| Title | : | Blood Eye (Raven, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0593061624 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780593061626 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 352 |
| Publication | : | First published February 26, 2009 |
Immersed in the Norsemen's world and driven by their lust for adventure, Osric proves a natural warrior and forges a blood bond with Sigurd, who renames him Raven. But the Norsemen's world is a savage one, where loyalty is often repaid in blood and where a young man must become a killer to survive. When the Fellowship faces annihilation from ealdorman Ealdred of Wessex, Raven chooses a bloody and dangerous path, accepting the mission of raiding deep into hostile lands to steal a holy book from Coenwolf, King of Mercia. There he will find much more than the Holy Gospels of St Jerome. He will find Cynethryth, an English girl with a soul to match his own. And he will find betrayal at the hands of cruel men, some of whom he regarded as friends...
Blood Eye (Raven, #1) Reviews
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”As if conjured from the spirit world, a dragon emerged, a wooden beast with a belly of clinkered strakes, which flowed up into its slender neck. The monster’s head was set with faded red eyes, and I wanted to run but I was stuck to the rock like the limpets, fixed by the stare of a great bearded warrior who stood with one arm around the monster’s neck. His beard parted, revealing a malicious smile, then the boat’s keel scraped up the shingle with a noise like thunder and men were jumping from the ship, sliding on the wet rocks and falling and splashing into the surf. Guttural voices echoed off the rocks behind me and my bowels melted.”
The Norsemen have arrived in England.
Historians agree the first raids by Northmen began in 793 AD and continued relentlessly until that famous date in English history, 1066. Osric, our stalwart hero, who is not always so heroic, is living in the coastal English village of Abbotsend when the Viking ships arrive. He was about 13 or so when he was found washed up on the beach with no memories of where he was from or any inkling of who he was before he was found. His left eye has a blood spot that has the Christians treating him as if the Devil has marked him. He could live to be a hundred, and they would never consider him...one of them. A deaf, mute carpenter takes him on as an apprentice and shows him the kindness of acceptance. Those who have the least to give seem to always be the ones that give the most.
As he listens to these invading Norsemen speak, a door opens in his mind, and their language springs from his tongue. He goes from being the village thumping post to being the only person who can converse with the Vikings and the English villagers.
Everything is going fine, until a Christian priest mucks things up. With Vikings, things go from cordial to slaughter in about the time it takes for a cup of mead to fall to the floor.
Abbotsend...ends.
Osric is brought along with the Norsemen raiders as they drive deeper into England, looking for booty. They are bemused that these stupid Christians will leave their most valuable objects on display in churches with only “men in skirts” to protect them. Osric becomes more and more a member of this wolfpack of Vikings as they travel further and further away from their precious boats. Sigurd the Lucky, the leader, believes that his fate and Osric’s fate are interwoven like strands of a horsehair rope. When they are tasked by one English king to steal a book from another English king in exchange for an enormous amount of silver, this quest could be their undoing.
The heady stench of treachery and betrayal tinges the air with impending doom.
What book could be worth all this? Turning English king against English king? Are the scribblings in this book as powerful as a sword arm or the shield that protects it?
”I marvelled at the magic of the written word, which could stir a heart to action as surely as a battle cry. And a part of me feared this gospel book we had been sent to find, for it must surely be a powerful thing indeed.”
Powerful words are as heady as powerful deeds.
This is the first book in a trilogy of Viking books written by Giles Kristian. I’ve had a powerful thirst for a tankard of ale, that goes without saying, but with my tankard I want a good rousing tale of adventure. While we are building this picture, how about we toss a pretty, black haired, Welsh wench on my lap, as well? She can turn the leaves of this book as my eyes scan to the bottom of each page and hop up and refill me tankard whenever the flow of ale turns to dribbles.
I know it all seems a bit sexist, but this is a Viking book after all, and I’m still ushering my wolf brain back into the metal cage.
It has to be said that no one writes a better battle scene than Bernard Cornwell. He is the grand master of the shield wall and describes a battle in such detail that one can hear the desperate curses, the clang of metal on shield, smell the ill-fated breath of those facing death, and hear the exaltations of those delivering it. If you have never read a Cornwell battle scene, then the battles described by Kristian will still resonate with you. If you have read Cornwell, you will still be entertained, but will not come away from the reading of them with your legs trembling from fatigue, your arm sore from swinging a sword, and your clothes smelling of blood, sweat, and piss.
Cornwell might be a bit too real for some.
I’m looking forward to the next installment of this series, though I probably need some time spent back in civilization before reading book two. I don’t want the wolfpack lining my arms with silver bracelets, plating my hair with a raven’s wing, and tempting me with a valkyrie who will sing my song as she carries me to Valhalla.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit
http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:
https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten -
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out -
The Brothers Gwynne
After finishing
Lancelot, I immediately went onto the audiobook of Blood Eye, also by
Giles Kristian, from the recommendation of my brother, Ed. I loved it!
“Even the gods have their pride.”
Blood Eye is a historical fiction novel set in 802AD prom the perspective of a teenage boy whose life is swiftly changed as he enters the life of a brutal ban of Norse warriors. Seeking glory and wealth.
First of all, this book is brilliant! Giles Kristian gave such an authentically grim depiction through magnificent world building that was constructed through the infusion of fascinating details that amounted to a wonderful understanding by the end of the novel. I loved the culture that was established and the thoroughness and intricate level to which Kristian obviously knows the subject.
The prose is slick, smooth and easy to read. Much the same as Lancelot. Fantastic, in short. Every page seems to glide from one to the next in such a gripping and immersive manner. Couldn’t ask for more.
Kristian does a superb job with characters. In a short amount of time, he manages to introduce a wide range of characters from the Norse raiding band and make them memorable with unique and varied characteristics. From Sven the Red, to Asgot, to Sigurd. And of course, Raven, who has great character growth in this first book in the trilogy.
Osric, later renamed Raven by his new Norse Jarl, offers the coming of age story and growth from innocence and passion that we all love. He is far from perfect, offering a very interesting insight into this aspect of history as the story is told from his recount and perception of the events that take place.
