their lives and politics. Not knowing the history of this time and place, I’m sure Eric did his homework, and I took for granted that the historical details are as flawless as the prose. I’m going back to read Thor’s Hammer, then I hope Book 3 is on the way; I would like to see sequels all the way up to Renaissance times!