Runy osudu

Runes #2

by Christina Courtenay, Lenka Marie Čapková (Translator)

Oddat se svému nadšení pro jazyk Vikingů a nechat se pohltit prací na archeologických vykopávkách je přesně to pravé, co Linnea Bergerová po nedávné traumatické události potřebuje. Když objeví krásnou brož a přečte nápis, který je na ni vyrytý, ztratí vědomí a probere se uprostřed skupiny mužů převlečených za Vikingy, kteří podle všeho berou svou hru na středověk velice vážně.

Ztracená a zmatená Linnea se ocitne v moci Hrafna, vikinského válečníka, který si ji nárokuje jako svou kořist a zavleče ji na nebezpečnou plavbu přes moře, aby ji prodal jako otrokyni. Po vyplutí musí čelit nemyslitelnému: cestovala časem a ocitla se v devátém století.

Linnea je rozhodnutá vrátit se zpátky do svojí doby, ale mezi ní a Hrafnem se začíná utvářet pouto. Dokáže odolat volání run a přijmout fakt, že její osud je tady?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy, Historical Romance, Historical, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 2020

About the author

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

Reviews

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ancient brooch connects a modern woman to a Viking warrior.

The Runes of Destiny by Christina Courtenay is a time-travel Viking historical romance full of adventure, traveling, and cultural information.

Linnea Berger was helping her uncle Lars in an excavation of a Viking ground in Sweden. She was a specialist in the Viking language (Old Norse) at the University of York.

Using the metal detector to identify new places for digging, Linnea came across an ancient brooch. While trying to read the brooch’s scriptures, Linnea ended up hurting herself with the pin and was transported into Viking-age Sweden.

Captured as a thrall (slave), she was taken to the Middle East to be sold.

Hrafn, the village leader’s half-brother, wanted independence from his cruel sibling and decided to go to the East to sell some merchandise, including a few slaves.

Hrafn was not counting on getting close to the slaves, especially Linnea, and to start caring for them.

The story was full of historical information about the Vikings and their way of living.

There was a lot of adventure, travel, and the intriguing situation faced by a modern woman trapped in ancient and barbaric times.

The Runes of Destiny is a fascinating Viking historical romance perfect for fans of time travel stories. I can’t wait to read Hrafn’s younger brother Rurik’s book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com *

[HILARY ANDERSON - BELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Diana Gabaldon Barbara Erskine Susannah kearsley this is a book for you a time slip in the style of Diana gabaldon but with much less sex. A great read with a bit of a twist you feel you are back in the 9th century highly recommended a great weekend read to lose yourself in.

[Marcy Thomas]

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 10%

Yes, I knew this sounded way too similar to Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, but I was in the mood for a romance, and it did sound like it was unique enough to have its own identity. I think this was more a not for me type of situation, but there were problems that really put me off.

The writing is bad. Any writer who has listened to any good writing advice has been told to show and not tell. Sometimes it’s hard to do that, but this book was all telling. All of it. There was no nuance to it, and I felt myself getting annoyed by it.

Also, I can’t stand the overly sarcastic tones in the narration. It’s like it was trying to sound witty and cool, but it comes off as clueless, especially considering that our main character has been forced back to the past, has been kidnapped and threatened to be sold off, and yet she kept making quips and chiding herself on finding the main love interest attractive. Like, take this seriously. You’re in a very dangerous situation.

This isn’t for me, but it might work for others. I’m not the demographic.

[K.S. Marsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Linnea finds a brooch in an archeological dig, she is thrown into the past.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Linnea recently survived a car crash, but needs to recover from the mental scars. She signs up to her "Uncle" Lars archeological dig as a distraction, and gets more than she bargained for.
After finding a brooch, she is thrown into the 9th Century, where she is accused of stealing and captured by Hrafn.
Because of her beauty, they decide to sell her to the Turks to get the best price. Linnea is dragged along on a trading mission that will take several months. She has to learn how to survive in Viking times, and not fall for her Viking captor.

This really was a book of two halves.
I did not like the first half.
I found Linnea to be annoying and self-involved.
Yes, she survived a car crash that killed her friend's parents, and grievously injured her friend. Linnea has a right to have issues to deal with, but they seem to supercede those of the injured friend, and her Uncle Lars (who lost his son and daughter-in-law).
Despite the fact that she was injured, Sara is cast as the "supportive friend", to assuage Linnea's grief and gossip about Linnea's crush Daniel. I didn't even know that Sara was still in hospital, until later in the book.

