An epic, spellbinding Viking fantasy of blood and battle, weaving together history, fantasy and ancient myth. Perfect for fans of The Northman and Game of Thrones. Byzantium, 718ADThe great siege is over. Crippled warrior, Erlan Aurvandil, is weary of war. But he must rally his strength to lead a band of misfit adventurers back to the North, to reclaim the stolen kingdom of his lover, Lilla Sviggarsdottir. For this, they need an army. To raise an army, they need gold. Together they plot a daring heist to steal the Emperor's tribute to his ally. Barely escaping with their lives, they voyage north, ready for the fight. But when fate strands them in a foreign land already riven by war, Erlan and Lilla are drawn inexorably into the web of a dark and gruesome cult. As blades fall and shadows close in, only one thing for them is certain: a savage moon is rising. And it demands an ocean of blood.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In the previous books, readers saw Aurvandil forge oaths to himself and many others, foe and friend alike.
This book shows the darker side of oaths - of oathbreaking and oath-making for greed, gold and power.
Aurvandil may have cemented his position through bravery, skill and some luck with the Emperor, but his belove Lilla is still a Queen without crown, thrown or kingdom. Her desire to reclaim that aspect of her life ends up luring, then pulling Aurvandil into ideas, schemes and ultimately paths he had never imagined himself being part of.
Lies and betrayal with more luck than strategy, eventually see this pair, their group of ill-mannered and self-serving crew, and a friend or two more, steal away from Constantinople under circumstances which will forever burn the faith, trust and support from the Emperor and his court.
However, another figure roams this medieval landscape, surviving also by their wits, cunning and dagger edge - a figure whom faces trial, challenge and bloodshed to regain a life and position which was dismantled when Aurvandil thwarted their crimes against the Emperor.
Both alone and as a group, fate gives but also takes away, fate pulls or pushes each, ultimately weaving them to the end of their plaited storyline and into the darkest and vilest of all places for both a Norseman and a Greek to find themselves. A place where Madness is God, Mercy is no more and Death is the only escape but one that is not swift.
Readers of the previous three novels will undoubtedly shiver, bite their lip, curse out loud and gasp in horror as danger dances our protagonist and his antagonist towards a deadly tango where the fate and survival of any individual is as random as a dice roll.
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