“Fighting with every searing breath. Not for glory. Not for Wessex. But because a mans life is all he has, and he will not let another take it if he has the strength to fight.”
I experienced some battles and action sequences in Lancelot, but in Blood Eye I received far more. And loved every moment of it. Kristian describes each conflict in differentiating manners, disallowing any chance of repetitiveness. From small skirmishes to night raids to shield-walls, Kristian is a master of it all. I just wanted more and more. Another element that I cannot praise enough.
Overall, I hope you can tell that I loved this opening to the Raven series. I adore this period of history! This book delivered everything I hoped for, and more. Once again I have to thank my brother for the excellent recommendation. I have already started listening to the sequel on audio,
Sons of Thunder having no doubt that it will match its predecessor. No disappointment so far!
5/5 STARS -
Check out my review for Blood Eye by Giles Kristian on Grimdark Magazine here:
Grimdark Magazine
Blood Eye is a grim and gritty tale of ferocious Norse raiders in the 9th century. It has bone-crunching action sequences and a Norse flavour that will leave you desperate to don your ring-maille and plunder the nearest monastery (I believe Giles Kristian is not responsible for any Viking urges you may have).
Osric is a young apprentice to a mute carpenter in a Saxon village, life seems peaceful enough. Until…yes, you guessed it, fearsome Norse warriors appear from the mist in a dragon ship, warriors that have the best arms a ninth century marauder could ask for, warriors that want gold and riches and glory. For those that have read tales of Norse adventure, yes, this starts similarly to others, and it contains a lot that other Norse stories also contain.
“The Raven doesn't need to fear of anything in the world, because he isn't from this world”
But it is done so perfectly.
From the first page I was gripped, and by the second chapter I knew that I really loved this story. Everything about it sucked me in. The language, thick and heavy with dark-ages phrasing and feel, the characters, mean and women with relatable personalities, morally-grey characters.
It’s damn good. It really is.
“A strong hand kills, but a cunning mind will keep us alive”
Back to Osric, our only Point of View. He is a fantastic character, with enough heart and passion to send me into the shield-wall. He is young and we see the Norse characters from fresh eyes. I won’t spoil any of the story, but his arc is brilliant, and I can say book 2 is shaping up to have him as one of my favourite PoVs ever.
The supporting characters are just magnificent. With all manner of men, and women. Vikings who implore you to want to be on their ship rowing alongside them, saxons who want you to join them fighting the Welsh, and everyone in-between. I am so invested in this story, and I really urge you to read this book.
“They say that the darkest hour sets in just before the sunset”
This is the first Giles Kristian book that I have read and I am immensely impressed. His description is phenomenal, so that I can smell the dirt in the Norsemen’s beards, hear the call of the Gjallahorn, feel the whipping of the sea and wind against my face, taste the iron-blood after taking a wound to the face (well, I actually did take a wound to the face. After reading a particular fight scene I picked up a Viking sword we have mounted on the wall, gave it a swing, only to have a Saxon warrior aka the door-frame send the steel-weapon swinging back at my head. The nurses in A+E did laugh when I told them I was attempting to be a Norse-raider…).
Any book that pulls me away from my medieval obsession is a good one, and Blood-Eye, Book 1 of Raven well and truly took me to a place I had been to before, only giving me 1st class VIP treatment through the journey. Hats off to Giles Kristian, one of my new favourite authors!
5/5 - A ripping, roaring, red tale of Norse warriors in a foreign land. The skeleton might be the same as other books you’ve read, but Blood Eye is filled with authenticity and realism that is hard to imitate. -
If you love norse mythology or history you'll love this. A tight story with a great main character. This was so much better than I thought it would be (all other historical fiction books I've read were rather pants, looking at you Hilary Mantel and your f***ing: colons:!!).
I will be reading the next one very shortly. Meanwhile I'll say a prayer to Odin, the All-Father that he spares me for the time being! -
As fantastic as the first time around! This book started me on my love of Viking historical fiction, along with Bernard Cornwell's
The Last Kingdom and Rob Lowe's
The Whale Road. I wasn't sure if it would stand the test of time but it absolutely did.
It is a bloody, violent and sacrilegious Viking adventure through the wilds of 8th century Britain. Can't wait to grab the next one and keep vicariously following along. -
Just at the beginning of my read of Giles Kristian's back catalogue and it's started well.
Review to follow.... -
Well told tale of ninth century Norsemen and England
Verified Purchase
This review is from: Blood Eye: A Novel (Raven: Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
Blood Eye features a boy of approximately sixteen years who has no past, no memory more recent than a couple of years, a newly discovered ability to speak Norse and a remarkable affinity for weapons handling. The implications being that he is a Norse boy who was injured and lost in England. There seems to be no other explanation for his language and developing weapons skills. He is quickly assimilated into the band of Norse warriors which captured him and slaughtered and burned his English coastal village. He takes to the life as the proverbial duck to water. And the grand adventure begins. Combat, slaughter, pillage and rape. By twenty first century Western standards, there are no good guys in ninth century England or among the Norse raiders. Though blood eye, named Raven by the Norsemen, does feel bad about raping a girl. There is also no hygiene by modern Western standards. Lice and fleas in beards, people covered in blood, gore, dirt, ale, mead, old food remnants and not a bath in the book. Not even a dip in a stream. An occasional face washing is about it. So much for the day dreams of most modern Viking wannabes.
The Norse fellowship is apparently destroyed on more than one occasion in the novel but they keep popping back up to save the day in the nick of time. "Weebles woble, but they don't fall down," as the old toy ads put it. The writing isn't Bernard Cornwell, though he commented favorably on the book. However, it is a well done adventure with the bonus of historical accuracy. Mr. Kristian seems to have considerable potential. -
Blood Eye features a boy of approximately sixteen years who has no past, no memory more recent than a couple of years, a newly discovered ability to speak Norse and a remarkable affinity for weapons handling. The implications being that he is a Norse boy who was injured and lost in England. There seems to be no other explanation for his language and developing weapons skills. He is quickly assimilated into the band of Norse warriors which captured him and slaughtered and burned his English coastal village. He takes to the life as the proverbial duck to water. And the grand adventure begins. Combat, slaughter, pillage and rape. By twenty first century Western standards, there are no good guys in ninth century England or among the Norse raiders. Though Blood Eye, named Raven by the Norsemen, does feel bad about raping a girl. There is also no hygiene by modern Western standards. Lice and fleas in beards, people covered in blood, gore, dirt, ale, mead, old food remnants and not a bath in the book. Not even a dip in a stream. An occasional face washing and walks in the rain are about it. So much for the day dreams of most modern Viking wannabes.
The Norse fellowship is apparently destroyed on more than one occasion in the novel but they keep popping back up to save the day in the nick of time. "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down," as the old toy ads put it. The writing isn't Bernard Cornwell, though he commented favorably on the book. However, it is a well done adventure with the bonus of historical accuracy. Mr. Kristian seems to have considerable potential. -
Fun book! This was a solid 3.5 stars for me but I rounded up to a 4 to avoid Loki's wrath.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this book wasn't the violent combat, which was fun, but the lure of the sea and Norse way of life that seduces young Osric. Ack, I can almost feel the sea spray in my beard ... err peach fuzz.
This quick-paced, danger-laden story made me want to be a Norseman, even though I'm only 5'7" 150lbs. If you've got a problem with that then tell it to me axe.
Get your copy here:
https://amzn.to/2JZpTLV -
Two Reviews, Oceans apart
I decided my review of Raven: Blood Eye by Giles Kristian, would not be complete unless my review of it in 2011 was brought to the table too.
So, this is a review of two parts. Two reviews of one book, but years apart. In the name of equivalence.
I have a confession. I rarely reread. I know many people that love rereading old favourites, or books they have not read for a long time or books they want to try again to see if they feel differently about them, but I hardly ever do. Then if I do, it is usually for a good reason such as joining in with others in a book club read.
From time to time (and by time to time I really mean once every other year) there are books that I feel deserve a reread for one of two reasons. One, wanting to revisit a favourite book or series, or two, because I feel that when I first read a particular book my mood was not well matched to it at the time.
These 'poor mood matches' stay on my mind for a long time after and then, given the right push, I give them a second chance and reread.
One of those 'poor mood matches' for me was Giles Kristian's Raven: Blood Eye. I always felt that when I read this book in October 2011 it was a case of wrong time, wrong place.
On paper, it should have been a perfect fit. I love classy, intelligently written historical fiction. I love classy, intelligently written adventure and journey historical fiction. But most of all, I love classsy, intelligently written Viking or Norse historical fiction.
And Raven: Blood Eye checked every one of those boxes.
So why did it not click with me in 2011?
It is, after all, a well written book. The writing surprisingly skilful for a debut. I liked the setting, the characters, the era and yet my lasting memory of the book was that it was chapter after chapter of 'walking and thinking' or 'walking and talking' or 'sitting and thinking' or 'sitting and talking'. And not much else. Not exactly a blast, according to my 2011 self.
Boy, was I wrong. Because here I am August/September 2013. nearly two years on (See. Every other year. Didn't I say so?) and I felt like I just read a totally different book to the one I read back in 2011.
The Raven: Blood Eye I read this time had so much more going for it than I first assumed. It has adventure, (not only journey) and that surprised me. I have no idea why I did not notice it the first time around.
The book is rich in historical detail and rounded out with a robust norse culture and character.
I once compared it to Bernard Cornwell's and Robert Low's Viking offerings, but in actuality, it is nothing at all like Bernard Cornwell's Saxon books and shares more commonalities with Robert Low's Oathsworn books. That is a good thing, I should mention, since I think Robert Low's Oathsworn series is better than Cornwell's Saxon series.
For all these reasons I now think the book deserves 4 stars out of 5. There was still room for improvement in regards to plot and characters, but I have bought the next two books in the trilogy and we will see what Giles Kristian does with those. That 5 stars for a Kristian Raven trilogy book may still be on the horizon. Since the debut was so good I kind of expect the next books to be even better.
I also wrote a review of it when I read it in 2011 and now that I have shared my newfound affection for the book in 2013, let me pull you into my time machine and whisk you back to October 2011. To set the scene..I had just read a book called Raven: Blood Eye and I had just given it a weak 3 star out of 5 rating.
Please note firstly that I was not as wordy back in 2011 and perhaps you will think I should take a lesson from that. But in 2013 verbosity is so much more fun for me.
Goodreads Review - October, 2013;
This book was a bit of a disappointment for me. It looks the goods. Seemed promising out of the gate, but overall, it simply felt a bit flat.
The author can write well enough. There was no amateur writing to be had here, but the story, for me, was just words on a page. Nothing of note happens in a hurry through the meat of the book. Seemed to be a lot of standing or sitting around doing not much of anything.
I will still go on with the series at some stage. I figure that when the main character Raven becomes a man, and therefore makes for a much more interesting character to me, the story may hold more promise than this one.
I think here in the first of this series the author is trying to build a character for the other books leaving this one as a 'how the boy became a man' kind of read, which is important sure. I just wish he'd done it quicker and not made a whole book on it.
But I'll forgive him for now and let me see first what he does in book 2.
Where on earth was my head at back then? Irrespective, there you have it. Two reviews of the same book. One for 3 stars in 2011 and one for 4 stars in 2013.
Two reviews, oceans apart.
*By the by. If you are interested in knowing a little about the author, I interviewed Mr Kristian here on my Blog.
http://ancientandmedievalmayhem.blogs... -
My rating 4.6
The first part of the Viking saga of the Raven “Blood Eye (Raven # 1)” by Giles Kristian although previously written is a sequel to the story of Sigurd, so I would recommend you to read the series “The Rise of Sigurd”. But in this story, we follow the story of a boy Osric who is an orphan found near a small English village. The carpenter takes care of him because everyone in the village is afraid of him because of his blood-red eye. A carpenter teaches him how to work with wood and raises him as his son, but at the age of sixteen Sigurd appears with his two mighty Viking ships in the shape of dragons. Osric somehow knows the language of the ungodly and soon leads them to the village where he lives. Although Jarl Sigurd initially wants to trade with the villagers of his village soon because of a mad priest who wants to poison Sigurd there is a conflict. Sigurd likes the young and hearty guy Osric and leaves him alive, and gives him the name Raven because of his blood-red eye. Although they killed most of the villagers he lived with, Osric accepts his offer because he feels he is somehow connected to these Nordic warriors. The uncertain path of the warrior on the Viking ship will prove to be very dangerous and Osric will find himself in the whirlpool of the game of Nordic deities where his life will hang on the edge of the blade, and each new day may be his last. Another great Viking saga was written by Giles Kristian, which fans of Viking books will enjoy reading. A brutally bloody story, with a bunch of upheavals, will keep you literally until the end of the book because if you love Viking stories they will enjoy you every moment and can’t wait to read the sequel. -
**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**
Read this book in 2014, and its the 1st volume, and debut novel, of the "Raven" trilogy, from the author, Giles Kristian.
This tale is set during the times of the marauding Vikings, and it starts off when Osric, a cast out in a small village and now an apprentice with a mute old carpenter, is captured by Norsemen and taken along travelling with them the waves of the sea as a prisoner.
But during these travels, Osric's chief Sigurd the Lucky believes that their fates are interwoven, and they will forge a blood bond, and in doing this Osric will be renamed by Sigurd into Raven.
When this Fellowship of Norsemen face annihilation from ealdorman Ealdred of Wessex, Raven will accept a very dangerous mission that will take deep into Mercia, to steal a Holy Book from Coenwolf, King of Mercia.
What Raven will find in Mercia, is not only the Holy Gospels of St Jerome, but also a soulmate in the English girl, Cynethryth, and last but not least he will find betrayal and backstabbing from men who were supposed to be his friends, only to be turning out as nothing but traitors.
What is to follow is a very exciting and thrilling Norsemen adventure, in which the atmosphere and lives of people in these hard and deadly times are pictured in a very believable and lifelike manner by the author.
Highly recommended, for this an excellent start of this fantastic trilogy, and that's why I like to call this first episode: "A Very Delightful Raven Begin"! -
Blood Eye has been on my radar for awhile. It’s about a young man named Raven whose village is pillaged by the Norse. The Norse value him for his ability to translate between them and the English, so he is taken along on their adventures.
Blood Eye came highly recommended by GoodReads readers who have also enjoyed Bernard Cornwell’s fabulous Last Kingdom series. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I loved those books, but I was expecting it to be better than it was. While the books themselves are very similar, following similar formatting and including many similar elements, I think that was the key downfall of Blood Eye.
Unfortunately, Raven felt like he was trying far too hard to be Uhtred, but without any of those things that makes Uhtred so wonderful. There’s some blatant hero worship coming from Raven in regards to Jarl Sigurd. He spends too much time telling the reader how fearsome, ferocious, clever and god-like Sigurd, and all the other Norsemen are.
There’s nothing wrong with this (he’s supposed to be young, and that shows), but I want to read about a character who stands on his own two feet and can become his own person, not someone who only strives to be like others.
Both series, in their own ways, glorify violence, but where the Last Kingdom books do it subtly, Blood Eye throws it in your face, line after line after line. There is a part in this book- in the next to last chapter- where this glorification of violence and combination of hero worship is taken way too far. One of his Norse friends brings a young girl (in the book it’s noted that she is around 16) to Raven, meaning for Raven to rape her.
Raven’s inner monologue clearly shows the reader that he knows what he is doing is wrong, but he does it anyway, never mind, that he likes another girl. He then finishes the book feeling incredibly guilty about what he’s done.
Well then why did he do it? So he could be like his friends?
His friends weren’t pressuring him, weren’t teasing him about it, so I’m not even sure the peer pressure argument applies. I just didn’t understand the motivation for the character, I didn’t understand why the author felt the scene needed to be included, and I didn’t appreciate the implication that all men must have acted that way back then because it was accepted or because their friends did it. I understand historically- this did happen, but I don’t think implying that all men became rapists when the opportunity presented itself is a message I agree with.
Aside from that- there is no plot in this book. The reader is asked to follow Raven along on his adventures and stuff happens to him, skirmishes and fights and the like, but there’s no end goal, and with no end goal, there is no suspense. In the beginning the reader is told that Raven doesn’t know who he is or where he comes from. I thought at first maybe Raven was meant to discover his roots, and perhaps he does eventually, but it doesn’t happen in this book, and he doesn’t seem to care all that much about it.
I can forgive this in a book that is character driven. I don’t remember the plot of Prince of Thorns all that much, but I remember Jorg was such a fascinating character that it didn’t matter what he was doing. Raven is not Jorg- and for that matter, he’s no Uhtred. The book needed a plot.
Finally, the book comes across as incredibly preachy. In the beginning- Raven is Christian. After like a day with the Norsemen, he’s suddenly a full blown pagan, and he spends all his time talking about how weak the Christian god is in comparison to the Norse pantheon. It droned on and on and on, to the point where every page had some reference to it, and I found myself groaning every time I turned the page and spotted the reference.
I gave it two stars despite all the above, because I can see that Kristian is a talented writer. He describes the scenery very well and definitely has some decent quotes. But a book needs more than pretty writing to convince me it’s worth reading.
I don’t think I’ll be continuing with this series- but some of his other series have ended up on my TBR also, so I may give them a try. I believe Blood Eye was a debut, so I am hopeful the plotting and characterization has grown stronger in other books. -
I was doubly surprised by Raven. I bought it, in all fairness, because I'd spoken to Giles on twitter - he's a really nice fella - and it had a cool cover. There. Admission of guilt.
I've got 3 viking sagas sat in my bookshelves, all unread, because I obsess over the Roman era and I have trouble with Viking culture, because I've always thought they didn't have one. So it took me a long time to get around to braving Raven. So that was my first stumbling block: not been keen to launch into viking tales.
Moreover, opening the book, I discovered that it's written in first person perspective. I'm not a lover of such. I find that I can read most genres and even novels that are hard work if they're in 3rd person, but they have to be exceptional for me to bother in first person. Stumbling block 2.
I started reading Raven, teeth gritted against the perspective, expectations of cultural interest low, but knowing that the author is an articulate, intelligent and pleasant man. Thus I persevered... until page 2.
As soon as I turned the page it was no longer a matter of perseverance. I was quite simply hooked. All my expectations, worries and niggling doubts vanished and by the 2nd chapter I was rethinking my attitude to the viking era in general. You see, though I had little interest in the whole Viking thing, it turns out that I love them, but had forgotten it, locking it away deep inside with a label saying: to be opened when you're busy arrogantly pigeon-holing things. Suddenly I remembered Kirk Douglas as Einar in the Vikings. Suddenly I was remembering Asterix and the Normans. Suddenly I was back by the campfire in the Thirteenth Warrior, listening to the twelve norsemen boast. It turns out that I was blinkering myself.
Raven is an engrossing story, surprisingly taking place mostly on land, despite the longboats in early play. As much of the tale revolves around their Saxon victims/allies/acquaintances in Britain as it does around the norsemen. Raven himself is a fascinating character, built in many layers and continuing to acquire them as the story progresses. The other characters are equally strong: Sigurd the great Jarl, Olaf the second in command, Black Floki (my personal fave) and a cast of many glittering folk. There are twists, magnificent actions sequences that will have you shouting for the brotherhood, gruesome scenes of torture and murder, rousing heroic moments, betrayals, love interest... in short everything you could want from the book.
Along with Angus Donald's Outlaw series, this is one of few series in 1st person perspective that is not only readable, but simply magnificent.
I am currently halfway through the sequel now and finding it every bit as good as the first. In short, Raven was an attitude changing book for me and has opened up a new genre entirely as readable.
Buy Raven and you'll want to read the others. -
Raven falls loosely under the aegis of historical fiction. It might be more appropriate to say that the setting of the story is "historically accurate", rather than this being an actual historical fiction. Some of the leaders like the Wessex King and the the Mercian King really did exist.
The story revolves around Osric, called Raven, a mysterious boy who doesn't remember his early years. Osric is taken in by a band of Norweigian reavers known as the Fellowship. Under Jarl Sigurd, Raven learns to become a warrior.
Raven and the Fellowship go through a series of adventures (or misadventures?) trying to locate a Holy Book worth a great deal of silver. But, Norsemen ought not to trust Christians and this is something they will find out.
While this was an entertaining read, I felt that I had read this before. I've read several Viking based books and this one is a good example of the genre but does nothing truly exemplerary. This is not to say this is poor read- by no means, I merely point out the lack of originality. But, I enjoyed this book and will likely hunt down the second book to find out more about Raven. -
I had high expectations, but the book was a bit disappointing. Not that Kristian doesn't write well and he certainly displays a wide knowledge of Saxons, Vikings, and Norse mythology; somehow I felt at home in his world. It was the way the story is told that disappointed me.
In the book one event follows the other - first this happens and then this - in a uni-linear and repetitive pattern. In each second chapter or so the author seems forced to put in a big fight or a battle; after some time it becomes rather predictable. (Luckily the fights are well told). The only time there is real suspense is when the Wolfpack is split or divided and I start wondering what has happened to Sigurd the Lucky and his lot. Then surprisingly they turn up and help Raven out of a critical situation. That's well done. But the author immediately repeats the trick and tries to fool or surprise me once more. That is not well done. As part of the repetitive pattern, dead (or believed dead) people turn out to be alive a little bit too often in the story.
In Blood Eye the characters are also shallow and one-dimensional and I often find their actions unmotivated. All their talk about Loki, Odin, and Thor is often embellishment rather then real motivations for their actions.
Quite improbably, Osric or Raven develops from a Christian carpenter apprentice to a full blown heathen Viking warrior in just a few weeks, but I nevertheless want to know what happens to him. The reason I give the book three rather than two stars is that the author has succeeded in planting an interest in the main character in me and thus kindled a desire to know his destiny. Rumours (in the Goodreads discussions) also have it that the following books in the series are better. Blood Eye is Kristian's debut novel after all. His writing is strong and enthusiastic and in the hope that character descriptions and his narrative technique will improve, I will probably read more of the books in the Raven series. -
RTC
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I don't give a lot of "fives," but this book is definitely better than a "four."
I saw this book reviewed as "unputdownable" -- very fitting!! A friend encouraged me some months ago move this title up on my to-read list. I wish I had.
Engaging, fast-paced, gritty; everything I love in a historical fiction title. I felt like I knew the characters well, along with the world in which they lived. The author draws the reader in from the beginning. The battle scenes were detailed, without being gratuitous. And the insight into the thoughts and feelings of the characters let me know them well, without getting all mushy.
I've already started the next book, and have added just about everything Giles Kristian has written to my to-read list. Top shelf writing!!! -
"The Good, The Bad And The Unbelievable."
One of the most important aspects of telling a story are characters. I certainly find myself often drawn to characters as well as a good story. Both really come hand in hand, so to separate them seems strange, but from a critical appraisal point of view it occurs a lot. My main problem with Raven: Blood Eye was the characters. What I did enjoy was the story. I'll get to both shortly.
When it comes to historical fiction, a lot of authors tend not to take notice of the facts. Fine, it's a piece of fiction after all. Given this many writers shy away from writing about, say Leonidas, Caesar, Attila The Hun, Napoleon - apart from Conn Iggulden on two of those - they focus upon characters who share those greats adventures. Giles Kristian stresses he has attempted to keep the prose as accurate as possible, but given the lack of evidence from the time, there is a element of creativity to the story. That's fine - my knowledge is limited on the Norse. Other than one module on such things as; why Vikings weren't blood thirsty barbarians or they shorn away from horned helmets as they'd be banging their own heads within a shield wall, etc. Both of those are popular beliefs that they actually happened - the evidence says otherwise. Much like ancient history most of the written evidence is constructed some time after the actual events (barring Thucydides and dare I say Livy, Tacitus etc). So we've the Viking Sagas which were written around 1100-1200 AD, so a few years afterwards. I'm rambling here. Kristian has the knowledge!
