Plot Summary and Review for Swords of Good Men Kristjansson

The Swords of Good Men

"For Ulfar Thormodsson, the Viking boondocks of Stenvik is the final stop on a 2-twelvemonth-long journey before he goes home.

But for other, larger powers, Stenvik is about to become the meeting ground in a great war: one that volition see a disharmonism of the former gods versus the new White Christ. I that will come across blood launder the state.

Every bit Ulfar becomes ever-more than involved in the politics of the town, and prepares to meet these armies in a battle for Stenvik's liberty, he Is near to acquire that non all his enemies stand up outside the walls."

This is a rollicking yarn about Vikings and their mythology. An historical tale where the battle scenes are fierce, frenzied, frightful (beloved a bit of alliteration, me) with often unforeseen outcomes. If you like heroic fantasy gear up in Earth's Nordic past, and so this book is for y'all.

The story begins with two young sons of Jarls from somewhere in Scandinavia – the above mentioned Ulfar, a womaniser, and his less worldly cousin, Geiri – who are travelling together to Stenvik, a coastal town to create trade connections.

I'd just similar to mention that Kristjansson's set building is fantabulous, as I 'saw' Stenvik every bit well as I did Hedeby in the series Vikings. It is filled with characters who have secrets, nighttime pasts, complicated relationships, i.e., fully rounded and believable. I apace came to know and intendance nearly the inhabitants, visitors, and prospective attackers of, Stenvik. Audun – a blacksmith of heroic strength. Harald, Stenvik's first warrior – an phenomenal fighter and brutal wife-beater. Valgard – a healer with one hell of a undercover calendar.

There is one truthful Viking historical figure, Olav Tryggvason, King of Norway, who converted his people to the Christian organized religion, whether they wanted to or non. This king is marching toward Stenvik, forcibly converting villages and towns to the 'faith' and taking a tithe of fighting men from each.

I mentioned the prospective attackers of Stenvik. These are the notorious and dreaded Viking raider leaders and their crews, coming together under i man Skargrim, who ends up leading a vast army – for the times – of around a thou men and women. The driving strength behind this army is Skuld, a völva (Scandinavian witch), fighting for her Norse gods confronting the Christian incursion and from her come the elements of magic which place the volume firmly into the fantasy genre.

"'Come to me.' The voice was a whisper, a breeze on a freezing winter's night, drifting in from the stern. A woman followed the voice, and walked to the mast. The big human walked to her and suddenly everything was quiet effectually them. 'Here,' she whispered. 'Have this.' She handed him a length of wood.

As he took information technology, she touched his disguised cheek and smiled. 'Burn them. Burn them as they want to fire us.'

The spar of wood burst into green and white flames, revealing 3 vicious scars on the big homo's neck.

Screams and cries for aid pierced the stillness. He jumped over the side of the ship and ran towards the firm with the cantankerous."

The pace speeds equally the story progresses and culminates in a huge bloody, gore and expiry-filled, almost endless battle. With many inventive and heady ways of attacking and defending the town explored.

With all these narrative threads and fast, brusk, betoken-of-view alter chapters, the book is circuitous, yet it remains a very good read. Plenty of drama, tension, plot twists, and a surprise ending, which will have you lot in a fever of anticipation for the next book.

It covers the disharmonize of faiths, which happened to the Vikings on epic scale under King Olav, and for a lot people giving upwards the Norse Gods meant an end to the world they knew, one they had all lived in for centuries. And so, if you like historical fiction with a healthy touch of magic, great encarmine battles, and larger than life characters, then read this volume.

As an addendum, I would have liked to have more of the story taken upward past the female characters. At that place were just niggling snippets from Lilia, Harald's married woman, and Skuld. Personally, I'd love a affiliate from Thora's perspective. She'southward 1 of Skargrim's notorious raider leaders. What a woman:

"'ROW, ROW, ROW, Yous STINKING, SNIVELLING, SHIT BABIES! ROW! Come up ON!' Thora screamed at the men, who smiled through gritted teeth."

I'm looking forward to reading book two of The Valhalla Saga.

All the all-time to you all

R B Watkinson

stinsonyethe1954.blogspot.com

Source: https://rbwatkinson.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/swords-of-good-men-a-review/

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