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The Viking Blood and Blade Saga #1
Viking Blood and Blade
If you like Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, David Gemmell and Giles Kristian, you will love this epic Viking adventure, packed with battles, treachery, blood and gore.
865 AD. The fierce Vikings stormed onto Saxon soil hungry for spoils, conquest, and vengeance for the death of Ragnar Lothbrok.
Hundr, a Northman with a dog's name... a crew of battle hardened warriors... and Ivar the Boneless.
Amidst the invasion of Saxon England by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, Hundr joins a crew of Viking warriors under the command of Einar the Brawler. Hundr fights to forge a warriors reputation under the glare of Ivar and his equally fearsome brothers, but to do that he must battle the Saxons and treachery from within the Viking army itself...
Hundr must navigate the invasion, survive brutal attacks, and find his place in the vicious world of the Vikings in this fast paced adventure with memorable characters.
865 AD. The fierce Vikings stormed onto Saxon soil hungry for spoils, conquest, and vengeance for the death of Ragnar Lothbrok.
Hundr, a Northman with a dog's name... a crew of battle hardened warriors... and Ivar the Boneless.
Amidst the invasion of Saxon England by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, Hundr joins a crew of Viking warriors under the command of Einar the Brawler. Hundr fights to forge a warriors reputation under the glare of Ivar and his equally fearsome brothers, but to do that he must battle the Saxons and treachery from within the Viking army itself...
Hundr must navigate the invasion, survive brutal attacks, and find his place in the vicious world of the Vikings in this fast paced adventure with memorable characters.
485 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2021
2714 people are currently reading
2524 people want to read
About the author
Peter Gibbons
42 books270 followersI am an author based in Kildare in Ireland, with a passion for Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and of course writing! My books include the Viking Blood and Blade Saga and the Saxon Warrior Series. You can visit my own website at www.petermgibbons.com or find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Peter-Gibbon...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
October 14, 2023
A Viking hoard on the rampage!
We are introduced to a young man, lowest of the low on a Viking longship but, he is a man with secrets. A young man in a hurry, determined to earn a formidable reputation amongst his fellow Norsemen. The action follows the Viking hoard as they conquer the North of England and put the Saxon population to the sword. This is a violent story, cruel men with a warped sense of honour, faithful only to their chosen Jarl and the great god Odin. Life was cheap during the dark ages and the bloodthirsty Vikings were the scourge of early Christian civilisation. If you like Bernard Cornwell's books you will love this story.
We are introduced to a young man, lowest of the low on a Viking longship but, he is a man with secrets. A young man in a hurry, determined to earn a formidable reputation amongst his fellow Norsemen. The action follows the Viking hoard as they conquer the North of England and put the Saxon population to the sword. This is a violent story, cruel men with a warped sense of honour, faithful only to their chosen Jarl and the great god Odin. Life was cheap during the dark ages and the bloodthirsty Vikings were the scourge of early Christian civilisation. If you like Bernard Cornwell's books you will love this story.
November 10, 2021
.
.
By reading this I found that the best fighters and scouts in the history of the entire world have always been women. And are women.
“ ‘Thor’s balls, these women are good,’ he said. Sten nodded. ‘They are. That’s why we bloody need them.’ ”
“…she caught him with a kick to the shin, and he stumbled, allowing Ragnhild to crack a punch off his ear. Pain flashed through his skull, and his ear felt like it was on fire. ‘Bitch,’ he shouted as he cannoned into her. They tumbled to the dirt and rolled through the crop sheaf’s, wrestling for holds. She tried to get inside his guard, ‘Thor's balls she’s strong,’ but he manoeuvred his hip and flipped her over into a rear choke. Or at least he thought he had. Ragnhild had tricked him, and she rolled him over and had his arm caught in a lock of her own. She wrestles like a bloody champion….”
“…How is she so fast? He watched again as Ragnhild loosed two more arrows. She had dropped one man, and firing at either end of the line had forced the horsemen to bunch together to avoid her missiles. This made her targets easier to hit….
“…The Saxons could not even kick into a charge with the carnage she had wrought among them. Ragnhild dropped her bow and drew her axe from its belt loop, and without hesitation, she charged them….
“He watched Ragnhild drag her man from the saddle and sink her axe into his throat as he hit the ground. She had beaten five mounted warriors almost single-handedly, a feat that should not be possible even for the greatest of warriors….”
“…Ragnhild had no pity. She raised her hand to the sky and whispered a prayer to Odin, then she pinned the man with her knees and strangled him with her bare and bloody hands. Hundr had never met a woman like her, not a woman who could fight like that. He had heard of women warriors before but never thought there had been one such as Ragnhild. She was one of the finest warriors and most skilled fighters he had ever seen….”
In fact….
…after reading this I wished I were a woman, and that all my children and grandchildren could be gay, or women.
Or gay women.
Also, I do NOT like the protagonist or ANY (not even One) of the characters, herein, at all. This protag is malformed as a character, dumb, stupid, UN-iNtereSting (not interesting), immature, dull, weak, silly, exasperatingly naive, and a danger to everyone near him.
“…As his steps pounded through the streets…tears streamed down his face, tears of regret, embarrassment and despair. What had he done….”
Oh…and I do NOT like this book at all.
WARNING: apparently, allegedly, contains sipping (He sipped) and chewing (he chewed), as well as lots of blood, headaches, and total body pain, and the wiping of meat “juices” and “ale” from beards (because Europeans all were total slobs), ALL OF WHICH ARE REQUIRED bad writing AND ABSOLUTE, TOTAL LAW TO INCLUDE FOR THIS SORT OF BOOK.
“…he bit off a chunk of steaming chicken, grinning as the juices flowed down his chin.…”
“…Sten also had not waited, and he’d stuffed some of the pork into his mouth. The juices were running into his beard….
Oodles of “spittle,” vomit, pain in the head, ‘darkness’ from head-wounds, broken ribs, and volumes of “bad” ale-breath!!!!
“Hundr retched with the pain and would have vomited had there been any food in his belly. As it was, he just heaved, and a thin line of spittle dripped from his mouth, and the pain of retching made him want to vomit even more. The clotted blood on his face came away in little flakes...but as he tried to sit up, the pain in his ribs made him gasp and curl up into a ball, retching again.”
.
These are RULES, kids! They are LAWS! All these crapolla, little, books have these leaky things in them!! It seems you are NOT ALLOWED to write ANYTHING without these moist elements!!!
“His head slumped into his hands, and again he forced back the desire to weep at his fate.”
Ohhh, ishhhhhhhhhh!!!! Yuck!!!!!
.
.
By reading this I found that the best fighters and scouts in the history of the entire world have always been women. And are women.
“ ‘Thor’s balls, these women are good,’ he said. Sten nodded. ‘They are. That’s why we bloody need them.’ ”
“…she caught him with a kick to the shin, and he stumbled, allowing Ragnhild to crack a punch off his ear. Pain flashed through his skull, and his ear felt like it was on fire. ‘Bitch,’ he shouted as he cannoned into her. They tumbled to the dirt and rolled through the crop sheaf’s, wrestling for holds. She tried to get inside his guard, ‘Thor's balls she’s strong,’ but he manoeuvred his hip and flipped her over into a rear choke. Or at least he thought he had. Ragnhild had tricked him, and she rolled him over and had his arm caught in a lock of her own. She wrestles like a bloody champion….”
“…How is she so fast? He watched again as Ragnhild loosed two more arrows. She had dropped one man, and firing at either end of the line had forced the horsemen to bunch together to avoid her missiles. This made her targets easier to hit….
“…The Saxons could not even kick into a charge with the carnage she had wrought among them. Ragnhild dropped her bow and drew her axe from its belt loop, and without hesitation, she charged them….
“He watched Ragnhild drag her man from the saddle and sink her axe into his throat as he hit the ground. She had beaten five mounted warriors almost single-handedly, a feat that should not be possible even for the greatest of warriors….”
“…Ragnhild had no pity. She raised her hand to the sky and whispered a prayer to Odin, then she pinned the man with her knees and strangled him with her bare and bloody hands. Hundr had never met a woman like her, not a woman who could fight like that. He had heard of women warriors before but never thought there had been one such as Ragnhild. She was one of the finest warriors and most skilled fighters he had ever seen….”
In fact….
…after reading this I wished I were a woman, and that all my children and grandchildren could be gay, or women.
Or gay women.
Also, I do NOT like the protagonist or ANY (not even One) of the characters, herein, at all. This protag is malformed as a character, dumb, stupid, UN-iNtereSting (not interesting), immature, dull, weak, silly, exasperatingly naive, and a danger to everyone near him.
“…As his steps pounded through the streets…tears streamed down his face, tears of regret, embarrassment and despair. What had he done….”
Oh…and I do NOT like this book at all.
WARNING: apparently, allegedly, contains sipping (He sipped) and chewing (he chewed), as well as lots of blood, headaches, and total body pain, and the wiping of meat “juices” and “ale” from beards (because Europeans all were total slobs), ALL OF WHICH ARE REQUIRED bad writing AND ABSOLUTE, TOTAL LAW TO INCLUDE FOR THIS SORT OF BOOK.
“…he bit off a chunk of steaming chicken, grinning as the juices flowed down his chin.…”
“…Sten also had not waited, and he’d stuffed some of the pork into his mouth. The juices were running into his beard….
Oodles of “spittle,” vomit, pain in the head, ‘darkness’ from head-wounds, broken ribs, and volumes of “bad” ale-breath!!!!
“Hundr retched with the pain and would have vomited had there been any food in his belly. As it was, he just heaved, and a thin line of spittle dripped from his mouth, and the pain of retching made him want to vomit even more. The clotted blood on his face came away in little flakes...but as he tried to sit up, the pain in his ribs made him gasp and curl up into a ball, retching again.”
.
These are RULES, kids! They are LAWS! All these crapolla, little, books have these leaky things in them!! It seems you are NOT ALLOWED to write ANYTHING without these moist elements!!!
“His head slumped into his hands, and again he forced back the desire to weep at his fate.”
Ohhh, ishhhhhhhhhh!!!! Yuck!!!!!
.
October 19, 2022
Raw, fast paced, spectacular action and gore, exactly what I was looking for. Viking lore at its finest, well written, at breath-taking intervals, twists and turns provided on every page. Well done, Peter Gibbons, well done. On to book two asap.
April 19, 2023
Въпреки леките исторически неточности, които ме дразнят поради неколкоктатното им повтаряне ("двуостри" брадви и викингски щитове с ръкохватка и ремък за ръката) Viking Blood and Blade става за четене.
Други нейни недостатъци са сравнително елементарният език и сюжет, както и разбира се, популярната в цялата литература и кино наклонност труповете да падат като снопи жито при жътва при всякакви събития и обстоятелства - наклонност, която обичайно е запазена повече за фентъзито но тук се промъква и в исторически роман.
Други нейни недостатъци са сравнително елементарният език и сюжет, както и разбира се, популярната в цялата литература и кино наклонност труповете да падат като снопи жито при жътва при всякакви събития и обстоятелства - наклонност, която обичайно е запазена повече за фентъзито но тук се промъква и в исторически роман.
October 14, 2025
Literally unputdownable. For fans of Norse sagas or the TV series Vikings or for anyone who enjoys historical fiction this book is an absolute must to read. From the very first chapter you are taken on a romp (yes I use that word) in the world of Viking. I just couldn’t put the book down it was so addictive. If I could rate it 7.5 out of 5 (yes I did write that correctly) then I would. Absolutely fantastic!
May 16, 2022
it’s certainly engaging…but…
…this Dog character is definitely someone with whom I have a problem with his personality, as written. Bull-headed, someone who has some strong attributes, yet has a total and complete lack of judgement of human character. He also dwells in fakery and deceit, definite no-no’s for any heroic person to avoid like the plague. This trait…shared by the author?
Hidden agreements between characters whose existence is carefully kept from the reader until the author springs it on you later. If done too often it becomes a cheap easy way for transitions, and rises my Ire(ish) a bit. This type of ‘situation’ tends to allow for huge changes in plot directions.
In the last dozen pages the unveiling in the ultimate resolutions, absolutely caused me to (un)gently put down my kindle and walk away from it for several days before finally reading the last handful of pages. Fool me once…fool me twice…
The character Hundr (Dog) is selfish, whinny, deceitful, narcissistic and at times purely dopey. It’s hard to believe he has ‘skills,’ (deeply hidden most of the time?) that come to the fore at various but appropriate moments.
Very annoying grammatical errors and word usage that makes reading the potentially 5-star book, very difficult for me. Who is editing this? Fire them and get someone else for the follow on book.
Additional problems for me:
- Use of 20th and 21st British English language idiomatic phrases that have no business coming out of people in the 9th century (bloody as an adjective, and many, many others);
- Pages and pages of descriptive prose that don’t really move along the plot but act more of filler like that of 19th century writers paid by the word.
- Totally crazy geographical errors. Example; at the end as the Viking ship travels “upstream” to reach the open ocean and the Whale Road. Even neophytes know you travel downstream to the ocean;
- and ‘up’ and ‘down’ have nothing to do with traveling geographically north, south, east, or west in the present rules of our planetary physicality.
I will read Book 2, at unless I am gob-smacked with similar difficulties. Then I’ll reassess.
UPDATE: Reading Book 2 was worth it!
…this Dog character is definitely someone with whom I have a problem with his personality, as written. Bull-headed, someone who has some strong attributes, yet has a total and complete lack of judgement of human character. He also dwells in fakery and deceit, definite no-no’s for any heroic person to avoid like the plague. This trait…shared by the author?
Hidden agreements between characters whose existence is carefully kept from the reader until the author springs it on you later. If done too often it becomes a cheap easy way for transitions, and rises my Ire(ish) a bit. This type of ‘situation’ tends to allow for huge changes in plot directions.
In the last dozen pages the unveiling in the ultimate resolutions, absolutely caused me to (un)gently put down my kindle and walk away from it for several days before finally reading the last handful of pages. Fool me once…fool me twice…
The character Hundr (Dog) is selfish, whinny, deceitful, narcissistic and at times purely dopey. It’s hard to believe he has ‘skills,’ (deeply hidden most of the time?) that come to the fore at various but appropriate moments.
Very annoying grammatical errors and word usage that makes reading the potentially 5-star book, very difficult for me. Who is editing this? Fire them and get someone else for the follow on book.
Additional problems for me:
- Use of 20th and 21st British English language idiomatic phrases that have no business coming out of people in the 9th century (bloody as an adjective, and many, many others);
- Pages and pages of descriptive prose that don’t really move along the plot but act more of filler like that of 19th century writers paid by the word.
- Totally crazy geographical errors. Example; at the end as the Viking ship travels “upstream” to reach the open ocean and the Whale Road. Even neophytes know you travel downstream to the ocean;
- and ‘up’ and ‘down’ have nothing to do with traveling geographically north, south, east, or west in the present rules of our planetary physicality.
