| Title | : | God of Vengeance (The Rise of Sigurd, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0593066189 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780593066188 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 |
| Publication | : | First published April 10, 2014 |
When King Gorm betrays Jarl Harald and puts his family to the sword, he makes a terrible mistake. He fails to kill Harald's youngest son, Sigurd. Hunted by powerful men and hiding in a sacred fen, Sigurd believes the gods have turned their backs on his family. His kin are dead or captured. His village is attacked and its people taken as slaves. Honour is lost. Yet all men know that Ódin, whose name means frenzy, is drawn to chaos and bloodshed as a raven is to the slaughtered dead - and Sigurd means to spill blood.
Alone but for a small band of loyal men including his red-bearded friend Svein, his father's right-hand man Olaf, and Asgot the godi, Sigurd hungers to avenge the murder of his family. In an attempt to catch Ódin's eye, the young man sacrifices himself - as the god once did - and it is during this ritual ordeal that Sigurd is shown a vision. The Wolf. The Bear. The Serpent. The Eagle. Sigurd will need all these and more if he is to become a man whom others will follow...and if he is to make kings pay in blood for their treachery.
But the gods have spoken and Sigurd's quest begins. Using cunning and war-craft he must gather the fiercest warriors of the north - warriors such as Bram who men call Bear, Black Floki who is death with a blade, and the shield Maiden Valgerd, who brave men fear - and convince them to follow him. For whether or not Ódin is with him, Sigurd will have his vengeance and neither men nor the gods can stand in his way...
Be assured that when the blood is flowing, the gods are watching...
God of Vengeance (The Rise of Sigurd, #1) Reviews
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*4.5 Stars*
Breathtaking, quite simply,breathtaking! Prepare to have your 'awe' well and truly struck by this amazing Viking saga.
Sigurd's quest to avenge his family's slaughter is relentless, brutal, bloody, but utterly mesmerising. There's no let up in the action, and you barely have time to draw breath before the next event knocks you sideways. This is a glorious, passionate Viking saga that will have you rooting for Sigurd and his warriors. It has to be said that the violence is horrific but Giles Kristian is a GREAT storyteller who had me hanging on his every word. Terrific read! -
*Re-read - watching the trailer for THE NORTHMAN put me in the right kinda mood for this and boy have I missed reading Kristian's work.
Check out my review for God of Vengeance by Giles Kristian on Grimdark Magazine here:
Grimdark Magazine
***
My 30th review on Goodreads... 'tis an omen it is about a viking adventure.
***
God of Vengeance is indeed a tale of vengeance, one that is as bloody and brutal as an evening in Valhalla. This is the first of 3 tales in the saga of Sigurd (The Rise of Sigurd) and I’m fairly certain if I had a beard as long as Olaf it would be been well and truly blown off!
“Let the enemy see the sword in my hand, but not the long dagger which I keep behind the back”
For those of you who have read Giles Kristian’s Raven trilogy you will know exactly who Sigurd, our main POV is. God of Vengeance is a prequel to the Raven tales and goes into the backstory of the lord of the crew of Fjord-Elk and his rise to becoming a formidable jarl. As I had read Raven’s saga prior to beginning this trilogy I really loved meeting some old friends and seeing their character’s when they were young(er) and it really added to the story for me. I can imagine reading this trilogy before the Raven books will only enhance that experience as well.
“A warrior must learn to be patient, just like he must to learn to wield a sword and a shield”
God of Vengeance is the story of Sigurd on the war-path to kill a jarl and a king who betrayed his father, Harald. The pacing here is superb, non-stop action and tense moments that merged into the next shield-wall to the next ship-battle to the next gory lopping off of heads and arms. I loved it. As a massive fan of viking age combat I relished these scenes, feeling that Giles’ battle scenes have improved even more since the Raven trilogy. Tighter and bloodier fights that were all the more exhilarating. There are also some of the best duels I have read in a long time. If you are a fan of battles, small or large, on land or at sea, then here is a book for you.
“Sword and shield, flesh and bone, I am your man, Sigurd Haraldarson. As long as the sun shines and the world endures, henceforth and for evermore.”
The characters are brilliantly crafted. Norseman down to the broach on their cloaks, down to the bronze arm-rings. There are viking sayings, similes, metaphors, reflections upon mythology and their geography - everywhere. It is seeping in history and authenticity, the language adding to every scene. The band of friends Sigurd has about him are hilarious, intense, being fiercely loyal to their young lord to then bantering him and others. Their relationships are real and tangible, written perfectly.
The story felt very Bernard Cornwell-esque, which is as high a compliment as I can give. Whilst being an overarching plot there was also room to finish threads and have a whole story inside one book here. There are no lulls in the story-telling where I switched off, only moments of respite and the development of relationships between a band of outlaws.
“Your father is not bothered with the weight of silver, but the weight of meaning. No one wants to be under other's boot, not even the king's.”
5/5 - God of Vengeance is a superior viking-age tale that takes us along the weave of Sigurd, a young man heartbroken who seeks his vengeance. It is gory, brutal, hilarious and full of nordic flavour. Not to mention it’s bloody brilliant. Raise your mead-horn to a master of viking sagas, and enjoy the ride on this formidable drakkar of a story. -
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out -
The Brothers Gwynne
“It is wiser to stand in front of the bear than to turn his back to him.”
After reading Giles Kristian’s Raven trilogy and then Lancelot and Camelot, I was certain that this would be a 5-star read. I was not disappointed.
God of Vengeance is book one of The Rise of Sigurd, Giles Kristian’s prequel trilogy to Raven. This is the beginning of an epic Viking saga tale about Sigurd, who begins as a young man. A fantastic story that was great to listen to on Audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Philip Stevens.
Sigurd is the younger son of Jarl Harold, an inexperienced warrior who yearns to prove himself to both his father and brothers. But, unbeknown to him, he will receive more opportunities to become a warrior than even he would like. This is a tale of a pursuit of vengeance, where Sigurd with a small band of allies fights to survive, with the goal to one day get revenge on King Gorm, the Oathbreaker, who betrayed and killed Sigurd’s father and brothers.
“As with all the stories, there's always smoke before the fire kindles.”
As always, Giles Kristian’s prose shines through in the narration by Philip Stevens. I would say that the pacing of this story was perfect, with the fantastic blend of characterisation, action and intrigue for my tastes. This is somehow made even better by the fantastic reading by Philip Stevens, who has a voice that completely immerses you into Kristian’s gritty, authentic, dangerous world.
One of the strongest aspects of God of Vengeance is the characters. From Sigurd himself, to the bloodthirsty priest Asgot, to the steadfast Olaf and the frenzied Black Floki. In this, Kristian again forms a band of warriors, each with their own distinguishable characteristics that makes them all unique. He forms the tone and atmosphere of such a band brilliantly, showing the tensions between each other but equally the camaraderie they forge through the blood of their enemies.
Part of what creates such an immersive experience is how Giles Kristian makes sure to omit modern sayings, and instead adopts seemingly authentic Norse figures of speech. Combined with the historical detail, this immersed me into the beginning of this tale of the rise of Sigurd.
“Even the old hounds can bite.”
Overall, God of Vengeance is a great first instalment in The Rise of Sigurd trilogy. The plot, prose, narration and everything else blend together to craft a fantastic experience. Whilst The Rise of Sigurd is a prequel to the Raven series, you can begin with this.
5/5 STARS -
My rating 4.7
The book “God of Vengeance (The Rise of Sigurd # 1)” by Giles Kristian is a great novel about Vikings in which we follow the story of Sigurd and his struggle against a superior enemy. The plot of the book takes place in Norway in the year 785. At that time life was worth less than a speck of dust, death lurked at every turn like a thief. Cruel nature also gave birth to uncompromising Viking warriors who valued only courage and honor. In that cruel world, scams, intrigues, and betrayals were normal things. Robberies brought prestige and wealth, Sages were sung about these victories, but many Jarls always wanted more silver, gold, and slaves to exist more powerfully. Wealth meant more warriors, but also more hostile Jarls with whom the kings played their games. To every king, the mighty Jar posed a problem because he could threaten his throne. The book is as brutal as the time the story takes place, and if you don’t like blood, limb tearing, and unscrupulous killings in warrior campaigns and battles, don’t read it because there’s a lot of violence in it. Unfortunately, our past is full of violence, and in some places on our planet, that violence still exists.
Now a little about the story: Sigurd is the son of Jarl Harald, but soon almost his entire family is killed by the treacherous King Gorm, and he escapes the massacre an ambush set by the king's men. The only thing left for him to do is to take revenge on the treacherous king and Jarl Randver, who united with him against his father. With only a few surviving warriors, he embarks on an impossible mission to realize his plan.
I would recommend the book to fans of historical novels about the Vikings, and I’m sure they’ll enjoy a great story. -
A decent story of revenge, if a bit slow and lacking in emotional depth.
This is a prequel to the Raven series. I didn’t even remember owning book one and passing it on to my father, which should tell you how I felt about that one. Secondly, I wouldn’t listen to author comparisons because you may be disappointed. If you go into this book expecting a unique style of writing you will enjoy it much more.
I'll be reading the sequel since I do like the time period, and there are a few characters I hope to get to know better. -
4.5-stars.
This was the sort of Viking tale that a lot of people will find very readable. It does have what I would describe as a very familiar beginning. You will have seen this sort of thing in TV dramatizations where a young boy/girl are shown learning various skills in the opening scenes with their peers around them. Then, soon after they are seen as young adults with the potential to become something great. If it hasn't already then I could easily see this becoming a TV series.
This tale is about Sigurd, a young Viking whose life is about to take a dramatic change of course. I won't say too much as I think people will want to find out for themselves.
There is a lot of violence and strong language in this book, and a great deal of flatulence related curses too, lol. There are also one or two animal sacrifices so those of a genteel nature might wish to skim those parts.
This was a really good story and I look forward to reading the other two books in the trilogy when I can get hold of them.
Thanks for reading. -
Great pacing, thrilling action and brilliant characters.
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While this book is not exactly up to Bernard Cornwell's standard of writing historical fiction or shield wall drama, this first installment of the viking saga of Sigurd has all the necessary ingredients for a great story. A great tale and a good build up to book 2 and 3 as Sigurd is only into his first beard and there is plenty more to come!
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Read this book in 2014, and its the 1st volume of the "Rise of Sigurd" trilogy, by the author, Giles Kristian.
Norway, the year is AD 785, and it begins with the betrayal of King Gorm towards his Lord, Jarl Harald and his family, by slaughtering them, but forgetting the youngest son, Sigurd.
Kin slain, lost and on his own, honour gone, yet he has a small band of followers who are pledging their loyalty to Sigurd.
In this small band of men are, Olaf, Sigurd's father right hand man, Bram, who people call Bear, Black Floki, who wield death with a blade, and the shield maiden, Valgerd, who fears no man, and they will be convinced by Sigurd to follow as their new leader.
With the hope to catch the All-Father's eye, Sigurd will endure a ritual ordeal and shown a vision, in which a wolf, bear, serpent and eagle will come to him.
Odin, whose name means frenzy, and is known for chaos and bloodshed, and just raven is to slaughter, Sigurd and his band of men will set on a journey to pay the King for his treachery.
What will follow is a tremendous Viking story in which Odin is revered by Sigurd, but whether the Viking God is with or without Sigurd, he will do everything to get his revenge, and all this is brought to us in a most authentic Viking fashion by the author.
Highly recommended, for this is a most impressive first episode of this amazing Viking trilogy, and that's why I like to call this book: "A Glorious Viking Sigurd Opener"! -
I could have sworn, after I began this book, that I wasn't going to like it. It was written very well, which is what I always expect from this author, as he has only gotten better and better with each book he releases. The scene setting was excellent, also what I expect from this author as this Scandinavian culture is close to his heart - being directly descended from it.
However, for some reason I could not connect with what was going on. For more than 100 pages I was bored and often tempted to skip pages. I simply could not connect or feign interest in what was going on, despite its rich action sequences.
Boring is an odd thing to say seeing as the beginning of this book finds you knees deep in a long and elaborate battle scene that must have exhausted the author to even write it. Such was the indepth and intelligent way it was woven. So much going on in a vast master plan.
I was just starting to think that it was purely a matter of compatibility (which was the case with a series the author once did that was set during the English Civil War) when, yes, it sneaked up on me.
Crept up on me from behind it did. Without any real up change in pace, or abrupt turn about face.
When I thought about it at the time, trying to work out why I was suddenly feeling so differently about the book, I actually worked out what my issue had been. The story had developed too quickly too soon for me in those early stages. Many people won't have this same problem, because that is how it goes. We all read differently. Different brains. Different visualisation. Different approaches to fantasy.
My early reading of the book had me involved in established relationships and a highly complicated battle scene before I'd even learned who the characters were (under the surface) or had any investment in their lives whatsoever. That's all it was in the end. I did not care who lived or died in the first 150 pages or so. Had no interest, as I had not really been introduced to them. I had been thrown into their shieldwall before we'd even exchanged pleasantries. I felt no comradeship and no loyalty to either side.
Character relationships, while dealt with a little in the opening pages, were actually shaped post battle, not pre. I was ice cold about what was going on.
This was too poignant a battle to be caught napping. It was absolutely critical to the plot of the entire book. Of the whole series. So, if you find yourself in the same predicament, keep on. You need to.
And now my attitude changes towards the thing. I kept on. Knew I needed to. Then, to my great relief, when I did know them...I was in love. With the story, the characters. Truly. What a book. I could hardly believe I'd gone from ice cold to utter infatuation.
It has been a while since a group of characters has gotten under my skin this much, but it was bound to happen. Vikings combined with journey adventure. Two of my loves. As long as Giles Kristian wrote well and captured the 'road trip' vibe that I like, then I was bound to be on board.
The characters, thankfully, ended up being rich and colourful. Their story involving and fascinating.
Their Saga became all I cared about until the very last page.
Sigurd turned out to be quite the charismatic chap. I am a huge fan. A man who can lead others into war, no doubt. The female character was perfect. Not helpless and emotional. Gack, thank goodness for that. A great Shieldmaiden she was. Thank you Giles Kristian for the girl power.
Really, every character was very well drawn, but my favourite character would have to be Black Floki...of course.
I think this might be a common experience for readers as I see that the author might be working on a graphic novel about Black Floki, with the early illustrations by his accomplice looking very promising. I don't imagine Giles would go to such lengths unless he was getting feedback that his readers were feeling the same way about Black Floki as he does.
God of Vengeance is a great find and it rates highly on cool factor.
I went ahead and bought the next few books in the series and am excited to read them.
I'm going to ignore my early hiccup with the book and give it 5 stars out of 5 -
How glad was I to hear that Giles Kristian was to return to the Vikings! God of Vengeance, a prequel to his fabulous Raven trilogy, is utterly immersive. Everything about it - its rich language, stunning landscapes, its mythology, as well as its men and women, warriors, mothers, priests and kings - oozes Viking. Sigurd's quest for vengeance is so exciting, brutal, bloody and driven. Without doubt, this is the historical novel to beat this year. The whole thing is such a brilliant read.
-
Rating: 3 stars
I'm confused as to the cussing. It's set in 785 A.D. so the f word etc. would not be used, right? I get maybe it's because the author wanted the force of modern curse words and old Norse ones not have same power nowadays obviously, but it was still jarring. Kind of because of this is the tonal problems. One page there's lots of bloody deaths, pretty explicitly describe, and the next there's heaps of jokes with a bunch of f-bombs and my mind was kind of like ?? Anyway, it was a pretty good book, but I'm not sure if I want to continue; I'll see. To be honest, it was kind of forgettable so it may be completely wiped from my mind by next month. Oops. -
Two words: MUST READ. Also BLOODY BRILLIANT and VIKING GOLD even BUY NOW.
Simply Viking fiction in PEAK PRIME condition.
It is dark, it is dirty and yes there is blood. But oh the GLORY and the PASSION and the GUT-GRIPPING storytelling talent will make you enjoy every chapter, paragraph, sentence and individual words. There are some BEAUTIFUL phrases, kennings and images throughout this book.
The vikings were expert sword-smiths and wrote sagas in silver and blood.
Giles Kristian is a word-smith that has the skaldic powers of all his norwegian ancestors.
The Old Gods notice Sigurd in his bold and dazzling quest for revenge and justice. Their laughter cut short as Sigurd conquers each new challenge set before him.
The Old Gods will have been awakened by the joy from readers discovering the sword-Norse through such modern sagas. I fear Giles may make Bragi, the god of stories old and new jealous but I am sure Odin, god of battle frenzy will smile for the first time in centuries to see the old flame and ferocity of battle kindle in hearts and the renewal of honour and loyalty made clear in a world where "every man is an island".
And I dare say that even Freya, Valkyrie Queen and Goddess of love will bless Giles and his family for honouring her in the form of Valgerd - a viking woman without equal.
Thank Mjolnir there will be another 2 tales to fan Sigurd's and Giles's fame beyond shore and sea. -
3 chapters in and I have had enough, so badly written.
Trying to find a new series since finishing the Saxon Saga by Cornwell and even when that series was at its worst it was significantly better then this.
Badly written characters, horrendous dialogue and a writing style that is way to plain and boring for this genre.
Dropped this as it was just awful to me. -
I think it’s pretty clear how much I loved this book because I read it a second time. I still remember starting to read because I finally wanted to read a good Viking book in which mythology also plays a big role. I ended up getting a lot more than I expected. There was a lot of excitement and adventure in it, but so was the humor.
“A good voice is like a good sword or a good saga. It doesn't get made over night. It requires time.”
I hadn’t read many viking books before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. But it was a well-structured story with a strong and cunning main character. Sigurd is going through a great tragedy, the king betrays his father and his clan, family. He loses a lot of things in a few days, only a few of his friends survive. Others would be shattered in such a case, but Sigurd and his fellows become even stronger. Sigurd does everything he can to avenge his family and save his young sister, Runa.
“Let the enemy see the sword in my hand, but not the long dagger which I keep behind the back”
Sigurd’s story isn’t just about revenge, because friendship is also present, which makes Sigurd not a rough personality. Well I can still say that he is looking for interesting warriors. But I think that will be his advantage in the big fight later. These warriors also have a painful past that makes them stand by him even more.
There may be flaws in the book, sometimes I lost a little bit of yarn in leading the story, but I really liked the book. I liked Sigurd and his companions. I liked that in addition to the dark mood humor was also present. I was glad that there was a lot of excitement for the characters that nothing was gained the easy way. And last but not least, I really liked the adventure that the characters weren’t perched in one place, but they were constantly on the move.
Now surely I will be bolder in reading books about vikings. But I will also read from Giles Kristian, because his style convinced me and he has good humor too. -
I'm DNF-ing this at 15% mark. And no rating.
All in all, this could be an interesting, gritty book. A mix between Ambercrombie and Cornwell. Alas, the writing is difficult - archaic, ponderous, even biblical, and this slows down the reading and totally kills the suspense. As an example, most sentences in the book read like this:
Sven swung his sword, which was mighty and sharp, and it bit into the enemy shield with great force, for Sven was among the strongest of his clan, and he fought with ferocity like that of Thor.
This isn't an actual sentence from the book, but it depicts the actual cadence. Instead of focusing on emotions, and perhaps shorter descriptions, you have a historical narrative, and it takes pages for things to happen. Even if you want suspense, it's dilluted over long sections.
In the end, I felt it would be a chore, so I decided to put this book away. Shame, because the story has a nice vibe to it.
Igor -
Loved it!!!
I got hooked on Giles Kristian with the Raven trilogy.
This was every bit as good.
Already on to the second one. -
Giles Kristian was one of the first historical writers that I came to know: we share a publisher and we’ve shared events and I’ve loved his writing since the first of the ‘Raven BloodEye’ novels came out a handful of years ago. He wrote three of those and then took some time out and wrote a couple of cracking, fast-paced ECW novels, and now he’s back with a vengeance… yes, that was deliberate in all the senses it could be: this is by far and away the best book Giles has ever written and that’s setting the bar high.
God of Vengeance follows what could be a straightforward tale of Viking need-for-vengeance. Sigurd is too young to accompany his father and brothers on their ship when they go to join their king in defeat of a rival: which means he stands on the shore and watches their betrayal in all its bloody horror. Left homeless, lord-less, king-less and for a while with only the barest handful of men, he has to build his band to the point where he can seek the vengeance his heart, his pride, his birthright demands… or die in the attempt.
So much, so not-hugely-uncommon, but this is a step apart. Giles is Norse to his very bones and it shows in every beautiful, lyrical, mythical sentence. More than even the BloodEye books, this has the feel of a saga, to be told around a camp fire: all the lyrcism of the bards made into beautiful, liquid prose. His men shine from the page. Their gods walk alongside. Their struggles are real and bloody and success is not guaranteed. If good drama is created by the combination of passion, anticipation and uncertainty, this has all three in powerful measure. And more than that, this has the magic of the gods, the sense of magic walking across the pages that sets it apart from the humdrum of ‘every-sentence-authenticated-by-21st-century-academics’ feel of many contemporary novels. This is wild, and beautiful, and potent. It’s accurate too, I’m sure, but I didn’t feel as if I was being slapped around the head by the research in the way I often do. And it has powerful, strong women as well, which is always a plus.
So this definitely gets 5 stars and I’ll be working very hard to lay hands on the new ARC when the sequel comes out. -
The first 20% or so I wasn't sure about this book. Sure it is starts out as your basic revenge/blood debt type of book. The story remains one of vengeance. The characters, dynamics and banter is what brings this story to life. I listened to the audio book and the narration was overall is good. I got lost a couple times before I realized a story transition had taken place. The voices of the characters are really well done.
Sigurd is the youngest son of Jarl Harold with fire in his belly to be a warrior. Harold refuses to let Sigurd fight because he is too young (barely has a beard). Harold is honorable and a fierce warrior sworn to the king. Without going into a lot of detail, the king betrays Harold in favor of another Jarl. Sigurd's family are all slain except him and his younger sister.
Sigurd vows revenge...
Sigurd is now an outlaw but not alone. A few of Harold's most loyal followers join Sigurd in a quest to build a crew of warriors to take revenge. There are guys like Olaf, Sven, Black Loki and a stunning and fierce shield maiden.
As mentioned earlier, it is the dialog that creates the chemistry among the characters. For me, a good story and great characters, if done well, equals a great read. Now, I have to mention the banter between the characters is pretty crass and crude.
And...sometimes it is intensely funny!
Another thing I like about this book is the vivid descriptions of people, locales, brutality of battle scenes and the way of life of this time. The blood sacrifices border on horror in nature.
God of Vengeance is a great adventure read! -
I was dying to read this book. As an American, I've waited so long for this book to be released in the states. It just never came. This past Christmas I finally bought a paperback copy straight from the UK which took a month to arrive. A week later they released it on kindle...
But I digress. This book was great. A little muddled at times but generally what I expected from the origin story of Sigurd the Lucky. This book is centered around the most sacred aspect of Norse culture, THE BLOOD FUED. This was a revenge story from beginning to end and I loved it.
Now for the gripes. Some parts of this book were too long. For instance in finding Bjorn and Bjarny for Sigurd's crew we traverse three or four chapters. Way too many pages. In converse other portions of the story happened too quickly.
Also, Kristian has a somewhat unconventional writing style in that he rights in mini flashbacks. He jumps back and forth within a couple of days to tell a linear story. It's a little hard to describe and didn't always bother me but when it did it was really distracting.
I loved this book. Not as much as I thought I would but I am a hardcore fan of Viking fiction.
Recommended. -
This book was a great pick me up. Adventure, a hero with a sword called "Troll Tickler" and manly men in the form of Vikings. Great battle scenes, and did I mention the hunky Vikings (at least in my minds eye). The aforementioned Vikings also taught me to swear in Viking speak:
Hrafnasueltir -meaning raven starver. Truly an insult, as everyone knows you want the ravens to feast on the bodies of your enemies.
rassragr Look that one up yourself, I am too shy to tell you
baulufotr cow foot
loose-lipped pig-swiver um...well loose lipped pig-swiver would be it I think.
Some great quotes:
Come then you oath-shy son of a long dead sow
...a warrior with one arm can be deadlier than the one with both hands, who is happy when holding a horn of mead in one hand, and a girl in another
-What fun!
Sigurd Haraldsson is just a "pup" when his father, the Jarl, leaves on yet another battle adventure without him. His father and brothers are caught in a trap made by their King and a Jarl eager for the Haraldsson island and silver. The Jarl raids the island, kills most of the people there and kidnap's Sigurd's sister as a bride for his son.
Sigurd swears he will rescue his sister and have his revenge. Ah, but first he must have warriors, and what is left of his fathers band are all un-tested blood like him, or old and worn. Any who wish to follow him are welcome, but he needs more. And so, he goes in search of men who will stand by him in his time of need. A wonderful tale, and did I tell you about the Vikings?
This is the first in a trilogy, which I look forward to continuing. -
4.5*
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Una buena novela de ficción histórica ambientada en el año 785.
God of Vengeance cuenta la historia de Sigurd Haraldarsson, el hijo menor de uno de los jarls más respetados de Noruega. El rey rompe su juramento y traiciona al padre de Sigurd, masacrando a toda su familia y amigos; el joven jura vengarse y comienza a reunir a los pocos sobrevivientes del ataque.
Fue un gran libro, aunque debo admitir que no es para todo el mundo. Tiene un montón de detalles acerca de las costumbres de los vikingos, se describen con lujo de detalles los rituales, la importancia que tienen los dioses en su cultura y diferentes tácticas de batalla, tanto en tierra como a bordo de los barcos. Esto hace que el libro sea bastante denso por momentos, no es una lectura para nada ligera y considero que este libro es más bien una enorme introducción porque la mayor parte de la historia cuenta cómo Sigurd va encontrando a los guerreros que lo ayudarán a vengarse.
En definitiva, es un libro recomendable para los que les guste mucho las historias sobre vikingos. A pesar de que al final el autor incluye un glosario, a lo largo del libro utiliza un montón de expresiones en el idioma original, tanto para nombrar tácticas como armas y los dioses. En lo personal esto me encantó porque le da más realismo al libro y es como "oír" hablar a vikingos de verdad, pero reconozco que puede ser un poco confuso para quienes no tengan mucho conocimiento del tema.
Voy a leer los otros dos y escribiré una reseña general de la trilogía en cuanto la termine. -
igurd, son of Harald is keen to make his name in battle. As a son of a Jarl he knows he must forge his own path if he is to emerge from his fathers shadow and weave his own name into the sagas.
His opportunity comes quicker than he expects when his father is betrayed by his King and a powerful Jarl. With his home destroyed, his family slaughtered and his sister captured by his enemies, Sigurd must flee for his life.
With just a few trusted friends, Sigurd roams the seas as an outlaw, hunted by his enemies and prey to every Jarl and chief keen to curry favour with the king.
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Sigurad’s chances of survival seem to be slim but Sigurd is determined to wins the gods favour, especially Odin’s who he plans to attract with blood and chaos.
Travelling to the edges of society he collects together a band of desperate men, they are killers and warriors but all believe in Sigurd and his cause.
Keen to show his crew that their cause is blessed by the gods, Sigurd endures an ordeal of pain and horror which he hopes will bind the gods to his favour.
Beset on all sides by enemies, Sigurd and his crew are tested by blood and fire but his crew love and trust him for he has shown them he blessed by the gods and a warrior born.
They will need all of their skills in blood and iron as Sigurd and his crew go up against the King and his Jarl but Siguard is relentless, he wants his sister and he wants revenge on those who brought blood and terror to his family.
God of Vengeance is a prequel to Giles Kristian’s highly acclaimed Raven Series.
Anyone who has followed this blog will know I am a huge fan of Giles Kristian’s books. I have mainly reviewed his English civil war books (Bleeding Land and Brother’s Fury) but his Viking books are where he is in my opinion, at his best.
The ECW books are brilliant but when Giles is writing about Viking you really feel the passion and love he has for the subject.
Giles writing style is fast paced, punchy and brutal but also at times utterly beautiful as he weaves Norse saga into the action and his passion for the subject really shines through.
It never feels forced and it reads so naturally, lurching from blood and gore into simple yet almost poetic lines of saga and then back to the blood.
The action comes at you like a train as scene after scene of brutal and bloody action hit you, at times leaving you feeling drained as the sheer power of the scenes punches you in the stomach.
I’ve said it before and I will repeat it here, I doubt there is a better writer of battle scenes than Giles. He likes to liberally soak his scenes in blood and gore but it never feels gratuitous or unnecessary. They are powerful and at times very moving.
The scene where we first meet Black Loki is a fine example. Brutal, bloody and violent it is also beautifully written and the description of the various moves feel balletic at times. It is a fantastic introduction to a brilliant character.
I would like to add that this book is more than just a book of battles and blood, it is also a book of friendship, honour and tradition.
Fans of the Raven books will love this book. We get to meet all our favourite characters again and its great seeing how they all met. It is also interesting seeing the bonds and comradeship develop that were so evident in the Raven Books
I honestly can not recommend this book enough, it is Giles Kristian at his very best. -
http://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/2...
Review
Fans of the hit “Raven” series, great news the Vikings are back, only this isn’t the Sigurd we know from the fantastic Raven Series. God of Vengeance begins a prequel series for Sigurd, his early years, how he became who he is and what molded him into the fearsome and Odin favoured warrior that he is. Its an introduction into some of the key characters such as Black Floki and Bear, and oh what an introduction.
Sigurd very quickly goes from the son of a prominent Jarl to a man hunted, no home and death dogging his footsteps. But he comes from a respected lineage and supported by his fathers remaining men who will back him all the way to Odin’s’ Hall, he is not out for the count. He is also a tricky little SOB and soon his star is on the rise, recruiting what will be the core of the crew we meet in the Raven. Along the way the body count is high but none of it just for the heck of it, this is a bloody tale, but a tale told in a poetic yet brutal fashion. If Giles had pulled a single punch in the telling i think it would have demeaned the plot, because he didn’t we are left with a tale of truly epic proportions.
I held off writing my review because i had the additional readers glow of a character in the book (Kætil Kartr) having that character was…. i have no words that describe it well enough, awesome, amazing, fantastic all that and more. I have been fortunate in that i have won a character in several books, and friends have kindly used the Parmenion name in their books, and each one brings a smile to my face and a warm glow to my heart. But Kætil, Kætil made me want to be a viking, made me want to pack my kit, grab an oar and take to the whale road (and i get really sea sick). Even after all of that fan boy excitement faded, we’ll a little, (but lets face it, its never going away) i could not escape the fact that this book is a saga that will and does deliver on every page, and then afterwards leaves you wanting more. A tale so boldly told, so beautifully told that you will experience the whole spectrum of emotions, and finish the book exhausted.
This is the book where the bloody legend of Sigurd is born, given voice not just in swathes of blood and violence, but also in the living breathing Norse world that comes to life on every page, as Giles weaves his tale like a master skald from the past.
God of Vengeance is without doubt a top 5 book this year, and come December it’s going to take something seriously amazing to stop it taking my book of 2014. If I could find time in my swamped reading schedule I would honestly read it again immediately.
Giles i doff my cap sir…bravo..
my highest possible recommendation
(Parm)
Visit this link for a behind the scenes from the trailer film shoot
http://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/2... -
Remember Raven? Well you should do! Giles Kristian’s debut book and the series that followed were ground-breaking for me, being the first Viking novels I had read. They had all the action, excitement and fur-wrapped adventure – with frozen snot in your beard – as a reader could hope.
Then Giles stopped (or more accurately paused) the Viking writing to delve into the world of the English Civil War with The Bleeding Land, which was one of the deepest, most harrowing pieces of historical fiction I ever read. A sequel spawned to that, and here was I awaiting the third of those novels. But no. Giles is of Norwegian descent and clearly he was, to quote a famous scene, pining for the fjords. As a surprise, instead of a third civil war novel, or even a fourth Raven one, we are given… (insert drumroll here) A PREQUEL!
Enter God of Vengeance. For those of you who haven’t read the Raven books, you’re in luck. This could be read without any prior knowledge. In fact perhaps it would even be better. For those who have, this novel tells the tale of our Raven fave Sigurd as a young man and treats us to his introduction to several of the solid characters who will make up his crew in Raven (including the excellent Black Floki.)
Sigurd is too young to accompany his father to war as part of King Gorm’s war on the rebel Jarl Randver. Instead he travels to a clifftop with family and friends to watch the sea battle unfold. To his horror, instead of seeing his father win easy glory, he watches as King Gorm betrays his father and the three ships are overwhelmed.
Thus begins Sigurd’s saga and a new series for Giles as the Odin-favoured wily hero, betrayed, orphaned and homeless sets out with the few survivors of his father’s oath-sworn to form a band of warriors – based upon a Gods-sent vision – in order to seek revenge on his enemies and regain his honour. Ranging around a relatively small region of the western coast of Norway, Sigurd will wade through blood if he must to achieve his goal.
One of the surprising things about this book is the inclusion of a strong female character. Strong females are not all that common in ancient-medieval fiction anyway, and in the Viking world perhaps even less common. This shield maiden is a welcome addition to the cast.
The thing I will say above anything that recommends this book is the writing. Giles’ early works were very action/adventure, in the best possible way, while his civil war saga has been harrowing and dark and emotional. God of Vengeance seems to draw on both sides of his writing to create a new, different style. It has the feel of a traditional Viking Saga. The wordsmithing in it is fine and authentic-feeling, and it will transport you right back to the era. Giles has moved on from being a storyteller of the highest calibre to being a true Skald.
God of Vengeance is out today and if you loved Sigurd as the supporting character of Raven, you’ll LOVE him as the hero of his own saga.
Buy it today. -
Furiously fast paced and action-packed, this gloriously rich sweeping saga is a breathtaking masterwork!
From bestselling author of ‘RAVEN saga’ comes a startlingly compelling new Viking novel, wrought with fervent intensity and evocative atmospheric ambience. The hugely compelling tale interweaves superbly captured brutality and the power of bloodthirsty Norse battles, in all its gritty rawness and bone-shattering substance. Lavishly drawn from detailed descriptions of the blood-curdling, realism of the times this impressive story packs a real punch and leaves you breathless! Giles Kristian’s writing is ripe with blood, glory, vengeance and heartbreak and profundity of such intense magnetism and depth so as to shake the soul.
Anyone seeking a sensational saga containing a cast of hungry characters will be sucked into a story, wherein you can immerse yourself utterly and completely in the world of Sword-Norse. I wanted to bask and savour every delicious detail; from the reminiscent language to epic characterisation and formidably ambitious prose. This high-octane historical masterpiece is another extraordinary edition to the genre and a real bona fide account that transports you into the heart of history. Giles Kristian encapsulates Viking fierceness and dominance acutely, with such assured accuracy as to rival the likes of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.
In a world of warfare, skirmish and shattered shields comes a hero born from legend seeking vengeance with the aid of a band of merciless Warriors…
“expect this page-turner to sweep you to another period in time in the tradition of great storytellers who infuse their tales with enough magic to bring history alive. We can't wait for the next instalment!”
- CANDIS magazine
“A pulse-pounding tale of blood, betrayal and honour. Hereward and his spear-brothers would definitely feel at home here…”
- JAMES WILDE
*I would like to thank the author and Publishers Bantam Press having won a physical copy of this novel, through a first-read giveaway on Goodreads. -
Originally reviewed at
www.swordsandspectres.wordpress.com
God of Vengeance, quite possibly, is the best book I've picked up up all year. Normally, the whole vengeance plot feels kind of dull to me. But this one is anything but. The author has created a rich cast of characters from the unfortunate, and hate-fuelled Sigurd to his ever-present, ever-boastful, friend Svein. My personal favourite being the grizzled, wily veteran Olaf, Sigurd's father's (Jarl Harald) chosen warrior.
The writing is incredibly high-quality and the story is woven with such skill that Sigurd's bad fortune often feels like your own. The hatred you feel for certain antagonists reaches similar levels as that felt for Joffrey in 'A Song of Ice and Fire'.
It's also, quite easily one of the best Viking novels I have come across. In fact, I enjoyed it more than most viking shows or movies I have seen. A lot of the Viking terminology is used in such a way that the reader knows what is being talked about, for those oddments you can't quite decipher, there is a glossary in the back. Unlike other historical fiction novels I have read (Assassin's Creed Renaissance comes to mind) the language of the time is blended in so that it feels like it belongs, rather than just thrown in at random times to make it look like the author has done a bit of last minute dictionary searching. God but it was so shoe-horned in in such a terribly awful way in Assassin's Creed ... but I digress.
It fills me with excitement to know that there are still two books left in Sigurd's saga of vengeance and that the author has other Viking books out there.
If anyone reading this hasn't dipped their toes into anything Viking-related, I'd strongly suggest you start here. It really captures (what we think of as) the spirit of the time. Their religions, their superstitions, everything really.
It's just so good that I really want to ramble on more and say more nice things. But I don't want to waffle on too much longer. I'm sure you can tell I think this book deserves 6 stars out of a possible 5. -
4.5 stars
Brilliantly narrated, great battle and fight scenes, fabulous characters.
My only quibbles were the use of the term which a scramaseax which is Frank and not Viking. The Viking term I believe should have been knifr, and although they used the Viking Seax, am not sure if they would have called them 'seaxes' - but thats the pedant in me. The other quibble i have is the use of omnipresent author's voice which meant that I didn't get the character's experience from their point of view, but from the author. There was also fair bit of jumping around into different character's points of view in one scene which was a tad annoying, however this story is so well woven, characters well fleshed and tensely gripping themes throughout the book, that one can overlook these minor details.
Looking forward to reading the next instalment of Sigurd's tale. -
Never doubt Giles Kristian. Absolutely brilliant.
