| Title | : | Fires of Winter (Haardrad Viking Family, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0380757478 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780380757473 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 362 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1980 |
Lovely and dauntless, abducted by invaders from across an icy sea, Lady Brenna vowed vengeance -- swearing no Viking brute would be her master...no barbarian would enslave her noble Celtic heart.
FOREVER A VIKING'S LOVE
Yet Garrick Haardrad, the proud and powerful son of a ruthless Viking chieftan, claims her with a primitive abandon that leaves her breathless, igniting fires of passion that blaze through the cold Nordic nights and forge the unbreakable bonds of a fiery, eternal love.
Fires of Winter (Haardrad Viking Family, #1) Reviews
-
Once upon a time, there was a warrior maiden of reluctant femininity who fell in love with the slightly emo (but always badass) second son of a noble family.
...But this is not their story. This is FIRES OF WINTER, a bucket of dead tree barf that was cobbled into really cheap toilet paper, the sort of thing Eowyn & Faramir would use to wipe their dogs’ feet on a slushy winter morning.
Truly, this is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It’s not even bad in a funny way – it’s just Really, Really Annoying. To draw even the vaguest comparisons between Eowyn/Faramir & Brenna/Garrick is to insult one of my favorite pairings in the literary universe – and so I’ve found more appropriate imagery to support my low opinion of these illiterate, uncommunicative knuckleheads. Sure, it took an exhausting search through thousands of images in Google – but after much consideration I’ve settled upon the following representations. Please forgive me for overreaching the boundaries of traditional romance. Instead I've drawn upon a genre completely unrelated to Vikings, horses, & firelight – beyond the scope of The 13th Warrior, Tolkien, Celtic myth, Norse lore, & the surface of our little blue planet.
I urge you to forget the image presented in that (very pretty) vintage cover by Bob McGinnis. Instead, you shall behold the well-deserved faces of our hero & heroine.
GARRICK:
Ok, sure – Garrick’s not green. But his ineptitude as a warrior is matched only by Greedo’s ineptitude as a bounty hunter. Actually, I’m inclined to give Greedo the upper hand in this little arm-wrestling match, since Garrick spends the entire book mooning over mugs of milky mead & bemoaning his poor broken heart. What few times he attempts usefulness, he’s kicked in the nuts by hillbilly rapist!vikings, & from there he crawls back to be flogged senseless by Brenna’s shrill feminista screeches. Even Greedo had enough sense to stay on the other side of the table.
Speaking of tables (or rather, the brainz of one)...
BRENNA:
Jar-Jar Binks – aka the most reviled creature in the Lucas pantheon. He’sa da cause of all da evil in da galaxy. Intellect-wise, he & Brenna are on par with the thickest lump of wood that was ever chopped from a pine. Even worse, both Jar-Jar & Brenna are the sorriest excuses for anything that’s noble in heroic stories. There’s no wry humor they can’t ruin, no moment of personal growth they can’t kill, no pain they can’t inflict with their lack of foresight, no outrageously over-blown skill they can’t claim before getting kicked in the face by inept soldiers of fortune in rubber suits or leather breeches. (And if you squint real hard, those floppy bits on Jar-Jar’s head look like flowing tresses.)
So see, I’m not as crazy as you thought. ;)
At this point, I could write a summary of what plot there is & rant about it until everyone hated me as much as I hated Brenna…but no. That’s letting Brenna & Garrick down too easy.
Without further ado, I present:
FIRES OF WINTER: A PARODY IN SCREENPLAY.
[now with extra drama, colorful metaphors, & picspam]
BRENNA: I’m so totally a warrior! My mommy died & my daddy raised me like a son when I was little. I killed a boar when I was 9 & I will never be ruled by a man. You hear me, world? I’m 17 & I’m unmarried & I shall never be subjected to unfair patriarchal rulership. I will never be tamed!
BRENNA’S DAD: Actually, no. You’ll marry the first available Viking chieftan we can find. You’ll do the noble thing & somehow avert bloodshed & crisis, because if you’re married to a Northman they’ll leave us alone.
BRENNA: I refuse! I will never be tamed!
DAD: You will.
BRENNA: I won’t.
DAD: Go away so I can die in peace, dammit.
BREN: This sucks so much. What can I do to avoid being subverted by horrible males the rest of my life?
DELLA: It’s even worse at night. They put their organs between your legs & make you beg for mercy.
BREN: Eeeew!
DELLA: Ha. Now you’ll never know that sex is actually a very good time.
DELLA’S HUSBAND: I want to plow your little sister.
DELLA: That’s why I hate her with the unreasonable passion of a thousand fiery suns!
DELLA’S HUSBAND: But I’m nothing but a meaningless cog for interpersonal conflict, see? I have, like, three speaking lines. In fact, I serve no purpose but Viking fodder.
DELLA: Huh?
DELLA’S HUSBAND: Viking fodder. As in killed by vikings. Like the ones attacking us right now.
BRENNA: We must defend ourselves!
AUNT LINNET: But your father is dead. We are defenseless!
BREN: I’m as good as any boy! I know strategy & footwork & proper codes of conduct for battle & all the cool stuff that is un-womanly.
DELLA: I still think those vikings will rape us.
BREN: Then go sit in a corner & be useless, just like all women who do womanly things for the good of patriarchal society. I, meanwhile, will do what’s needed to defend our home from these murdering asswipes.
LINNET: Can’t hear you, honey. We’re being raped.
VIKINGS: Yaaaaar!
BREN: Omg, why are you beating me at swordfighting?! I’m a quarter of your weight & have a flimsy breakable sword my father gave me as a lark!
ANSELM THE VIKING: Too bad I was never going to honor your engagement, otherwise you’d make my son a fine bride.
BREN: I will never be tamed!
ANSELM: I will give you to my son as a slave. Women with spirit are funny dinner entertainment – and I think you can heal his broken heart after his floozy fiancee ran off with a rich merchant.
BRENNA: I’ll give you the silent treatment as a sign of my indominable will.
LINNET: Please don’t kill her for giving you attitude. She’s always been a spoiled brat.
ANSELM: Yowza, baby. Wanna be my bedslave? The wife won’t mind.
LINNET: Sweet. I have the protection of the clan leader now.
DELLA: Hey! I want a clan leader too.
ANSELM: Don’t worry, I have another son.
BREN: I’ll sit alone & pretend I can’t understand your language. That will give me the upper hand as I plot to dominate your heathen society with my awesomeness.
[Visual interlude:]
GARRICK: Dad, who’s this hottie slave you gave me?
ANSELM: She’s the girl whose father I tricked into believing I would have as my daughter-in-law.
GARRICK: But I don’t want a wife. You know I had my heart broken once & now I’m convinced all women are conniving, evil bitchfaces.
ANSELM: Don’t you remember that incredibly vague story about your being kidnapped by celtic peeps & tortured for no reason? I decided to have revenge upon other celtic peeps as payment for your mistreatment.
GAR: Um. Logic gap.
HUGH: Shut up, baby bro. I want to plow that bitchy girl Dad brought home.
BRENNA: I will kill you all in hand-to-hand combat!
LINNET: She just needs to be treated kindly. She's actually quite fragile inside.
BREN: Give me a sword & I’ll prove myself, you Viking bastards! I hate this Viking homestead. I hate this Viking weather. I hate the smell of your stinky Viking breath. I hate the sound of your heathen Viking voices. I hate the color of your sleazy Viking skies.