The jeist of the story goes like this, Raven is taken from a English settlement. The Viking's are a superstitious lot. They believe the boy who becomes known as Raven is touched by Odin. The lad finds himself travelling with a Wolfpack/Brotherhood/Crew of Vikings who are some of the first to raid the English. Jarl Sigurd leads this merry band with both blood and steel, with a element of the mystical and unseen. We know that Vikings kill, laugh and drink or is that rape, pillage and steal? They particularly like Churches and priests, their overburdened pantries and silver ladened shrines is like honey to bees. Sigurd's men take full advantage of this, burning one town and getting the attention of the local fyrd and warriors. Soon they are forced aground after bad weather at sea and they are faced with a choice, recover a religious relic for the King of Wessex or face death. Tough choice. It's like that Eddie Izzard joke "cake or death" hmm. The combat is handled well, but I did feel like I was reading a structure like this; skirmish, get pissed, pillage and rape... skirmish, get pissed, pillage and rape. Rinse and repeat. There are breaks from this, but between the men of Wessex, Mercian's and Welsh, there wasn't much time for anything else.
The pace of the story is unrelenting, which sometimes is a good thing, but for me it negated any real character development. Worse there is a complete lack of feel to time in the novel. Here comes my main problem with the novel. How can a boy taken from a English village become a well respected member of a brotherhood in a short space of time? How can he become such a great warrior in a short space of time? The Vikings seem to readily to accept this boy into their brotherhood. Now I've never fought before, so I'll go to something akin to sharing strong strands of brotherhood - team sports. If someone comes into the team it takes them a large amount of time to prove themselves to that team. There is a element of distrust, which generally turns to pranks and banter. Yes those two are evidenced in the story, but he was a former carpenters apprentice, then all of a sudden a well honed Viking warrior chopping his way through all comers. These warriors must have fought countless battles together and experienced such things that would make a boy piss his pants. Think how much practising and training came before that, thousands of hours of blood and sweat. Not so in this story. Raven just didn't feel right to me. It doesn't help that the characters within the Wolfpack are very one-dimensional. I liked them as a group, but as individuals there is nothing to them. You could argue that this is to embed Raven into the group quicker, but for me after one hundred pages he is already Sigurd's equal. I get that the majority of Siguard's Vikings believe him touched by Odin (due to his red eye). To many times the Jarl tells Raven how their lives are intertwined and linked together. You earn your place through deeds, you then earn respect, you then earn that place.
Like I said, I enjoyed the story just not the characters. I always believe that a great writer of fiction has the ability to weave both together. It's just a shame this didn't happen for me with Raven: Blood Eye as I was keen to enjoy it as I heard good things of the writer. I'll certainly read the follow up and see if the characters improve. Given this was a debut story, it sometimes take time to learn a skill, much like Raven's fighting abilities. Many reviewers compare this to Bernard's Cornwall's Saxon series. I can't compare the two myself, personally I feel Giles writing style is more akin to Robert Low. Fast, unrelenting and bloody - row you fools ROW!! -
I won't bang on about the plot: Young man meets Vikings, is taken in, finds he is a natural killer and has bloody adventures in Southern England in the 8/9th century. That about sums it up.
I like Vikings, for a whole parcel of reasons. I studied them at university, and married a lady Viking. I've had this lying around for aged and fancied something Norse. Blood Eye adequately captures the spirit of the era and is overall entertaining, but there are some major issues with it.
Firstly, although the prose is very well written, the structure is poor, with not one but two pairs of near identical incidents. In the first act of the book the Vikings are twice invited into mead halls, where friendly feasting turns violent. In the third act, our hero Raven is rescued at the last minute by the unexpected arrival of his Viking pals, again twice. Sure, it's not beyond the bounds of possibility, but it's slack storytelling that should have been ironed out.
Secondly, global amnesia is the hokiest plot device in the world (when we meet the protagonist he's living in an English village and can't remember anything from before a couple of years ago. Is he English? Is he Norse? Read the whole series to find out if he's secretly the son of the king of Norway!) It takes a lot for me to forgive amnesia, and there's not quite good enough in here for such forgiveness to be forthcoming.
Thirdly, there's the odd historical innacuracy (to my mind at least). Pines are mentioned a few times as growing in England, but there are only two conifer types native to Britain - the Scots pine and the Yew. (Yeah, yeah, picky, picky). Pines were never grown widely here until relatively recently. Also, and this is something that I always grumble about when reading Dark Age era fiction, is the level of mutual intelligibility between Norse and Old English. It's debateable how much, but there was at least some, even the modern descendants of the languages have a lot of similarities, so Norsemen standing around talking loudly about killing Old English speakers in total safety wouldn't be possible. As I see it, anyway. Bernard Cornwell handles both the "torn identity" (admittedly, it's a useful narrative in to the world) and language issue better in his Viking stories.
But, the main character is extremely engaging, and it's well written. Perhaps I'll check out the others in the series. -
Not quite sure how to rate this one, going to mull it over first.
*note to self from future self: there's no time like the present to review a book, otherwise years later GR will botch your status and you'll forget ever reading it and then when you realise you have already read it you won't remember how much you liked it and if you wanted to actually continue the series... argh. -
Old-fashioned blood and guts Viking saga written with a modern sensibility - explicit description of violence including disembowelings, curses, sexual innuendo and violence - first in a planned series about a mysterious boy with an unusual blood eye and some weird capabilities; though the book stays within the "real world", the fantastic elements are implied and they may or may not show up
Osric/Raven the narrator - narrating in old age, so we know he survives his trials - has been found without memories two years before the start of the novel in an isolated English village of 790's AD, looking about 13-15. His weird blood eye made the village almost cast him out, even stone him but the respected tongueless village carpenter takes him as an apprentice.
When one of the first Viking war bands coming from Norway, led by famous jarl Sigurd the "Lucky" raids the coast, Osric - though English in appearance, not Norse looking - is thrown into the center of events and finds an unexpected bond with Sigurd himself who later names him Raven.
There follow quite a few adventures and the book ends at a natural stopping point though with a big To Be Continued sign.
Raven:Blood Eye is a page turner and a fast read; once I was in the mood for a blood and guts novel like it and I started it seriously, I could not put it down and finished it in one sitting.
Highly recommended -
Having finished Bernard Cornwell's Saxon/Last Kingdom series, I realized how much I enjoyed the blood and gore and shield walls of Viking stories. Such fun. Someone recommended Giles Kristian's books, so I started the Raven trilogy.
Once I convinced myself to read this first book in it's own right, and stop comparing it to Cornwell's books, I truly enjoyed it. It has a few similarities to the books about Uhtred, but its story is its own and very well done.
I'm looking forward to reading the other two books in the trilogy and then, perhaps, onward to the Sigurd series written by Kristian. -
Vikings...A period that just screams to me to read it, if Rome is blood and sandals, then Vikings is Sea , Sword and sudden violence.
My exposure to Viking historical fiction has been limited so far, but I'm trying to catch up, I thought Robert Low had managed to reach the pinnacle of the sub genre with the oathsworn, and then out comes the raven series to take it one step further.
The writing has true power and pace, but what also come over is a true love of the subject and the characters that the author is writing. With this series i did something i have never done before i waited until all 3 books were out before starting them and read them back to back, so by the end of book three i felt part Viking, I felt exhausted, and i had felt the kindred spirit of the crew, the losses, the pain and the loves, such is the power of Giles Kristians writing.
as debut series go this is up there as one of the better i have read, and i will be looking out eagerly for what comes next.
Very highly recommended. (Parm) -
A stomping, action packed Viking adventure. I enjoyed it.
A tale of a Viking raider/trader band opportunistically wandering around Anglo-Saxon England and of a young villager Osric with a mysterious background who they pick up on the way. It’s fierce, often bloody and grim, but also with a complex plot as the raiders get caught up in politics between the rival Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of about 800AD. The first in a series, but the story told here is pretty much standalone with no cliffhangers at the end.
One feature I particularly liked was the emphasis on the culture and religion that made them feared warriors. Their religion at its most basic is a sort of death cult where a rewarding afterlife in Valhalla is only certain if you fought bravely and died gloriously in battle rather than from old age. A well known aspect of Viking warrior culture of course but emphasised in this story, together with their superstition and associated need to sacrifice to the gods. These are warriors who didn’t fear death, even welcomed it in preference to running away when facing difficult odds. Hence the author gives you a very good idea on why the Viking raiders were feared and hated by those they preyed upon!
I read lots of YA Viking stories when I was young, and enjoyed them, especially their voyages around more of Europe than you’d believe, including Constantinople and the Mediterranean. And voyages to the Americas. Those stories limited my reading of more recent Viking historical fiction as I’ve thought ‘been there, done that’. But this well told story has reminded me that there are good tales to be told and I’ve missed out on them, so Vikings are back on the historical fiction agenda.
I’ve read a short story by this author previously and I can see that he’s a good historical fiction writer, fine characterisations and decent research, so I’ll try more of his in due course. And historical fiction set in Britain is always at its most realistic when it emphasises the mud and rain on land, and storms at sea. This book certainly doesn’t give the warriors nice holiday weather for their exploits!
Unfortunately as with much realistic battle rich historical fiction there’s not much of a role for women in the story. Certainly no female warriors and they mostly feature as wives (widows in this bloody story!) or spoils of war. The only prominent female character is a brave, interesting Saxon noblewoman towards the latter part of this story.
Probably a 4.5*, an enthralling read with my only concern on the plot being how quickly and well Osric adapts to warrior life. A bit of an unreasonable complaint by me as I recall recently complaining of a heroic figure in another fantasy who seemed to take forever in finding his mojo! I’m never satisfied, though I’m sure I’ll read more by this author soon. -
Giles leads readers into the grim yet fascinating world of middle age england through the character of Osric, a young man with no memory of his past apart from a blood ruined eye. His world is disturbed by the appearence of a group of norse traders unsettling him and his common folk. Yet the peace is further disturbed when the local priest tried to posion the Jarl Sigurd and Osric forewarns the Jarl of this trick. A fight ensues and men are killed yet Osric is spared only by the quickeness of his tongue in saving the Jarl's life. He is taken away from the land he knows of has home with the warband and so begins another new way of life for him, of praying to the old gods to calm the seas as he is brought up upon the longships, to hunger after treasure of silver and jewels but most of all the importance of the bond men as warriors forge and the fatal penalty due when any man breaks such an bond as the fellowship of norsemen.
A definite must buy and read ASAP for any fans of Robert Low and Bernard Cornwell. Giles Kristian is a new kid on the block in this genre and he is definitly as talented for telling a good saga of sword brothers as Low and Cornwell who've been masters for years. -
Dedication: Raven is for Sally, with whom I have crossed oceans
Opening: The hearth is spewing more smoke than flame, seething angrily and causing some of the men to cough as they hunker down amongst the reindeer furs.
Raven: Blood Eye
First in a series and it will be my last; it was with great relief that I reached the end. Immature writing, puerile attempts at humour, and with an obvious goal of pandering to Cornwell fans.
1.5* -
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: An historical voyage of an orphaned young man destined for Norse greatness.
Opening Sentence: It was April.
The Review:
Blood Eye begins where all good sagas do; humbly. It starts with an orphaned boy that is not truly accepted in his small village and yet does not know to want for more. When a twist of fate and chance encounter puts him along the path to his true destiny, he begins a long and treacherous journey to greatness.
Though this story is a work of fiction, it is based on an actual event. The Norsemen did, in fact, sail to new lands in search of riches. Our story’s Norsemen approached Raven’s village with the initial intent of trading goods. When they are attacked by the locals, they proceed to decimate everything in their path, including both people and their homes. When they offer a place for Raven within their ranks, the reader sees the catalyst to his transformation into a mighty warrior.
Raven’s growth is physical, emotional, and spiritual. When he joins up with the Wolfpack, the nickname of this group of Norsemen, Raven’s changes begins. His training in weapons not only builds up his muscle mass, but also his confidence. The longer he is with the group, the more he acclimates to their ways and beliefs. Raven was initially a Christian, and believed in one god, that the Norse laughed about. The Norse Pantheon is varied and vast, with Odin at the top of the “Gods Food Chain.” Raven’s blood eye is viewed by them as a sign of Odin’s favor. After several situations that seem “otherworldly” to him, Raven begins to believe the tales himself. The whole transition from Osric to Raven takes the length of book and his changes are reflected in both his internal dialog and attitude.
What journey to adulthood would be complete without a love interest? Raven does fall for a girl that sees him as a heathen. They are opposites in many respects but just like Raven himself, Cynethryth has hidden depths. Her role in life is stifling and preplanned. By taking up with Raven and his band of brothers, she has the rare opportunity to express herself in ways not acceptable for her station. Their freedom from social conformity also opens the door to freedom of choice in love.
I have to say, I had a really hard time putting this book down. Raven’s journey is as engrossing as it is riveting. The fighting and pillaging comes across as less barbaric and more a difference in culturally acceptable behaviors. Kristian has the rare ability to make a group of Norsemen more identifiable to even the most “civilized” person. Book 1 of the Raven series has me waiting for the next installment; horned hat on and sword in hand, yelling out to wenches for more mead.
Notable Scene:
“The world is stronger than any of us, my lord. It goes on,” I said, remembering that Ealhstan had conveyed as much to me once in his own way. “It has always been so.”
“Yes, it has,” Sigurd said, turning to face me. “And that is why we must do great things. I don’t just mean killing. By all the gods, there must be greater things than sowing death among your enemies. No, we must achieve things that are beyond most men. Only by doing what seems impossible will we ensure that men remember our names and sing of them around their fires when we are long gone.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “I see something in you. I cannot explain it yet, but I know I am bound to you.”
“Bound, lord?”
He nodded solemnly. “The gods have marked you, and my sword will honor their favor.” Something caught his eye, a shiny black beetle crawling from a pile of smoking white ash. “The world goes on,” he said, “despite the chaos we make. May Odin grant us the time to carve our names in the earth, Raven, so that others must watch where they tread.”
Raven Series:
1. Blood Eye
2. Sons of Thunder
3. Odin’s Wolves
FTC Advisory: Random House/Bantam Dell graciously provided me with a copy of Blood Eye. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payments I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys. -
I was seven years old when the Kirk Douglas-Tony Curtis movie "The Vikings" came out. Like their later collaboration in "Spartacus", the movie was flawed historically but that didn't matter to a seven year old. I was enthralled with the film and the lore of the Vikings. In this first book in a series Giles Kristian has awakened that feeling of being enthralled albeit on a much more real and visceral scale. The setting is Britain's east coast, Wessex and Mercia and the main character is a young man who has no memory of his early life. The village he resides in is visited by a group of Sword-Norse and because of his permanently blood-shot eye is saved from death...the Jarl Sigurd recognizes the hand of Odin in the boy. The action throughout this tale is filled with intrigue, treachery, greed and the fierceness one would expect from a Norse wolfpack. The Sword-Norse relish in their warrior ethic, their self reliance, and their devotion to the old gods. The English with their settled ways and their White Christ religion are not only ripe targets but at times also partners and uneasy allies.
One of the more poignant moments as the English confront Sigurd and his band after a bout of treachery in the Englishman's hall is the stark reality of what religion can do. I quote the English lord's part of the conversation:
but hatred of your kind is planted in us at our mother's tit. Our churchmen nurture that hatred and it grows strong...for my own part I wonder at the inconsistency of a god of peace who commands us to kill other men, even unbelievers...we might wonder how much is God's will and how much of it is our own
Indeed I was captured throughout the book by the author's descriptiveness whether it was a scene of bloody, gory battle or the beauty of the English countryside. For example:
We tramped through meadows where white lady's-smock grew so thick that it looked like a mantle of fresh snow and crossed fields where knapweed and marsh bedstraw were losing their heads to grazing sheep.
I can say for a certainty that I will be reading the other books in this series. Giles Kristian has awakened my interest keenly and I am grateful for that. -
Osric is a young man with no memories of his life beyond the past two or so years. His distinctive blood-flecked eye made him an outcast among the Saxon people of his village. When Norsemen come to his village they set off a chain of events that unlocks his hidden past and Osric becomes the Raven, a Nordic warrior following Sigurd the Lucky. The band gets tied up in an adventure involving Saxon politics, a mysterious Christian relic, Welsh savages and a beautiful young Saxon noblewoman. Good times.
I started this book with high expectations but was left a little disappointed. The story felt overly convoluted to me and, at several points, I struggled to believe. A good rule of thumb is that unbelievable events can save the main character once, but more than that and it is just too much. In this case I felt that it had happened too much. While fighting the Welsh, the Raven is saved by the sudden intervention of the Norsemen under Sigurd. At the end of the book the Raven is in a stand-off against a dozen Saxon warriors only to be rescued at the last minute by the return of Sigurd and his band. There were other spots of that nature as well. Outside of the last minute rescues there were other oddities. For example, the Norse are ambushed at an Ealdorman's hall. After much blood is shed, they manage to stop fighting and the Ealdorman manages to convince the Norse to steal a relic from a neighboring Kingdom. I struggled with that.
Outside of my comments above, the book was a nice bit of bloody fun. Lots of fighting and killing and betrayals and nastiness. Plus a young Saxon noblewoman. Lots of good stuff.
