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The Terror: A Short Story
An exclusive straight to digital short story which also includes the first chapter of Giles Kristian's God of Vengeance
AD768, Avaldsnes, Norway
Jarl Harald’s mead hall thrums with life. His people have gathered to feast on meat and mead and listen to the old tales. But the village skald, with all his talk of heroes and kings, will have to wait his turn. It is Harald himself who will hold them all spellbound this night. For the jarl has his own story to tell: a tale of adventure and courage. Of honour and of how friendship can be forged in fire and quenched in blood.
It is a story of love, too.
And of The Terror.
Praise for Giles Kristian's most recent novel, GOD OF VENGEANCE:
"Action-packed storytelling which stirs the blood and thrills the soul" (WILBUR SMITH)
"Unrelenting pace, brilliant action and characters. A masterwork." (CONN IGGULDEN)
"A glorious, bloody, perfect Viking saga, rich with the poetry of the skald, ripe with blood and glory, vengeance and heartbreak. The characters stride from the page, alive, hungry, real . . . this is Viking writing at its very best" (MANDA SCOTT)
"This is the best kind of storytelling – a saga full of blood and thunder that grabs you and doesn’t let go until long after the final page is turned" (STEVEN PRESSFIELD)
About the author:
Family history (he is half Norwegian) and his storytelling hero, Bernard Cornwell, inspired Giles Kristian to write his first historical novels, the acclaimed and bestselling Raven Viking trilogy - Blood Eye, Sons of Thunder and Odin's Wolves. For his next series, he drew on a long-held fascination with the English Civil War.The Bleeding Land and Brothers' Fury follow the fortunes of a divided family against the complex and brutal backcloth of the conflict that tore this country apart and ended with the killing of a king. In his new novel - God of Vengeance - Giles returns to the world of the Vikings to tell of the origins of Sigurd and his celebrated fictional fellowship.
Giles lives in Leicestershire. To find out more, visit www.gileskristian.com
"I loved this. It’s for people who like their historical fiction high-octane . . .a superb, brutal story that pulls no punches" (ROBERT FABBRI)
AD768, Avaldsnes, Norway
Jarl Harald’s mead hall thrums with life. His people have gathered to feast on meat and mead and listen to the old tales. But the village skald, with all his talk of heroes and kings, will have to wait his turn. It is Harald himself who will hold them all spellbound this night. For the jarl has his own story to tell: a tale of adventure and courage. Of honour and of how friendship can be forged in fire and quenched in blood.
It is a story of love, too.
And of The Terror.
Praise for Giles Kristian's most recent novel, GOD OF VENGEANCE:
"Action-packed storytelling which stirs the blood and thrills the soul" (WILBUR SMITH)
"Unrelenting pace, brilliant action and characters. A masterwork." (CONN IGGULDEN)
"A glorious, bloody, perfect Viking saga, rich with the poetry of the skald, ripe with blood and glory, vengeance and heartbreak. The characters stride from the page, alive, hungry, real . . . this is Viking writing at its very best" (MANDA SCOTT)
"This is the best kind of storytelling – a saga full of blood and thunder that grabs you and doesn’t let go until long after the final page is turned" (STEVEN PRESSFIELD)
About the author:
Family history (he is half Norwegian) and his storytelling hero, Bernard Cornwell, inspired Giles Kristian to write his first historical novels, the acclaimed and bestselling Raven Viking trilogy - Blood Eye, Sons of Thunder and Odin's Wolves. For his next series, he drew on a long-held fascination with the English Civil War.The Bleeding Land and Brothers' Fury follow the fortunes of a divided family against the complex and brutal backcloth of the conflict that tore this country apart and ended with the killing of a king. In his new novel - God of Vengeance - Giles returns to the world of the Vikings to tell of the origins of Sigurd and his celebrated fictional fellowship.
Giles lives in Leicestershire. To find out more, visit www.gileskristian.com
"I loved this. It’s for people who like their historical fiction high-octane . . .a superb, brutal story that pulls no punches" (ROBERT FABBRI)
45 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2014
58 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Giles Kristian
18 books1,604 followersGiles Kristian's first historical novels were the acclaimed and bestselling RAVEN Viking trilogy – Blood Eye, Sons of Thunder and Odin’s Wolves. For his next series, he drew on a long-held fascination with the English Civil War to chart the fortunes of a family divided by this brutal conflict in The Bleeding Land and Brothers’ Fury. Giles also co-wrote Wilbur Smith’s No.1 bestseller, Golden Lion. In God of Vengeance (a TIMES Book of the Year), Winter’s Fire, and the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown shortlisted Wings of the Storm, he returned to the world of the Vikings to tell the story of Sigurd and his celebrated fictional fellowship. Lancelot was published to great acclaim and hit The Times bestseller charts at No. 3. It was also a Sunday Times bestseller. He followed Lancelot with Camelot, and his next novel, a thriller called Where Blood Runs Cold, was the Times' Thriller of the Month, and won the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2022. His next novel, Arthur, will be the final book in his Arthurian Tales. It will be published June 6th. Pre-order links here: https://linktr.ee/arthur_by_giles_kri...
To find out more about Giles: www.gileskristian.com
Follow Giles on Facebook and Twitter: @GilesKristian
To find out more about Giles: www.gileskristian.com
Follow Giles on Facebook and Twitter: @GilesKristian
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 19, 2021
This review is of the Kindle edition:
Publication date: November 7, 2014
Language: English
ASIN: B00OZLEOSE
A fine adventurous and humorous short story of Jarl Harald's youth and the winning of his bride. The tale of an unusual challenge from the father to the young men trying to win his daughter in marriage. Interesting story full of realistic details of Viking life, death and lore. Modern hygiene is nonexistent. I read a story once about a WW2 soldier back in time in Viking age Iceland. One of the Vikings observed that the soldier was so unhealthy that fleas didn't live on him!
Well worth reading. I downloaded this story via Kindle Unlimited.
I wrote a review many months ago but it is no longer posted so far as I can tell so I posted another.
Publication date: November 7, 2014
Language: English
ASIN: B00OZLEOSE
A fine adventurous and humorous short story of Jarl Harald's youth and the winning of his bride. The tale of an unusual challenge from the father to the young men trying to win his daughter in marriage. Interesting story full of realistic details of Viking life, death and lore. Modern hygiene is nonexistent. I read a story once about a WW2 soldier back in time in Viking age Iceland. One of the Vikings observed that the soldier was so unhealthy that fleas didn't live on him!
Well worth reading. I downloaded this story via Kindle Unlimited.
I wrote a review many months ago but it is no longer posted so far as I can tell so I posted another.
January 3, 2018
A perfectly formed short story by one of the finest writers of historical fiction (or any fiction) about today.
June 2, 2025
Another gripping, fun and Viking inspired tale from the master of short stories Giles Kristian.
My first experience from this author was his other short story Hellmouth, and I absolutely loved that one. The Terror is a little different as this is more historical fiction rather than horror or fantasy. The plot revolves around a jarl telling a tale about him and a few friends when they were younger and wilder. They are put on a mission from an older war chief, with the reward being the approval and permission to marry his beautiful and most sought after daughter.
I won't ruin what the mission or quest is, as that's part of the story. I will say that this tale is fun, fast paced and very enjoyable. Due to my enjoyment of both of his short stories, I now want to move onto both of his full length Viking series ASAP!
Anyone who has enjoyed Kristian's stories in the past, or are looking for a quick and easy entry point into his work should check out The Terror. While I would say Hellmouth was a bit better, they both are unique from each other and check off different boxes. A very fun, action packed 4 star read:)
My first experience from this author was his other short story Hellmouth, and I absolutely loved that one. The Terror is a little different as this is more historical fiction rather than horror or fantasy. The plot revolves around a jarl telling a tale about him and a few friends when they were younger and wilder. They are put on a mission from an older war chief, with the reward being the approval and permission to marry his beautiful and most sought after daughter.
I won't ruin what the mission or quest is, as that's part of the story. I will say that this tale is fun, fast paced and very enjoyable. Due to my enjoyment of both of his short stories, I now want to move onto both of his full length Viking series ASAP!
Anyone who has enjoyed Kristian's stories in the past, or are looking for a quick and easy entry point into his work should check out The Terror. While I would say Hellmouth was a bit better, they both are unique from each other and check off different boxes. A very fun, action packed 4 star read:)
June 18, 2023
3.5 stars. Who knew a story about stealing a sheep could be this fun! My only criticism is that it’s a little light on the terror (turns out it’s the sheep’s name not because the story’s scary.)
March 18, 2015
Review
The Terror is a short story set in Giles Kristians fantastic retelling of 8th Century Norway, following the early exploits of our later (in the series) hero Sigurds, father Harald. A retelling of a tale from his youth, the rush or youthful desire and exuberance to win the ultimate prize, the woman he loves.
Giles is a master storyteller, in my other reivews, EG: God of Vengeance i have waxed lyrical about his skill with words and his deep knowledge and love of history. He is at heart a viking, longing to pull at the oars and stand in the shield wall, but more than that, i feel he would always have been a skáld.
The Terror while slotting nicely into the world of Sigurd and his farther, is a lot lighter than other work by Giles Kristian, and it should be, its a small book, a short story. In that story you need pack in a complete tale, start, middle and end and from what i have seen with short stories this is often harder to achieve than writing a full novel, brevity is also a skill. The beauty of this book is in how its just an everyday tale of young men doing daft things, but in the harsh world of the Norse 8th century, that can lead to deaths and injuries, also there is a real light hearted fun element to the story, bare arsed naked swimming, bits dangling in the chill laden breeze. Giles has fun with this story and yet delivers some more background to his Viking defining series.
I cannot in comparison give this 5 stars, because id be comparing it to GOD of Vengeance which deserves 10 / 5 its that good. but i can give it a good 4/5 and say go buy it. if you’re a fan then enjoy the return to the Norse saga, if you’re new, well use this to dip your toe, and then dive into the series.
Highly recommend
Parm
The Terror is a short story set in Giles Kristians fantastic retelling of 8th Century Norway, following the early exploits of our later (in the series) hero Sigurds, father Harald. A retelling of a tale from his youth, the rush or youthful desire and exuberance to win the ultimate prize, the woman he loves.
Giles is a master storyteller, in my other reivews, EG: God of Vengeance i have waxed lyrical about his skill with words and his deep knowledge and love of history. He is at heart a viking, longing to pull at the oars and stand in the shield wall, but more than that, i feel he would always have been a skáld.
The Terror while slotting nicely into the world of Sigurd and his farther, is a lot lighter than other work by Giles Kristian, and it should be, its a small book, a short story. In that story you need pack in a complete tale, start, middle and end and from what i have seen with short stories this is often harder to achieve than writing a full novel, brevity is also a skill. The beauty of this book is in how its just an everyday tale of young men doing daft things, but in the harsh world of the Norse 8th century, that can lead to deaths and injuries, also there is a real light hearted fun element to the story, bare arsed naked swimming, bits dangling in the chill laden breeze. Giles has fun with this story and yet delivers some more background to his Viking defining series.
I cannot in comparison give this 5 stars, because id be comparing it to GOD of Vengeance which deserves 10 / 5 its that good. but i can give it a good 4/5 and say go buy it. if you’re a fan then enjoy the return to the Norse saga, if you’re new, well use this to dip your toe, and then dive into the series.
Highly recommend
Parm
October 4, 2022
Second short story I have read from Kristian. Definitely intend to pick up one of his full novels now.
February 10, 2025
A fun short story on the telling of a saga in which a group of friends are tasked to steal a ram in order to marry a chiefs daughter.
November 19, 2014
This is Giles Kristian's first fully published short fiction and fits snuggly before God of Vengeance which leads ultimately to the Raven Trilogy.
The title is the most un-nordic of his viking historical fiction so far and the cover immediately made me think of haunted woods, siedr magic and angry volva's cackling on a stormy night. But it also made me think of a very important question - what could possibly be a 'terror' to a warrior-like northman? Who is willing to sail the seas without guarantee of his return? Who is ready to charge into battle without guarantees he will live to see victory?
My answers were shame, dishonour, betrayal - more inphysical things, virtues that all the northmen held close to their hearts.
I am not entirely sure if I am happy or not that these virtues weren't explored within The Terror, although they do feature heavily within his earlier Viking books. The Terror - is a tale with a twist in the tale and a cover and title that don't fully match with the content within I feel.
Without giving too much away the tale is about Sigurd the Lucky's (God of Vengeance/Raven)father, Jarl Harald and is a tale from the days when he was young and trying to prove himself. It involves a most unusual challenge which sets him and his friends against something indeed called 'The Terror' but I will leave it for curious readers to discover what the Terror actually is/was.
There is some battles, fighting, danger, excitement and thrills and quite a surprising amount of nudity in a way most readers wouldn't expect. The language as always with Giles is evocative, enchanting and well-crafted but as a reader who quickly devoured his earlier Viking works The Terror left me a bit empty - it didn't make a huge impact. Whether that's due to the nature of it being a short story or because all in all the story was fairly straight-lined, also perhaps due its compact nature.
But for readers new to him, his world, his characters and his talent I believe it makes a good enough taster of what readers can discover in the books following this little prequel.
The title is the most un-nordic of his viking historical fiction so far and the cover immediately made me think of haunted woods, siedr magic and angry volva's cackling on a stormy night. But it also made me think of a very important question - what could possibly be a 'terror' to a warrior-like northman? Who is willing to sail the seas without guarantee of his return? Who is ready to charge into battle without guarantees he will live to see victory?
My answers were shame, dishonour, betrayal - more inphysical things, virtues that all the northmen held close to their hearts.
I am not entirely sure if I am happy or not that these virtues weren't explored within The Terror, although they do feature heavily within his earlier Viking books. The Terror - is a tale with a twist in the tale and a cover and title that don't fully match with the content within I feel.
Without giving too much away the tale is about Sigurd the Lucky's (God of Vengeance/Raven)father, Jarl Harald and is a tale from the days when he was young and trying to prove himself. It involves a most unusual challenge which sets him and his friends against something indeed called 'The Terror' but I will leave it for curious readers to discover what the Terror actually is/was.
There is some battles, fighting, danger, excitement and thrills and quite a surprising amount of nudity in a way most readers wouldn't expect. The language as always with Giles is evocative, enchanting and well-crafted but as a reader who quickly devoured his earlier Viking works The Terror left me a bit empty - it didn't make a huge impact. Whether that's due to the nature of it being a short story or because all in all the story was fairly straight-lined, also perhaps due its compact nature.
But for readers new to him, his world, his characters and his talent I believe it makes a good enough taster of what readers can discover in the books following this little prequel.
July 1, 2016
I had previously read Giles Kristian's Raven series, so I know he has real talent. I really liked the Raven novels. So I expected a bit more from the short story The Terror. If this is your attempt to invest in a short reading to understand if you want to take on one of Kristian's longer novels... it is not a good indicator. It is Viking era, has some good character descriptions and interaction in the great hall, but the story itself is so-so.
November 10, 2014
Very good story! I have been wanting to read some of Mr. Kristian's work, and this was a great way to start! I will defiantly be purchasing the Raven series and starting the God of Vengeance when it is available in the US. I have always loved Vikings and Norse mythology and this story was was every bit of an epic saga!
January 21, 2019
2.5 stars, if I could:
I came to "The Terror" from reading both the "Raven" trilogy and "The Rise of Sigurd" trilogy. Both of Giles' trilogies are among favourites of mine, so I was quite excited to expand in this universe.
Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it much. It seems like there is some "word limitation" of a sense, as the story is written bluntly and with what I can only describe as "primitive introductions" with its key characters. But that might be my lacking in the "Short story" genre as well, which contributes to my assessment.
However, if you're here along the lines I suppose I came for; to savour in the short stories of Jarl Harald of Skudeneshavn after reading 6 fantastic books of what came to be of his legacy, I can only say I did not find what I was looking for. Perhaps the story from the title is not what I expected neither, and may add to my sense of lacking.
"The Terror" separately from its other books in the universe is simply ok. In accordance with its universe it is not representative and does not add much.
But it's a short read, so of course give it a go if you feel like it, or head straight for the trilogies;) Giles is an incredible writer, nonetheless!
Good reading to you.
I came to "The Terror" from reading both the "Raven" trilogy and "The Rise of Sigurd" trilogy. Both of Giles' trilogies are among favourites of mine, so I was quite excited to expand in this universe.
Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it much. It seems like there is some "word limitation" of a sense, as the story is written bluntly and with what I can only describe as "primitive introductions" with its key characters. But that might be my lacking in the "Short story" genre as well, which contributes to my assessment.
However, if you're here along the lines I suppose I came for; to savour in the short stories of Jarl Harald of Skudeneshavn after reading 6 fantastic books of what came to be of his legacy, I can only say I did not find what I was looking for. Perhaps the story from the title is not what I expected neither, and may add to my sense of lacking.
"The Terror" separately from its other books in the universe is simply ok. In accordance with its universe it is not representative and does not add much.
But it's a short read, so of course give it a go if you feel like it, or head straight for the trilogies;) Giles is an incredible writer, nonetheless!
Good reading to you.
May 15, 2021
The Terror is a really fun short adventure, that's not lacking for a bit of action, and featuring Kristian's typically wonderful prose. It's a mead hall tale recounted by Jarl Harald the Hard of a time from his youth when he and three other ambitious and rather foolhardy rivals set out prove themselves by stealing a ferocious beast.
As a prequel short from Kristian's Raven and Rise of Sigurd sagas it does well to work entirely as a standalone while also fleshing out a small piece of history from those novels. There's not too much action that the story is overstuffed but what it does feature has weight to it and Kristian does a really good job of making the core group of characters feel distinct and interesting in such a brief story.
As a prequel short from Kristian's Raven and Rise of Sigurd sagas it does well to work entirely as a standalone while also fleshing out a small piece of history from those novels. There's not too much action that the story is overstuffed but what it does feature has weight to it and Kristian does a really good job of making the core group of characters feel distinct and interesting in such a brief story.
April 17, 2022
✰ 1.5 STARS ✰
This was only the second work I've read of Giles Kristian after Hellmouth, and I did NOT have enough warning that I'd be reading 45 pages that came very, very close to being, essentially, a fart joke. (Harsh? Maybe. But daaamn, am I disappointed.)
Am I missing something?
This was only the second work I've read of Giles Kristian after Hellmouth, and I did NOT have enough warning that I'd be reading 45 pages that came very, very close to being, essentially, a fart joke. (Harsh? Maybe. But daaamn, am I disappointed.)
Am I missing something?
June 30, 2017
The title fooled me into thinking this might be a short horror story. Instead it is an old Norseman telling the tale of how he had to win his wife by kidnapping a goat.
January 30, 2018
3.5 stars
An excellent short story.
An excellent short story.
March 24, 2018
Ok quick read.
Wasn't what I thought but overall was ok. Would have liked more fighting and terror. I liked how complete the tale was.
Wasn't what I thought but overall was ok. Would have liked more fighting and terror. I liked how complete the tale was.
April 19, 2022
Short Novella are supposed to get you interesting in reading a full novel . Did nothing for me . I thought it was stupid 🤷♂️
May 30, 2023
After reading Hellmouth, this was not what I expected. It was a little light on the “terror” but it was a fun story. Not bad for a $1.
September 23, 2023
A good story. Kristian conjures up a time, a place and a people really quickly. Within the first couple of paragraphs, I was there.
December 4, 2024
I guess it’s my fault for going into this thinking it’s gonna be horror, I guess it was the title & book cover’s influence.
Still very enjoyable, love Kristian’s writing style
Still very enjoyable, love Kristian’s writing style
March 1, 2025
Eh....
April 20, 2025
Fun short story
If a Quenton Tarantino film were based in the Vikings age, it would be the Terror. Full of action and witty dialog, this was an amusing read.
If a Quenton Tarantino film were based in the Vikings age, it would be the Terror. Full of action and witty dialog, this was an amusing read.
November 23, 2025
Nothing exceptional, nor is it meant to be. Just a short story involving some good Viking humor and bloodshed.
February 5, 2021
You gotta read this after Raven -> Sigurd. Would love this to be taster of a third Viking trilogy from Giles but he’s probs sick of writing them... for now... he’ll be back.
December 12, 2025
3/5 ⭐ Please check your trigger warnings. Your mental health matters. 🖤
I listened to Hellmouth by Giles Kristian twice this year and wanted to try another bite sized sampling of his writing. I'm glad I did.
This is not a mind blowing sweeping epic fantasy with massive battles, but it is a ridiculously entertaining and bloody novella. If you have a small itch for Viking shenanigans this will scratch that itch. I've never read a full length novel from this author, but this is 2/2 out of novellas I have enjoyed. This one is about a bunch of dudes doing ridiculous stuff all in the name of getting laid...I mean love. In the name of love.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I listened to Hellmouth by Giles Kristian twice this year and wanted to try another bite sized sampling of his writing. I'm glad I did.
This is not a mind blowing sweeping epic fantasy with massive battles, but it is a ridiculously entertaining and bloody novella. If you have a small itch for Viking shenanigans this will scratch that itch. I've never read a full length novel from this author, but this is 2/2 out of novellas I have enjoyed. This one is about a bunch of dudes doing ridiculous stuff all in the name of getting laid...I mean love. In the name of love.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
June 13, 2024
i truly just love this author and his writing style, this one had more humor in it than i anticipated and when its written in older language its even funnier sometimes. both of the short stories of his that i have read (this one and hellmouth) have been the two recent books that my bf has been super interested in hearing updates about as i read them (hes always vaguely interested and likes listening to me talk abt the books im reading but these two specifically he has been super into) i definitely plan to read more from this author in the future <3
November 28, 2014
It’s a common thing among writers these days to produce short stories between their main works. Heck, I do it myself on occasion. I’ve seen readers range from loving them and lauding them to moaning about them. But the one thing they do whether you approve or not is to allow the author to explore directions that their straightforward book series does not have room for. This is particularly the case with those writers who are published through the major traditional houses, who are more limited by their contracts than the independents.
In this case, Giles has taken an opportunity that would not fit into either his Raven series or his Sigurd series, and produced a tale that takes us back to the youth of Harald, Sigurd’s father. In essence, this is a prequel to the prequels. Moreover, it has a different style to the Sigurd series, in that it is more of a light-hearted adventure tale in the Raven mould than a Nordic saga in the Sigurd one. Giles continues to expand his take on the Viking world, spreading out backwards in time.
Once again, this being a prequel, it can be read independent of Giles’ other books, and would make the perfect taster if you’re not sure that his writing is for you.
The story revolves around a quest followed by a group of young men in the hope of winning the hand of a beautiful girl, the daughter of a Jarl. They must locate and subdue ‘The Terror’ and steal it from its current keeper for their own Jarl. I won’t tell you about The Terror itself. I’ll leave that a surprise for you, but be assured, it’s good. Swimming icy waters, fighting angry warriors, wrestling dangerous creatures, and of course, drinking, swearing, farting and in-fighting, Harald is determined to make a name for himself and win the girl. It is an interesting look at a character we were only given a tantalising glimpse of in God of Vengeance (check out my review of that book on the right-hand panel) and also introduces as a young man one character who runs through every viking work Giles has written thus far. Uncle. That is all.
So, it’s a short story only available as an e-book. It’s a piddly 99p. That’s gotta be worth a dip into the pocket. You can’t buy a sandwich for that, and a sandwich wouldn’t last you as long. Go get it on kindle here.
In this case, Giles has taken an opportunity that would not fit into either his Raven series or his Sigurd series, and produced a tale that takes us back to the youth of Harald, Sigurd’s father. In essence, this is a prequel to the prequels. Moreover, it has a different style to the Sigurd series, in that it is more of a light-hearted adventure tale in the Raven mould than a Nordic saga in the Sigurd one. Giles continues to expand his take on the Viking world, spreading out backwards in time.
Once again, this being a prequel, it can be read independent of Giles’ other books, and would make the perfect taster if you’re not sure that his writing is for you.