GARRICK: She seems rather...shrill.
LINNET: Nah, that’s just because her father died last weekend.
BREN: I’ll stomp my feet & demand to be treated with privilege solely because my name is Brenna & I’m better than all of you losers who can’t understand why I’m not behaving like a cowardly woman. I will never be tamed!
[Visual interlude:]
GAR: Shut up & finish making this rug.
BREN: I won’t.
GAR: You will.
BREN: I won’t. Rugs are womanly labor, damn you! I’m so insulted that I’ll stomp my feet & put my arms akimbo & pull your stuff from your trunks & throw clothes all over the room!
GAR: But…you are a woman.
BREN: And what do you mean by giving me a decent bed to sleep in & food to eat & not beating me for my constant bitchy attitude?!
GAR: This is highly irregular behavior for a slave. You don’t have much common sense, do you?
BREN: That’s because I will never be tamed!
GAR: Oh, right. I’m big & dumb & ineffectual, so I’ll give you more latitude than any self-respecting Northman would allow.
BREN: Speaking of which, I refuse to drink milk.
GAR: Huh?
BREN: Milk is for babies! And children! And women!
GAR: ...I like milk.
BREN: Fuck you & fuck milk. I throw your milk in your face & cry because you won’t give me liquor.
GAR: I am oddly aroused by this tantrum.
[Visual interlude:]
GARRICK: Now that you’ve kept your arms akimbo for three days straight, it’s time I raped you to show I’m the master here.
BRENNA: I refuse to let you try a forced seduction.
GAR: Why?
BREN: Because my sister told me sex was hurty & painful & unpleasant & I’ve inexplicably believed her all-knowing about this topic.
GAR: Sex is fun when you’re both into it. Not that I’ve had any since my floozy ex ran off with a merchant & I’m so boo-hoo broken hearted...but whatever. I’ll kill two birds with one stone & break you in like a proper slave.
BREN: Oh, the irony! I’m not afraid of violence or anything masculine, but I’m terrified of that which embodies my most feminine aspects!
GAR: Aw, it’ll be okay. I won’t hurt you.
BREN: I dunno…
GAR: Lemme show you.
[Visual interlude:]
GARRICK: Mmmmm.
BRENNA: Mmmmm.
GAR: Oooooooooooh!
BREN: OoooooOOOOOOooh, that IS fun!
GAR: See, I told you.
BREN: …Actually, it kinda sucked.
GAR: Huh?
BREN: I’m a Strong Woman. I will never be tamed! I can’t admit you were any good, because then you’d be dominating me. Instead I’ll blow the smallest conversations out of proportion & turn every interaction into a battle of the sexes, all of which is a set-up for me to bend your weak will around my little finger.
GAR: ...Or is it? Maybe I’ll use your desire for me as a weapon against your emotional armor & make you regret treating me like shit.
BREN: Nah, not really. I just like your oh-so-manly organ.
GAR: Really?
BREN: Yeah. But from now on I can only relay that enjoyment second-hand through conflicting parties. Admitting it to your face would imply emotional growth & acceptance that sometimes unpleasant beginnings can grow into pleasant contentment, if not outright happiness. That’s maturity, see? And I can’t touch that shit with a ten-foot pole because I will never be tamed!
GAR: I r confused.
BREN: Them’s the breaks, hon.
GAR: Screw this emotional stuff. I’ll just assault you without permission. That’ll learn you for abruptly deciding to weave rugs like a normal woman.
BREN: Ha, I only agreed to make your rug to throw you off the scent of my escape plan.
GAR: Curse my small brain!
BREN: No worries. I’ll make a huge deal about erasing the tracks of my horse, but I’m stupid enough to forget the dog as he’s running along beside us. You’ll find me in, like, three days.
GAR: Awesome. Let’s be sure to make camp on top of a sleeping bear. You can save my life, because I’m an utter FAIL at Viking stuff like, y’know, killing with spears & arrows.
BREN: Sure thing, sport.
GAR: And we contrive it so you challenge for your freedom, but are still unwillingly attracted to your so-called enemy. That way you can be afraid to hurt me with your superior swordsmanship & have a conflict of interest between your femine lust for my body & your masculine desires for equality & freedom in this evul patriarchal society.
[Visual interlude:]
BRENNA: Cough, cough. Sniffle, sniffle. I r sick after running away & being thrown in the punishment cell.
GARRICK: I couldn’t show you special treatment, remember?
BREN: But if you hadn’t given me milk earlier I wouldn’t have tried to escape. Damn your milk & your rug-making & your awesome manly-male organ of pleasure!
GARRICK: Here, take these expensive armbands & gold-emboidered gown to show how I’m unwilling to share you.
BRENNA: I'll just put my arms akimbo & stomp my feet & dare you to abuse me like a slave, so I can hold that over your head to make you feel emotions. I’m a shrew & I’m shrill & I will never be tamed!
[Visual interlude:]
CEDRIC THE GROTTY KIDNAPPER VIKING: Ah-ha! I’ve been paid by a Mystery Woman to kidnap & mistreat you!
BREN: I just fainted from terror. Thanks a lot. Did I mention that I will never be tamed?
CEDRIC: I don’t give a shit.
BREN: Then why have you taken me?
CEDRIC: I dunno. I think it’s some absurdly complicated plan for revenge that nobody cares about.
BREN: I see. And you're naked because...
CEDRIC: Because I’m a grotty kidnapper & I like to inflict pain on my victims. Oh, yes. I looooove pain. I’m such a sadist. See, I’ve got scars all over my body & if there was such a thing as S&M clubs, I’d go every weekend to get my kink on.
BREN: Your peen is enlarged! Does that mean you raped me while I fainted?!
CEDRIC: Not yet. I have an oh-so-convenient need for my victims to be awake while I rape them, otherwise I can’t get it up. But now that we're having this conversation...
BREN: Yeah, I'll pass. I’m just gonna stab you & get the hell out of here.
CEDRIC: You’ll be wandering around for weeks in the snow, you know. Just a warning.
BREN: My lover will be searching for me.
CEDRIC: Nah, he’ll hate you. He hates me too. It’s some family feud thing.
BREN: You can't talk now, remember? You're dead.
CEDRIC: ...Or am I?
BREN: I can’t hear you, grotty kidnapper Viking. I’m too busy wandering for weeks in the snow because Garrick & his awesome manly-male organ think I’ve run away.
GAR: You’ve hurt my feelings & I won’t forgive that. See, I’m more of a woobie-rake from the Regency than anything else. I have yet to do anything remotely Viking-like, so you can’t really expect me to act like a badass & claim you again, though part of me admires that you've managed to survive for weeks in the unforgiving Nordic environment with nothing more than a paperclip, a pencil, & a stick of gum.
BREN: Have I mentioned that I’m pregnant?
[Visual interlude:]
GAR: Really? You're going to have a baby?
BREN: That is what pregnant means. And now I’ve inexplicably developed a terror that you’ll leave my newborn babe on the hillside & destroy it like the heathen Viking murderer you are!
GAR: I wouldn’t kill my baby.
BREN: You would! And just to prove how much I want you to go away, I’ll stomp my feet & put my arms akimbo & ride around hunting pelted animals while I’m eight months huge with sprog!
LINNET: Uh, that’s probably not a good idea.
BREN: Why not?
LINNET: Because you’re pregnant.
BREN: I don’t care. I’m strong & independent & stubborn & I refuse to do womanly things. I will never be tamed!
