Varanger

by Cecelia Holland

Book Overview

Corban Loosestrife's son Conn is a clever and strong leader of men; his cousin, the god-touched Raef, is his shield and navigator.?They have joined a fur-trading ship to Russia, and are forced to over-winter in Novgorod.?While there, they take service with the leader of the Rus, Dobrynya, and with him travel south to Kiev, and then on with a raiding party?into the northern reaches of the Byzantine Empire. ? With vivid description and passionate characters,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765305585
• ISBN13: 9780765305589
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 303 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

From a frozen winter in Russia, to the Black Sea shore of northern Byzantium.

A logical progression from her Viking novels The Serpent Dreamer (Tom Doherty Associates Book), The Soul Thief, and The Witches' Kitchen, this novel follows the adventures of cousins Conn and Raef Corbansson from the ice and snow of winter in Novgorod, to the politics of Volodymyr (Vladimir the Great) in Kiev and down into the northern reaches of the Byzantine Empire. It is an important time in the development of Kievan Rus, the medieval state which existed from approximately 880 to the middle of the 13th century, the Mongol invasion of 1240. Conn and Raef Corbansson have sailed to Novgorod on a fur trading expedition, where they over-winter and eventually join forces with the local leader Dobrynya on a journey south along the the Dnieper trade route from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Stopping over in Kiev, and joining forces with Volodymyr (Vladimir the Great), and the raiding party continues south to the Byzantine city of Chersonese (Cherson) on the Black Sea. High adventure, intrigue and betrayal ensue and this fictionalized adventure does add much to think about in how Christianity first came to Kievan Rus, and thus to the Russian Empire. Vivid, passionate, and brutal - this novel is told from multiple viewpoints, which is frequently annoying, but gives you the full flavor of all the characters involved. The adventure continues in The High City, which is set in Constantinople and further examines the Byzantine Empire.

A Great historical novelist

Another in a lone of fine historical fiction by a prolific writer. Quick delivery.

exhilarating historical thriller

Late in the tenth century, cousins Conn and Raef Corbansson know they are fortunate to be alive as their side lost the battle of Hjorunga Bay. They escape by a fur trading ship, but end up frozen in place in Novgorod. The city ruler Lord Dobryana aware of the Corbansson exploits offers the "free warriors" a chance to escape the icy winter by joining the crusade to raid the Byzantine Empire northern port city of Chersonese on the Greek Sea. Getting there takes forever and arriving there proves difficult as Chersonese is not an easy city to take. Worse Conn and Raef soon realize their new comrades in arms are ruthless backstabbers who live for treachery. The superb fourth Dark Ages Viking saga (see THE SERPENT DREAMER, THE SOUL THIEF and THE WITCHES' KITCHEN) is an exhilarating historical thriller that continues the adventures of the second generation. The locale, for the most part, is different than the three previous novels; as such it adds freshness with the Vikings raiding the Byzantine Empire. The story line is fast-paced and filled with plenty of action, but it is the vivid window into the era that makes Varanger a fabulous insightful tale. Harriet Klausner