The Bookwyrm's Review of Viking Warrior by Judson Roberts
Rating: 9/10 Stars
In 9th century Denmark, a child born to a slave is also a slave, and the property of his mother’s master. Halfdan, the son of an Irish noblewoman and the Danish chieftain who captured and enslaved her, has grown up a slave in his own father’s household. But the Norns, the weavers of the fates of all men, have different plans for him--although rarely do they give a gift without exacting a price. A cruel twist of fate both frees Halfdan and robs him of the mother he loves, setting him upon the path to a new destiny. But a brutal act of treachery and murder upends Halfdan’s new life, sending him on the run with ruthless hunters hot on his trail.
Being a big fan of Norse mythos, I like to read historical fiction set in that time period. I find the clash of cultures and religions of the time fascinating, as a new more modern age was just beginning. I was particularly drawn to this story because it's basic premise promised to be a tense revenge story across land and sea over years until the final inevitable clash.
The world building in this book is really well done. You can tell the author put a lot of time into researching the lifestyle of the 10th century Danes, in culture and lifestyle. There are no anachronistic touches, such as large cities, plate armor or weapons that weren't in use at the time. The author understands that not every person was a raider or warrior, and that artisans and farmers were part of society too. He certainly doesn't shy away from the fact the Vikings kept slaves, and their place in society. This is the crux of the story of Halfdan, after all.
The characters are outstanding. Halfdan is really well written. Coming from humble beginnings as a slave, he's still been part of the Chieftan's household, and when he gains his freedom, his story really takes off. How he deals with his life turned upside down, from being a lowly slave to freed man, then to running for his life is so well done, with a fully fleshed out character arc. The need for revenge is the fuel he needs to drive his character arc, and it really works.
The villain in this story is just that, a villain. He is motivated by greed and jealousy, a need for revenge for being passed over, at least in his mind. He brings a very real sense of violence and menace to the story, as well as unpredictability. He's not a cardboard cutout, he's just a bitter angry man that thinks life owes him more than it does, and he'll unleash madness to try and get his revenge. Simple motivations, but it makes for a powerfully menacing villain.
Jeff Hays does an outstanding job narrating, switching between a wide variety of characters, male and female, old and young, with a variety of accents as well. He really brought the story to life for me, and his narrative pacing keeps you immersed in the story throughout. I highly recommend checking this version out.
This is the kind of book that should appeal to a wide range of readers. I can see it appealing to fans of historical fiction as well as more traditional fantasy stories. It's mix of characters, worldbuilding and an action packed plot result in a book you won't be able to put down, and will move right on to the next book in the series after you finish this one. I highly recommend this book.
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