King's Man by Tim Severin is the thrilling third volume in the captivating Viking trilogy - an epic adventure in a world full of Norse mythology and bloodthirsty battles.
Constantinople, 1035: Thorgils has become a member of the Varangian lifeguard and witnesses the glories of the richest city on earth but also the murderous ways of the imperial family. Under the leadership of warrior chief Harald Sigurdsson he is set up as the unwitting bait in a deadly ambush to destroy Arab pirates harassing the Byzantine shipping lanes in the Mediterranean.
When Harald eventually ascends the throne of Norway, his liegeman Thorgils is despatched on a secret mission to Duke William of Normandy with a plan to coordinate the twin invasions of England. On 20 September 1066 Harald's fleet of three hundred ships sails up the Ouse, confident of success, but a prophetic dream warns Thorgils that Duke William has duped his allies and the Norsemen are heading for disaster at Stamford Bridge. Thorgils embarks upon a race against time to reach and warn his liege lord before the battle begins. But will Odinn's devout follower really be able to anticipate what fate has decreed and save the heritage of his Viking ancestors?
Its hard to review a single book in the trilogy without talking about the rest. I give the series 4-stars. From a historical point of view it is quite good. Many of the characters and story lines are based on the sagas, and for those without the will or determination to commit to undertaking a source study, and no one could fault you here, this is a very pleasant introduction into that world. I thought the author did...
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The author takes you across much of euope during his journey and weaves an entertaining tale along the way. As the lead character travels as a follower of Oddin, he witnesses much history that climaxes with the downfall of complete Norse dominance and the begining of Norman rule, the last vestiges of paganism washed away. A worthy read.
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King's Man is the last series of the Viking trilogy, which told the story of Thorgils Leifsson. Viking series was Mr. Severin's first foray into the fiction realm. He used to write exclusively non-fiction history books, which I learned from the list of books he had written (not less than ten books, excluding this novel). The first and second (previous) of the trilogy: Odinn's Child and Sworn Brother, respectively. For...
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This book is the sequel to Odinn's Child and brings to a conclusion the Viking adventure. The date is 1035, the place the cosmopolitan city of Constantinople, the gateway to Asia and all its treasures and mysticism. Thorgils has become a member of the elite Varangian lifeguard, a post that allows him to witness first hand the glories of one of the greatest cities in the whole world. Unfortunately it also allows him first...
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Reading the Viking series is a great way to get a 'behind the scenes' experience of historic events - in this instance the death of a Byzantine Emperor (by murder or natural causes?) the reconstruction of the church of the Holy Sepulcre in Jerusalem, the Siege of Syracruse and the Norman invasion of England. Thorgils is a Norseman who has trained as a monk, but longs for the return of the old Norse gods. His travels put...
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