LINNET: But...
BREN: There, see? I’m fine. I’ve attained new levels of maturity thanks to this baby in my belly. Look what I can do! ...Oops, I just fell off my horse.
LINNET: Oh noes, you’re having your baby prematurely.
BREN: Dammit, how did that happen? Don’t let Garrick kill it while I’m unconscious.
CEDRIC: Ah-ha! I have returned!
GARRICK: No, see, I brought him as a peace offering. Show me where you tried to kill him & I’ll believe you didn’t run away on purpose.
CEDRIC: I haz scarz like woah. You can’t prove anything.
BREN: He’s right.
GAR: Then you’re still a lying ho.
CEDRIC: Ha! I’ve shoved you down & knocked your head on a table. Now I’ll take Brenna again & try to cross the fjord.
BREN: You leave my baby alone!
CEDRIC: I don’t want your baby, biatch! That woman wants your baby.
BREN: Omg, no! Not that really suspicious housekeeper I knew earlier in the story!
GAR: You mean the one that mysteriously disappeared midway through the first half of the book? The one that has a bastard son by my father & wants him to overthrow my brother as heir to the clan?!
CEDRIC: Yup, that’d be her.
BREN: Get our baby, Garrick!
GAR: Get out of the fjord, Brenna!
[Visual interlude:]
CEDRIC: Get in this damn boat, slave!
BREN: Get off my leg, Cedric!
GAR: Leave off my woman, asshole!
CEDRIC: Stop kicking my face, bitch!
BREN: Quit trying to kidnap me, idiot!
GAR: Stop distracting me from our baby, woman!
CEDRIC: Where’s the boat going without us, dammit!
BREN: I will never be tamed, boys!
GAR: And there goes the baby!
CEDRIC: And there goes the boat!
BREN: Into the woods!
GAR: After them!
BREN: Quick!
CEDRIC: I’m drowning now! ..Oops, too late.
BREN: Nevermind that poor drowning man. We need our baby back. We’ve got two pages left, dammit, & I demand to dominate you into a happy ending.
GAR: I have him! The really mysterious housekeeper isn’t an evil woman – she’s just insane.
BRENNA: That’s a relief. Let’s go snuggle now, Greedo. I love you even if you’re a Viking bastard.
GARRICK: I love you too, Jar-Jar. Kissy-kissy, snuggle-woo.
Epilogue:
-
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If you peruse the bodice ripper lists on Goodreads, you will consistently see two names near the very top the list: Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Johanna Lindsey. These two authors might not be the best writers in the genre, but they are prime examples of the most lasting and the most successful. I have a love-hate relationship with Woodiwiss's books - sometimes they're on on point, sometimes they miss the point - but I'd never actually read anything by Lindsey. I intended to rectify that.
FIRES OF WINTER
is currently $1.99 on Amazon, as are some of the other first books in some of her other series,
DEFY NOT THE HEART and
WARRIOR'S WOMAN. I bought three of her books in three different genres - Medieval, Regency, and futuristic romance - to get a broad picture of her writing style. Since I like historical bodice rippers, I thought I'd start with FIRES OF WINTER.
FIRES is a Medieval Viking romance. The heroine, Brenna, is a Celt, pledged to a Viking by her father. She's unenthusiastic about the marriage but is willing to go through with it for the sake of honor. Brenna likes honor. And swords (no, that's not a sexual pun). The second most important thing that you need to know about Brenna is that she eschews anything feminine. When we first meet her, she's barging in to stop a rape, swinging her sword around while dressed in drag. Unfortunately, she doesn't stop the rape before it happens...but oh, well. She tried.
You probably noticed I said that's the second most important thing about Brenna. That's because the most important thing is that she's beautiful.
Obviously.
Anyway, the Vikings come and immediately start killing, raping, and pillaging, because the marriage was a lie. Not only do they not honor their agreements with the Celts (who they regard as their enemies because they once kidnapped the leader of their son and held him captive), but the man who was pledged to Brenna - Garrick - hates women and refuses to marry ever again. Why? Because some Bitchy McMeaners dumped him for a merchant with a full purse & he never got over it.
Brenna is the only woman who escapes being raped during the Viking raid because her glowering puts off the Vikings. They take her and the other Celtic women - including Brenna's half-sister, Cordella - to the Viking home, and Brenna is informed that she is a slave. She promptly throws the first of many temper tantrums, informing anyone who cares to listen that she doesn't do "woman's work." Nobody really punishes her for this. She gets lectured a lot instead, and at one point she gets thrown into a punishment cell - but the hero has second thoughts immediately afterward, so I'm not sure that really counts...
Speaking the hero, when Garrick comes back from his hunting trip, he's surprised to see Brenna in his bed. Especially what with his complete disavowal of women. But he's attracted to her, despite her stubbornness (and his hatred), and eventually rapes her after growing exasperated with her constant insults and refusal to do any sort of labor. Brenna is initially terrified because Cordella, who was jealous that her husband found Brenna way more attractive than she, has been feeding Brenna lies about how painful sex is, and how the act of intercourse is on par with torture or death. So after the first rape, Brenna actually thanks her rapist. Because she's like, "Oh, yay, that wasn't bad at all! NOW TO TEACH THAT LYING COW A THING OR TWO ABOUT HOW I FEEL ABOUT LIES."
Priorities. Brenna has them.
I think my biggest problem with this book is how the relationship between Garrick and Brenna plays out. Brenna's character is incredibly annoying. I could see how she could be a strong female character in another light, but the tantrums, crying, and inane arguments really made me dislike her, as did her insta-love with the hero. Garrick isn't much better. Because he got his heart broken by a woman, once, he's decided that all women, with the exception of his mother (who can do no wrong) must pay. I really hate the Madonna/whore complex, and Garrick has the worst case of it I've seen in ages.
The way rape is portrayed in this book is also problematic. I would consider what transpires between Brenna and Garrick rape, because most of the time, sex begins with her begging him or telling him not to. Most people would probably call this "forced seduction" because Brenna usually decides by the end of it that she's game after all, but it's still difficult to stomach. Especially since rape in this book is kind of divided into two categories: there's the hero's version of rape, where it always turns out to be good in the end, and then there's villainous revenge rape, where the rape is done by a bad guy because he gets off on pain or wants to hurt someone else through her, etc. etc.
Even Garrick himself admits it's rape, because at one point, Brenna asks him why he won't free her. Then he tells her that as a freewoman, she would have the right to refuse him as a lover, and he doesn't want to give that up. Yeah, you read that right. "I won't free you, because then I won't be able to legally rape you anymore." That just happened. It's there - in print.
Another problem is that not much happens. Maybe I could have mustered up some interest if this were crazysauce OTT goodness in the "it's so bad it's good" way, a la
Betrice Small, but there are very few scenes with any action. There's an escape attempt, a surprising twist with the Other Woman that I did not see coming (which I appreciated), a couple fight scenes, and a birthing scene. Most of the book, though, consists of Brenna and Garrick arguing with each other, Brenna throwing another tantrum, and then Garrick getting frustrated and either a) threatening her with violence or rape, b) storming off to rage-hunt in the woods, or c) telling other men not to touch her. There are only so many times I can stand to see the heroine say, "Nay--nay!" This book danced all over that limit. Brenna says "Nay!" so many times, she's pretty much a horse. The overuse of "Nay" and "'tis" read more like written tics than they contribute to the historical accuracy of this book.
