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The Wolves of Dumnonia #1
The Shadow of Fenrir
A stirring coming of age tale set in Viking Age Britain and Norway
Rescued as an infant from the wreckage of his boat, Caelin ap Cadwyr has come to be raised as a Norseman, far from his homeland, his family and his destiny. Given a new name-Rathulf Thorvaldarsson-the orphaned Briton is approaching his sixteenth birthday, unaware that his chosen path as a Viking warrior is soon to be thrown wildly off course.
Although well aware of his British ancestry, one secret has remained hidden from Rathulf throughout his life. The key to that secret is an oaken trunk, plucked with the baby from the foundering skiff all those years ago; but when it comes time to reveal the truth, Rathulf's foster-father, fearing the loss of his son, defies the will of the Gods. He breaks the blood pact sealed after the rescue of the babe, unintentionally setting off a chain of events that will leave Rathulf fighting not just for his identity, but for life itself.
The Shadow of Fenrir is the first volume in the historical adventure series The Wolves of Dumnonia. Inspired by events recorded in the early mediaeval Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Wolves of Dumnonia saga recounts the twilight years of one of the last great British kingdoms: Dumnonia. The series follows the lives of the two surviving heirs, Aneurin and Caelin, who are symbolized by the two wolves of their family's royal standard. Separated in childhood amidst their treacherous uncle's violent conquest of Dumnonia, the two brothers have led utterly different lives as they have grown into manhood. A mystical strand of awareness binds them, however, and as the saga progresses, their paths begin to converge as each seeks out the other.
Both wolven kin are driven by the same unwavering purpose: to one day return to their homeland and together reclaim their stolen kingdom.
Rescued as an infant from the wreckage of his boat, Caelin ap Cadwyr has come to be raised as a Norseman, far from his homeland, his family and his destiny. Given a new name-Rathulf Thorvaldarsson-the orphaned Briton is approaching his sixteenth birthday, unaware that his chosen path as a Viking warrior is soon to be thrown wildly off course.
Although well aware of his British ancestry, one secret has remained hidden from Rathulf throughout his life. The key to that secret is an oaken trunk, plucked with the baby from the foundering skiff all those years ago; but when it comes time to reveal the truth, Rathulf's foster-father, fearing the loss of his son, defies the will of the Gods. He breaks the blood pact sealed after the rescue of the babe, unintentionally setting off a chain of events that will leave Rathulf fighting not just for his identity, but for life itself.
The Shadow of Fenrir is the first volume in the historical adventure series The Wolves of Dumnonia. Inspired by events recorded in the early mediaeval Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Wolves of Dumnonia saga recounts the twilight years of one of the last great British kingdoms: Dumnonia. The series follows the lives of the two surviving heirs, Aneurin and Caelin, who are symbolized by the two wolves of their family's royal standard. Separated in childhood amidst their treacherous uncle's violent conquest of Dumnonia, the two brothers have led utterly different lives as they have grown into manhood. A mystical strand of awareness binds them, however, and as the saga progresses, their paths begin to converge as each seeks out the other.
Both wolven kin are driven by the same unwavering purpose: to one day return to their homeland and together reclaim their stolen kingdom.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 29, 2018
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57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 18, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed Peter Fox's novel. It is a gripping tale of life in the Norwegian fjords during the Viking Age, of the dangers of secrets kept, of the power of the old gods, and of the adventures that lurked in those ancient waterways. What made the story even more enjoyable were the well-crafted characters and their rich (if somewhat modern) dialogue. The Shadow of Fenrir a great beginning to what promises to be a thoroughly engrossing series.
May 22, 2020
The Shadow of Fenrir is the first volume in the historical adventure series The Wolves of Dumnonia. Inspired by events recorded in the early mediaeval Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Wolves of Dumnonia saga recounts the twilight years of one of the last great British kingdoms: Dumnonia.
This first story in Peter Fox’s Dumnonia Saga opens with an exciting scene off the coast of southwest England. A skiff carrying two young brothers to safety collides with a Viking longship in the mist. One of the Norsemen, Thorvald, insists on rescuing a woman clinging to the skiff’s wreckage. She has a baby clutched to her chest. The other, older boy and his companions are left to drown. The woman and child are then taken back to Thorvald’s fjord settlement in Norway. Here, the child is re-named Rathulf and grows up believing he is Thorvald’s slave-born foster son. This is not the case: he is a noble-born Briton and the woman was his wet-nurse.
Rathulf does not learn about this until he is nearly sixteen and approaching his maturity test, a rite of passage named ‘the leap’. The truth is kept from him by a blood pact between the men who witnessed his rescue. One of Rathulf’s young companions, however, overhears a conversation between Sigvald (who was on the longship) and his feisty wife, Helga. The blood pact includes a secret trunk containing objects that define Rathulf’s real identity as a British prince named Caelin ap Cadwyr. Alrick decides keeping this from his friend is wrong and sets about finding the trunk, thereby setting in motion a series of adventures and catastrophes that put his and other boys’ lives in danger, and keep the reader turning pages until late in the night: will Rathulf learn his true identity, and if so, what will he choose to do?
Author Peter Fox knows his epoch and describes the setting so well I could smell the damp peat smoke in the windowless homes and sense the ice-cold fjord water churning beneath the rowers’ oars. Characters come to life with sharp and amusing dialogue. At its heart, this is a terrific adventure story for boys, complete with blood-thirsty action and dollops of toilet humour.
All in all, this is an enjoyable action/adventure and well worth the read, although it is perhaps somewhat over-long. A few judicious cuts would have avoided unnecessary repetition. At one point, a boy retells in detail events that are described – in detail – in a previous chapter. I also shuddered at various inappropriate modern expressions. Would a woman living on a ninth-century Norse farming settlement really have gone on a shopping spree? Would young Norse boys have understood the phrase ‘you’ll have to clean up your act’? This type of vocabulary jars because the historical context is otherwise so accurate. I strongly suggest that the author seeks a good technical editor to go through the next book/s in the series.
The Shadow of Fenrir introduces a brave and compassionate young hero and I look forward to reading his further adventures. Well recommended as both adult and y.a. reading, especially for boys.
reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
This first story in Peter Fox’s Dumnonia Saga opens with an exciting scene off the coast of southwest England. A skiff carrying two young brothers to safety collides with a Viking longship in the mist. One of the Norsemen, Thorvald, insists on rescuing a woman clinging to the skiff’s wreckage. She has a baby clutched to her chest. The other, older boy and his companions are left to drown. The woman and child are then taken back to Thorvald’s fjord settlement in Norway. Here, the child is re-named Rathulf and grows up believing he is Thorvald’s slave-born foster son. This is not the case: he is a noble-born Briton and the woman was his wet-nurse.
Rathulf does not learn about this until he is nearly sixteen and approaching his maturity test, a rite of passage named ‘the leap’. The truth is kept from him by a blood pact between the men who witnessed his rescue. One of Rathulf’s young companions, however, overhears a conversation between Sigvald (who was on the longship) and his feisty wife, Helga. The blood pact includes a secret trunk containing objects that define Rathulf’s real identity as a British prince named Caelin ap Cadwyr. Alrick decides keeping this from his friend is wrong and sets about finding the trunk, thereby setting in motion a series of adventures and catastrophes that put his and other boys’ lives in danger, and keep the reader turning pages until late in the night: will Rathulf learn his true identity, and if so, what will he choose to do?
Author Peter Fox knows his epoch and describes the setting so well I could smell the damp peat smoke in the windowless homes and sense the ice-cold fjord water churning beneath the rowers’ oars. Characters come to life with sharp and amusing dialogue. At its heart, this is a terrific adventure story for boys, complete with blood-thirsty action and dollops of toilet humour.
All in all, this is an enjoyable action/adventure and well worth the read, although it is perhaps somewhat over-long. A few judicious cuts would have avoided unnecessary repetition. At one point, a boy retells in detail events that are described – in detail – in a previous chapter. I also shuddered at various inappropriate modern expressions. Would a woman living on a ninth-century Norse farming settlement really have gone on a shopping spree? Would young Norse boys have understood the phrase ‘you’ll have to clean up your act’? This type of vocabulary jars because the historical context is otherwise so accurate. I strongly suggest that the author seeks a good technical editor to go through the next book/s in the series.
The Shadow of Fenrir introduces a brave and compassionate young hero and I look forward to reading his further adventures. Well recommended as both adult and y.a. reading, especially for boys.
reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
May 31, 2019
A magnificent YA saga
What a story! You will find yourself pulled into the world of Rathulf, a young Viking, and the richly drawn characters that surround him. Wish we could binge-read the series!
What a story! You will find yourself pulled into the world of Rathulf, a young Viking, and the richly drawn characters that surround him. Wish we could binge-read the series!
May 18, 2022
Hate that it ended so soon!
I love historical novels and this is no exception. It is a very exciting story as is and leads me to want to get to book 2 quickly.
I love historical novels and this is no exception. It is a very exciting story as is and leads me to want to get to book 2 quickly.
June 15, 2022
Imaginative, but...
A good enough story with decent characterisation, but the use of modern idiom both in the narrative and the dialogue hinders any engagement
A good enough story with decent characterisation, but the use of modern idiom both in the narrative and the dialogue hinders any engagement
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews