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Viking #1
Odinn's Child
In 1001, the young child, Thorgils Leiffson, son of Leif the Lucky and Thorgunna, arrives on the shores of Greenland to be brought up by a young woman—Gudrid. Thorgils is a rootless character of quicksilver intelligence and adaptability. He has inherited his mother’s ability of second sight, and his mentors teach him the ancient ways and warn him of the invasion of the “White Christ” into the land of the “Old Gods.” Guided by a restless quest for adventure and the wanderlust of his favored god, Odinn, Thorgils’ fortunes will take him into worlds of unimaginable danger and discovery.
342 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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6103 people want to read
About the author
Tim Severin
46 books267 followersTim Severin was a British explorer, historian and writer. Severin is noted for his work in retracing the legendary journeys of historical figures. Severin was awarded both the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society and the Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. He received the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for his 1982 book The Sindbad Voyage.
He was born Timothy Severin in Assam, India in 1940. Severin attended Tonbridge School and studied geography and history at Keble College, Oxford.
Severin has also written historical fiction along with non fiction. The Viking Series, first published in 2005, concerns a young Viking adventurer who travels the world. In 2007 he published The Adventures of Hector Lynch series set in the late 17th century about a 17-year-old Corsair.
He was born Timothy Severin in Assam, India in 1940. Severin attended Tonbridge School and studied geography and history at Keble College, Oxford.
Severin has also written historical fiction along with non fiction. The Viking Series, first published in 2005, concerns a young Viking adventurer who travels the world. In 2007 he published The Adventures of Hector Lynch series set in the late 17th century about a 17-year-old Corsair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
November 16, 2023
La historia de Thorgils Leiffson, hijo de Leif el Afortunado y Thorgunna, empieza en el año 1001, cuando, abandonado por su madre, llega a las costas de Groenlandia y es acogido por la joven Gudrid. Thorgils no tiene raíces, pero es inteligente y se adapta rápidamente.
Pronto, todos se dan cuenta de que ha heredado el don de la segunda vista de su madre, y de que el destino tiene grandes planes para é según va creciendo, el pequeño se ve poseído por una irrefrenable sed de aventuras y viajes, impulsado por el más poderoso de los dioses, Odín.
Los turbulentos acontecimientos de su existencia lo llevarán al borde de la muerte en batallas, enfermedades y naufragios, pero no es fácil acabar con el hijo de Odín.
3,5⭐️
Se sabe muy poco sobre la figura de como era realmente Thorgils Leifson, lo hace perfecto para el papel de testigo siempre presente de muchos momentos memorables.
Es el espectador perfecto que lo asimila todo. Es testigo pero contribuye muy poco en los acontecimientos principales.
Quizás esto me ha influido a que a la hora de la acción que tampoco es que haya mucha como yo me esperaba. No me haya cautivado ese aspecto.
La primera parte de esta trilogía que abre las puertas a una saga interesante, sin duda, que apunta maneras y que me incita a seguir con ciertas esperanzas.
Una aventura narrada vívidamente que yace en una frontera entre la realidad y la fantasía, lo cristiano y lo pagano. Los mitos y las costumbres. Una lucha de culturas y de religiones entre lo humano y lo salvaje.
Todo convincente, trabajado, aunque muy lento en algunas partes del principio sobre todo y deseando más acción para este tipo de lecturas.
Sufre el síndrome de la "introducción de una primera parte" de una saga..✍️🎩
Pronto, todos se dan cuenta de que ha heredado el don de la segunda vista de su madre, y de que el destino tiene grandes planes para é según va creciendo, el pequeño se ve poseído por una irrefrenable sed de aventuras y viajes, impulsado por el más poderoso de los dioses, Odín.
Los turbulentos acontecimientos de su existencia lo llevarán al borde de la muerte en batallas, enfermedades y naufragios, pero no es fácil acabar con el hijo de Odín.
3,5⭐️
Se sabe muy poco sobre la figura de como era realmente Thorgils Leifson, lo hace perfecto para el papel de testigo siempre presente de muchos momentos memorables.
Es el espectador perfecto que lo asimila todo. Es testigo pero contribuye muy poco en los acontecimientos principales.
Quizás esto me ha influido a que a la hora de la acción que tampoco es que haya mucha como yo me esperaba. No me haya cautivado ese aspecto.
La primera parte de esta trilogía que abre las puertas a una saga interesante, sin duda, que apunta maneras y que me incita a seguir con ciertas esperanzas.
Una aventura narrada vívidamente que yace en una frontera entre la realidad y la fantasía, lo cristiano y lo pagano. Los mitos y las costumbres. Una lucha de culturas y de religiones entre lo humano y lo salvaje.
Todo convincente, trabajado, aunque muy lento en algunas partes del principio sobre todo y deseando más acción para este tipo de lecturas.
Sufre el síndrome de la "introducción de una primera parte" de una saga..✍️🎩
February 7, 2017
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I was told it was a little different than the usual, in that it doesn’t focus heavily on the glorified version of Vikings to which readers and viewers are typically drawn, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. But it turned out to be very interesting and well written. The leisurely pace made for a comfortable, relaxing read, and I found that the pages flew by despite the fact that much of the book is fairly slow.
The story is told from the perspective of Thorgils Leifsson, son of explorer Leif Erikson. The means by which he tells his story reminded me of how Derfel presents the rise of Arthur in Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. Except where Derfel is narrating as he writes his story, Thorgils has left a set of documents cleverly hidden within the volumes of scripture at a monastery. And where Derfel’s faith is questionable, it’s clear that Thorgils has rejected the Christian faith due to a strong commitment to his pagan roots.
Very little is known about the actual person of Thorgils Leifson, which makes him perfect for the role as the ever present witness to many memorable moments. He is the unimportant spectator, taking it all in, but contributing very little in the main events. He does, however, have motivations and adventures of his own that are quite interesting. Apart from that, many of the main happenings are taken straight from the Icelandic sagas, and I had a great time matching up the events and historical figures within the sagas themselves, especially because I’ve been putting off reading them for some time. Toward the end of the book the adventures of Thorgils turn toward Ireland, and away from the sagas for a time, only to bring him back around full circle in the end. Needless to say I’m very curious to see where his journey takes him next.
If I were to recommend this book, it would be with a heads-up, similar to what I was given. This is not a romp through a rip-roaring, battle heavy Viking tale, nor does it have flamboyant, larger than life characters. This is more of a slow burn with a focus on the travels and education of the main character as he takes witness to important events and people. It’s not going to blow your socks off, but it’s certainly worth the time if you have a love for, or interest in the period.
The story is told from the perspective of Thorgils Leifsson, son of explorer Leif Erikson. The means by which he tells his story reminded me of how Derfel presents the rise of Arthur in Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. Except where Derfel is narrating as he writes his story, Thorgils has left a set of documents cleverly hidden within the volumes of scripture at a monastery. And where Derfel’s faith is questionable, it’s clear that Thorgils has rejected the Christian faith due to a strong commitment to his pagan roots.
Very little is known about the actual person of Thorgils Leifson, which makes him perfect for the role as the ever present witness to many memorable moments. He is the unimportant spectator, taking it all in, but contributing very little in the main events. He does, however, have motivations and adventures of his own that are quite interesting. Apart from that, many of the main happenings are taken straight from the Icelandic sagas, and I had a great time matching up the events and historical figures within the sagas themselves, especially because I’ve been putting off reading them for some time. Toward the end of the book the adventures of Thorgils turn toward Ireland, and away from the sagas for a time, only to bring him back around full circle in the end. Needless to say I’m very curious to see where his journey takes him next.
If I were to recommend this book, it would be with a heads-up, similar to what I was given. This is not a romp through a rip-roaring, battle heavy Viking tale, nor does it have flamboyant, larger than life characters. This is more of a slow burn with a focus on the travels and education of the main character as he takes witness to important events and people. It’s not going to blow your socks off, but it’s certainly worth the time if you have a love for, or interest in the period.
January 6, 2025
Тим Северин ни разкрива чудесна история, разположена в един период, който на мен ми е интересен по ред причини.
Главният герой в нея - Торгилс, син на Лейф Щастливеца и Торгуна е действителна личност и като такъв пасва чудесно на целите авторови.
Книгата описва супер увлекателно хората, нравите и битките на северняците и ирландците, откриването на Винланд, различни приключения из Исландия, Ирландия и Гренландия, абсолютна наслада за мен като читател.
Научих много нови факти за викингите и ирландците и с удоволствие се качвам на дракара на втората част, "Брат по съдба".
Главният герой в нея - Торгилс, син на Лейф Щастливеца и Торгуна е действителна личност и като такъв пасва чудесно на целите авторови.
Книгата описва супер увлекателно хората, нравите и битките на северняците и ирландците, откриването на Винланд, различни приключения из Исландия, Ирландия и Гренландия, абсолютна наслада за мен като читател.
Научих много нови факти за викингите и ирландците и с удоволствие се качвам на дракара на втората част, "Брат по съдба".
March 22, 2016
Prvi deo ove trilogije nagoveštava da će se čitanje razviti u lepo i inspirativno druženje sa stvaralaštvom ovog autora.
Slikovito ispripovedana avantura na razmeđi stvarnosnog i fantastičnog, mogućeg i nemogućeg, hrišćanskog i paganskog, istorijskog i mitskog, civilizovanog i manje civilizovanog - granice su porozne i nejasne, s tendencijom da elementi iz svakog para zamene mesta, vrlo lako i prirodno, uverljivo i upečatljivo.
Putešestvije sina Leifa Eriksona (za kojeg se pretpostavlja da je stigao do obala Amerike početkom 11. veka, mnogo pre Kolumba) ispričano kako to samo stari nordijski pripovedači umeju - život začinjen onostranim, bez praznog hoda, dosadnih delova, bez podignutih obrva da je nešto zaista neverovatno.
Majstorski .
Slikovito ispripovedana avantura na razmeđi stvarnosnog i fantastičnog, mogućeg i nemogućeg, hrišćanskog i paganskog, istorijskog i mitskog, civilizovanog i manje civilizovanog - granice su porozne i nejasne, s tendencijom da elementi iz svakog para zamene mesta, vrlo lako i prirodno, uverljivo i upečatljivo.
Putešestvije sina Leifa Eriksona (za kojeg se pretpostavlja da je stigao do obala Amerike početkom 11. veka, mnogo pre Kolumba) ispričano kako to samo stari nordijski pripovedači umeju - život začinjen onostranim, bez praznog hoda, dosadnih delova, bez podignutih obrva da je nešto zaista neverovatno.
Majstorski .
December 5, 2008
I always love a good historical novel so I couldn't miss this one. Tim Severin tackles Viking history with an extremely well-researched account of the misadventures of a young Viking boy.
The range of settings is diverse, from Ireland to Iceland, and the battle between emerging Christianity and Paganism is well described. There are also battles of the other variety, although Severin's prose lacks the excitement and sense of immediacy you might find in a book by, say, Bernard Cornwell.
