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Viking Secrets #2
Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha And Ragnar: Viking Secrets Book One
Lagertha was known to be one of the wives of the famous Viking, Ragnar Lodbrok. But did you know they first met each other at a brothel? And just how long did their marriage last? Was Lagertha really the revered shield maiden we see her as today? 'Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha And Ragnar' aims to unravel all these secrets.
'Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha And Ragnar' is so much more than a history book though.
In Part One their story is brought to life with a historically accurate retelling. Part Two then explores the historical facts surrounding this story.
'Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha And Ragnar' aims to discover just how much of what we know of the shield maiden, Lagertha, and the famous Ragnar Lodbrok in popular culture today is actually true.
'The Truth About' series explores the historical fact from present day fiction in regards to the Vikings and other key historical figures that existed in the Viking era.
'Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha And Ragnar' is so much more than a history book though.
In Part One their story is brought to life with a historically accurate retelling. Part Two then explores the historical facts surrounding this story.
'Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha And Ragnar' aims to discover just how much of what we know of the shield maiden, Lagertha, and the famous Ragnar Lodbrok in popular culture today is actually true.
'The Truth About' series explores the historical fact from present day fiction in regards to the Vikings and other key historical figures that existed in the Viking era.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2017
315 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Tsoumbakos
43 books109 followersRachel Tsoumbakos has had several articles published through mainstream magazines and currently writes extensively for Monsters and Critics.
Over the years, Rachel has been interested in many aspects of history. When studying for a Library Studies diploma, she discovered just how much she enjoyed researching and has since used these skills in several of her novels. However, it was her work with The Inquisitr that brought her into the world of the Vikings and she has spent several years delving into the sagas of this culture as well as the history of the Viking Era.
Rachel lives with her husband, two kids, three cats, and a flock of chickens in the idyllic Yarra Ranges, Australia. When she isn't writing, she is working on her cardio as she trains for the zombie apocalypse.
Find Rachel on all the common Social Medias:
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/rtsoumbakos
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/mrszoomby
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/mrszoomby/
Blog:
http://racheltsoumbakos.wordpress.com/
Newsletter:
bit.ly/RachelNL
Wattpad:
http://www.wattpad.com/user/mrszoomby
Over the years, Rachel has been interested in many aspects of history. When studying for a Library Studies diploma, she discovered just how much she enjoyed researching and has since used these skills in several of her novels. However, it was her work with The Inquisitr that brought her into the world of the Vikings and she has spent several years delving into the sagas of this culture as well as the history of the Viking Era.
Rachel lives with her husband, two kids, three cats, and a flock of chickens in the idyllic Yarra Ranges, Australia. When she isn't writing, she is working on her cardio as she trains for the zombie apocalypse.
Find Rachel on all the common Social Medias:
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/rtsoumbakos
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/mrszoomby
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/mrszoomby/
Blog:
http://racheltsoumbakos.wordpress.com/
Newsletter:
bit.ly/RachelNL
Wattpad:
http://www.wattpad.com/user/mrszoomby
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 11, 2018
Since the TV series hit our screens, there has been a great deal of interest generated in the Vikings. Personally, and not having seen the series, I wasn’t bothered in finding out more about them. But then I read Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha and Ragnar by Rachel Tsoumbakos.
This book has been cleverly written in two parts: the first part is what happened to both characters in story form; the second are historical facts. Both parts make for an extremely entertaining and interesting read.
In part one, Tsoumbakos brings the characters to life to such an extent that I was totally hooked and had trouble putting the book down. I became so invested in Lagertha and Ragnar’s story due to how well the characters were drawn. The emotions portrayed were relatable and not exaggerated giving additional intensity and showing the complexity of the characters. This shows the talent of the author.
The story itself was easy to follow and flowed effortlessly. The descriptions used, while not overdone, were sufficient for me to picture each scene as clearly as if I were there.
The dialogue was realistic, although we obviously don’t know for sure exactly how they spoke in the Viking era, but it gave extra depth to both the story and the characters.
Overall, I can honestly say it is one of the best stories I’ve read in the past six-months (and I’ve read quite a lot)!
With part two being more factual, I wasn’t gripped like I was with the story. However, the facts were well-presented and interesting enough to keep me reading until the end. Tsoumbakos has obviously researched the subject thoroughly and with the way this part is written, it’s easy to make correlations with part one.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book, even if you aren’t into Vikings. The story alone is exceptional enough to capture your interest and well worth investing in.
This book has been cleverly written in two parts: the first part is what happened to both characters in story form; the second are historical facts. Both parts make for an extremely entertaining and interesting read.
In part one, Tsoumbakos brings the characters to life to such an extent that I was totally hooked and had trouble putting the book down. I became so invested in Lagertha and Ragnar’s story due to how well the characters were drawn. The emotions portrayed were relatable and not exaggerated giving additional intensity and showing the complexity of the characters. This shows the talent of the author.
The story itself was easy to follow and flowed effortlessly. The descriptions used, while not overdone, were sufficient for me to picture each scene as clearly as if I were there.
The dialogue was realistic, although we obviously don’t know for sure exactly how they spoke in the Viking era, but it gave extra depth to both the story and the characters.
Overall, I can honestly say it is one of the best stories I’ve read in the past six-months (and I’ve read quite a lot)!
With part two being more factual, I wasn’t gripped like I was with the story. However, the facts were well-presented and interesting enough to keep me reading until the end. Tsoumbakos has obviously researched the subject thoroughly and with the way this part is written, it’s easy to make correlations with part one.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book, even if you aren’t into Vikings. The story alone is exceptional enough to capture your interest and well worth investing in.
June 24, 2018
First off, I'm a huge fan of History's Vikings, so when I found this book I jumped on it. That show is one of the only drama series that I can watch over and over and never tire of it.
This book is broken into 2 parts. The first is described as a "historically accurate novel" that is based on the only written source that mentions Lagertha as a wife of Ragnar. It's told from mostly Lagertha's, but also Ragnar's POV, with a bit from of Aslaug and Thora. And it is seriously good. Of course, going in to this you know there's no happy ending for Lagertha and Ragnar, at least not a traditional one. But I couldn't help but hope that maybe it would happen.
The second part, called "The Facts", includes a rundown of the history of the Vikings, a map of the area, and the sources and myths used for the novel. I intended to just flip through this part to see what was in it. I ended up reading the entire thing. It was really interesting, she not only goes through the history but how and why she wrote Lagertha's story the way she did. It's not like there's a ton of accurate written information on the Vikings. Everything is written long after the events occur and almost entirely by Christians, which all but guarantees a certain slant to the work. The author details all of this, and shockingly enough it's not a dry, boring retelling of the facts. I couldn't help but really appreciate the work that had to go into researching these sources. Regardless of how interesting the subject matter is, it's easy to fall into repeating that information in a way that just drones on endlessly.
So now that I made a short story long, not only was the story great, but the history it was based on didn't read like a text book, which is greatly appreciated. And both went way beyond my expectations.
This book is broken into 2 parts. The first is described as a "historically accurate novel" that is based on the only written source that mentions Lagertha as a wife of Ragnar. It's told from mostly Lagertha's, but also Ragnar's POV, with a bit from of Aslaug and Thora. And it is seriously good. Of course, going in to this you know there's no happy ending for Lagertha and Ragnar, at least not a traditional one. But I couldn't help but hope that maybe it would happen.
The second part, called "The Facts", includes a rundown of the history of the Vikings, a map of the area, and the sources and myths used for the novel. I intended to just flip through this part to see what was in it. I ended up reading the entire thing. It was really interesting, she not only goes through the history but how and why she wrote Lagertha's story the way she did. It's not like there's a ton of accurate written information on the Vikings. Everything is written long after the events occur and almost entirely by Christians, which all but guarantees a certain slant to the work. The author details all of this, and shockingly enough it's not a dry, boring retelling of the facts. I couldn't help but really appreciate the work that had to go into researching these sources. Regardless of how interesting the subject matter is, it's easy to fall into repeating that information in a way that just drones on endlessly.
So now that I made a short story long, not only was the story great, but the history it was based on didn't read like a text book, which is greatly appreciated. And both went way beyond my expectations.
September 16, 2017
I received an ARC as a LibraryThing Member GiveAway. There are two sections - historical fiction (approximately 70% of the book) and non-fiction. The fiction attempted to make the characters come alive and succeeded to some extent but I was left untouched by them - they were a bit flat for me although I could see the writing included aspects that should have developed the characters properly. Part of the trouble, I think, was the dissonance between the period of the story and current turns of phrase and thought used by the characters. This made the characters fake in my reading but the use of current language and ways of being might make the characters accessible to you. I appreciated the non-fiction information. I would have preferred to start with that. The combination of historical fiction and non-fiction parts makes an interesting read.
February 5, 2021
I was very pleaded to a story written about Lagertha and Ragnar inspired by the TV show Vikings. the book contains a pick-and-roll story essays and primary sources giving the reader a look at these extraordinary Vikings from both fictional and historical perspective.
My one criticism what's the story why is her characterization of Lagertha since the book is supposed to be inspired by the television show I would have liked to seen her character portrayed more cut throat and strong willed as she is portrayed in the show. I found this version of lagertha very meek at times. I did however enjoy jow Ragnar was depicted.
Also The love scenes between the couple are well written but could have been a little hotter. Overall though i loved the fiction story and wishes it was longer!!
In addition the author writes several summery essays about legertha which I enjoyed is it was interesting to read all of her perspective on a different sagas of Ragnar and Lagertha
If you were a medievallist or Vikings nerd that enjoys a good mix of fiction and history and sagas then this book is for you
My one criticism what's the story why is her characterization of Lagertha since the book is supposed to be inspired by the television show I would have liked to seen her character portrayed more cut throat and strong willed as she is portrayed in the show. I found this version of lagertha very meek at times. I did however enjoy jow Ragnar was depicted.
Also The love scenes between the couple are well written but could have been a little hotter. Overall though i loved the fiction story and wishes it was longer!!
In addition the author writes several summery essays about legertha which I enjoyed is it was interesting to read all of her perspective on a different sagas of Ragnar and Lagertha
If you were a medievallist or Vikings nerd that enjoys a good mix of fiction and history and sagas then this book is for you
January 15, 2021
I read the historical second part first and found some good resources to continue my exploration. It was much better than the first part which presented flat characters too clouded by modern language and emotion. The novel spent time on inner worries and emotions that the Norse culture would have had no time for. Dialogue was stilted and silly. The piece needed a good copy editor for grammatical errors.
September 16, 2017
In “Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha and Ragnar: A historically accurate retelling of the ninth book of the Gesta Danorum,” author Rachel Tsoumbakos presents an imaginative account of the legend of Lagertha, from her most private thoughts to her super-human prowess on the battlefield. The author also includes a discussion of Viking mythology and the limited source material for the story of the mysterious Lagertha. While I’m usually not a fan of romantic fiction, I found this attempt to breathe some life into Lagertha to be interesting.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2020
Interesting
This was in 2 parts. First part is a fictional retelling of the facts (as the author knows them) of the story of Largetha and Ragnar. At least, part of it. It was fairly interesting, but it stopped in a fairly awkward place. Not sure why. The second part was references of the places those facts came from. I'd had enough by then though.
This was in 2 parts. First part is a fictional retelling of the facts (as the author knows them) of the story of Largetha and Ragnar. At least, part of it. It was fairly interesting, but it stopped in a fairly awkward place. Not sure why. The second part was references of the places those facts came from. I'd had enough by then though.
