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The Seeds of Odin: The Leopards of Normandie Book 2
The Seeds of Odin is a historical fiction, spanning three decades, about a family of Viking settlers in the first part of the 11th century in medieval Normandy. Two young boys Harald and Robert are tasked with being companions to the precocious eight-year-old William (the Conqueror). The relationship between the three is complex and becomes the source of great conflict as they grow up.
The story begins with the family’s patriarch, Bjorn Halfdanson, a Norwegian clan chief, leading his people in an exodus from Saxon England after they are betrayed by the English King Aethelred. They settle on the west coast of Normandy where Jarl Bjorn offers his services to the local ruler, Duke Richard ll. The Jarl’s grandsons and the young Duke William grow up in the close-knit world of the Fitzroy family where they are trained within the relentless Norman military system. Harald becomes a warrior, whilst his brother is a consummate politician and between them sits Duke William seeking to pit one against the other. His connivance starts to erode their relationship and the resulting schism has far-reaching effects. When romantic conflict enters the plot, strife and disharmony have an explosive effect on all concerned. The Duke marries off Harald’s childhood sweetheart to his brother Robert to set in motion a chain of events which will have far-reaching effects for years to come. After an angry reaction, Harald flees to southern Italy as a soldier of fortune and becomes embroiled in the internecine struggles of local warlords. His martial prowess and reputation quickly elevate him to the position of a local prince and he finally discovers love and happiness with a distant cousin whom he frees from Moorish slavery.
Further north, his brother Robert cements his position as Chancellor of the Duchy and Duke William’s righthand man. Robert’s devotion to the Duke and God is handsomely rewarded with land, wealth and power. However, the departure of many of the Duchy’s fighting men to join his brother in the ‘Kingdom in the Sun’ is a problem that needs a resolution.
The main protagonists of The Seeds of Odin, Harald and Robert Fitzroy, are fictional characters but most of the other characters are real. So too are most of the events and battles, all set against the fierce backdrop of turbulent medieval Europe where politics, religion and war are the agents of chaos. The struggles of other dynasties, notably the Anglo-Saxons of England and the crumbling Byzantine Empire, add another level of political intrigue as kings, dukes, earls and popes all compete for power.
The story begins with the family’s patriarch, Bjorn Halfdanson, a Norwegian clan chief, leading his people in an exodus from Saxon England after they are betrayed by the English King Aethelred. They settle on the west coast of Normandy where Jarl Bjorn offers his services to the local ruler, Duke Richard ll. The Jarl’s grandsons and the young Duke William grow up in the close-knit world of the Fitzroy family where they are trained within the relentless Norman military system. Harald becomes a warrior, whilst his brother is a consummate politician and between them sits Duke William seeking to pit one against the other. His connivance starts to erode their relationship and the resulting schism has far-reaching effects. When romantic conflict enters the plot, strife and disharmony have an explosive effect on all concerned. The Duke marries off Harald’s childhood sweetheart to his brother Robert to set in motion a chain of events which will have far-reaching effects for years to come. After an angry reaction, Harald flees to southern Italy as a soldier of fortune and becomes embroiled in the internecine struggles of local warlords. His martial prowess and reputation quickly elevate him to the position of a local prince and he finally discovers love and happiness with a distant cousin whom he frees from Moorish slavery.
Further north, his brother Robert cements his position as Chancellor of the Duchy and Duke William’s righthand man. Robert’s devotion to the Duke and God is handsomely rewarded with land, wealth and power. However, the departure of many of the Duchy’s fighting men to join his brother in the ‘Kingdom in the Sun’ is a problem that needs a resolution.
The main protagonists of The Seeds of Odin, Harald and Robert Fitzroy, are fictional characters but most of the other characters are real. So too are most of the events and battles, all set against the fierce backdrop of turbulent medieval Europe where politics, religion and war are the agents of chaos. The struggles of other dynasties, notably the Anglo-Saxons of England and the crumbling Byzantine Empire, add another level of political intrigue as kings, dukes, earls and popes all compete for power.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 7, 2023
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April 28, 2023
Great historical novel set in the UK and France in the ninth century. Well researched and written, the book follows the lives and battles of the Normans, Norsemen, Saxons, and French. I learned as I read and highly recommend it to any avid historical fiction reader.
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