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Under a Warped Cross
A thrilling adventure set in medieval Ireland, Britannia, and Scandinavia, Under a Warped Cross tells the story of Abigail, Goda, and Waso, three siblings raised in the home of an Anglo-Saxon hog farmer. The medieval Catholic church is struggling to overcome pagan beliefs still prevalent in Britannia, so when Abigail, the youngest of the three, is wrongly accused of incest, the priests make an example of her. This tragic event changes all their lives as Goda and Abigail run off together and Waso begins a quest to find them. Along with Waso, Goda, and Abigail, the novel follows the life of a young, Persian woman, Stateira, who has led a hard life since she was sold by her father. The story also tells of Jolenta, whose life experiences have motivated her to help victims of church abuse, a former monk, Elfgar, who works with Jolenta when he's sober, and Duette, Jolenta's daughter, who has reached the age where she must make decisions about the direction of her life. Under a Warped Cross paints a picture of life in the middle ages within a plot filled with fury, sin, and violence, but also love, determination, and strength.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2018
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Steve Lindahl
13 books35 followersThe Fish Pond Legacy is Steve Lindahl's ninth novel. His first three: Motherless Soul, White Horse Regressions, and Hopatcong Vision Quest are historical fiction stories wrapped in modern mysteries. In these books the characters must look into their past life memories to find clues concerning crimes in the present.
His fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth books, Under a Warped Cross, Living in a Star’s Light, Chasing Margie, Woodstock to St. Joseph’s and Ginger’s Shoes are also historical novels, but without the regression twist. Under a Warped Cross is set in the tenth century, in Scandinavia, Ireland, and Britannia. Living in a Star’s Light follows the life of Lotta Crabtree, a nineteenth century actress who achieved great fame and wealth. Chasing Margie is the story of a missing child and a search that goes on for decades with a DNA twist many years later. In his seventh novel, Woodstock to St. Joseph's, Gregory and his adult daughter, Corinne, are climbing the steps of Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, praying for a miracle cure for his terminal cancer. While they pray their lives flash by, from the 1969 Woodstock Festival, where Gregory falls in love, to daily life in a Hudson Valley commune. Ginger’s Shoes, his eighth novel, is a bloodless mystery set in motion by a deathbed wish.
Steve’s short fiction has appeared in Space and Time, The Alaska Quarterly, The Wisconsin Review, Eclipse, Ellipsis and Red Wheelbarrow.
Chasing Margie, Ginger’s Shoes, and The Fish Pond Legacy make up what Steve calls his Lake Hopatcong Island Trilogy. Chasing Margie is set on Raccoon Island, Ginger’s Shoes is set on Halsey Island, and The Fish Pond Legacy is set on Bertrand Island.
Steve served for five years as an associate editor on the staff of The Crescent Review, a literary magazine he co-founded and nine years as the Managing Editor of Flying South, a literary magazine sponsored by Winston-Salem Writers. He loves to read as much as he loves to write and has posted hundreds of reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Librarything
Steve is married to Toni Lindahl, a pastel artist. They currently reside in North Carolina, but still spend time each summer at Lake Hopatcong, NJ. They have two adult children, Nicole and Erik, and one grandchild, Ava.
His fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth books, Under a Warped Cross, Living in a Star’s Light, Chasing Margie, Woodstock to St. Joseph’s and Ginger’s Shoes are also historical novels, but without the regression twist. Under a Warped Cross is set in the tenth century, in Scandinavia, Ireland, and Britannia. Living in a Star’s Light follows the life of Lotta Crabtree, a nineteenth century actress who achieved great fame and wealth. Chasing Margie is the story of a missing child and a search that goes on for decades with a DNA twist many years later. In his seventh novel, Woodstock to St. Joseph's, Gregory and his adult daughter, Corinne, are climbing the steps of Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, praying for a miracle cure for his terminal cancer. While they pray their lives flash by, from the 1969 Woodstock Festival, where Gregory falls in love, to daily life in a Hudson Valley commune. Ginger’s Shoes, his eighth novel, is a bloodless mystery set in motion by a deathbed wish.
Steve’s short fiction has appeared in Space and Time, The Alaska Quarterly, The Wisconsin Review, Eclipse, Ellipsis and Red Wheelbarrow.
Chasing Margie, Ginger’s Shoes, and The Fish Pond Legacy make up what Steve calls his Lake Hopatcong Island Trilogy. Chasing Margie is set on Raccoon Island, Ginger’s Shoes is set on Halsey Island, and The Fish Pond Legacy is set on Bertrand Island.