I will read Book 2, at unless I am gob-smacked with similar difficulties. Then I’ll reassess.
UPDATE: Reading Book 2 was worth it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2021
I have enjoyed reading the Viking; it is a fantastic, well-thought-out story with plenty of action and twists!
March 28, 2024
I appreciate how the author doesn’t write 600 pages for the sake of 600 pages. Action packed with violence throughout.
June 7, 2022
Mr Gibbons... what a read that was.. I actually fudged work today to finish this book.. woke up early to train.. made a coffee and thought to read a chapter or 2... a couple of hours later I was still reading but was forced to get ready for work.. attended the compulsory meetings and then continued to finish the book... immediately bought book 2 and now looking forward to skipping more work.. thank you for the amazing escapism
May 6, 2022
I really wanted to like this. I got it from Prime reading and thought "yeah, not much can go wrong here". Well it sort of did.
The cover works for me. I know many authors will tell you that it's not so important but when I look at the immense jungle of books available to me out there, I'm afraid the cover still plays a part in if I will even look at what the book is about. This one is subtle and I like it.
The story starts off ok. A bit dreary and like an everyday slog of an everyday viking. But is it?
I get this feeling that the author sort of looked at other works of fiction in the same genre for inspiration and especially for naming of characters. Historical figures can be interpreted or changed, that's fiction and I felt there just wasn't enough innovation to be unique but also too far drifting from historical factors to go the other way. In the end the characters didn't really work out for me. I don't like the main protagonists and that already makes it difficult. It's ok not to like characters, that works fine for me with lots of books but this one just couldn't captivate me.
I feel it's just not in the Viking era in how it's built up. I see Viking life a bit more brutal but life not battles. I got this impression that things are a bit too orientated to thinking of now and that's not Viking to me. This might work for other readers but it doesn't do anything for me, especially after having read a lot of historical fiction by the likes of Cornwell, Kane and Hicks.
I want to like it but I just couldnt. What's not to like about reading a book on prime reading? Maybe the book? I might give the next in the series a shot and I may return to this one in a few years and see if things change but for now it's only 2 stars. Great cover, ok ish read but could be so much better.
The cover works for me. I know many authors will tell you that it's not so important but when I look at the immense jungle of books available to me out there, I'm afraid the cover still plays a part in if I will even look at what the book is about. This one is subtle and I like it.
The story starts off ok. A bit dreary and like an everyday slog of an everyday viking. But is it?
I get this feeling that the author sort of looked at other works of fiction in the same genre for inspiration and especially for naming of characters. Historical figures can be interpreted or changed, that's fiction and I felt there just wasn't enough innovation to be unique but also too far drifting from historical factors to go the other way. In the end the characters didn't really work out for me. I don't like the main protagonists and that already makes it difficult. It's ok not to like characters, that works fine for me with lots of books but this one just couldn't captivate me.
I feel it's just not in the Viking era in how it's built up. I see Viking life a bit more brutal but life not battles. I got this impression that things are a bit too orientated to thinking of now and that's not Viking to me. This might work for other readers but it doesn't do anything for me, especially after having read a lot of historical fiction by the likes of Cornwell, Kane and Hicks.
I want to like it but I just couldnt. What's not to like about reading a book on prime reading? Maybe the book? I might give the next in the series a shot and I may return to this one in a few years and see if things change but for now it's only 2 stars. Great cover, ok ish read but could be so much better.
August 19, 2023
3.5 rounded down
While fast-paced and with a good overall storyline, I didn't always enjoy the writing style and did not care about the main character at all... Overall it feels like it's lacking a bit of depth and reads more like a second draft than a finished novel. I'll likely pick up the second book to have a read and see if it improves at all - it certainly did have potential!
While fast-paced and with a good overall storyline, I didn't always enjoy the writing style and did not care about the main character at all... Overall it feels like it's lacking a bit of depth and reads more like a second draft than a finished novel. I'll likely pick up the second book to have a read and see if it improves at all - it certainly did have potential!
January 8, 2025
This book is filled with all the things that make a great read. Plenty of action, intrigue, betrayal, a forbidden love, and sacrifice. The story of Hundr, the boy with the dogs name, is told in a way that makes this book hard to put down! I enjoy Mr. Gibbons' books, and am looking forward to the next in the series!
April 14, 2024
Great book, I always imagine the characters being the ones from the History TV show Vikings, so hearing about athletic Ivar is always funky. Great book though.
November 25, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this novel! …first time in a while reading historical fiction from this time period where I didn’t wish I was reading about Uthred!
February 18, 2025
Such a great entertaining book. Ready for next book in the series.
October 1, 2025
"I'll see you in Valhalla" 💔
December 6, 2021
A great read
A great read full of blood and gore great battle scenes excellent characters and totally gripping all the way through. I've read many Viking novels and this is up there with one of the best. The main characters are great especially the great and different take on Ivor the boneless. I look forward to reading the next instalment.
A great read full of blood and gore great battle scenes excellent characters and totally gripping all the way through. I've read many Viking novels and this is up there with one of the best. The main characters are great especially the great and different take on Ivor the boneless. I look forward to reading the next instalment.
December 15, 2021
Quest
If one reads this for no other reason than that it was a great read, it was the ending that tied everything together explained a lot and surprised me to the point I did not see it coming. This is the first book in this subject matter that I have ever read and I shall read more.
If one reads this for no other reason than that it was a great read, it was the ending that tied everything together explained a lot and surprised me to the point I did not see it coming. This is the first book in this subject matter that I have ever read and I shall read more.
June 6, 2023
I just finished this book and I loved it. It was my first time ever reading a Viking book. I will definitely be reading the entire series. I hope Hundr’s story continues along with Einar. Sten’s betrayal at the end was gut wrenching. I understand Sten did it to go kill Wolfthinker and Hakon but I wasn’t expecting that at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2022
To be honest the writing was weak. The characters kind of blended together and were forgettable. If you’re in to weak motivations and a bunch of blood and gore I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, but it just wasn’t for me.
September 16, 2021
Just a few words
BRILLIANT!
PAGE TURNER:Couldn't put it down
REFLECTED THE " VIKING " invasions well
HISTORICAL NOVEL AT IT'S BEST
KEEP 'EM COMING MR GIBBONS
BRILLIANT!
PAGE TURNER:Couldn't put it down
REFLECTED THE " VIKING " invasions well
HISTORICAL NOVEL AT IT'S BEST
KEEP 'EM COMING MR GIBBONS
September 29, 2021
Brilliant
Engrossed from page one. Action packed throughout the book. Brilliant storyline. One of the best viking books that I have ever read. There must be a book two!
Engrossed from page one. Action packed throughout the book. Brilliant storyline. One of the best viking books that I have ever read. There must be a book two!
October 13, 2021
Good read
Plenty of action and an unusual storyline .A very enjoyable read.Should appeal to Cornwall and Iggulden fans.Shame there is no follow up.
Plenty of action and an unusual storyline .A very enjoyable read.Should appeal to Cornwall and Iggulden fans.Shame there is no follow up.
May 15, 2022
The story follows Hundr, a young Viking from the East, Hundr has nothing and nobody but is full of the ambition to build a reputation as a great warrior.
Joining warship, the Seaworm, under the charge of Jarl Einar who is sworn to Ivar the Boneless, the crew and new recruit Hundr are off to the Saxon lands to sack, pillage, and claim vengeance against the Northumbrian King Aelle - who killed Ragnar Lothbrok, father of Ivar the Boneless. But will vengeance be as sweet as expected? And will the Vikings succeed when they are encumbered by Ivar’s spoilt and cowardly son, Hakon? And will Hundr find something better that the fight?
An enjoyable story, I found myself looking forward to reading it every time I put it down. That said, it’s pretty apparent that it hasn’t been proofread. There's a decent amount of repetition - just a little more than enough to remind this reader of where we were in the story. Also, there are lots of extraneous and missing apostrophes - mostly, though not exclusively, at the beginning of the book.
To me, it felt like the writer had this great idea for an epic, wrote it, probably over a series of months if not years, and then didn’t have a chance to read it back.
“What if the old turd was a great man and had, in fact, sailed with Ragnar and the Ragnarsson’s?”
3% in, One, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
'Ragnarsson’s' should be Ragnarssons.
“‘To punish him. If other Jarl’s heard that Hrafn the fat lazy nithing had refused my call to arms, then other Jarl’s sworn to me might do the same.’”
12% in, Four, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
'Jarl’s' should be Jarls. Both times.
“‘Sounds like we’re to march out with his men soon enough lad, so we’ll see how they get on, whose supposed to be in charge, and whose actually cock o’ the roost.’”
13% in, Four, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
‘Whose' should be who’s both times.
“‘Holmgang.’
“The army echoed his chant. Ivar loved to fight, as did all the Ragnarssons. These fights built their reputations of fear and awe. Men fought Holmgang’s across the North to settle disputes and feuds."
25% in, Seven, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
‘Holmgang’s' should be Holmgangs.
“They tumbled to the dirt and rolled through the crop sheaf’s, wrestling for holds.”
29% in, Eight, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
‘Sheaf’s’ should be sheafs or sheaves.
I could go on but it already feels like bullying. Great story, shame about the editing.
Joining warship, the Seaworm, under the charge of Jarl Einar who is sworn to Ivar the Boneless, the crew and new recruit Hundr are off to the Saxon lands to sack, pillage, and claim vengeance against the Northumbrian King Aelle - who killed Ragnar Lothbrok, father of Ivar the Boneless. But will vengeance be as sweet as expected? And will the Vikings succeed when they are encumbered by Ivar’s spoilt and cowardly son, Hakon? And will Hundr find something better that the fight?
An enjoyable story, I found myself looking forward to reading it every time I put it down. That said, it’s pretty apparent that it hasn’t been proofread. There's a decent amount of repetition - just a little more than enough to remind this reader of where we were in the story. Also, there are lots of extraneous and missing apostrophes - mostly, though not exclusively, at the beginning of the book.
To me, it felt like the writer had this great idea for an epic, wrote it, probably over a series of months if not years, and then didn’t have a chance to read it back.