The story revolves around a quest followed by a group of young men in the hope of winning the hand of a beautiful girl, the daughter of a Jarl. They must locate and subdue ‘The Terror’ and steal it from its current keeper for their own Jarl. I won’t tell you about The Terror itself. I’ll leave that a surprise for you, but be assured, it’s good. Swimming icy waters, fighting angry warriors, wrestling dangerous creatures, and of course, drinking, swearing, farting and in-fighting, Harald is determined to make a name for himself and win the girl. It is an interesting look at a character we were only given a tantalising glimpse of in God of Vengeance (check out my review of that book on the right-hand panel) and also introduces as a young man one character who runs through every viking work Giles has written thus far. Uncle. That is all.
So, it’s a short story only available as an e-book. It’s a piddly 99p. That’s gotta be worth a dip into the pocket. You can’t buy a sandwich for that, and a sandwich wouldn’t last you as long. Go get it on kindle here.
June 24, 2016
This was a nice short story set in the same world as Giles Kristian's Raven and Sigurd series. The story is about Sigurd's father, Harald. Sigurd is only a baby at this point, and one night, while Harald is at his hall, he begins to tell the people there the story of how he won the right to his wife's hand in marriage from her father. The story begins being narrated in the third person, but then when Harald begins to tell his story-within-the-story, he tells it in the first person. Giles Kristian seems to like this method of storytelling, where there is a character in the story telling their memoirs to the people around them. The books in the Raven series all begin and end this way, with Raven as an old man, sitting in his hall and telling of his adventures to the young people from his village.
The story was cute and funny, but also had that viking mentality of the warriors in Kristian's other books, where the men are always ready for battle or to throw a cutting (and witty) remark at one of their companions. Kristian says the story is based on a man he knew in his youth, who used to swim across the fjord to see his girlfriend. Heartwarming :)
Recommended for fans of historical fiction, and fans of Kristian's series.
The story was cute and funny, but also had that viking mentality of the warriors in Kristian's other books, where the men are always ready for battle or to throw a cutting (and witty) remark at one of their companions. Kristian says the story is based on a man he knew in his youth, who used to swim across the fjord to see his girlfriend. Heartwarming :)
Recommended for fans of historical fiction, and fans of Kristian's series.
August 21, 2016
This was a really, really good story.
I've not read any of the books in the series this short story is related to, so I have nothing to compare it to in that respect. However in comparison to other books of a similar type this story is really good, it seems well researched in terms of the subject matter. I was hoping for a good adventure story and it didn't dissapoint.
To start with the characters are good and believable, considering that the author doesn't have a great deal of time to give depth to the characters they are surprisingly well written. This was a short story that acts as a lead in to a main series, so he's relying on that I feel to provide depth to his characters and strangley having not read any other books by this author that wasn't really a problem. There are heroes to root for, puckish rogues you love to hate and good villains, whom you want to meet a sticky end.
The story itself only covers a sort period of time but nonetheless manages to tell the tale of a good adventure, that has action, intrigue and no shortage of amusing moments to keep you occupied for the duration. The pace is good and the narrative enthralling enough to make you want to keep reading to see how it all pans out.
Well worth the small cost, five stars well earned.
I've not read any of the books in the series this short story is related to, so I have nothing to compare it to in that respect. However in comparison to other books of a similar type this story is really good, it seems well researched in terms of the subject matter. I was hoping for a good adventure story and it didn't dissapoint.
To start with the characters are good and believable, considering that the author doesn't have a great deal of time to give depth to the characters they are surprisingly well written. This was a short story that acts as a lead in to a main series, so he's relying on that I feel to provide depth to his characters and strangley having not read any other books by this author that wasn't really a problem. There are heroes to root for, puckish rogues you love to hate and good villains, whom you want to meet a sticky end.
The story itself only covers a sort period of time but nonetheless manages to tell the tale of a good adventure, that has action, intrigue and no shortage of amusing moments to keep you occupied for the duration. The pace is good and the narrative enthralling enough to make you want to keep reading to see how it all pans out.
Well worth the small cost, five stars well earned.
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