Steve served for five years as an associate editor on the staff of The Crescent Review, a literary magazine he co-founded and nine years as the Managing Editor of Flying South, a literary magazine sponsored by Winston-Salem Writers. He loves to read as much as he loves to write and has posted hundreds of reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Librarything
Steve is married to Toni Lindahl, a pastel artist. They currently reside in North Carolina, but still spend time each summer at Lake Hopatcong, NJ. They have two adult children, Nicole and Erik, and one grandchild, Ava.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 16, 2018
The Merriam-Webster dictionary offers two definitions of an Odyssey: 1) a long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune and 2) an intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest. Both could be used to describe Steven Lindahl’s well-researched-and-written Under a Warped Cross, a raw, intense, suspenseful, disturbing, and redemptive novel set in Medieval Ireland, Britannia and Scandinavia. This new offering—from an author who has previously entered the realm of historical fiction through the past life regressions of his characters—is a series of metaphoric and literal searches to recover what has been lost: normalcy, innocence, freedom, safety, hope, family, friends, and a place to settle at last. These quests often lead to disappointment and even tragedy as they attempt to navigate survival and revenge, hatred and forgiveness, despondency and faith, abandonment and love.
Mr. Lindahl does a superb job at weaving the narratives of the characters and different combinations of characters into a vividly descriptive and affecting tapestry that grows larger and more complex as their stories unfold – backwards and forwards – circumstances overcoming or succumbing to obstacles, and choices meeting with consequences.
It would be expected the primitive, often brutal long-ago world of Under a Warped Cross would have little relevancy for modern times and a sophisticated society. Instead, it presents a sad statement on the present as it portrays situations and circumstances and raises issues like bigotry, poverty, greed, exploitation of the most vulnerable, and child and sexual abuse that continue to plague the world, including its most civilized parts. There is even a kind of #metoo movement, with strong female characters risking their reputations and safety to protect and provide refuge to other women against men who betray the responsibility of and misuse their positions and power: especially, as the novel’s title suggests and is still happening to this day, when they pervert their roles as spiritual mentors and leaders.
Fluently, intelligently, and sensitively written, Under a Warped Cross is engrossing: a disturbing, but, also, inspiring read I highly recommend.
Mr. Lindahl does a superb job at weaving the narratives of the characters and different combinations of characters into a vividly descriptive and affecting tapestry that grows larger and more complex as their stories unfold – backwards and forwards – circumstances overcoming or succumbing to obstacles, and choices meeting with consequences.
It would be expected the primitive, often brutal long-ago world of Under a Warped Cross would have little relevancy for modern times and a sophisticated society. Instead, it presents a sad statement on the present as it portrays situations and circumstances and raises issues like bigotry, poverty, greed, exploitation of the most vulnerable, and child and sexual abuse that continue to plague the world, including its most civilized parts. There is even a kind of #metoo movement, with strong female characters risking their reputations and safety to protect and provide refuge to other women against men who betray the responsibility of and misuse their positions and power: especially, as the novel’s title suggests and is still happening to this day, when they pervert their roles as spiritual mentors and leaders.
Fluently, intelligently, and sensitively written, Under a Warped Cross is engrossing: a disturbing, but, also, inspiring read I highly recommend.
July 22, 2018
A Tough Look at the Clash Between Life and Religion in Medieval Britannia
People didn’t live long in medieval Britannia, Ireland, and Scandinavia. If you were lucky enough to survive birth and a childhood filled with hard labor and poor living conditions, you could look forward to adulthood when disagreements between individuals and states were often settled with a whip to the back or a battle axe to the skull. Under a Warped Cross covers all those forms of ‘conflict resolution,’ some several times. But the aggression at the heart of the story is the inhumanity inflicted in the name of organized religion. It was a time when religion would condone any and all means to ‘correct’ the thinking of the masses. And its heavy hand often fell on women. In fact, as the story begins, priests have just made an example of Abigail, one of the main characters of the book, by cutting off her nose because she was suspected of incest. The violence in the book, while not graphic, is intense and frequent.
In the simple dichotomy of plot-driven vs. character-driven books, Under a Warped Cross is primarily the latter. The plot is simple. The priests’ punishment changes the lives of three siblings, as Goda and Abigail run off together while Waso begins a quest to find them. This storyline is completed well before the end of the book. Character development, on the other hand, continues to the end, as author Lindahl does an admirable job depicting the characters’ courage and determination, as well as their distrust and superstition. In particular, I found the latter interesting, as “signs” were everywhere, but their meaning was never clear and often contradictory.
To go beyond traits that are shown through action, the author occasionally includes thoughts or dialog that deviate from character, e.g., “Jolenta wondered if her choice had been a revenge of sorts, for all the times Coventina had chosen her wards over her own child. That thought made Jolenta worry about her own soul as much as she worried about her mother’s.” That’s a complex concept for a ten-year-old (Jolenta). But even though these out-of-character thoughts interrupt the story’s flow, they’re useful for the depth they provide.
Overall, Under a Warped Cross is an engrossing look at the people of the Middle Ages and their suffering at the hands of organized religion. It can be tough reading in places, but then, that was their life.
People didn’t live long in medieval Britannia, Ireland, and Scandinavia. If you were lucky enough to survive birth and a childhood filled with hard labor and poor living conditions, you could look forward to adulthood when disagreements between individuals and states were often settled with a whip to the back or a battle axe to the skull. Under a Warped Cross covers all those forms of ‘conflict resolution,’ some several times. But the aggression at the heart of the story is the inhumanity inflicted in the name of organized religion. It was a time when religion would condone any and all means to ‘correct’ the thinking of the masses. And its heavy hand often fell on women. In fact, as the story begins, priests have just made an example of Abigail, one of the main characters of the book, by cutting off her nose because she was suspected of incest. The violence in the book, while not graphic, is intense and frequent.
In the simple dichotomy of plot-driven vs. character-driven books, Under a Warped Cross is primarily the latter. The plot is simple. The priests’ punishment changes the lives of three siblings, as Goda and Abigail run off together while Waso begins a quest to find them. This storyline is completed well before the end of the book. Character development, on the other hand, continues to the end, as author Lindahl does an admirable job depicting the characters’ courage and determination, as well as their distrust and superstition. In particular, I found the latter interesting, as “signs” were everywhere, but their meaning was never clear and often contradictory.
To go beyond traits that are shown through action, the author occasionally includes thoughts or dialog that deviate from character, e.g., “Jolenta wondered if her choice had been a revenge of sorts, for all the times Coventina had chosen her wards over her own child. That thought made Jolenta worry about her own soul as much as she worried about her mother’s.” That’s a complex concept for a ten-year-old (Jolenta). But even though these out-of-character thoughts interrupt the story’s flow, they’re useful for the depth they provide.
Overall, Under a Warped Cross is an engrossing look at the people of the Middle Ages and their suffering at the hands of organized religion. It can be tough reading in places, but then, that was their life.
June 18, 2018
Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman
Under A Warped Cross takes us back to Dark Ages Britannia, forever under the threat of Viking invasion and raiding parties. Author Steve Lindahl brings us a tale of family, love and struggle as we meet siblings Abigail, Goda and Waso. When Abigail is wrongly accused of incest with her brother, the Church moves viciously to mark her as a sinner forever, slicing off her nose. With her face so hideously marked, Abigail and Goda run away together to find somewhere they can live in peace away from the prying eyes of judgment and priests. Consumed by guilt at his brother and sister’s cruel treatment Waso vows to find and rescue his two siblings. His search for them will take him from Britannia, across the Irish Sea and thence to the Scandinavian home of the Vikings. Despite his travails, Goda never loses hope of finding and rescuing his siblings and together with the exotic Persian woman, Stateira, they escape Viking captivity and head for home and the search for Goda’s brother and sister.
I have always been a fan of historical novels and especially ones centred around this little known time of British history. In Under A Warped Cross, author Steve Lindahl has taken us inside the lives of poor, everyday folk in this era, folk for whom the struggle to survive against oppressive masters, an overbearing and all powerful Church, the vicious and bloodthirsty Vikings, as well as the everyday villains and robbers of the day. His characters were well drawn and showed us the power of family and a resolute hope for the future. The writing is powerful and descriptive and allows you to live the horrors these people faced on a daily basis, whilst still learning something of the various beliefs and cultures of the people of that day. I particularly enjoyed the inner dialogue of Waso and his determination to not only find his missing siblings, but to also question much of the accepted religious dogma of the day. Having Stateira, as a Muslim woman and the questions and conflicts that raised in Waso, just lifted this story over and above the average historical novel. This is an excellent read and one I can highly recommend.
Under A Warped Cross takes us back to Dark Ages Britannia, forever under the threat of Viking invasion and raiding parties. Author Steve Lindahl brings us a tale of family, love and struggle as we meet siblings Abigail, Goda and Waso. When Abigail is wrongly accused of incest with her brother, the Church moves viciously to mark her as a sinner forever, slicing off her nose. With her face so hideously marked, Abigail and Goda run away together to find somewhere they can live in peace away from the prying eyes of judgment and priests. Consumed by guilt at his brother and sister’s cruel treatment Waso vows to find and rescue his two siblings. His search for them will take him from Britannia, across the Irish Sea and thence to the Scandinavian home of the Vikings. Despite his travails, Goda never loses hope of finding and rescuing his siblings and together with the exotic Persian woman, Stateira, they escape Viking captivity and head for home and the search for Goda’s brother and sister.
I have always been a fan of historical novels and especially ones centred around this little known time of British history. In Under A Warped Cross, author Steve Lindahl has taken us inside the lives of poor, everyday folk in this era, folk for whom the struggle to survive against oppressive masters, an overbearing and all powerful Church, the vicious and bloodthirsty Vikings, as well as the everyday villains and robbers of the day. His characters were well drawn and showed us the power of family and a resolute hope for the future. The writing is powerful and descriptive and allows you to live the horrors these people faced on a daily basis, whilst still learning something of the various beliefs and cultures of the people of that day. I particularly enjoyed the inner dialogue of Waso and his determination to not only find his missing siblings, but to also question much of the accepted religious dogma of the day. Having Stateira, as a Muslim woman and the questions and conflicts that raised in Waso, just lifted this story over and above the average historical novel. This is an excellent read and one I can highly recommend.
November 11, 2018
Set in the Middle Ages, the story centers on three adult siblings in Britannia who are forced apart after a Viking raid. Waso is captured and enslaved while Abigail and Goda were able to flee. The adventure follows Waso's harrowing adventure back to find his siblings. Along the way, he meets Stateira, a Persian slave woman, who fears recapture by the church. Meanwhile, Waso's siblings, Abigail and Goda, though alive, must deal with Abigail's disfigurement, meted out by the church, as well as deal with the harsh realities of their world.
I really enjoyed this story. Unlike many other books set in this time period, it's not about the aristocracy, but the people who live under their boot. In this case, the church is the main instigator of violence though it is well balanced with men of faith who truly want to do good in their community. It is well written and the characters are empathetic and relatable. A completely character driven tale, the author gave us just the right amount of historical detail without bogging it down. The story was fast paced and I hope there is a sequel in the works.
Highly recommend.
I really enjoyed this story. Unlike many other books set in this time period, it's not about the aristocracy, but the people who live under their boot. In this case, the church is the main instigator of violence though it is well balanced with men of faith who truly want to do good in their community. It is well written and the characters are empathetic and relatable. A completely character driven tale, the author gave us just the right amount of historical detail without bogging it down. The story was fast paced and I hope there is a sequel in the works.
Highly recommend.
September 13, 2018
Under a Warped Cross by Steve Lindahl is an engaging and fast paced read. Like the other books I've read by the author, his meticulous research is readily apparent. The historical period covered is harsher and more violent than today perhaps...but other aspects of this story could have been ripped from today's headlines. The good and evil personas are well defined, at least to a modern eye--even if the characters have issues coming to terms with this. The author illustrates this religious indoctrination very well. The tale is at once heart warming and heart wrenching. The story will have you questioning some beliefs. It will force your focus onto some of the atrocities we've committed over the centuries- supposedly in the name of God. Most important, both the characters and their story will be with you for a long time. I highly recommend.
David W. Thompson- Legends of the Family Dyer
David W. Thompson- Legends of the Family Dyer
September 12, 2018
Epic Story
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s historically accurate, has realistic emotions, and runs along a relatable storyline. I appreciated most how the characters survived against unbeatable odds, and showed both the best and worst characteristics of being human. It also gave me another way to think of what life was like for my own Anglo and Viking ancestors. Great story with a satisfying ending.
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s historically accurate, has realistic emotions, and runs along a relatable storyline. I appreciated most how the characters survived against unbeatable odds, and showed both the best and worst characteristics of being human. It also gave me another way to think of what life was like for my own Anglo and Viking ancestors. Great story with a satisfying ending.
July 5, 2018
Touching Story
This is a great book. It flowed very well. A well written adventure that holds your attention. There is joy, danger, and heroism in this story. A must read for all ages.
The author, Steve, leads you into a world of challenges faced by Waso my favorite character. Great job ❤️
This is a great book. It flowed very well. A well written adventure that holds your attention. There is joy, danger, and heroism in this story. A must read for all ages.
The author, Steve, leads you into a world of challenges faced by Waso my favorite character. Great job ❤️
October 13, 2020
Medieval times were brutal. This story is based on the terrible things some of the Catholic Church clergy did to their subjects, and the affect that had on the characters in the story. I found some of this was hard emotionally to read. However, I highly recommend it.
August 21, 2018
This is a tale which explores and reveals a time period often not written about in fiction. Danger is a daily way of life but so is joy, accomplishment and heroism. Thorough research which went into this work and the results of such a labor of love are evident throughout. The story reads like a time capsule.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews