Product Description

It is Constantinople, 1035: Thorgils has become a member of the Varangian lifeguard and witnesses the glories of the richest city on earth but also the murderous ways of the imperial family. Under the leadership of warrior chief Harald Sigurdsson, he is set up as the unwitting bait in a deadly ambush to destroy Arab pirates harassing the Byzantine shipping lanes in the Mediterranean. When Harald eventually ascends the throne of Norway, his liegeman Thorgils is despatched on a secret mission to Duke William of Normandy with a plan to coordinate the twin invasions of England. On 20 September 1066, Harald's fleet of three hundred ships sails up the Ouse, confident of success, but a prophetic dream warns Thorgils that Duke William has duped his allies and the Norsemen are heading for disaster at Stamford Bridge. Thorgils embarks upon a race against time to reach and warn his liege lord before the battle begins. But will Odinn's devout follower really be able to anticipate what fate has decreed and save the heritage of his Viking ancestors?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16622 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author

Tim Severin, explorer, traveller, author, film-maker and lecturer has made many expeditions, most recently in search of Moby Dick and Robinson Crusoe, and has written books about all of them. 'Viking' is his first historical fiction trilogy.

Customer Reviews

Excellent finale to an excellent trilogy...
This final book in the trilogy following the fortunes of Thorgils, is excellent!

The reader continues the journey Thorgils takes, starting with his life in Constantinople; witnessing the power struggles within the court of the Basileus. Makes good reading, giving the reader a real sense of the difference in culture in that part of the world compared with northern Europe.

Thorgils escapes this life and goes forward, back into Viking lands, where on a mission for his liege lord, Harald Hardrada(future King of Norway) he finds love and happiness again. As always in this trilogy he is prevented from living the comfortable stable life and gets thrown in with the preparations to invade England. This leads Thorgils to a meeting with William The Conqueror prior to the Duke's own invasion of England.

Events move swiftly and we get a very realistic back seat view of the Battle of Stamford Bridge, where Thorgils loses his dream of returning the "Old Ways" to the people, when Hardrada is defeated.

This book finishes the trilogy perfectly and neatly ties in the events and battles of 1066. The way Thorgils last days are described leaves it quite open for the reader to think on. Like all VERY good books, this final volume leaves you satisfied but still wanting a little more!

Historic page turner
King's Man; the third in the Viking series - concludes the story of Thorgils and his dramatic life.

Enlisted into Varangian guard; Thorgils finds himself a key player in the court intrigue of the Byzantium Empire. Whilst stationed in Constantinople he meets Harald Prince of Norway; a driven, ambitious leader who dreams of glory and a Northern Empire comparable to that of King Knut's.

Ultimately the story leads Thorgils back to the north, where his powers of second sight find him serving Harald has an envoy. Tasked with forming an alliance with William of Normandy; Thorgils is tricked into allowing Harald's invasion of Britain to distract Harold Godwinsson's force: thus allowing the Norman fleet to land unopposed.
In an effort to warn Harald, Thorgils makes haste to join his King at Stamford Bridge, but the Saxon army are closing fast!

An excellent conclusion to the Viking trilogy: a real page turner. Tim Severin should be commended on his efforts to stay true to the Icelandic sagas: along with Norse mythology portrayed accurately - in honour of "The Old Ways".

Paul Tonks (author "The Mapping of Markesh").

A spectacluar finale for a great triology
This is unfortunately the last book in this fascinating trilogy.
Book 2 came to an end with the arrival of our hero in Constantinople. Book 3 continues with the adventures at the Imperial Court and takes the reader straight to 1066 and the Norman conquest of England. Here the story finds a natural end as the final struggle between "old believers" and "white Christ followers" is one by the latter.

I highly enjoyed the reading about the long gone world of Imperial Constantinople its sophistication, achievements but as well its down-sides of corruption and autocracy. Here the authors creates a vivid, colourful and engaging picture of the times. He continues this through out this book, be at the court of Norway, in the poor wilderness of rural Scandinavia or in the prosperous world of the Duke of Normandy soon to be king of England. One gets a fine feeling for the time and the personalities.

I enjoyed every page of it! 5 stars are well deserved