“What if the old turd was a great man and had, in fact, sailed with Ragnar and the Ragnarsson’s?”
3% in, One, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
'Ragnarsson’s' should be Ragnarssons.
“‘To punish him. If other Jarl’s heard that Hrafn the fat lazy nithing had refused my call to arms, then other Jarl’s sworn to me might do the same.’”
12% in, Four, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
'Jarl’s' should be Jarls. Both times.
“‘Sounds like we’re to march out with his men soon enough lad, so we’ll see how they get on, whose supposed to be in charge, and whose actually cock o’ the roost.’”
13% in, Four, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
‘Whose' should be who’s both times.
“‘Holmgang.’
“The army echoed his chant. Ivar loved to fight, as did all the Ragnarssons. These fights built their reputations of fear and awe. Men fought Holmgang’s across the North to settle disputes and feuds."
25% in, Seven, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
‘Holmgang’s' should be Holmgangs.
“They tumbled to the dirt and rolled through the crop sheaf’s, wrestling for holds.”
29% in, Eight, Viking Blood and Blade by Peter Gibbons
‘Sheaf’s’ should be sheafs or sheaves.
I could go on but it already feels like bullying. Great story, shame about the editing.
February 13, 2025
I’m always a sucker for historical fiction novels that focus on Vikings. This is the second Peter Gibbons book I’ve read so far this year, and overall I’m enjoying his work! His books have a similar vibe to those of Bernard Cornwell and Giles Kristian, two of my favorite authors. Viking Blood and Blade is the first in a series of books that follows Hundr, a lowly Northman who dreams of being a drengr, a famed warrior, among his fellow Vikings. I couldn’t help but think of The Last Kingdom or the tv series Vikings while reading this book and that was exactly the vibe I was hoping for.
The year is 865 AD in Saxon England, and the great Viking invasion is about to begin. Led by the most famous son of Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the Boneless, the Great Heathen Army lands upon the shores of Northumbria to conquer the Saxon kingdoms. Hundr dreams of becoming a renowned warrior among the Danes and joins the crew of Einar the Brawler. During his time under Einar’s command, he befriends an old warrior, Sten, who once fought with Ragnar before his execution at the hands of Northumbria’s King Aelle. But Hundr’s time with the Vikings proves more treacherous than he could have realized, with enemies surrounding him from both Saxon and Viking alike.
Overall, this was a very fun historical fiction novel. It was fast-paced and had plenty of thrills, twists, and betrayals to keep things exciting and engaging. The characters themselves were a bit weak, especially Hundr, who I didn’t find all that compelling. It’s impossible to not draw comparisons to Cornwell or Kristian with books that deal with similar subject matters and while this book is entertaining, it doesn’t quite reach the heights that those other books did. Overall, it’s an entertaining read that Viking fans will enjoy.
The year is 865 AD in Saxon England, and the great Viking invasion is about to begin. Led by the most famous son of Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the Boneless, the Great Heathen Army lands upon the shores of Northumbria to conquer the Saxon kingdoms. Hundr dreams of becoming a renowned warrior among the Danes and joins the crew of Einar the Brawler. During his time under Einar’s command, he befriends an old warrior, Sten, who once fought with Ragnar before his execution at the hands of Northumbria’s King Aelle. But Hundr’s time with the Vikings proves more treacherous than he could have realized, with enemies surrounding him from both Saxon and Viking alike.
Overall, this was a very fun historical fiction novel. It was fast-paced and had plenty of thrills, twists, and betrayals to keep things exciting and engaging. The characters themselves were a bit weak, especially Hundr, who I didn’t find all that compelling. It’s impossible to not draw comparisons to Cornwell or Kristian with books that deal with similar subject matters and while this book is entertaining, it doesn’t quite reach the heights that those other books did. Overall, it’s an entertaining read that Viking fans will enjoy.
December 26, 2022
Viking blood and blade was a pleasant surprise for me. I was already familiar with some of the events and some of the characters involved like Ivar the Boneless, so it was easy for me to get absorbed into the story. Though if you’re not that familiar with Norse history it really won’t be hard for you to find yourself captivated by this novel and that is all thanks to Peter Gibbons’ wonderful writing and well-developed story. The pacing was nice. I never felt too overwhelmed with the information I was getting as the story developed or too bored with what was going on. It was perfectly balanced, and I have to say that I enjoyed the action in this novel. It was all I wanted from a story about Vikings doing their thing and more.
The characters in the story were well-developed and I enjoyed following Hundr’s journey. He is an interesting character, and throughout the story we learned his motivations, we see him struggles, and to be honest, the more I read, the more intrigued I became and was looking forward to end… though at the same time, I didn’t want to finish reading it because I was enjoying it.
Viking blood and blade is a novel that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction or Norse culture. It is a well-written story, with great characters, an intriguing plot, plenty of action and twists. Even if you’re not that into historical fiction, this might be a good place to start if you’ve been meaning to check out the genre. I know that I will be reading this novel again in the future and I’m also looking forward to reading more from Peter Gibbons.
The characters in the story were well-developed and I enjoyed following Hundr’s journey. He is an interesting character, and throughout the story we learned his motivations, we see him struggles, and to be honest, the more I read, the more intrigued I became and was looking forward to end… though at the same time, I didn’t want to finish reading it because I was enjoying it.
Viking blood and blade is a novel that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction or Norse culture. It is a well-written story, with great characters, an intriguing plot, plenty of action and twists. Even if you’re not that into historical fiction, this might be a good place to start if you’ve been meaning to check out the genre. I know that I will be reading this novel again in the future and I’m also looking forward to reading more from Peter Gibbons.
June 4, 2023
Sigh…one of those books I couldn’t put down when I began… I had high hopes. I was also reading the first book the last kingdom so I knew many of the famous dane names mentioned which helped from the beginning. This way I wasn’t lost with many characters throughout the book.
This was one of those books I was keen on recommending and would’ve recommended it even halfway..then it turns. I didn’t understand some of the events that took place….mainly because I couldn’t really stand the main character Hundr.
I guess the ending made sense he was a young kid and the bastard of a prince so he felt like he had something to prove. But this seemed to me the book of a teenager having a lot of growing up to do during this era. A big headed young arrogant fool.
In the end he says apparently his heart is hardened…but I don’t know..I might continue the series because I’m curious but not right away. Again Hundr is just not a likeable main character to me he’s annoying. Also the whole Saoirse thing more of an obsession not love, she clearly did not want to run away with him, but of course Hundr brings problems yet again to everyone around him. Not a great warrior for that.
The storyline begins good, I love viking books but the main character maybe he grows up and matures and books get better but based on this ending I’m so underwhelmed.
The book of an obsessed warrior with a forbidden fruit.
This was one of those books I was keen on recommending and would’ve recommended it even halfway..then it turns. I didn’t understand some of the events that took place….mainly because I couldn’t really stand the main character Hundr.
I guess the ending made sense he was a young kid and the bastard of a prince so he felt like he had something to prove. But this seemed to me the book of a teenager having a lot of growing up to do during this era. A big headed young arrogant fool.
In the end he says apparently his heart is hardened…but I don’t know..I might continue the series because I’m curious but not right away. Again Hundr is just not a likeable main character to me he’s annoying. Also the whole Saoirse thing more of an obsession not love, she clearly did not want to run away with him, but of course Hundr brings problems yet again to everyone around him. Not a great warrior for that.
The storyline begins good, I love viking books but the main character maybe he grows up and matures and books get better but based on this ending I’m so underwhelmed.
The book of an obsessed warrior with a forbidden fruit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
The narration didn't quite work for me. While the voices were decent, the pacing and intonation (to quick and even) felt off, making it difficult to get into the story.
Story wise it was better, even though it took a long time to get going (the first half was basically a day in the life of a Viking in order to introduce the main characters). The cast includes a ship lord and crew, a viking lord and his bully son, a forgotten hero and a mysterious boy with dreams of fame and fortune ... throw in an irish princess to justify some really stupid decisions on the boy's part and you have the shell of a basic story that starts to pick up speed and become interesting about half way through and ends with a lot of the story still left to tell (not a true cliffhanger, but it certainly sets everything up for a possible series). From what I know of the norse culture at that time, it all seemed faily well researched and believable; but that really was the best part of the whole. And while I expected a bit of course language, the author seems to be particularly enamoured with one specific [unimaginative] term that just seemed awkward to me where ever I heard it.
I was given this free review copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#AudiobookBoom #VikingBloodandBlade #NicholasJordan
Story wise it was better, even though it took a long time to get going (the first half was basically a day in the life of a Viking in order to introduce the main characters). The cast includes a ship lord and crew, a viking lord and his bully son, a forgotten hero and a mysterious boy with dreams of fame and fortune ... throw in an irish princess to justify some really stupid decisions on the boy's part and you have the shell of a basic story that starts to pick up speed and become interesting about half way through and ends with a lot of the story still left to tell (not a true cliffhanger, but it certainly sets everything up for a possible series). From what I know of the norse culture at that time, it all seemed faily well researched and believable; but that really was the best part of the whole. And while I expected a bit of course language, the author seems to be particularly enamoured with one specific [unimaginative] term that just seemed awkward to me where ever I heard it.
I was given this free review copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#AudiobookBoom #VikingBloodandBlade #NicholasJordan
May 19, 2023
Nowhere near Cornwell's level.
I read this book based on this description:
Unfortunately, the book falls well short of Cornwell's writing in a variety of ways and that description sets expectations that the book never meets.
The story, characters and their motivations are fairly unimaginative, predictable and uninteresting. A young fool, an old, tired warrior, a princess, some generic, savage female warriors and a pathetic fool as the antagonist.
The various events and battle sequences are mostly unrealistic, bordering on childish.
The main protagonist is inexplicably the best warrior to ever walk the earth almost from the very beginning, despite only ever having trained daily and never been in an actual fight or battle. In fact, his prowess is such that; having only minutes ago awoken from days of torture, beating and wounds and being barely able to open his eye; he is able to charge head first into a fight and kill a Jarl and shortly thereafter defeats the in single combat.
