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C.J. Adrien

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C.J. Adrien

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January 2014


C.J. Adrien is a history teacher and a bestselling, award-winning author of historical fiction novels. Drawing on years of research into early medieval Europe and a lifelong study of myth, Jungian psychology, and the Hero’s Journey, Adrien’s Saga of Hasting the Avenger series blends historical realism with spiritual depth to explore the eternal battle between man and his shadow—a mythic reflection of his own journey toward wholeness and redemption.

Through his writing, Adrien invites readers to see the Viking world not merely as a distant past but as a mirror for our modern struggles with ambition, faith, and forgiveness. In addition to his novels, he teaches online courses for Medievalists.net and delivers guest lectures worldwide. He curre
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C.J. Adrien Great question! There are two distinct traditions in academia governing the delineation of the historical timeline.

The first tradition is the Contine…more
Great question! There are two distinct traditions in academia governing the delineation of the historical timeline.

The first tradition is the Continental European tradition (France, Germany, Italy) in which the period known as the Middle Ages (Moyen Age in French) designates the period between antiquity (fall of Rome, 5th Century) and the Renaissance (A French word for a movement which began in...Italy). In this tradition, the Middle Ages are over 1,200 years long.

The second tradition is the more Anglo tradition which splits the Middle Ages into three parts: the Dark Ages (5th-11th centuries), Early Middle Ages (11th-14th Centuries), and the High Middle Ages (14th-15th Centuries). The accepted dates for the split of each time period are as follows:
Dark Ages: from the destruction of the Roman Empure in 476 A.D. to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 A.D.
Early Middle Ages: From 1066 A.D. to the battle of Agincourt in 1415 A.D. (i.e. the end of Chivalry).
High Middle Ages: 1415 A.D. to Columbus' "discovery" of America in 1492.

Of course, depending on who you ask, the second tradition will vary. For example, many feel the High Middle Ages end with Amerigo Vespucci's discovery of the mainland continent of America in 1500 A.D.

As per your question:
In the first tradition, the 10th Century would be considered to be the Early Middle Ages. In the second tradition, it would be considered as the Dark Ages (and yes, more towards the end).

Thanks for asking, and I hope you find the answer satisfactory.(less)
C.J. Adrien I am so sorry I did no see this question sooner. I hope you got ahold of a copy in the years since. Thank you for reading. And so you know, there's no…moreI am so sorry I did no see this question sooner. I hope you got ahold of a copy in the years since. Thank you for reading. And so you know, there's now a fourth Hasting book out here: https://www.amazon.com/Fell-Deeds-Fat...(less)
Average rating: 4.28 · 3,999 ratings · 239 reviews · 25 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Lords of the Wind  (The...

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In the Shadow of the Beast ...

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The Kings of the Sea (The S...

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The Line of His People (Kin...

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The Road to Malheur: A Tale...

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The Fell Deeds of Fate (The...

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The Oath of the Father (Kin...

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The Empress and Her Wolf: A...

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Abriel Haraldsson and the M...

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The Saga of Hasting the Ave...

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More books by C.J. Adrien…

Deal with the Devil: On The Bretons' Alliance with the Loire Vikings.

History is rarely a story of permanent borders and ancient grudges; more often, it is a fluid game of musical chairs played by ambitious men. In the mid-9th century, the crumbling Carolingian Empire was the ultimate stage for this game. At the heart of the drama were two of the era’s most formidable “strongmen”: Robert the Strong, a rising star in the Frankish nobility, and Salomon, the ambitious

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The Lords of the Wind In the Shadow of the Beast The Kings of the Sea
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The Line of His People The Oath of the Father
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Deal with the Devil: On The Bretons' Alliance with the Loire Vikings.

History is rarely a story of permanent borders and ancient grudges; more often, it is a fluid game of musical chairs played by ambitious men. In the m Read more of this blog post »
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Northern Wrath by Thilde Kold Holdt
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I really enjoyed Northern Wrath. It’s an engaging read with strong pacing and vivid characters, and it brings a fresh energy to the Norse mythology genre. The mix of myth, magic, and brutal reality made for a fun and compelling story that stands out ...more
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Rán's Daughters by Kaitlin  Felix
Rán's Daughters
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Ran’s Daughters offers a fresh and intriguing take on the Viking world through the eyes of a woman determined to make her mark in a society that would rather see her fail. Unlike many Viking tales with female leads, this story doesn't shy away from p ...more
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Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat
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I picked up this book because it seemed topical for the goings-on of the world today, and to a significant degree, it is. However, the information is not new, the conclusions are unoriginal, and the premise is too generalized. So, while it is not a b ...more
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The Ancient Celts by Barry Cunliffe
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Barry Cunliffe's The Ancient Celts is an ambitious attempt at writing a general history of an obscure, often obfuscated ancient people. His reconstruction of the past is skillful, his weighing of the evidence measured, and his conclusions tempered wi ...more
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Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat
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The Fourth Turning Is Here by Neil Howe
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Neil Howe's The Fourth Turning is Here is poignant and prophetic. While the author admits he cannot predict the future, he skillfully illustrates the events of past generational cycles, referred to as seculae in the book, to paint a picture of what m ...more
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Quotes by C.J. Adrien  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“An oath, I have since learned, is the most divine gift a man can give to another.”
C.J. Adrien, The Lords of the Wind

“Back you scoundrels. These legs are staying shut!”
C.J. Adrien, The Line of His People

“Ah, yes, Yggdrasil, the great tree of the world. It is the mark of the mystic. Usually this role is reserved for a woman for they are the keepers of magic and the dark arts, but once in a great while a man takes up the role. Woman mystics are known as volva, but Oddr prefers to be called an Angel of Death. He says it sounds less feminine. Oddr's mother, an Angel of Death herself, taught her son her craft. But he also has a great thirst for blood and kills savagely, which makes him a great warrior," Harald explained. Abriel”
C.J. Adrien, The Line of His People

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