The writer instead focuses on detailed description throughout, building up a sense of the era's society, political values and throwing in plenty of genuine historical figures. The first half is a little slow moving - dare I say boring, even - but once you get into it you'll enjoy it.
I liked VIKING: ODINN'S CHILD, and I'll read the others in the trilogy in time. But for me this is nowhere near as good as Cornwell's 'Saxon Stories', which cover similar territory. Severin lacks the spark of adventure that make Cornwell's stories shine but this is still a good effort.
The range of settings is diverse, from Ireland to Iceland, and the battle between emerging Christianity and Paganism is well described. There are also battles of the other variety, although Severin's prose lacks the excitement and sense of immediacy you might find in a book by, say, Bernard Cornwell.
The writer instead focuses on detailed description throughout, building up a sense of the era's society, political values and throwing in plenty of genuine historical figures. The first half is a little slow moving - dare I say boring, even - but once you get into it you'll enjoy it.
I liked VIKING: ODINN'S CHILD, and I'll read the others in the trilogy in time. But for me this is nowhere near as good as Cornwell's 'Saxon Stories', which cover similar territory. Severin lacks the spark of adventure that make Cornwell's stories shine but this is still a good effort.
January 11, 2022
**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**
Read this book in 2005, and its the 1st volume of the wonderful "Viking" trilogy, from the author, the late Tim Severin.
The story starts off in the year AD 999, and it will tell the tale of Thorgils Leiffson, son of Leif the Lucky and Thorgunna, and his quest for adventure.
Arriving on Greenland and raised by the young foster woman, Gudrid, this same Thorgils is a boy with quicksilver intelligence and he has the second sight, this last inherited from his mother.
Along the way to adulthood he's raised by various mentors to keep believing in the Old Gods and fear the White Christ.
His quest for adventure will sonn begin, and with Odinn's guidance, Thorgils will taken to many dangerous situations and battlefields, and in this maelstrom of Viking warfare the sagas of the Viking world will come very alive.
What is to follow is a very thrilling Viking adventure, in which Thorgils will need luck and prowess to make his Viking inheritance come true as the mighty one, and all this is brought to us by the author in his very entertaining fashion.
Highly recommended, for this is a very astonishing start to this great trilogy, and that's why I like to call this first episode: "A Very Exciting Odinn's Child Begin"!
Read this book in 2005, and its the 1st volume of the wonderful "Viking" trilogy, from the author, the late Tim Severin.
The story starts off in the year AD 999, and it will tell the tale of Thorgils Leiffson, son of Leif the Lucky and Thorgunna, and his quest for adventure.
Arriving on Greenland and raised by the young foster woman, Gudrid, this same Thorgils is a boy with quicksilver intelligence and he has the second sight, this last inherited from his mother.
Along the way to adulthood he's raised by various mentors to keep believing in the Old Gods and fear the White Christ.
His quest for adventure will sonn begin, and with Odinn's guidance, Thorgils will taken to many dangerous situations and battlefields, and in this maelstrom of Viking warfare the sagas of the Viking world will come very alive.
What is to follow is a very thrilling Viking adventure, in which Thorgils will need luck and prowess to make his Viking inheritance come true as the mighty one, and all this is brought to us by the author in his very entertaining fashion.
Highly recommended, for this is a very astonishing start to this great trilogy, and that's why I like to call this first episode: "A Very Exciting Odinn's Child Begin"!
August 16, 2014
“...this might be what Odinn was intending -- that I should be an honest chronicler of the Old Ways and the truth about the far-flung world of the Norsemen.”
Authentic is the word that springs to mind. It’s stitched together from sagas, as he tells us in his author’s note, and from the story set-up, with Odinn the Wanderer, the acquirer of knowledge, as his chosen god and patron, you can see the above is the aim: a universal look at the Norse world. I appreciate how trustworthy he is on the history, and when he uses the genuine saga-stuff as he does, there’s going to be enough tale. It goes from episode to episode, as he travels, which I enjoy – always new things on the horizon.
Want to mention a couple of things:
There’s a large uncanny content. Of our main, Thorgils, Erik the Red's Saga tells, “... there seemed to be something uncanny about him his whole life.” He has to do with seidr (as a true Odinn’s child), and besides that, there’s a lot of fun with things that go bump in the night. In a group this year I read The Saga of Grettir the Strong – luckily, as Grettir features in #2, and I went Grettir-crazy in the saga – and that had as much fetch or ghost activity as Severin includes. So, genuine to the mind of the times, and like I said, fun.
Great women. I’m tempted to attribute these to his faithfulness to the sagas too, since Grettir’s Saga had great women. The majority of Severin’s seem to be large-framed, ‘formidable’ and not necessarily presented as attractive; perhaps he has reason to think Norse women were built on this model (I wouldn’t put it past him to have measured the skeletons); at any rate, they were fully involved in the story in a way that… they aren’t always.
And real. He may not go into great depths with the characters, but I thought them often unusual and not the stock cast; there were several I liked or who interested me.
I look forward to the next, and not only for Grettir.
Authentic is the word that springs to mind. It’s stitched together from sagas, as he tells us in his author’s note, and from the story set-up, with Odinn the Wanderer, the acquirer of knowledge, as his chosen god and patron, you can see the above is the aim: a universal look at the Norse world. I appreciate how trustworthy he is on the history, and when he uses the genuine saga-stuff as he does, there’s going to be enough tale. It goes from episode to episode, as he travels, which I enjoy – always new things on the horizon.
Want to mention a couple of things:
There’s a large uncanny content. Of our main, Thorgils, Erik the Red's Saga tells, “... there seemed to be something uncanny about him his whole life.” He has to do with seidr (as a true Odinn’s child), and besides that, there’s a lot of fun with things that go bump in the night. In a group this year I read The Saga of Grettir the Strong – luckily, as Grettir features in #2, and I went Grettir-crazy in the saga – and that had as much fetch or ghost activity as Severin includes. So, genuine to the mind of the times, and like I said, fun.
Great women. I’m tempted to attribute these to his faithfulness to the sagas too, since Grettir’s Saga had great women. The majority of Severin’s seem to be large-framed, ‘formidable’ and not necessarily presented as attractive; perhaps he has reason to think Norse women were built on this model (I wouldn’t put it past him to have measured the skeletons); at any rate, they were fully involved in the story in a way that… they aren’t always.
And real. He may not go into great depths with the characters, but I thought them often unusual and not the stock cast; there were several I liked or who interested me.
I look forward to the next, and not only for Grettir.
April 5, 2013
Enjoyable read, different from the normal Cornwell, Scarrow, Iggulden et al historical storytelling. Much more of a historical tale of events & travels (told by an old viking as he recounts his life) from Iceland to North America to the Orkneys & then Ireland. Events from this era include the changes in religion from Pagan ideals to those of the "white christ" followers, meeting of the Indians, viking colonisation of the scots Isles as well as viking mercenaries & celtic healers in Ireland. Not your normal historical fiction for some but i'm glad I picked this up & kept with it & will look out for the further 2 books in the series.
November 7, 2016
Τα ιστορικά μυθιστορήματα έχουν συνήθως δύο στόχους: να μας μεταφέρουν το κλίμα άλλων εποχών και παράλληλα να είναι από μόνα τους ελκυστικά αναγνώσματα. Αυτό εδώ το βιβλίο τα καταφέρνει πολύ καλά στο πρώτο σκέλος και αποτυγχάνει πλήρως στο δεύτερο. Είναι φανερό ότι ο συγγραφέας ξέρει τι γράφει για την εποχή των Βίκινγκς και κάποια κύρια γεγονότα που την επηρέασαν, αυτό όμως δεν μπορεί να το εντάξει κατά τη γνώμη μου σε ένα ενδιαφέρον μυθιστόρημα.
May 16, 2018
Aunque me ha gustado en general, se queda solo con tres estrellas por tener un inicio demasiado lento y en el que me costó mucho avanzar.
Sus puntos positivos, pues sobre todo ese punto de vista diferente a lo que es habitual en una novela nórdica, en el que se nos muestran más aspectos cotidianos de la vida de la época. Vamos, que no todos los vikingos andaban guerreando a todas horas. También me ha gustado como aborda el tema de la "lucha" entre los cristianos y los defensores de las viejas costumbres y el gran error que cometieron de dejar entrar a los cristianos, pensando que estos respetarían su fe.
Resumiendo, novela bastante interesante si te gusta la cultura nórdica de la época, y poco recomendable si lo que buscas son vikingos repartiendo mandobles.
Como siempre os dejo un enlace de la reseña más completa que publiqué en el blog:
https://fantasiascifiymuchomas.blogsp...
Sus puntos positivos, pues sobre todo ese punto de vista diferente a lo que es habitual en una novela nórdica, en el que se nos muestran más aspectos cotidianos de la vida de la época. Vamos, que no todos los vikingos andaban guerreando a todas horas. También me ha gustado como aborda el tema de la "lucha" entre los cristianos y los defensores de las viejas costumbres y el gran error que cometieron de dejar entrar a los cristianos, pensando que estos respetarían su fe.
Resumiendo, novela bastante interesante si te gusta la cultura nórdica de la época, y poco recomendable si lo que buscas son vikingos repartiendo mandobles.
Como siempre os dejo un enlace de la reseña más completa que publiqué en el blog:
https://fantasiascifiymuchomas.blogsp...
August 17, 2014
Admittedly I entered into this book with significant expectations. It was Bernard Cornwell with his tales of Uhtred of Bebbanburg that truly sold me on historical fiction so the bar was set pretty high, on top of having heard good things of the author.
What I found however was disappointingly flat and relatively flaccid. While all the obligatory traits are there - first person perspective, flashbacks, sword fights, bloodlust etc - there just seems to be a lack of anything to suck you into actually caring what happens. The whole affair feels like it was written by an academic & scholar rather than an author & tale-weaver and with more attention paid to regurgitation of historical facts than making the reader empathise with any of the characters.
If it's empathy with the protagonists combined with historical intrigue, you'd be much better advised to pick up a Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden or George RR Martin novel than taking the time to read this.
It's not that it's badly written, it's in fact well-written competent fare, it just doesn't grab you by any extremity and leaves you feeling underwhelmed.
What I found however was disappointingly flat and relatively flaccid. While all the obligatory traits are there - first person perspective, flashbacks, sword fights, bloodlust etc - there just seems to be a lack of anything to suck you into actually caring what happens. The whole affair feels like it was written by an academic & scholar rather than an author & tale-weaver and with more attention paid to regurgitation of historical facts than making the reader empathise with any of the characters.
If it's empathy with the protagonists combined with historical intrigue, you'd be much better advised to pick up a Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden or George RR Martin novel than taking the time to read this.
It's not that it's badly written, it's in fact well-written competent fare, it just doesn't grab you by any extremity and leaves you feeling underwhelmed.
March 21, 2008
This book has been thoroughly researched to reflect the old days. The author in fact has written many non-fiction books and has even explored the seas in a medieval leather boat. He has grasped the old ways of Iceland, Vinland, Ireland etc and woven a fantastic tale based on an already existing legend and brings to our humble homes the mighty names of Erik the Red and Leif the Lucky. Definately a good read and a fantastic narrative.
May 8, 2017
This is a story of the world of the vikings, it is told to us through the first person where our narrator is Thorgils Leifsson. Thorgils' journey (and ours) starts in the Orkneys and bit by bit we progress through all the famous Viking sites: Iceland, Greenland, Vinland and Ireland all are visited by this exceptionally well traveled youngster. At times one almost feels like one has been sent on a couch tour of the tenth century.
This is the first work of fiction I have read by this author, in the past it has been his non-fiction re-enactments of historic trips that I have read and I am happy to say that in the important ways this work is as good as the non fiction. That amazingly detailed level of research and subtle understanding of the way people lived in past is brought to enhances the story and made it much easier to immerse myself than I suspected it might.
The start is a bit rough at times, sometimes it read like a work of fiction, at other times it felt like I was reading an Icelandic saga and occasionally it couldn't seem to decide what it was. I found it was a while before the story really found it's pace and cadence. Once it had though, I was hooked.
Speaking of Sagas, at one point in the story it is clearly the Icelandic sagas that were used as research and I just loved how the stories I knew where told here. There was a certain pleasure in re-reading the tales in first person and this interpretation and maybe, slightly modernised telling made the section of the story spent in Iceland quite fascinating.
Also, Severin managed to present the convoluted honour and social system of the Icelandic sagas very well, very non-judgmentally and in a way that makes sense to the modern reader. This is especially impressive since the original tellings often make you want to weep with confusion, they make so little sense.
We also spent some time in what is today Ireland, which also fascinated me. While I know the Viking presence there was huge I actually don't know much of the details of what happened there, nor do I know much of the society from the tenth century so this part was new to me, fascinating and interested even outside the story of Thorgils.
So really, the more I read this book the more I liked it, when I was done I was really sorry that I had not bought the second and third at the same time since I would have been more than happy to go straight on to the next one. I notice I mention the history more that the story or our narrator, well, that really is the point of this book I think, the historical side. There is no romance, and while I find our narrator a believable character he is not an overwhelmingly strong character, he is more of a vessel for the story rather than it's hero. Personally I liked that, there are a lot of heroic Viking heroes out there, it is kind of nice to find one who is now the most amazing warrior in the world. The fact that Thorgils is a devotee of the old gods just as the old gods (as we know) are at the cusp of being chased out of the north by the followers of 'The White Christ' makes for fascinating reading as well.
This is the first work of fiction I have read by this author, in the past it has been his non-fiction re-enactments of historic trips that I have read and I am happy to say that in the important ways this work is as good as the non fiction. That amazingly detailed level of research and subtle understanding of the way people lived in past is brought to enhances the story and made it much easier to immerse myself than I suspected it might.
The start is a bit rough at times, sometimes it read like a work of fiction, at other times it felt like I was reading an Icelandic saga and occasionally it couldn't seem to decide what it was. I found it was a while before the story really found it's pace and cadence. Once it had though, I was hooked.
Speaking of Sagas, at one point in the story it is clearly the Icelandic sagas that were used as research and I just loved how the stories I knew where told here. There was a certain pleasure in re-reading the tales in first person and this interpretation and maybe, slightly modernised telling made the section of the story spent in Iceland quite fascinating.
Also, Severin managed to present the convoluted honour and social system of the Icelandic sagas very well, very non-judgmentally and in a way that makes sense to the modern reader. This is especially impressive since the original tellings often make you want to weep with confusion, they make so little sense.
We also spent some time in what is today Ireland, which also fascinated me. While I know the Viking presence there was huge I actually don't know much of the details of what happened there, nor do I know much of the society from the tenth century so this part was new to me, fascinating and interested even outside the story of Thorgils.
So really, the more I read this book the more I liked it, when I was done I was really sorry that I had not bought the second and third at the same time since I would have been more than happy to go straight on to the next one. I notice I mention the history more that the story or our narrator, well, that really is the point of this book I think, the historical side. There is no romance, and while I find our narrator a believable character he is not an overwhelmingly strong character, he is more of a vessel for the story rather than it's hero. Personally I liked that, there are a lot of heroic Viking heroes out there, it is kind of nice to find one who is now the most amazing warrior in the world. The fact that Thorgils is a devotee of the old gods just as the old gods (as we know) are at the cusp of being chased out of the north by the followers of 'The White Christ' makes for fascinating reading as well.
May 22, 2014
A very well written book filled with references to actual people and places that existed during the time, something that was reitterated after I watched a documentary on the Icelandic sagas which it turns out this is loosely based on. I enjoyed the references to the way the vikings might have lived and their beliefs but I would have enjoyed a little more combat. Perhaps there will be more in the following books. :)
July 29, 2010
Really good book, thoroughly enjoyed it. Well researched and well written. Looking forward to picking up the others in the series.
December 6, 2024
Quando ho visto questo libro in un mercatino, l’ho preso subito, ispirata forse dai ricordi di un vecchio corso universitario di Islandese antico che mi aveva affascinato molto con la sua lingua e le sue saghe. Infatti il libro racconta la storia di Thorgils, figlio di Leif il Fortunato, nipote di Erik il Rosso, il più famoso eroe delle saghe scandinave. Thorgils ha origini islandesi da parte di padre, irlandesi da parte di madre e nasce nel 999 in Scozia, in un’oscura isola delle Orcadi.
Il libro si rivela subito una fonte preziosa di informazioni sulla storia dei paesi scandinavi dell’epoca: Islanda, Groenlandia, Vinland in quella che sarà chiamata America del Nord, per arrivare fino a Irlanda e Scozia. Attraverso le vicende di Thorgils, riviviamo usi e costumi dei vichinghi, i loro viaggi, le loro scorrerie, le loro leggi. Facciamo conoscenza con i paesi fin dove arrivarono e coi popoli sconosciuti che incontrarono, per primi gli Skraling, nome dato dai vichinghi alle popolazioni inuit incontrate in Nord America (attuale Canada). E’ un periodo cupo, vissuto in terre aspre e difficili. Thorgils è un ragazzo particolare, perché ha ereditato dalla madre il dono della seconda vista, il potere di vedere cosa accadrà e questo condizionerà la sua vita. In un’epoca in cui la religione del Cristo Bianco come la chiamavano i vichinghi, il cristianesimo, si sta facendo strada nel Nord Europa, Thorgils rimane un seguace delle Antiche Abitudini e degli antichi dei. Odino, il dio dai molti appellativi, sarà la sua guida e nel corso della sua vita incontrerà vari maestri che lo istruiranno nella sua formazione. Non mancherà anche un periodo trascorso in un monastero irlandese, dove inizierà la sua formazione come novizio. Ma il richiamo dell’antica religione è troppo forte.
La saga di Thorgils è qui al primo volume e, come ho scoperto poi, si compone di altri due volumi dove le sue avventure continueranno ancora più lontano.
Degna di nota è la formazione dell’autore, Tim Severin: esploratore, professore, regista e scrittore, per anni ha ricreato spedizioni leggendarie, sulle orme dei più grandi viaggiatori, dal monaco benedettino del VI°secolo San Brendan, a Sindbad il marinaio, fino ai nomadi di Gengis Khan.
Il libro si rivela subito una fonte preziosa di informazioni sulla storia dei paesi scandinavi dell’epoca: Islanda, Groenlandia, Vinland in quella che sarà chiamata America del Nord, per arrivare fino a Irlanda e Scozia. Attraverso le vicende di Thorgils, riviviamo usi e costumi dei vichinghi, i loro viaggi, le loro scorrerie, le loro leggi. Facciamo conoscenza con i paesi fin dove arrivarono e coi popoli sconosciuti che incontrarono, per primi gli Skraling, nome dato dai vichinghi alle popolazioni inuit incontrate in Nord America (attuale Canada). E’ un periodo cupo, vissuto in terre aspre e difficili. Thorgils è un ragazzo particolare, perché ha ereditato dalla madre il dono della seconda vista, il potere di vedere cosa accadrà e questo condizionerà la sua vita. In un’epoca in cui la religione del Cristo Bianco come la chiamavano i vichinghi, il cristianesimo, si sta facendo strada nel Nord Europa, Thorgils rimane un seguace delle Antiche Abitudini e degli antichi dei. Odino, il dio dai molti appellativi, sarà la sua guida e nel corso della sua vita incontrerà vari maestri che lo istruiranno nella sua formazione. Non mancherà anche un periodo trascorso in un monastero irlandese, dove inizierà la sua formazione come novizio. Ma il richiamo dell’antica religione è troppo forte.
La saga di Thorgils è qui al primo volume e, come ho scoperto poi, si compone di altri due volumi dove le sue avventure continueranno ancora più lontano.
Degna di nota è la formazione dell’autore, Tim Severin: esploratore, professore, regista e scrittore, per anni ha ricreato spedizioni leggendarie, sulle orme dei più grandi viaggiatori, dal monaco benedettino del VI°secolo San Brendan, a Sindbad il marinaio, fino ai nomadi di Gengis Khan.
September 28, 2012
Not much to say about Odinn's Child by Tim Severin. Having owned the trilogy (this being #1) for over three years I gave it a fair crack of the whip and got to page 280 before chucking it in. More like a fantasy than a historical fiction, and more like a saga than a Viking historical fiction story, the lack of dialogue and character development made for some hard going. In fact, so absent was dialogue, that it was not unusual to go 5 pages without any, then to have a few lines, then 5 more pages devoid of dialogue to follow. Opening the book, I can instantly find a place where I have counted 7 pages of solid, block writing with not a scrap of dialogue.
The reader is being told what the characters are saying and their interactions are being described to us from a distance. The author should be allowing the characters to say it for themselves and we should be included in the interaction, as a bystander would be.
I felt alienated from the characters and after pushing myself to approx page 280 I simply got worn down. The mental energy required to read a book like this was energy I would rather spend elsewhere.
The reader is being told what the characters are saying and their interactions are being described to us from a distance. The author should be allowing the characters to say it for themselves and we should be included in the interaction, as a bystander would be.
I felt alienated from the characters and after pushing myself to approx page 280 I simply got worn down. The mental energy required to read a book like this was energy I would rather spend elsewhere.
November 3, 2011
10/25/11 - I just started reading this today and I am already engulfed. The writing style is a bit more involving as it reflects the era for which the subject matter is based upon. I'm loving it and I'm excited to see where it leads.
11/2/11 - This book took me quite a bit to read, but I did enjoy the tale. I was beside myself at time with the verbage, having to get my historical dictionary out and refer to it in order to better understand and paint a clearer picture. This was definitely not a 'lite' read. But a good book indeed.
11/2/11 - This book took me quite a bit to read, but I did enjoy the tale. I was beside myself at time with the verbage, having to get my historical dictionary out and refer to it in order to better understand and paint a clearer picture. This was definitely not a 'lite' read. But a good book indeed.
October 20, 2012
A gripping story which tackles and explains Norse culture and the ever debatable and touchy subject of religion. Told through the eyes of a young boy who's geared towards literature and saga telling rather than the usual vikingr or warrior, and who's life is intertwined with such legendary and familiar names like Eiríkr rauði,Leifr Eiríksson, Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir and many more. A good respite from the usual stories told from a warriors point of view.
May 31, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and am enjoying the second one. I love his writing style - it really carried me along through the story. I also really appreciate his historical accuracy as well. The Viking time period is one of my favourite ones and I hate when books and tv shows don't get the details right. Tim Severin did an awesome job with the details while telling a very compelling story. Highly recommend this book!
January 19, 2015
This was the first of Tim Severin's fiction books I have read, having read several of his excellent non fiction books. As expected it comes across as very well researched, and historically correct, and perhaps lacks a bit of drama and embellishment expected of a viking novel.
Still a captivating read, and I expect I will carry on with the second and third parts, which appear really required to complete the story - it really read like the first part of a story.
Still a captivating read, and I expect I will carry on with the second and third parts, which appear really required to complete the story - it really read like the first part of a story.
December 30, 2023
2.5 stars
I went with 3 because I did like the overall writing style, the historical backdrop and I did manage to finish it.
This was sort of like Forrest Gump (the movie) meets Vikings. We had a main character that got tossed around all over the place and by seemingly sheer coincidence (or Odinn's will) meets all sorts of historical figures and is present at and witness to a plethora of important historical events.
Unfortunately, that's also all this is, a long concatenation of anecdotes from the Viking Sagas that ultimately have little to do with one another save for the fact that Thorgils constantly stumbles upon them. He had no character nor character development and he was the only character that stayed with us through the entire story. Indeed it was very rare to see any one character feature in more than one anecdote.
Perhaps if I were more familiar with the Icelandic and Greenland sagas, I might have been more excited recognising people, places and events, as it was, I recognised a few names such as Leif Erikson and Brian Boruma, but not enough to really keep me going. As it is written, I don't see the added value as presenting this as a fiction. I feel like I would have been better off just reading a non-fiction about the Icelandic Sagas.
The research is well done and the writing isn't bad, I can see why some people might enjoy it, but for me it ends here. Would not really recommend except if you're really into and very knowledgeable already of, Vikings.
I went with 3 because I did like the overall writing style, the historical backdrop and I did manage to finish it.
This was sort of like Forrest Gump (the movie) meets Vikings. We had a main character that got tossed around all over the place and by seemingly sheer coincidence (or Odinn's will) meets all sorts of historical figures and is present at and witness to a plethora of important historical events.
Unfortunately, that's also all this is, a long concatenation of anecdotes from the Viking Sagas that ultimately have little to do with one another save for the fact that Thorgils constantly stumbles upon them. He had no character nor character development and he was the only character that stayed with us through the entire story. Indeed it was very rare to see any one character feature in more than one anecdote.
Perhaps if I were more familiar with the Icelandic and Greenland sagas, I might have been more excited recognising people, places and events, as it was, I recognised a few names such as Leif Erikson and Brian Boruma, but not enough to really keep me going. As it is written, I don't see the added value as presenting this as a fiction. I feel like I would have been better off just reading a non-fiction about the Icelandic Sagas.
The research is well done and the writing isn't bad, I can see why some people might enjoy it, but for me it ends here. Would not really recommend except if you're really into and very knowledgeable already of, Vikings.
November 1, 2020
A very well written book which Severin clearly researched thoroughly. The Viking world he created was incredibly realistic. However, the book was very slow and quite boring. I don't think I'll be reading any of the other books in the series.
April 24, 2020
I went into this one with high hopes and, to be honest, those hopes were not met by the content of the book. Maybe I have been spoiled by such Viking novels as the Rise of Sigurd trilogy by Giles Kristian, or practically any author that has a dynamic writing style. Who knows? All I do know is that Tim Severin writes fiction as though he is writing non-fiction. Ponderous, yet interesting, non-fiction.
The pace of the novel is very slow. Painfully so in some cases and, even when the exciting stuff happens, he still manages to write at such a pace that it doesn't feel overly exciting. A battle in this novel feels like a re-telling of something someone saw at a distance rather than up close.
He does get a lot of the grim, gritty aspects of Norse life down very well and, as a whole, this novel focuses more on people than the tale being told. You learn a lot about day to day life, politics, vast amounts of background of any sort of craftsman or institution that Thorgils comes into contact with etc …
It should be boring and it should make you want to stop and just not bother finishing the book. But it doesn't. This will most certainly not be remembered as my favourite read, but it was an enjoyable and, more aptly, an interesting read. As I mentioned earlier, it reads very much like documented historical evidence of one man's life but it's not as dull as dish water for it. It is strangely appealing and, according to my father (who has read the whole trilogy) 'The first one is a bit hit or miss but the next two are sh*t hot'. So I'll certainly carry on with the trilogy at some point.
My main issue with the book is its writing style. It's fairly bland, frills and artistic, beautifully-written prose are things that happen to other characters, and written by other authors apparently, but the book still has its charms despite that.
My advice to anyone wanting to pick it up is that you should, but you should not go into it like I did; expecting some high-octane, fast-paced romp of a Viking trilogy. Go into it expecting a slow burn, almost travelogue-style stroll through the Nordic world at the turn of the first millennium.
The pace of the novel is very slow. Painfully so in some cases and, even when the exciting stuff happens, he still manages to write at such a pace that it doesn't feel overly exciting. A battle in this novel feels like a re-telling of something someone saw at a distance rather than up close.
He does get a lot of the grim, gritty aspects of Norse life down very well and, as a whole, this novel focuses more on people than the tale being told. You learn a lot about day to day life, politics, vast amounts of background of any sort of craftsman or institution that Thorgils comes into contact with etc …
It should be boring and it should make you want to stop and just not bother finishing the book. But it doesn't. This will most certainly not be remembered as my favourite read, but it was an enjoyable and, more aptly, an interesting read. As I mentioned earlier, it reads very much like documented historical evidence of one man's life but it's not as dull as dish water for it. It is strangely appealing and, according to my father (who has read the whole trilogy) 'The first one is a bit hit or miss but the next two are sh*t hot'. So I'll certainly carry on with the trilogy at some point.
My main issue with the book is its writing style. It's fairly bland, frills and artistic, beautifully-written prose are things that happen to other characters, and written by other authors apparently, but the book still has its charms despite that.
My advice to anyone wanting to pick it up is that you should, but you should not go into it like I did; expecting some high-octane, fast-paced romp of a Viking trilogy. Go into it expecting a slow burn, almost travelogue-style stroll through the Nordic world at the turn of the first millennium.
May 18, 2015
SUMMARY:
Our story begins in the year 1001 and the toddler, Thorgils Leiffson, son of Leif the Lucky and Thorgunna, arrives on the shores of Brattahlid in Greenland to be brought up in the fostercare of a young woman - Gudrid. Thorgils is a rootless character of quicksilver intelligence and adaptability. He has inherited his mother's ability of second sight and his destiny lies beyond the imagination of those around him. Virtually orphaned, he is raised by various mentors, who teach him the ancient ways and warn him of the invasion of the 'White Christ' into the land of the 'Old Gods'. Thorgils is guided by a restless quest for adventure and the wanderlust of his favoured god, Odinn. His fortunes take him into many dangerous situations as well as to the brink of death by execution, in battle, disease and shipwreck'Ś Packed with wonderfully reimagined Viking sagas and adventures, and fascinating and unique characters, VIKING - Odinn's Child gives historical novel writing a new dimension.
February 22, 2013
In Odinn’s Child by Tim Severin, the old norseman Thorgils tells the long tale of his life. The story begins with Thorgils birth, and follows him to many strange places, including the famed Vinland.
It was difficult for me to enjoy this book at first. The story seemed to move very slowly, without any apparent central plot. This changed when I realized that the book does not really tell a single tale, but many of them, with only the thin connection of the storyteller. And in these episodes of the life of Thorgils, Tim Severin artfully includes a lot of historical information about the time and cultures.
If you are looking for a strong adventure or action novel, Odinn’s Child will leave you disappointed. But if you enjoy a historical novel in a very verbatim sense of the word, written in the tradition of norse sagas, you have found your book and series.
It was difficult for me to enjoy this book at first. The story seemed to move very slowly, without any apparent central plot. This changed when I realized that the book does not really tell a single tale, but many of them, with only the thin connection of the storyteller. And in these episodes of the life of Thorgils, Tim Severin artfully includes a lot of historical information about the time and cultures.
If you are looking for a strong adventure or action novel, Odinn’s Child will leave you disappointed. But if you enjoy a historical novel in a very verbatim sense of the word, written in the tradition of norse sagas, you have found your book and series.
February 8, 2017
The viking theme was cool and the skraeling part was interesting but most of it was soooo boring. The main character never does anything and keeps meeting new people so all the stuff that happens just happens to minor characters that you don't care about. Even the the battles were boring, the main character just stood at the back and watched and didn't seem to care too much about who won.
March 12, 2013
I love this series!
November 30, 2020
Unfortunately, this one did not get the balance between research/details and narrative/action correct, and to some extent it felt as though it was leaning far too hard into the other and forgetting that it was supposed to be fiction. As a result it was rather dry, slow-paced and just didn’t hold my attention. Added onto a lack of character development and interaction – especially dialogue – and it was hard to grasp hold of any of them, let alone be invested in them or the narrative and it felt very much like a ‘telling’ – which can work when used well, but which fell flat in this case.
This one had potential but didn’t quite live up to it, and I won’t be reading anymore from this series.
This one had potential but didn’t quite live up to it, and I won’t be reading anymore from this series.
August 12, 2021
Una forma realista y distinta de conocer la vida de los vikingos en sus últimos días.
La manera en que el narrador se ve arrastrado a los momentos y lugares más importantes, pero siempre de forma involuntaria y sin ningún tipo de protagonismo heroico me ha encantado. Es un modo muy original de contar los hechos históricos "desde dentro" sin que el protagonista tenga que cargar con toda la responsabilidad. Hace que todo sea mucho más humano y creíble.
La manera en que el narrador se ve arrastrado a los momentos y lugares más importantes, pero siempre de forma involuntaria y sin ningún tipo de protagonismo heroico me ha encantado. Es un modo muy original de contar los hechos históricos "desde dentro" sin que el protagonista tenga que cargar con toda la responsabilidad. Hace que todo sea mucho más humano y creíble.
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