Linnea very quickly gets dragged back in time, where she is convinced she's at a fair where people pretend to be viking, and are taking it way too far.

She's pig-headed, rude, and I'm surprised she survived her first few days.
For a supposed genius, she doesn't even try to think about other possibilities, that maybe she's in a coma or an alternate reality, or actually in the past. Despite how adamant she is it's all fake, Linnea allows everyone to push her around, tell her what to wear and what to do. When she's put into a boat to sail away, she just goes along with it.
For most of the journey, Linnea relies on the other women, to adjust to life in the 9th Century, and becomes friends with them. But the friendship only ever works one way, Linnea never thinks about how she can help them escape slavery.

The rest of the characters are without any nuance.
Hrafn is generic tough-guy-with-a-good-heart. He's a nice enough character, but I never understood why he was in the business of selling thralls. He's never done it before, but seems to have all the knowledge of how it works, and where they'll get the best offers.
Thure (Hrafn's older half-brother) is a villain. You know that the moment he enters the story, and he continues being villainous through-out. This guy has no subtlety.

The only part that I enjoyed was the in-depth knowledge of our narrator. It's clear that the author is as passionate and expert as Linnea in the field of Viking life.
Through Linnea, you get to learn every gritty detail of clothes, food, hygiene. Of social behaviour etc.
It could occasionally run a little dry and border on lecturing, but I still appreciated it.

The second half was like someone flipped a switch.
I was surprised by how much I was enjoying Linnea's story.
Her character improves - she doesn't drastically change, but it's like she softens and stops holding everyone at arm's length.
The "road-trip" becomes more interesting, as they tackle dangers of both man-made and natural kind.
I liked how subtle the romance was. It is definitely a sub-plot to the story of Linnea and Hrafn's journey together.

I liked how the supporting cast developed too, with the questionable loyalties for Hrafn's comrades - Hrafn may be in charge of the trade mission, but Thure is their Jarl (chief).
I especially liked the other women, who for the most part are lumped together as a crowd and indiscernible, but in the end, they all seem to get the happy ending they want. And no one is judged for wanting to be a free woman, or a wife, or a mistress to a fat rich man.

I thought it all got a little cheesy towards the end, but you know what, I kinda liked that too.

I think this was a 3.5 out of 5 for me.

[Leah | Big, Bad and Bookish]

DNF at 10%.

I just can't. This heroine is so frustrating, she can't seem to keep quiet and hasn't even tried to escape so far. She thinks she's been kidnapped and is being threatened by people playacting as Vikings and her response is...to bad mouth and argue with them?

Also the fact she hasn't realised that something is very wrong even though she's in a completely different place, she's been given weird clothes and everyone speaks a dead language that no one knows? Really stupid.

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Christina for a beautiful story , enjoyed my journey through Viking’s era . Touched my heart and I couldn’t stop reading. Definitely You are real Queen and you know how to charm the reader and bringing the vikings period in extraordinary way . ❤️

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a time slip romance between the present day and Viking era. I understand that this is the second in a series, the previous book being Echoes of the Runes, but I haven't read that and believe this still works well as a standalone read.

Linnea Berger had been involved in a tragic accident in which she escaped serious injury. With survivor's guilt and the trauma unsettling her, she goes to work on an archaeological dig run by friends of her family. Linnea is a keen historian, focussing on understanding the Norse language rather than on artefacts. When she discovers a beautiful brooch, she reads the runes on the back and is whisked back in time to the Viking era, where she awakens surrounded by warriors. Initially she thinks they're taking enactment too far but eventually comes to realise she's actually back in the ninth century and so her time slip adventure begins!

This is a story sharing much of the history of the Viking era, a journey through time and visiting different locations, too. Through it you're given an insight into the times, attitudes and customs whilst also sharing Linnea's adventure and developing romance. There are a brilliant mix of characters, some to like, others not so much . . . there's Viking family rivalry, difficult differences and attitudes, danger and, as love develops between Linnea and Hrafn there's the added dilemma of staying together or being in one time together - but which time?

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

[freddie · Rating 1 out of 5]

CAWPILE rating: 1/10
STAR rating: ★

this was... so bad - insta-love in the worst way. nothing about it was believable or made sense, time-travel completely aside. girl why are you falling in love with him when he's planning to sell you off as a sex-slave hello?? 😭 the 'nice guy' side-character being 100% willing to assault the MC if the LOVE INTEREST lets him 'have a go at her' and it's? laughed off? HELLO?

[Joano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time travel romances are very tricky. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It was a really lovely surprise. Sure, the language isn’t exactly what it should be but the author checked all the boxes.

Plot:

Linnea, a PhD student studying old Norse culture and language was on an archeological digging with her father’s friend Lars. She is recovering from “survivor syndrome” after a terrible road accident when the parents of her best friend died and her friend is in physio rehab to learn how to walk. At a remote site, she found an old brooch, read the inscription after accidentally cutting herself and then fainted.

When she woke up, a man, speaking old Norse was dragging her down the road. She thought he was in a reenactment with “built” Viking settlements. He tells her he owns her and was going to sell her in Constantinople. It wasn’t until during the journey that she realises that she was in the 9th century and somehow she has travelled back in time.

There was a lot of research that went into writing this story. There were plenty of descriptions of 9th century culture giving the reader a sense of realism- that she did travel back in time to the 9th century.

What really worked well in this novel is the interactions between an array of secondary characters and their role in Linnea’s life, how women are really treated, and their motives.

The chemistry between Linnea and Hrafen was very believable. He is a very 21st century male but he justifies his actions.

If you love history and you’re after a romance with a plot but without much sex, then try this book. This is the second book in the series. I’m going to try and find book 1. Book 3 will be out later this year.

[Willow Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

It did a good job of toeing the line of "gross historical realism" and "modern day morality" to create an interesting and enjoyable romance. There was one joke that seemed pretty racist, but I also didn't really understand it - so I was riding a boat of mixed feelings. And rescuing someone from rape is a pretty low bar for someone to be considered nice. Anyway. The hero was indeed charming and heroic, which made it easy to like him. Enjoyably cliche, but the journey was often a surprise. I loved the amount of historical realism when it came to travel, trade, and domestic living. It felt well researched - you could feel the author's love of viking history in a way that went beyond gods and lore. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Having not read book one (yet), this works perfectly as a stand alone.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid read. It was romantic and the writing flowed really well. I cared about a lot of the characters. Something kept me from reeeally loving it. But it was still very enjoyable. This is only my second Viking book and I’m struggling a bit with the thrall/slave thing, and that was a huge theme in this book.

[Lucy Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this, the historical accuracy is exemplary and I loved the romance. Highly recommend to anyone who loves Viking romance with a twist of Outlander timeslip!

[Ngarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle read with fairly low levels of angst and conflict.
A time-slip historical viking romance.

[Robynne Lozier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another great story of time travel between the present day (2017) back to the Viking age. This time the time traveller is Linnea, daughter of Haakon from the first book, Echoes of the Runes.

I really liked the way that this author keeps the continuity going, by using different characters from within the same family as the time travellers.

So Linnea finds herself back in the 9th century Sweden, where she is picked up by a Viking named Hrafn and becomes his thrall (either a slave or a concubine). Despite Linnea's constant whining and complaining of life in the Viking era during the first half of the book, by the second half of the book, she had come pretty much fallen in love with Hrafn, and was slowly accepting the idea that she might stay, if he ever married her.

During this time, Linnea was part of the inventory as thralls to be sold as Hrafn, his brothers Rurik, Gai and Thure, sail from Sweden, through the Baltic lands along the Russian rivers and down the Dnieper to the Black sea, and on to Constantinople.

In Constantinople. Linnea is abducted by Thure and sold to a wealthy man in the city. Hrafn goes after her and "Steals" her back, both of them effectively ackowledging their feelings for each other!! Thure ends up being cheated at a game of dice and is killed.

After selling most of their inventory, Hrafn and his crew begin the long trip back to Sweden. Upon their arrival, now that Hrafn is the Jarl of their community, His elderly aunt begins to make plans for him to marry the daughter of another Jarl. Linnea overhears this news and runs away. Hrafn goes after her and eventually, after a quick trip back to the present, Hrafn and Linnea are married.

Excellent story. Lots of details about Viking life and travelling through Viking Russia!!

[Loves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so happy to receive an early review copy of this book , I've been eagerly awaiting it since finishing the first book in the series. This doesn't disappoint either, if anything Christina Courtenay has outdone herself with this immersive, well researched offering.
The detail is extensive and I felt like I'd learnt something by the end of the book, while being totally caught up in the storyline. You literally feel like you are transported to another place through the vivid descriptive text..
Linnea is a wonderful , strong female character , who manages to slip through time after finding an artifact on an archaeological dig that transports her to the Viking era , where she awakens to find herself surrounded by a hoard of Viking warriors that she takes to be a 're enactment group . We then meet Hrafn, the leader of the group,who takes her as his thrall, with the intent to sell her at market. His half brother , Thure is the jarl of their community and the two men have a strained relationship. He takes an unhealthy interest in Linnea resulting in an increased sense of rivalry between the two men.
There are a host of wonderful supporting characters and you get swept up in the storyline. I literally read this in a day because I didn't want to put it down.
The rapport that builds up between Linnea and Hrafn is beguiling reading and their mutual attraction for each other becomes more difficult for them to deny as the storyline unfolds . Can she find a way to return home to her own time ? will she want to if the time comes?
Hrafn is an honourable hero and the characters will stay with you even after you've read the last page. I was sad to reach the end of the book but can't wait for the next book now !
I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading Nicola Cornick or Barbara Erskine books.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly different to the first book, with the main character Linnea travelling back to the ninth century, rather than looking back at a past life.
Much of the story was good, if a little tedious detailing the very long journey to Byzantium from Sweden.
Many characters were likeable. A little dialogue seemed out of keeping but the author’s historical geographic knowledge and research was impressive.
A solid three stars and slightly better than the first book in the series.

[Emmy]

I tried to use this to fill an Outlander hole, and it just didn't work. I think one of my major issues though was the audiobook narrator.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I loved Echoes of the Runes and I was a little disappointed when I realised that The Runes of Destiny was a time travel book rather than time slip (for some reason I can completely accept a person's psyche slipping through time, but struggle with their whole body doing it).

The Runes of Destiny was an entertaining enough read and I did enjoy parts of it but, as well as struggling with time travel, I didn't particularly like Linnea for most of the book.

I think if I hadn't enjoyed Echoes of the Runes so much, I probably would have finished this series at The Runes of Destiny, but I have moved straight on to Whispers of the Runes hoping that I love that as well.

[Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Runes of Destiny" by Christina Courtenay -this is the 2nd book in the author's Viking series but can be read as a stand alone, a couple of characters from the first book do appear briefly but it doesn't detract from the story. Linnea is recovering from a car accident which killed her best friend's parents and severely injured her friend - she feels guilty for surviving relatively unscathed and is helping out on a summer holiday archaeological dig in Sweden, when she finds a gorgeous bracelet. She accidentally pricks her finger on the pin, and finds herself transported, Outlander style, to the 9th century, where she finds herself being taken captive as a thrall ie a sort of hostage for sale, and she joins the Jarl and his half brothers as they set sail for Istanbul, where they intend to trade many items, such as furs and amber, and also their thralls, for sale to the highest bidder. The Jarl, Thure, is a unlikeable, boorish type who prefers the good things in life, ie drink, gambling and women, whilst his half-brother Hrafn, is kinder and does the real work of keeping their estate going. He is also in charge of the thralls and it's no surprise that he and Linnea find themselves increasingly attracted to each other. As she settles into life on the Viking settlement, and then on the perilous journey south, Linnea finds herself fascinated by Viking life, and also by her host. But Thure wants her for himself, and Linnea finds herself in danger not only from raiders, but also from the Jarl. Although there were no surprises as to how this turned out, it was an enjoyable bit of escapism, with an interesting glimpse into everyday Viking life. I would say it's more of a time travel novel rather than timeslip, as Linnea stays pretty much in the Viking zone for most of the book. 7/10

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy reading books by Barbara Erskine, Diana Gabaldon, Susanna Kersley and Nicola Cornick, prepare to be swept up in this treasure of an adventure by Christina Courtenay.

I was thrilled to receive an early review copy of what turned out to be a fabulous book. It wasn't as if I was reading, it was more like I was on the film set of The Runes of Destiny. The heroine, Linnea, is smart, desirable and courageous and the Viking hero, Hrafn, is not only hunky and masculine, but honourable too – no wonder they were attracted to each other. I found myself looking for any excuse to put aside ‘real life’ to delve into the Viking era, which was described so intricately. The descriptions of the hardships endured during this period were excellent, as were the visual images the author’s writing conjured up, particularly the sights, sounds and smells of Istanbul in the 9th century – I swear these time-travelled through the pages into the room where I was reading!

This is a wonderful adventure that grabs you by the hand and pulls you along whether you like it or not – in fact, a bit like Linnea’s predicament. Even though it’s several days now since I read the story, it remains with me. Highly recommended!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good book. Didn't get distracted while reading this but was unwell for a couple of days and missed reading.
This series works well as a stand alone too. I've missed being able to read all of an author's works, it's one of my favourite things to do. I really like the details of knitting as well as ale drinking. The names for places was intriguing, I found I didn't actually try to pronounce them. Skitr sounds like diahoerea.
Linnea was exceptionally bright, what a dream to have studied Norse and be able to speak it.
I felt sorry she didn't have more company and sorry that we never meet Sara, so curious about her.
Another thing is the twist with his brother was amazing- great call to kill off the baddie.

I may well start the third book tomorrow.

[Xerxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Runes of Destiny is a book that shall I say, is a sort of book that I wish to read more of? It's in the same vein as Outlander that is for sure. I def enjoyed all the historical settings in this book. Hrafn was the best character, a stoic, noble, kind of man that would be perfect for anything if you gave him a role to do so. This book features some historical time-traveling elements, but it's not so entirely magical. You're always grounded that's for certain. I can't speak for the historical accuracy in this book, as I am no historian. But I was immersed in the characters, especially Linnea, as I loved her viewpoint a lot. In this book, you'll travel through the cities of the Kievan Rus, and explore the fabled city of Byzantium (Which, I wished we had seen more of this in this novel)

I'm shipping the chemistry between Linnea and Hrafn. When I envision Hrafn, he reminds me of wearing a Suebian Knot and a German knotted beard reminiscent of the Germanic Peoples centuries ago. I also like how Christina showed the most boring aspects of Viking life and how Linnea as a woman, had to fit in with it. Because back in those times, the concept of equality for women just didn't exist, or it didn't exist specifically as spelled out. Women in notable positions of power, rich or poor, had an equal influence on men who were their husbands, fathers, sons. I am seeing this with Hrafn's Aunt for certain.

That said, I would have wanted Hrafn to spend more time in the modern world and eventually discover what became of his homeland, etc. Of course, that could be breaking the rules of the time travel restraints that have been added here. Thure was a horrible man that should never have existed on the face of the planet, and he ended up becoming the half-brother of Hrafn. However, Hrafn is a shrewd businessman. Put him in modern times, and he could end up running a profitable company! While I loved Linnea's family, I do wish we had seen a little more restraint when there's the sort of 'eventual' mutual greeting between the past and the present, and that we would have had seen more of Linnea's parents suddenly amazed and wonderous if they could too, travel back in time for research purposes (it'd certainly help!). Also, I think it's time, that time travel novels should include people of the past getting to grips with 21st-century technology, especially social media. It would be so damn cool just to see that. Imagine if Hrafn started using it!

I enjoyed this novel a lot. It's a fun ride, and I don't take it too seriously from some of the gritter fantasy/sci-fi that I've read. It's fun. And that's what matters. Also, Kadir was the next best thing to happen in this novel, I want to see more of him! But is he from Serkland? I wonder if he'll ever go back to the warm lands of the Medieterrian.

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Linnea discovers an ancient brooch, she is fascinated by it and takes a closer look. She'd better not have done that, as the familiar landscape around her changes. Yes, she's still in the same place, but what happened?

Those Viking reenactors who find her, where did they come from? She'd not heard of any events locally. But she plays along with their ’game’, and is even impressed by their fluent use of Old Norse. As she has a grasp of it, she can make out some words. But it all doesn't make any sense.

Linnea finds it hard to accept that she's really tumbled into the ninth century. But as a thrall, a slave, to Hravn, a Viking warrior, she soon realises the truth. When he sets out on a journey across sea and land, to a faraway place no one in his settlement has ever travelled, reality sinks in. He wants to sell her for a good price, to set up his own home, independent of his nasty older brother. Linnea plots to get her hands on the brooch again to return to her time, but every time she gets close, she fails.

In the meantime, a strong bond develops between Linnea and Hravn, much to his reluctance – she's a thrall, after all, to be sold. As they travel to the Baltic, then southwards on their long journey to modern-day Istanbul, he feels drawn to this strange girl with her ridiculous tales of coming from the future.

Their journey, across fast-flowing rivers, deserted lands and bustling trade posts, they encounter hostile tribes, but also intrigues from within as Hravn's no-good brother has his eye on Linnea. She must protect herself from danger, and from her growing feelings for Hravn.

I had to smile when Linnea finally gets hold of the brooch and takes Hravn into the future. His reaction to all the ’wonders’ of modern day is priceless. We'd probably be as stunned as he was.

The Runes of Destiny is a wonderful read. It takes you on an epic journey from Sweden, through the Baltic Sea, across dangerous territories to the city we now know as Istanbul. A feat for a modern traveller, but back in the days of the Vikings, it was quite something else. The author has described this journey beautifully, and you could get a real sense of Viking exploration.

I loved the inclusion of characters from Echoes of the Runes. Some lovely surprises there.

The characters are strong, but each with their own weaknesses and challenges. It is not a smooth ride for Linnea or Hravn, but one of discovery, acceptance and, above all, trust. But both know that his future cannot lie in the 21st century, so what are they to do?

Well, grab a copy of The Runes of Destiny and find out for yourself! I can highly recommend it.

Note: I was given a free ebook copy during a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much a time travel story this time – the contemporary story only really features at the beginning and end – and I must say that I thought it was quite wonderful.

It’s a light read in some ways – sometimes a bit tongue-in-cheek after Linnea finds herself back in the ninth century, with none of her usual home comforts and very little that’s familiar other than what she’s learned from her reading, and it’s rather fortunate that she’s passably fluent in the language. It’s all such tremendous fun, a superb edge-of-the-seat adventure story, the journey from Sweden to Istanbul fraught with danger, threats coming in from all sides and also from rather closer to home.

Linnea’s a quite wonderful heroine, a really strong woman anchoring the story however at sea she might feel at times – and Hrafn is strong too, but tender and sensitive (and very hot!), and I think I might have seriously considered staying in the ninth century too, whatever the hardships.

But the amount of research that went into the writing this book must have been immense – the author brings the era and its characters to life in a way that’s entirely authentic and believable, building a world you entirely inhabit for as long as you read through every little detail. There are bits of historical fact (like the history of Novgorod, or the route they’re following to Istanbul) when Linnea has a 21st century perspective and knowledge – which, of course, she does rather need to conceal until she knows her travelling companions rather better.

The little details are just wonderful – the Viking hierarchy and its complications, the tedium of the tasteless daily porridge, the origin of aspirin, the clothing, the amber, the knitting, even how the women coped when it was their time of the month. And the journey is absolutely fascinating – the ports they call into along the way, the carrying of the boats around the rapids where enemies lie in wait. And I learned so many facts I can now throw into casual conversation – I’d suggest you might want to avoid me at parties for a while.

The ending is excellent – tying up any loose ends, but also leaving things nicely open for the next in the series. I honestly can’t wait – I really loved this one, and the author’s writing has never been better. One I’m really happy to recommend…

[booksofallkinds · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour organiser.

A riveting and eye-opening historical novel, THE RUNES OF DESTINY by Christina Courtenay has everything you could possibly ask for in a great story - danger, adventure, romance, and friendship.

After an awful car accident, Linnea is struggling with getting back to everyday life and the nightmares do not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. So when she gets the chance to work on an archaeological dig, she jumps at the opportunity. While she usually prefers the study of Vikings and their language, the fresh air, and change of pace is what she needs right now. But when Linnea discovers an ancient brooch and reads the inscription, she suddenly finds herself back in time surrounded by a horde of Viking men, with one of them, Hrafn, claiming her as his possession. What unfolds is a dangerous and exciting adventure as Linnea tries to figure out how to survive in a time where women were captured and sold as thralls to the highest bidder, whilst also finding a way to get back to her own time. But what is unexpected is the friendships that Linnea forms, the intense feelings that begin to bloom for Hrafn, and the strength that Linnea uncovers within herself. And if the opportunity to go home arises, can she walk away from everything she has come to care for?

​THE RUNES OF DESTINY by Christina Courtenay completely blew me away and I devoured it in one sitting as I simply could not put it down. While it is the second book in this series, it can easily be read as a standalone story but why have one good book when you can have two?!

I loved learning about life back in Viking times and it is obvious from the detailed and engrossing descriptions of all aspects of Viking life, that the author is an expert on the subject. The characters came to life in a meaningful way from the very beginning of this story and I genuinely connected with Linnea and Hrafn and wanted them to find the happiness they deserve. There is plenty of danger, lies, betrayals, and treachery as the characters travel towards their fate, which kept me gripped and on the edge of my seat the whole way through.

THE RUNES OF DESTINY is a beautiful tale of inner strength, love, and finding where you belong, and I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a timeslip romance and historical fiction by Swedish English author Christina Courtenay. It is the second in the Runes series but could easily be read as a standalone story. It is set in the 9th century during the Viking era.

Linnea Berger, specialist in Old Norse at the University of York, is working on an archaeological dig with her uncle in Sweden, when she discovers an ancient brooch and finds herself suddenly transported to the 9th century. Here she finds herself captured by viking warrior Hrafn as a thrall, and accompanying him on an international sea voyage to Turkey to be sold in the slave markets. Despite all this she finds herself drawn to Hrafn, and he to her.

I wanted to love this book. In actual fact it is a great story: a rip-snorter adventure yarn with a great setting and well-researched historical details. Oh, but the writing! Don’t get me started on the main character Linnea. How can you be an intelligent university-educated woman, trained in ancient Viking language, and expert in this era and part of the world, and then so determinedly, inanely convinced, despite all logical evidence to the contrary, that this is all a game or a re-enactment? She blunders around wondering why every single person in the settlement speaks fluent Old Norse and not English, why all the women are engaged in medieval crafts, why everyone is wearing authentic viking garb and none of them have any grasp of modern concepts and still doesn’t even begin to consider she is in the 9th century. I don’t think you can play the smart, capable woman card as well as the ditzy dumbo with the same character, it has one or the other. She is also a smart-arse, rude to her captors, and completely oblivious to the danger she is in. It’s actually surprising she survived 24 hours there with her behaviour. And then of course she needs to be not only unfathomably beautiful but a virgin too, because, sigh…who even knows? Because good girls don’t have sex?? Or possibly only when they are being deflowered by uber-manly heroes.

The book has been likened to Outlander but Linnea Berger is definitely no Claire Fraser. In fact it would have been a far better yarn if Claire had gone to Sweden instead of Linnea. There would have actually been a little wit and humour. Sigh! Disappointing. 2.5 stars.

[Vášnivá čtenářka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runy osudu jsou 2. dílem knižní série Runy autorky Christiny Courtenay. Zatímco první díl – Ozvěny run nám autorka dopřála dvě dějové linky, v Runách se musíme smířit s jednou linkou. To však není na škodu. Máme tak možnost nerušeně prožívat “dobrodružství” mladé Linney a jejího věznitele Hrafna.

Příběh je zasazen do doby Vikingů a autorka prokázala nesmírné znalosti jejich starodávné kultury. Opravdu klobouk dolů smekám před jejími znalostmi. Každý, kdo knihu četl si dovede představit, že autorka studiem musela trávit opravdu hodiny a hodiny.

Líbila se mi také promyšlenost děje, ačkoliv je pravdou, že autorka klidně mohla napsat příběh odehrávající se v minulosti aniž by docházelo k cestování v čase. Ale budiž, možná to bylo oživení příběhu.

Tempo v knize mi přišlo občas maličko rozvláčné. Občas jsem měla dojem, že autorka zabředává do zbytečných popisů. Na druhou stranu to zase pěkně dokreslilo příběh.


Nemůžu si pomoci, ale budu-li porovnávat Runy osudu a Ozvěny run, pak musím říci, že se mi první díl líbil o ždibíček více. Přišel mi zajímavější. Runy osudu byly také pěkné, ale…. první díl mi přišel “vzdušnější”. Uvěřitelnější. Zajímavější. Runy osudu byly také zajímavé, ale měly už jinou atmosféru.

Přestože se mi více líbil první díl, druhému dílu nemám co vytknout. Příběh nabízí historický náhled, romantiku (ale ne příliš přeslazenou) a skvělou čtivost. Jakmile jednou začnete číst, nebudete chtít odložit.

První a druhý díl co do příběhu na sebe příliš nenavazují, ačkoliv částečná spojitost s prvním dílem tam skutečně je, proto bych vám doporučila začít číst pěkně od prvního dílu.

U nás zatím vyšly pouze díly dva, ale autorka již napsala dílů více. Podle Goodreads by mělo být dílů 5, tak pevně věřím, že nás nakladatelství Red ještě potěší dalšími díly. Protože já bych dalšími díly nepohrdla a jsem celkem zvědavá, co si pro nás autorka připravila v dalších dílech.

Jsem si téměř jistá, že milovníci historických románů s romantickou zápletkou si tuto knihu zamilují a budou netrpělivě očekávat další díl.

Knihu mohu jednoznačně doporučit pro svůj historický vhled a čtivost.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh I devoured this book with all of its Viking history!

I have recently started enjoying time slip novels and was looking for more when I found this by an author I had not read before. I will be reading more of Christina’s books.

Linnea is on an archaeological dig in Sweden with her uncle when her metal detector start going crazy. She is not supposed to dig up artefacts when she is alone but curiosity gets the better of her and she digs up an old brooch. She gives it a wipe and reads the inscription on it out loud ..... and faints.

She wakes up with a group of men dressed as Vikings shouting at her in a strange language and believes they are a re-enactment group. She realises they are speaking Old Norse and luckily Linnea has been studying Old Norse as a PhD student at university and can speak their language.

They accuse her of stealing the brooch from their leader and take her prisoner. She goes along with the actors but as time goes on and the police do not arrive she comes to the realisation that she has time travelled.

She is taken on a journey by long boat with her new ‘owner’ to Istanbul as he intends to sell her along with the other girls, fur pelts, amber and jewellery.

Will Linnea retrieve the brooch and use it to travel back to her own time before she is sold?

We are taken on a journey in Viking times, their lives so very well researched and described by the author. I have learned so much about the vikings, how they lived, what they ate, how they travelled by longboat (and carried it overground when needed!) how they traded and what was seen as valuable to them.
I would have liked the main characters to have considered why this brooch had the powers it has as they just accept it. However it did not take anything away from the pure escapism of the story. Sometimes it’s best just to enjoy the story without thinking too much about the details.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an e-ARC of this book.

Publication date 10/12/20

Just brilliant.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

In order to piece her life back together after a devastating tragedy, Linnea Berger has escaped to take part in an archaeological dig in Sweden. There she discovers a beautiful Viking brooch but when she reads the runic inscription on the brooch she is quite suddenly transported back to a dangerous time, where, as the captive possession of a handsome Viking warrior, she has no say whatsoever in what happens to her future. Luckily Linnea is an expert in the Old Norse language so even though she doesn't want to have travelled back in time, she can at least understand what is going on in this strange new world in which she finds herself.

This is a remarkably detailed time-slip novel which brings the ancient Viking world so imaginatively to life that I felt as if I travelled every step of Linnea's eventful journey with her. The author has obviously done her research really well and her authoritative voice is evident in the amount of vivid detail which she brings to the story. Time, people and places really come alive so that it is perfectly possible to experience the danger of a long voyage on a Viking boat and experience all the sights, sounds and aromas of the Viking world.

Part historical adventure, part romance, this time slip novel has all the trademarks of this author's fine writing. I am always really impressed by the amount of detail that the author shares in her novels and there is no doubt that she has an exceptional skill of bringing whatever historical period she is writing about to life in a vividly imagined way. There's a nice little twist in the story which turns the time-slip idea around and which adds another dimension to this fascinating story.

Although there are references to some of the characters from Echoes of the Runes, which was the previous book, it is entirely possible to read The Runes of Destiny as a stand alone story. I look forward to seeing what this talented author does next in this exciting Viking series of time-slip novels.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Runes Of Destiny by Christina Courtenay is an absorbing time-slip story. I have never read any of Christina Courtenay's work before so this is my first foray into her story-telling, and I found it exquisitely told.
PhD student Linnea has suffered a recent trauma and when her friend invites her to Sweden to be part of an archeological dig she decides to grab it with both hands. Partly to escape and partly due to her fascination with everything connected to the Vikings. What she has absolutely no way of knowing is that she is about to experience something that will change her life totally.
While on the dig she discovers an ancient artifact that takes her back to the actual Viking era. She awakens in the middle of a horde of Viking warriors, she assumes it's a historical re-enactment. Until Hrafn claims her as his thrall, with his intent being to sell her. His half brother is the Jarl, and he takes a fancy to her as well, increasing the rivalry and jealousy between the two brothers.As the story develops we see an attraction between Linnea and Hfarn which intensifies until they cannot deny it. The issue is can Linnea get herself back to her own century? And if she has that chance will she actually wish to return?
Well! What a story! I read this in just over a day, I am a big history nut anyway and I love the Viking period so this just swept me away. The suspense, mystery and romance of it all had me hooked.
The characters are large and colourful Christina Courtenay has done a splendid job bringing the Viking era to life. Time slip novels are not meant to be believable but I was fully invested in Linnea's journey, the fact that she found love but in the wrong era is a hard pill to swallow. Very well researched too. A brilliant read for me.
Thanks go to Christina Courtenay and Rachel's Random Resources for the gift of the book for my thoughts on this fabulous story.