Product Description

The first in a brand new series charting the adventures of the Oathsworn, a band of Vikings on the chase for the secret hoard of Attila the Hun. Life is savage aboard a Viking raider. When young Orm Rurikson is plucked from the snows of Norway to join his estranged father on the Fjord Elk, he becomes an unlikely member of a notorious crew. They are the Oathsworn -- so named after the spoken bond that ties them in brotherhood -- and they ply a casual trade on the ocean wave, selling their swords to the highest bidder. But times are changing. Loyalty to the old Norse Gods is fading, and the followers of the mysterious 'White Christ' are gaining power across Europe. Hired as relic-hunters by the merchant rulers of a bustling city, the Oathsworn are sent in search of a legendary sword of untold value to the new religion. With only a young girl as guide, their quest will lead them onto the deep and treacherous waters of the 'whale road', toward the cursed treasure of Attila the Hun. And to a challenge that will test the very bond that holds them together. A significant new voice in historical fiction, Robert Low has created a startlingly modern tale in the style of the great Viking sagas. A heady mix of powerful suspense, blockbuster battles and religious intrigue, THE WHALE ROAD is a must for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Tim Severin. It heralds a major new series sure to hook old and new readers alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6432 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
'A company of warriors, desperate battles, an enthralling read' BERNARD CORNWELL 'A fantastic book, one of the best I have read for years. There's a wonderful earthiness to proceedings and he creates a tangible sense of being there. There's a sturdy, lyrical and epic quality about the writing which makes it feel like the kind of saga a Viking would recount in his old age.' SIMON SCARROW 'A stirring Viking series of blockbuster battles and religious intrigue.' Publishing News 'All the right ingredients are firmly in place!above all there is the storyline itself; told in an earthy, rough-and-ready stylewhich perfectly compliments this saga for the 21st Century.' Yorkshire Evening Post 'A fascinating read' The Glasgow Herald 'The Hangman humour of the band of sworn brothers gives Low's epic but brutal tale real humanity and the detail of 10th century life is wonderfully vivd. The action is fast and furious!shockingly believably so. Low's debut novel hits the mark with maximum impact.' Bridlington Today

About the Author
Robert Low has been a journalist and writer since the age of 17. He covered the wars in Vietnam, Sarajevo, Romania and Kosovo until common-sense and the concerns of his wife and daughter prevailed. To satisfy his craving for action, having moved to an area rich in Viking tradition, he took up re-enactment, joining The Vikings. He now spends summers fighting furiously in helmet and mail in shieldwalls all over Britain and winters training hard. This is his first novel. He lives in Scotland with his wife.

Customer Reviews

A norse 'Dirty Dozen'
I have picked this book up a few times, but was put off by the dodgy title! In the end some Amazon reviews convinced me to give it a go, and I was pleasantly suprised. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in starting (and slightly disorienting using 'flashbacks' a little clumsily) but once it got going it didn't let up, feeling a little like a 'Boys Own' adventure set in the Dark Ages, something like Beowulf crossed with Indiana Jones. The combining of relic quest (the Spear of Destiny this time, rather than the oft used Holy Grail) with norse myth - the Volsung Saga - and hazy history - Attila the Hun's death, all adds to this feel.
The Viking crew feel like a kind of 'Dirty Dozen' with axes, and are well written and likeable, although quite expendable!
The writing on the whole is eloquent, with a nice style comming through about a third of the way in. Also little historical details like 'soup wounds' add an extra touch which raises this book a notch, although at times you get the definite feeling the author is trying a little too hard to fill his pages with these details.
All in all a successful debut, managing to capture a real 'sense of norse' whether it be in the campfire banter and camaraderie, the freezing, soaking ship journey's or the bloodthirsty battles. Looking forward to part two!

engaging little Norse Odyssey
I have to confess to having been sat on a copy of this for a year or so. Bought it on a whim then its rather unexciting title and cover meant it sat maturing on my shelves till a recent trip to the old Viking town of York.

Suitably inspired I pulled it down from the shelf but perhaps not with the greatest of expectations. So I was very pleasantly surprised when I finally set off on my journey with 'Orm', the young lad who falls in with the 'Oathsworn' a group of mercenary veteran Vikings under the leadership of the grim 'Einer the Black'.

Low writes in quite an understated way. He's not one for the over use of superlatives or 20 page battle scenes. What he does do is include a bit more detail and authentic Norse culture and terminology than many of his peers. That is not to say the book lacks action because it does not, nor is the story lacking drama, the Oathsworn are on an ill fated mission to recover the sword of the long dead Attila and the story takes them from the coast of Scotland to the Russian steppes and many of the crew will die in the process. There are plot twists aplenty and a built in emotional roller coaster.

If I had to be hyper critical I would say the author could have given us a bit more room for charactor development and dialogue and the first chapter is a little confusing as we are introduced to the lead charactors whilst the action constantly switches between past and present due to a series of flashbacks in which we learn of the story behind Orm the bear slayers name and reputation.

But I want to stress I thoroughly enjoyed this little Norse odyssey, it differs in style with the other British big hitters of historical fiction but I see no reason why Low should not feel quite at home in their company. I have also already bought the follow up book.

New Authors takes you A Viking
Brand new author for a brand new year and one to watch, however I had read the forthcoming Conn Iggulden Wolf on the Plain prior to starting this so perhaps my views may be a little judgemental comparing the two pieces.

Whilst setting itself as a Viking novel it started off pretty well giving the reader a tale to be unfurled that would drive them into the Steppes in order to retrieve a whispered about treasure. However that said it felt the novel was a little bit rushed. Now this may seem a bit of an odd complaint as its action, action, action all the way, and whilst I do love that, I also love the lull that the sea gives into the piece, especially when you're submerged into the depths of the tale. Likewise I also felt that the novel seemed to have been mapped out and followed section by section a to b, b to c etc. However this is a first novel and as such these early errors can be forgiven.

That said however, I now feel that its time to move on to the positive points of the novel. It was beautifully written and the characters had a wonderful depth of colour about them. Even the names have had a huge amount of time and love lavished upon them so that the reader is spoiled with a wonderful crew to sail the seas alongside. As such it's a cracking read and I sincerely hope that the characters that survive continue to grow. Another positive point that Robert went with, the fact that he plays for keeps, there is no way that when surrounded by a thousand enemies that they are walking out unscathed, and as such each death tears the readers emotions some more hoping and praying that their personal favourite lives through the battle to survive until the next event.

For me this is a piece worthy of reading and for a new author, these early errors will raise their ugly heads, how an author continues to develop past these and how they go about fixing them is key to the success of further novels. The premise however for the next instalment is cleverly crafted and will bring survivors of the adventure back to their old crewmates. A heroic epic waiting to be told.