Contrast this with Uhtred in The Last Kingdom, whom Cornwell portrays as gradually evolving into an experienced warrior through shield walls on the Welsh border, etc.
At other points in the story, a ragtag band with only a few actual warriors charges in axes swinging to a camp full of soldiers and magically survives, unscathed. A slightly larger band, with a few more actual warriors then takes on an entire fort and decimates the defenders. This time they sneak in, but then it becomes a full on, axes swinging pitched battle. At least a few of them die this time, even though they somehow inexplicably escape again.
In between the action in the latter part of the book, the characters repeatedly think to themselves about how far they have fallen and the revenge that they want and discuss what they're going to do when they get their revenge. This is fine, the first time and occasionally over the course of a story. It's hardly necessary to keep repeating it every time they camp or stop.
As a historical fiction book, I would not recommend this book at all. A core part of historical fiction is being grounded in history and being reasonably plausible. In Cornwell's writing it is rare that you read a section and question the logic of the characters or the plausibility of events. By contrast, there are many of these moments in this book, often at critical points in the story.
As a general fiction book, if you like characters charging in axes blazing it can pass as a good book.
I read this book based on this description:
"If you like Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, David Gemmell and Giles Kristian, you will love this epic Viking adventure, packed with battles, treachery, blood and gore."
Unfortunately, the book falls well short of Cornwell's writing in a variety of ways and that description sets expectations that the book never meets.
The story, characters and their motivations are fairly unimaginative, predictable and uninteresting. A young fool, an old, tired warrior, a princess, some generic, savage female warriors and a pathetic fool as the antagonist.
The various events and battle sequences are mostly unrealistic, bordering on childish.
The main protagonist is inexplicably the best warrior to ever walk the earth almost from the very beginning, despite only ever having trained daily and never been in an actual fight or battle. In fact, his prowess is such that; having only minutes ago awoken from days of torture, beating and wounds and being barely able to open his eye; he is able to charge head first into a fight and kill a Jarl and shortly thereafter defeats the in single combat.
Contrast this with Uhtred in The Last Kingdom, whom Cornwell portrays as gradually evolving into an experienced warrior through shield walls on the Welsh border, etc.
At other points in the story, a ragtag band with only a few actual warriors charges in axes swinging to a camp full of soldiers and magically survives, unscathed. A slightly larger band, with a few more actual warriors then takes on an entire fort and decimates the defenders. This time they sneak in, but then it becomes a full on, axes swinging pitched battle. At least a few of them die this time, even though they somehow inexplicably escape again.
In between the action in the latter part of the book, the characters repeatedly think to themselves about how far they have fallen and the revenge that they want and discuss what they're going to do when they get their revenge. This is fine, the first time and occasionally over the course of a story. It's hardly necessary to keep repeating it every time they camp or stop.
As a historical fiction book, I would not recommend this book at all. A core part of historical fiction is being grounded in history and being reasonably plausible. In Cornwell's writing it is rare that you read a section and question the logic of the characters or the plausibility of events. By contrast, there are many of these moments in this book, often at critical points in the story.
As a general fiction book, if you like characters charging in axes blazing it can pass as a good book.
September 24, 2025
It took several chapters for this book to become interesting - perhaps 20% in.
But eventually I began to enjoy the characters. It does have several distinct and interesting characters.
The plethora of men who just want to fight and get in to Valhalla seems excessive. But once you get past that you can see some distinctions. There is a lot of action and suspense and dilemma's.
I wasn't overly fond of Hundr. I liked the old guy, Sten.
There were some decent principles like honor, loyalty and courage but
I was kind of hoping for some character growth?
About the only growth was Sten rejecting/failing in his Christianity and deciding
killing lots of people was necessary.
Hundr's only growth was to realize killing people was the only thing that brought him joy.
Not exactly noble and uplifting.
And because of that I don't think I'll read any sequel. It has a lot of action and some pretty good
history so I'd still recommend it.
There were some elements in the speech patterns or descriptions, I can't quite put my finger on it, that brought me out of the historical context from time to time.
There were a few things I tripped on like pacing or scene changes and spelling that could have used more editing but it wasn't too bad.
But eventually I began to enjoy the characters. It does have several distinct and interesting characters.
The plethora of men who just want to fight and get in to Valhalla seems excessive. But once you get past that you can see some distinctions. There is a lot of action and suspense and dilemma's.
I wasn't overly fond of Hundr. I liked the old guy, Sten.
There were some decent principles like honor, loyalty and courage but
I was kind of hoping for some character growth?
About the only growth was Sten rejecting/failing in his Christianity and deciding
killing lots of people was necessary.
Hundr's only growth was to realize killing people was the only thing that brought him joy.
Not exactly noble and uplifting.
And because of that I don't think I'll read any sequel. It has a lot of action and some pretty good
history so I'd still recommend it.
There were some elements in the speech patterns or descriptions, I can't quite put my finger on it, that brought me out of the historical context from time to time.
There were a few things I tripped on like pacing or scene changes and spelling that could have used more editing but it wasn't too bad.
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