I can see why people might like FIRES OF WINTER - it has a lot of tropes that people find titillating (hero with issues, captive romance, Viking, "strong" heroine) - but this book wasn't for me at all. Trying to brush off the hero's rapes and portraying him as a "damaged" good guy caused the narrative to give off some unpleasantly mixed signals. Ditto Brenna's tomboyishness when juxtaposed with her completely irrational attraction to the man who treated her like dirt. I would have liked this book more if Garrick had been portrayed as the ruthless, unfeeling man he was & Brenna was portrayed as slightly less childish. But they weren't, so I didn't. I do love that cover, though. *_*
1 star. -
This was my first romance novel ever! And twenty-four years later, it has a special place in my heart. Okay, this is a bodice ripper. It was written during the "I like, I take" era when heroes did rape heroines. I am not defending that, I am just saying that is what was done. I was twelve when I read it, and I didn't understand the mechanics of sex at all. I couldn't figure out what went where (yes I was that ignorant about sex).
I loved the adventure in this book. Although Brenna does annoy some friends who have read this book, I liked her. She was a warrior heroine, and I've always liked warrior women. She did what she could to protect her people. If she sometimes acted irrationally, she was only eighteen years old, and saw some pretty traumatic events (like her nurse getting an ax to the head). The Vikings were pretty violent in their raids.
I think this book awakened my interest in the Dark Ages and the Vikings. I went on to read way too many Viking books until I got sick of the genre, and I rarely read them now. But I do like to watch the programs that come on The History Channel about Vikings. All thanks to this book. I do believe that Johanna Lindsey did careful research. In the years since, I have educated myself about the Vikings, and she was spot on about their practices in a lot of ways. I can attribute my love of historical romance to this book. I love historical romance because I love learning about days gone by, and one of the best ways to learn is with an interesting story to lead you down the path of learning.
Garrick is a beautiful man physically, and he was a decent person, but I can't say I thought he was the best hero. He was a bit of a golden boy type, very spoiled, although fairly good-natured. He forced himself on Brenna and then expected Brenna to declare undying loyalty to a man who had enslaved her and taken away her innocence by force. Get a clue, dude. Brenna did end up falling in love with him, and made a promise she had every intention of keeping, but was stolen away by men hired by Garrick's father's bitter ex-mistress. Of course, instead of giving her the benefit of the doubt, he believes she's run away again. She treks halfway across Norway to get back to him, after surviving a violent near rape, half-frozen, poorly clothed, half-starved, and being pregnant the whole time, and he drops her like a hot pancake. I was so glad when Brenna washed her hands of him. And I was glad that Garrick had to earn her trust. I do like a grovelling (because he deserves it), repentant hero.
This book has a really good secondary cast whose stories you care about. The interesting thing is you get both sides of the story, from the invaders and the enslaved. I thought it was really well-done of Lindsey to present that balanced perspective.
I haven't read this book in years, but I have forgotten very little about it. Although Lindsey newer books don't move me the same way they used to, she will always be one of my all-time favorites because fundamentally, she really is a great storyteller. This book is proof of that.
So if you want to read a non-PC, fairly accurate romantic tale of Vikings and the women they love, I suggest this book to you. Hearts Aflame is about Garrick and Brenna's daughter Kristen, and Surrender My Love is about the super-baby Selig (who survived about every insult an unborn child can survive in his mother's womb and lived to tell about it). They are both good, but my favorite is Fires of Winter. -
2.5 STARS
When I finished this book, I was feeling like I wasted a day of my life without learning something ....
A waste of time -
MAJOR SPOILERS
(I'm becoming quite the spoiler these days)
So when this book started I was seriously thinking
I was expecting an arranged marriage and then vikings attacked and ransacked Brenna's village and took her and several other women hostage. What continued for quite some pages was rape, rape, rape, and wait for it....... Rape. But of course Brenna acted so crazy and was so admired by the chieftain that no one touched her.
Now I've read plenty of books with rape, but I was just sitting there thinking, 'Is everyone supposed to live happily ever after after all this?'. Brenna is still being given to Garrick, as a slave now instead of a wife, but after his father killed or enslaved basically everyone she knew, I was wondering how she would fall in love with him.
But hey.... It's romance land. Anything can happen. So Garrick finally decides to grace everyone with his presence and boy oh boy.
Not only is he a grade A douche, but some girl has broken his heart and has him thinking every woman is a conniving gold digger. Just great. What proceeds is Brenna and Garrick's fight for dominance. It was quite tiresome at times. Even when Garrick would relent on one thing, Brenna would totally put her foot in her mouth and ruin it. There were many times I wanted to strangle her.
Then Garrick just hadddddd to use the word slave at every turn and piss her off or once again decide no woman can be trusted. Ughh.
Then they finally had sex. It was alright (even if it was over with too quickly). So I'm like, 'Let the romance beginnnn' but nope. Almost everytime after that Brenna would refuse (she couldn't willingly give herself to someone who wasn't her husband), but she secretly wanted him to 'use his force on her'. I mean, hey whatever gets your motor running. But goodness, it's ok to just say get over here and drop em. A girl's got needs too.
But eventually they kind of soften towards one another and Garrick dresses her with gifts and brings her to his father's feast. There she realizes she loves Garrick. She tells him in the heat of the moment later (of course she had refused to have sex with him this time too) and he tells her he has no love to give back. She runs back to Garrick's house and is kidnapped by 2 men from a neighboring clan (they were paid by someone unknown at this point). She's counting on Garrick to come to her rescue, but he assumes she ran away and bans people from even saying her name. She eventually escapes by 'killing' one of her captors and goes on a dangerous journey back to Garrick. Just to get back there and have everyone hear her story of what happened and say
I felt so bad for her. She went through hell and used love as her motivation to get back home and then Garrick turns his back on her, calls her a liar, and gives her to his father. You anger and disappoint me Garrick.
But something good came out of the whole episode. Garrick's father freed Brenna. Butttttt she's pregnant and once old grandpa knows this, she wasn't going home until she's had his grandkid. Garrick's been brooding on his ship while all this was going on and comes home to rescue Brenna after an assassination attempt and in labor. She wakes up in Garrick's house in time to push out the baby.
She has their son, Selig, and it appears as if Garricks doesn't see him much after the first time and I was back to hating him. But then you find out he's been sneaking to see Selig when Brenna wasn't around and was avoiding Brenna so he wouldn't upset her. He had realized he couldn't live without her.
But there's still the little issue of Garrick not believing she was kidnapped. Brenna won't reconcile unless he believes her and so is determined to sail back home. When she's all packed up to go, Garrick comes and confesses his love and vows to trust her from now on. And has a little surprise... One of her kidnappers. Of course the kidnapper acts like he doesn't even know Brenna and Garrick is disappointed until Brenna mentions a scar on the kidnapper only Garrick and the kidnapper know about. Said kidnapper hits Garrick on the head knocking him out and kidnapping Brenna...again. It's revealed that one of Garrick's servant, Yarmille, is behind everything. Brenna escapes and is reunited with Garrick to find out he left Selig with good old trusty Yarmille.
But, quite anti-climactic-y, she just left him in the woods and they found him. Now that Brenna is a freewoman and all, she and Garrick get married and cut.
So not a great beginning, but it had mostly won me over by the end. The characters sometimes got on my nerves, but I was still reaching for this book every chance I got so... -
Ni siquiera voy a perder más tiempo haciendo esta reseña del que perdí leyendo el libro.