March 10, 2022
Creatively Inspiring
I loved that I could relate to the role of Lagertha in her trials and tribulations and her traits of inner strength, independence and intelligence was most inspiring for me. The story is worth reading and worth the price. I will buy this book to add to my collection, even though I have already read it. I did appreciate the list of names included.
I loved that I could relate to the role of Lagertha in her trials and tribulations and her traits of inner strength, independence and intelligence was most inspiring for me. The story is worth reading and worth the price. I will buy this book to add to my collection, even though I have already read it. I did appreciate the list of names included.
May 28, 2018
Interesting
Interesting take on Vikings, their history and low including the battle for which they fought for possession and the betrayals that follows while the romance and love that intertwined the lives of Wagner and Lagertha.
Interesting take on Vikings, their history and low including the battle for which they fought for possession and the betrayals that follows while the romance and love that intertwined the lives of Wagner and Lagertha.
January 18, 2021
It’s ok
I like it, glad it was on the kindle unlimited. The research the author did was really nice and I would give 4 stars ok that. I would have liked a bit more detail but over all it was an ok story.
I like it, glad it was on the kindle unlimited. The research the author did was really nice and I would give 4 stars ok that. I would have liked a bit more detail but over all it was an ok story.
October 26, 2021
Great story of Lagertha and Ragnar
I found this book really interesting because it includes both the known and the unknown of the storylines of Lagertha and Ragnar in the Sagas. I truly recommend everyone who has an interest in the Viking legends and Sagas to read this book.
I found this book really interesting because it includes both the known and the unknown of the storylines of Lagertha and Ragnar in the Sagas. I truly recommend everyone who has an interest in the Viking legends and Sagas to read this book.
March 2, 2019
Enjoyable book, even though I thought it dispelled the History Channel's interpretation of Lagertha and Ragnar. Glad to know a more accurate version of the story.
October 26, 2020
This book was good. Yet it dragged out really long.
December 10, 2021
this is amazing.
i always wanted to know
a bit more about them,
and the truth about them.
worth reading this book.
i always wanted to know
a bit more about them,
and the truth about them.
worth reading this book.
March 25, 2022
Amazing
I have not watched the show Vikings but have always loved the history of Vikings. I am loving this series. Read the valkeries series and now this.
I have not watched the show Vikings but have always loved the history of Vikings. I am loving this series. Read the valkeries series and now this.
April 22, 2022
This story was one I was interested in after watching the Viking series. Well written and contained information that the series didn't have. Good read!
December 6, 2022
Fantastic
A great way to read about the Viking Saga of Lagertha. Written in a way that you breeze through it without struggling to understand what is happening.
A great way to read about the Viking Saga of Lagertha. Written in a way that you breeze through it without struggling to understand what is happening.
May 7, 2020
I've been on a bit of a Norse kick recently. I was cautious about this book when I read it was associated with the History Channel which, in my opinion, tends to be a bit more about entertainment and a bit less about history.
My first qualm was when the author repeated uses the term "vikings" to describe the people. Most historians concur that "viking" is a verb that refers to the exploration and pillaging and that the people are more accurately described as Norse. I accept the author's explanation that "more people understand "viking" than would Norse" but part of her job as a historian should also be to educate.
That said, it was a good enough read. I finished it and read the fact-based part 2 as well. I will probably not read any others in the series though.
My first qualm was when the author repeated uses the term "vikings" to describe the people. Most historians concur that "viking" is a verb that refers to the exploration and pillaging and that the people are more accurately described as Norse. I accept the author's explanation that "more people understand "viking" than would Norse" but part of her job as a historian should also be to educate.
That said, it was a good enough read. I finished it and read the fact-based part 2 as well. I will probably not read any others in the series though.
March 1, 2019
Excellent retelling of Ragnar and Lagertha's saga with the historical documentation to put the story in perspective. Most of it happened but like all legends, some was exaggerated and told only orally which led to embellishment. The author pointed out the discrepancies and vague meanings to tell the historical side as honestly as possible. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews