Erlan Aurvandil has turned his back on the past and his native Northern lands, taking a perilous journey to the greatest city in the world, Constantinople. But as his voyage ends, Erlan is brutally betrayed, captured and enslaved by a powerful Byzantine general. Meanwhile, Lilla Sviggarsdottir, Queen of Svealand, has lost her husband and with him, her father's kingdom. Her life in danger, Lilla escapes to find Erlan, the one man who can save her, following his trail to the very gates of Constantinople. But corruption infests the city, and a dark tide is rising against the Emperor from within his own court. As the shadows darken and whispers of war begin to strengthen, Erlan's fate becomes intertwined with that of the city. Are they both doomed to fall, or can freedom be won in the blood of battle?
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
But earlier this autumn I made a dedicated effort to FINALLY start the third volume in the ongoing trials and tribulations of Erlan the Wanderer. Especially as I'd had it since it was first published on my shelf and I was keenly aware it's sibling sequel has recently been released into the world.
I must confess - my memory is not what it was (which wasn't good anyway) since having a child so I could really only remember Erlan, and a one eyed dog - Lilla's character was a ghost to me. As were a lot of the events of the previous book, A Sacred Storm - mainly only recalling events of A Mighty Dawn.
However, by the time I had reached the point in the book that best reflects the striking cover design I was FULLY invested back with both these protagonists as their separate lives, misfortunes, pursuit of means or abilities to change said fortunes, and indeed their unfinished love for each other, leads the pair with various accomplices, travelling companions and allies (temporary or firm) as far from their native Northlands as a Norse person could get (although historically they did go much further BUT) - to the city of the Holy Roman Empire, Byzantium otherwise known as Constantinople, otherwise known as Miklagard and is today known as Istanbul.
They both find themselves within reach of their goal and ambition, but between them is a city of Christians under siege from Muslim Arabs, an Emperor who is juggling the very real threats within and outside of the walls, a system of politics and power that is unlike anything either Lilla or Erlan has experienced and if the city falls, so does their chance of success, along with their freedom and lives. Finding new allies and making new enemies, the environment that surrounds them is turbulent and unstable and it make yet shake their love to the core, for secret agendas and sacrifices do not make a good foundation.
The world in which Theo has placed us as readers is akin to the intrigue and drama of the Tudors times 100! There are so many fascinating new characters, both minor and major that really add to the flavour of this remarkable context. Each chapter has the most beautiful twists, turns, rises and falls - it is the most magical of roller coasters for one's emotions reading this. Readers are guaranteed to still love the traditional core cast and equally boo and hiss at the new antagonists, both obvious and traitorous. It really is a superb piece of storytelling, in an era of history and geography that may be unfamiliar to many when they think "Vikings" and I really like how Theo ALMOST sets up Erlan as the founding member of the Varangian Guards (if you read the Notes at the end you will learn how he nods to that most famous band of Scandinavians).
I truly got hooked into this book once I, and the characters, first witnessed Greek Fire in all it's awe and terror. And after that I couldn't stop reading - finishing the rest of the book in 3 hours and ending up in bed at 1am!
I am so glad I finally picked it up and opened its pages to rediscover the world within. Highly recommend for readers of A Sacred Storm and A Mighty Dawn. The fourth book in Erlan's tale, A Savage Moon, is out now! And I will endeavor to not leave it so long to read it as I have it's predecessor.
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