Incoherente
Incomprensible
Intolerable
No lo recomiendo. Fin -
Old school romance- I swear, Fires of Winter still has the juice even though it was written 30 years ago! O_O
It’ll immediately hook you and not let go- if you can get passed two of the most stubborn, headstrong protags you’ll ever meet in romance!
Setting up a big misunderstanding plot line with a heavy hand, you know exactly how this story is going to go within 10 pages. But Lindsey’s viking tale really doesn’t get started until the H/h meet long about 70 or 80 pages in…
Independent Celtic beauty, Lady Brenna is an oddity to be sure, walking around in men’s trousers and trained to war like any son of a chieftain. But she’s none the less willing to submit to her father’s wishes of being married off to a Viking to make peace because she loves him so. However the Vikings entered the deal under false pretenses, and on the day of her father’s death, they strike with a fury, killing and taking captive all those Brenna love.
Garrick Haardrad has no idea the plans his father has made of striking the hated Celts. And he has no idea that he’s been “gifted” with a new slave- a lovely dark haired maiden who instantly fires him up… on numerous levels. It isn’t long though till he realizes this slave would need taming…and that he might enjoy the effort.
Despite her anger at her circumstances part of Brenna instantly wishes things were different between Garrick and she- that they would have indeed been introduced to be man and wife- but his hated father ruined all that with his cruel raid and the gorgeous Viking’s determination to think of her nothing but his property rankles even more. So she resolves to never submit.
Indeed, if circumstances were different, Garrick and Brenna would have made a happy match, but fate it would seem had other plans- well, fate helped along by selfish and self-serving people all around them. It will take nothing but true love to burn through all the hatred and misconstrued circumstances they find themselves in- if they have the courage to learn to trust.
Like I said, this book is old school- brutish men, taking what they want with the “big misunderstanding” running the majority of the plot. What makes this one a bit different is the strong willed heroine- although almost too willful for my tastes. If they had just been honest with each other from the beginning they would have saved themselves a lot of heart ache. But then where’s the fun in that? :P (Srsly, I wanted to bang their heads together for believing everyone else around them but each other- but at least they made me feel. I hate when characters are so boring you could care less what happens to them!)
Listen, these kinds of books aren’t for everyone, but Lindsey was once a master in her day, and this book (and series) is one of the reasons why. I read Fires of Winter eons ago and still remembered much of it- even before my recent reread! (That’s saying a hang of a lot since I cant remember some of the plots and characters of books I read only weeks ago!) Her novels once had a certain kind of thrill, and sad to say, it’s been long gone from her recent releases. If you want to know what made this genre what it is today- read one of her oldies. She definitely had the magic. If you need a rec for one other than this, because it isnt necessarily one of her best imo- just ask, I’ve read them all! ;)
4.5 out of 5
(Interesting note on the old Joanna Lindsey cover art- she didnt like that women were always the ones that were half naked on romance novel covers so she insisted it be reversed on hers bucking industry standards. She won. God bless ya woman! Oh and ever heard of Fabio? Pretty much because of her books. :P) -
2.5 stars
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I have 1000+ books on my TBR, and still, I add and search for books to add to that list. Last night, I thought, maybe I should read a book I've already added to the list. And as I'm browsing through my TBR, I find this book and I curse myself for not reading it sooner or any other book by Johanna Lindsey, may her soul rest peacefully, her writing is everything I want and need!
Before going into this book, I read some reviews to prepare me for what was to come. So I was ready for the bodice-ripping, rape, slavery, and I read somewhere that there was some physical abuse between hero and heroine, so if that is not something you can read about, I would advise you to refrain from reading this book.
Okay, now, I'm from Sweden, and growing up, I've read and learned a lot about Vikings, and so I was very excited to read this book, and Johanna did such a good job when it comes to the research she did on Vikings. When you have some knowledge about the Vikings and the gods, I believe there's a different kind of feel when reading such a book.
This book tells the story of Brenna and Garrick. Her father raised her and taught her everything a boy would learn. How to ride horseback, sparring, and a lot more what he didn't teach her, however, or what she refused to learn was all the womanly chores; sewing, cooking, and cleaning, and her knowledge of intimacy is one of the lies told by her sister. So when her father decides to betroth her to a Viking, she's furious.
However, when her father suddenly dies, and Vikings invades her home, she's captivated along with her sister and aunt, and now turned slaves. Brenna is different from the other woman. While they scream and cry, she sits in silence and plans vengeance on the men who destroyed her home.
Garrick, a coldhearted, ruthless, and unloving man, never wanted a woman. A mistress. Not after someone betrayed him. So when he returns to his home and finds a black-haired woman in his bed, he's not happy. The woman in his bed is fiery, and her attitude is non to his liking. Her ability to not give up hope she'll one day be a free woman again only nerves him, but that does not stop him from bedding her.
Why not 5 stars? The last 20/30% had me pulling out my hair. These two characters were so stubborn! Gah, I wanted to punch Garrick and pull Brenna's hair! Those last pages before the last chapter were annoying, which is why the rating was brought down a star. Overall, I enjoyed this book and will continue with this series and other books by this author.
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2 Stars
Overall Opinion: This had been on my (never ending) tbr list for a long time, so when I was in the mood for a historical captivity type story I picked it right up! Sadly, it just wasn't my cuppa. I wasn't a huge fan of the h and I definitely didn't like the H. I didn't like the scenes between the h and the H that felt like they were no big deal and just swept under the rug. I really didn't like the fact that the H didn't have to do hardly any groveling for his cruel behavior! I know lots of my friends really seemed to enjoy this -- but as I said earlier, it just wasn't my cuppa 🙈
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Brenna and Garrick's story. Brenna's father dies and she is shocked to have her home attacked by the chieftain father of her betrothed Viking. Brenna, along with her aunt and step-sister, are held captive. The but chieftain soon realizes her value as a feisty virgin and hopes that she will be just what his younger son, Garrick, will need to get over his bitter heartbreak from another woman. There are a good bit conflicts, some violence, and some sexy times...and the get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This focused on Brenna (mostly), Garrick, and some other side characters in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Slow at times, but it mostly flowed well. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 2 stars. Garrick. He was alright in some scenes but then he'd do something really hurtful and he was too stubborn for my liking.
h (heroine) rating: 2.5 stars. Brenna. I liked her at first, but her stubbornness and pride got to be too much for me.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright . They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes, but not super descriptive and very dated in the wording.
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ended abruptly with what I would call a HEA (while grumbling because it was too abrupt)
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. -
A real bodice ripper! Loved it!
-
In a nutshell:
I really disliked this book and I was sorely tempted to give it a 1 star rating... but I couldn't. My love and respect for Brenna were too intense to be ignored.
I don't deny that this could be a good and entertaining read for others, but the themes and plot elements were just not for my liking. For one, I was not comfortable with the rampant rape scenes that kept on popping out in the story. And, second, I hated--with every fiber of my being--the fact that adulterous relationships were treated so loosely by the characters. Call me a prude, but reading about how Brenna's aunt shared Anselm with Heloise just made me sick to my stomach. Blech.
Yes, I get it, this is a medieval setting, and yes, historically speaking, those things did happen. But I've read similar stories where the writer was able to pull it off without focusing too much on rape and adultery. There is such a thing as too much historical accuracy and too much realism! A balance between the historical elements and romance should have been made. Hell, if I wanted to know about Viking stories I would have just watched the History Channel, for Pete's sake!
Sorry, but reading about adultery, rape and slavery is not my idea of a good book during my day off.
And now we go to Brenna, the only saving grace of this story. My God, she was just so awesome. She's definitely one of the best heroines I've ever met and is certainly one of my favourites. Strong, brave and fiercely loyal, she out shined all the other characters in the novel. I appreciated how she handled all the shit thrown at her, and I especially loved the fact that she demanded nothing less than marriage and true love from Garrick. She earned my utmost respect when she all but demanded Garrick to marry her and trust her.
She was the only reason why I didn't abandon this. And damn, she was worth it. All hail Queen Brenna!
As for Garrick, let me just say that "dislike" is too tepid a term for how I felt about him. He frustrated the hell out of me and I hated him, especially when he didn't even believe Brenna when she told him about Cedric. UGH I WANTED TO KILL HIM THEN AND THERE!
There was no redemption for him, and I was left to believe that he didn't deserve the heroine's love.
Sigh. I know I have an unpopular opinion about this book, but it just didn't work for me. In fact, finishing it book was torture. But others may feel differently. To each his own right? -
This book is only for bodice ripper fans. There were just so many elements that were off-putting. . Nevertheless, it was a very riveting read. My eyes were glued to my kindle simple because I couldn't fathom how Garrick and Brenna were able to achieve their HEA. Garrick is the epitome of an alpha a*****e. Brenna is childish, a termagant, doesn't know what she wants. I disliked the fact that even after being proven wrong and treating Brenna horribly, Garrick didn't grovel enough. So, don't expect a grovel porn here. The quality of writing is one of the better ones from Ms. Lindsay. Oh well, at least I've gotten this one out of the way.
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Danielle has a brilliant review and plot summary done and as I couldn't add to it, I will just leave my opinion.
These old Johanna Lindsey books are far better than some of her recent ones. OK they have the rapes and the not too adorable Hero's but thats what make's them great. Whether you are screaming at the Heroine to get some sense, or wanting to put your hands into the pages of the book and slap the Hero the point is you are gripped. From the first JL hooks you with her great characters even if you hate them, then she reels you in by shocking you or making you angry, even laugh sometimes. The storylines and writing are great and no matter how you feel about the content the chances are you wont put the book down.
My only gripe is that rape is deplorable and I imagine quite painful but yet JL has her Heroine Virgins starting to enjoy it before he is finished? Ok although it bugged me a bit, I can understand why JL did that, because the H/H have to fall in love and have a HEA. If she made the rape more realistic the Hero would be totally unredeemable. But at the end of the Day even with all my gripeing, this is still a great story. -
3.5 Stars
This was my first Johanna Lindsey story and I can honestly see why she was/is so popular in the historical romance genre. As far as her actual writing quality is concerned, I found myself fairly impressed with her prose; she created a really rich and absorbing medieval setting, and even though the happenings and behaviours were ones I found hard to read about in a romance story, I believe Lindsey probably portrayed the time period very well.
Honestly, I had quite a conflicted and contradictory reaction to Fires of Winter. There were so many aspects of this story that I should have downright hated, and I’ll admit I got frustrated (hulk-smash rage-y, even) over character behaviour on more than one occasion, but at the end of the day I actually liked it more than I didn’t like it, as confusing as that is. I mean, I’ve read plenty of 1 and 2 star reviews here, and I understand and relate to them completely, yet I still found myself fully immersed in this Viking-captive story, even with its stubborn characters who bordered on insufferable, and their debatably dubious and often non-consensual “romance.”
Mixed feelings aside, I found this to be a very moreish read and I’d definitely be open to trying more from Lindsey’s backlog when the mood strikes. -
Es el segundo libro que leo de esta autora y, la verdad, no deja de sorprenderme la fijación que tiene para crear heroínas que terminan profundamente enamoradas de sus captores, violadores, que las han sometido a una humillación tras otra y, en que llegando a las últimas páginas, cuando les dan una disculpa, los aceptan felices y agradecidas.
Sí, este libro sigue el mismo esquema. Además, con un desenlace soso y corto que tampoco compensa. En todo caso, la novela se lee de un tirón, entretiene, pero en este género no es de las que deja buen sabor. -
Maybe it is Lindsey's writing, but I feel I shouldn't like this book yet I couldn't put it down. Don't get me wrong, the captor/captive storyline is my fav, but the H is such an unreasonable jerk at times that i want to kill him. He distrusts her (because another broke his heart) and treats her very coldly at times. There are several scenes of RAPE as well. The kind that cannot be termed forced seduction, where it is made clear that the heroine is not "ready" for the act. Yet, he continues to consistently act like the wronged party and a spoiled child. Yes, she was a slave and vikings were brutes, but he also knew that she was not raised into this station and should have been more understanding of her anger/resentment, as his parents were. He does, in the end realize that he loves her, has been an unforgiveable jerk, and that he can't force her to be with him without it destroying her even though he desperately wants to. He is even willing to let her leave the country and is rather humble in trying to get her to reconsider, stay, and marry him. I suppose what made the brutality easier to take was Brenna's spunk (sometimes bordering on childish tantrums). She did not let him break her and defied him at every turn.
I know that's a lot of complaining for a book I honestly couldn't put down. It is just so hard for me to explain what I loved about it when there were so many things that disturbed me. -
An old school historical/bodice ripper with the requisite feisty heroine, Viking alpha male and throbbing manhood!
If you take into account the time is was written (the 80's) it isn't a bad tale just a little dated by today's standards. -
Unfortunately I read the second of the series before, so I'm biased since it was perfection...
This is written in 1980 but it seems like 100 years ago.
There's rape, without even emotion, and I didn't like it.
The hero forces her to have sex repeatedly.
Oh, his sexual skills are also very poor. The heroine seldom enjoys the act.
Too long and too many mishaps to the heroine.
She's:
-deceived when the H's father who agreed to their marriage murders all her village and kidnaps and enslaves the women.
-enslaved and given to the hero
-raped by the hero
-when she tries to run, she's found by the hero, who is attacked by a bear, and, after saving his life and killing the bear, as a reward she's locked in a cold shack where she falls ill and almost dies (!!!)
-kidnapped and almost raped and almost starved and freezed by the H's enemy
-Rejected by the H that doesn't believe she's been kidnapped and thinks she left him
-again, kidnapped by the H's enemy
Just too much.
The hero is simply a bully without a backbone. I couldn't appreciated him at all.
He was deceived by his fiancee who married a richer man so now all women are bad, he doesn't want to marry anymore and doesn't want to love any more.
Move on man, move on!
Are not a big bad viking?
Or a big bad viking is big and bad only to defenseless and much smaller women???
Because this is the picture we get.
He's so afraid of being hurt and deceived again. Booohooo.
He cannot allow the heroine, who was deceived and kidnapped by his father, to do her favourite tasks, that is to help with horses and stable, because he wants her to do what he says.
He would sell her to the slave market, it's only thanks to his father that the heroine, after risking her life and almost being raped by. his. enemies. is set free.
He goes away and only after one year he asks her to marry.
Only after his son's birth.
The big man.
What an utter coward.
What an un-sexy little man.
The heroine is not much better.
She wants to be a man, a warrior.
She's always complaining and controversial, but without a real plan in her mind.
She does stupid things instead of trying to mediate and get what she wants.
She's also very young.
But while she changes- and grows up- as time goes by, the hero doesn't.
Not a nice pair those two.
I couldn't feel any love for the heroine.
He didn't do anything at all to prove his love. He only treated her as one of his possessions.
The book was well written and intriguing, so I cannot give less that three stars. -
This is one of the first Romance books I read, and I tell you it got me hooked. I now can't seem to get enough of Vikings, Pirates or Highlanders. ;p
This book has a great story line full of adventure. The characters are very likable and strong willed. It was entertaining to see them battle it out while their relationship was developing...
Brenna was kidnapped from her home by Vikings, and made a slave. She was given to Garrick by his father in hopes that she would make him happy. What follows is quite entertaining.
This book moved very fast and I was in disbelief that it was over when I turned the final page. I want more...
An excellent Historical Romance. Great Job JL... two thumbs way up!!! -
Το διάβασα μέσα σε λιγότερες από 24 ώρες και κυριολεκτικά το λάτρεψα! Εξαιρετική ιστορία,που εστιάζει σε μια ιδιαίτερη πλοκή. Πολύ διαφορετική από τα συνηθισμένα -αν και πάντα αγαπημένα- μοτίβα της αγγλικής,και ευρωπαϊκής γενικότερα,αριστοκρατίας που έχουμε συνηθίσει να βλέπουμε σε ανάλογα βιβλία. Κι όμως, εξίσου συναρπαστική κι ενδιαφέρουσα.
Το «Φωτιά και πάγος» είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της συναρπαστικής τριλογίας της Johanna Lindsey -με γενικότερο τίτλο Φλογεροί Βίκινγκς- όπου εξιστορούνται οι περιπέτειες της οικογένειας Χάαρντραντ.
Στο πρώτο βιβλίο, η συγγραφέας μας αφηγείται την ιστορία της Μπρένα και του Γκάρικ. Όταν ο πατέρας της ανακοινώνει στην αρχόντισσα Μπρένα πως κανόνισε να παντρευτεί τον γιο μιας φατρίας των Βίκινγκς, η μεγαλωμένη σαν αγοροκόριτσο κοπέλα αντιδρά έντονα. Η περήφανη και αδάμαστη καρδιά της δεν μπορεί να δεχτεί πως θα αναγκαστεί να παντρευτεί έναν βάρβαρο επιδρομέα και να ζήσει μια ζωή ως υποταγμένη σύζυγος. Παρόλα αυτά, αναγκάζεται τελικά να υποταχθεί στη μοίρα της και προετοιμάζεται να υποδεχτεί τον μνηστήρα της.
Τα γεγονότα, όμως, θα την προλάβουν. Ο πατέρας του μέλλοντα συζύγου της θα πραγματοποιήσει αναπάντεχα μια βίαιη επιδρομή στα εδάφη τους, κι η Μπρένα θα βρεθεί αιχμάλωτη. Η νέα της ζωή, ως σκλάβα του Γκάρικ κι όχι ως σύζυγός του, είναι κάτι που αρνείται να δεχτεί ως δεδομένο· η μόνη της επιθυμία είναι να αποδράσει και να εκδικηθεί για τον θάνατο των δικών της. Όμως, στο πρόσωπο του περήφανου Βίκινγκ θα συναντήσει έναν εξίσου πεισματάρη και δυναμικό χαρακτήρα, και μεταξύ τους θα ξεκινήσει μια ανελέητη μάχη θέλησης για επιβολή. Εκείνος επιθυμεί να την υποτάξει ολοκληρωτικά· εκείνη επιθυμεί να πάρει εκδίκηση και να κερδίσει ξανά την ελευθερία της.
Παρ’ όλες τις αψιμαχίες τους, κανείς από τους δυο δεν μπορεί να αρνηθεί το συναίσθημα που ξυπνά μέσα τους ήδη από την πρώτη φορά που αντίκρισαν ο ένας τον άλλον. Ένα συναίσθημα άγνωστο, παράξενο, που αμφότεροι νιώθουν να θεριεύει ολοένα μέρα με τη μέρα. Ο Γκάρικ, έχοντας υποφέρει από μια ερωτική προδοσία στο παρελθόν, έχει ορκιστεί να μην αγαπήσει ποτέ ξανά καμία γυναίκα. Η Μπρένα δεν τολμά καν να διανοηθεί πως έχει ερωτευτεί τον εχθρό της, τον γιο του άντρα που κατέστρεψε το σπίτι της και την οδήγησε σ��λάβα σε μια ξένη χώρα. Θα καταφέρουν άραγε οι δυο τους να ξεπεράσουν όλα τα εμπόδια που ορθώνονται μπροστά τους –τις παραδόσεις των Βίκινγκς, την κοινωνική τους θέση, τις προστριβές, την καχυποψία τους, αλλά και τα σκοτεινά σχέδια τρίτων– που τους χωρίζουν; Θα παραδεχτούν πως ο έρωτάς τους είναι δυνατότερος από το πείσμα τους και θα κατορθώσουν τελικά να αφήσουν πίσω το παρελθόν, σχεδιάζοντας μαζί ένα κοινό, καλύτερο μέλλον;
Η Lindsey έχει σκιαγραφήσει, με μεγάλη επιτυχία, ένα περιβάλλον εντελώς διαφορετικό από αυτά που συνήθως συναντάμε σε άλλες ιστορίες της. Εδώ, αντί για κομψά αγγλικά σαλόνια και ειδυλλιακά υπαίθρια τοπία, συναντούμε απότομα φιόρδ και παγωμένα πέτρινα κάστρα. Αντί για επιτηδευμένους τζέντλεμεν και ντροπαλές δεσποσύνες, τραχείς πολεμιστές και υποταγμένες σκλάβες. Αντί για ευγενικό φλερτ και επίδειξη καλών τρόπων, γυναίκες που αποτελούν κτήμα των αφεντάδων τους και πρωτόγονη, άξεστη συμπεριφορά εκ μέρους των περισσότερων αντρών. Κι όμως, αν και σε ορισμένα σημεία τα γεγονότα που διαδραματίζονται φαίνονται αρκετά ακραία, η ιστορία δεν χάνει σε τίποτα από τη γοητεία και το ενδιαφέρον της. Άλλωστε, αυτή ήταν η πραγματικότητα τότε.
Η συγγραφέας έχει αποδώσει πιστά και ρεαλιστικά το ιστορικό υπόβαθρο της συγκεκριμένης εποχής, στη συγκεκριμένη χώρα. Οι Βίκινγκς ήταν ένας πρωτόγονος, άγριος λαός, που ζούσε σε έναν εξίσου άγριο και αφιλόξενο τόπο. Οι παραδόσεις, οι ιδέες, οι αξίες και τα πιστεύω τους έχουν αποδοθεί εξαιρετικά στην αφήγηση κι έχουν ενσωματωθεί πλήρως στο αμιγώς λογοτεχνικό πλαίσιο της ιστορίας. Οι περιγραφές των γεγονότων μπορεί αρχικά να ξενίσουν τον αναγνώστη, όμως τελικά εκείνος θα τις αποδεχτεί, με την ίδια φυσικότητα που τις αποδίδει και η συγγραφέας. Απλά, γιατί έτσι ήταν τα πράγματα, επομένως θα φάνταζε άστοχη και ψεύτικη μια ωραιοποίηση της καθημερινότητας και των συνθηκών που επικρατούσαν εκείνη την εποχή.
Όσο για το πρωταγωνιστικό ζευγάρι, την Μπρένα και τον Γκάρικ, είναι ένα από τα πιο φλογερά και ενδιαφέροντα που έχουμε συναντήσει σε ρομαντικές ιστορίες εποχής. Πραγματικός συνδυασμός φωτιά και πάγου, όπως δηλώνει και ο τίτλος του βιβλίου. Δυνατοί και δυναμικοί χαρακτήρες, μοναχικοί κι εσωστρεφείς, αφήνονται να οδηγηθούν σε ένα ορμητικό κρεσέντο πάθους και συγκρούσεων, ισορροπώντας πάντα στα όρια των αντοχών τους. Ο έρωτας συναντά το μίσος, η αμφιβολία την απελπισία, η ελπίδα τον φόβο σε έναν ατέρμονο χορό, που θα τελειώσει μονάχα όταν οι δυο τους παραδεχτούν πως, απλά, δεν μπορεί να ζήσει ο ένας χωρίς τον άλλο. Έχει ενδιαφέρον να παρακολουθεί κανείς την εξέλιξη των χαρακτήρων τους μέσα στην πλοκή· κάθε σκηνή μεταξύ τους είναι απολαυστική, κάθε κόντρα συναρπαστική, κάθε ερωτική συνεύρεση καυτή. Ακόμα και όταν αυτή δεν είναι συναινετική (είπαμε, άλλες εποχές κι άλλα έθιμα) το πάθος κι ο πόθος πάντα υποβόσκουν και βρίσκουν τρόπο να έρθουν στην επιφάνεια.
Η Johanna Lindsey είναι αυθεντία στο να δημιουργεί υπέροχες ιστορίες, και αυτή εδώ δεν αποτελεί εξαίρεση. Αφεθείτε στο μαγευτικό ταξίδι της και σίγουρα δεν θα χάσετε! -
2.5 stars, not quite a 3
A Viking romance book…hmm…until I joined Goodreads, I didn’t know such a thing even existed. Then I signed up for a book challenge and I needed to read a book about Vikings. Fires of Winter fit the category, so I sat down to read it.
Fires of Winter is a fascinating glimpse of Viking life. I mean, when I think of Vikings, I always thought of tall, blond, fierce warriors pillaging the lands around them. This book paints a very different Viking society. Sure, there is the raping and pillaging, but there is a very organized society. Vikings were merchants, farmers, and more.
Lady Brenna Carmarham has been raised like a son by her doting father. After a few too many close calls with Vikings, her father decides that his best recourse would be to marry his daughter to the son of a Viking chieftan. Brenna is not too pleased with her situation. Needless to say, this plan backfires, and the Vikings attack her village and take Brenna, her kin and a few other women back to the North as slaves. Instead of going North to meet her husband, Brenna becomes his slave. Brenna does not accept this situation and defies her master Garrick at every opportunity.
I really liked Brenna, but after a few hundred pages I did want to smack her. Brenna’s stubbornness, defiance, and insolence did get old after a while. I did like that she was an unconventional woman for her time period – that she was a capable hunter, a good fighter with a sword, and an excellent horseback rider. Her interactions with Garrick went from mature negotiation, funny banter, tense impasses to outright rudeness.
I liked Garrick at first. He was very patient with Brenna, yet you felt how perplexed and confused she made him. When some of the back story is revealed, you understand why it is difficult for Garrick to open himself up to a woman. He has severe trust issues. Garrick also behaves like your stereotypical clueless male (with apologies to any male out there who is not clueless). All Brenna wanted was to become his wife, which was not allowed as long as she was a slave. After all, the deal her father made was that she was to be brought to him to be his wife, not as a slave.
Garrick tries hard to understand Brenna. He seeks information from her family members. He starts with Cordelia, Brenna’s half sister. Cordelia is quite the shrew, spreading disinformation every which way she goes.
I feel that this book could have been a little shorter. There were parts that dragged, and at one point I just didn’t care anymore if the hero and heroine ever resolved their issues. I may look at the next book in the series – Hearts Aflame – the next time I need a book about Vikings for a book challenge. -
Historical Romance (The Book Club) July 2015 Group Read (Medieval)
I couldn't decide if I liked this book or not. I had a difficult time gathering my thoughts in regards to the book. Overall, it was great. Johanna Lindsey's writing was at its prime at the time she wrote this. It was very entertaining with the banters and antics of the main and side characters, and the many plot twists. I have had no previous research on Vikings and I have not read a lot of Viking themed novels, romance and otherwise, so I am not sure of the historical accuracy.
My only concern was the way Garrick treated Brenna at the early stages of their "courtship". But then again, he is a Viking, so I guess it's more of a culture thing?
Anyway, I did like Brenna.
She was raised by her father as a son, not as a daughter. An excellent combatant, she could go toe to toe with warriors twice her size! She is feisty, stubborn and quite prideful. This is why she had a hard time adjusting to her life as a slave.
Garrick had been burned by love once when he was young and vowed to never become vulnerable again. He is cold, calculating and ruthless—at least when it comes to women. When it comes to his family and his slaves however he is almost tenderhearted, a most fair Master to all.
Great characters. I just wasn't sure I liked how they "fell in love", but at the same time I did like it. I don't know. I'm so torn with this!
...Naturally, I got the second and third book in this 3-book series. ;) -
1) I love the cover of this book
2) There was soooo much rape. Nearly every woman in this book was raped. A lot.
Now, this is a book about vikings and raping and pillaging is their thing so I wasn't overly shocked. BUT! Many of the raped women liked the experience or at it didn't phase them. This bothered me a lot.
3) Putting the rape (reluctantly) aside... I liked the characters in this book and there was an especially strong contingent of female roles.
4) The pace in this story kept me interested. There was plenty of action outside the bedroom including a bit of intrigue.
5) The words "throbbing member" were in heavy use.
Overall I liked this book but I wish there was much less rape or at least a different way of demonstrating the consequences. -
The scenarios seemed unrealistic to me. I couldn't get into it, and I didn't like the MCs. The 'girl becomes a slave and is whisked away by a barbarian' trope was done so much better in Kushiel's Dart. Now I'm realizing Carey subverted that trope in a cool way. This is one of the first bodice rippers from the 80s I've tried reading...I'll try a few more but maybe this genre isn't for me.
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Loved this book!
Brenna es el personaje femenino con más carácter que he leído hasta ahora!
Posiblemente el libro que más me ha gustado de Johanna Lindsey junto con el segundo de su misma serie. -
It's interesting how reading a work at one time in your life versus another can change your opinion. Another of Lindsey's early books is one of my guilty pleasures (and I don't use that phrase lightly because I don't really believe in them), because even when I read it now, I can see all the problems with it but I like it anyway. Or maybe I respond to it is a more accurate framing than liking it.
Anyway, that's all to say that this is super, super rapey, and in a way that I found hard to read. I intellectually understand the rape-to-love convention that used to be so prevalent in romance, and sometimes I can see where the development comes from, but here, the heroine just out of the blue admitted to being in love and I would have been perplexed but I was already numb.
I read this. Not reading it again. -
JUST RE-READ!!!! Still fabulous!
Wow what a book. If your all fussy about rape in a book or have any other maidenly sensibilities you may want to pass but it you can look at as merely a fabulous read that’s different than our culture well it’s great!!!! I loved the story. I just wish there might. Have been some battle or something to really get to show off Breannas skills more!!!
I enjoyed the book. -
Good Lord. Dnf not even a quarter through. JL and me are like oil and water.
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3.5 stars
