Hello readers,
Thank you, NetGalley for the chance to read this ebook for free in exchange for an honest review
This is not a soft and fluffy book, but it is still
deeply moving. This book has all the ingredients of an epic saga: betrayal,
exile, feuds, fights, honour-killings and love. The book is set in Iceland
during the 11th century. Tim dramatically creates the diverse landscapes of
this island and its reliant and proud people.
Eleventh-century Iceland is a harsh, unforgiving place and the Viking
age has come to an end.
This book pays homage to the Historical Fiction genre
with excellent results. It shows the beauty of Iceland, the culture and
convictions of a bygone era that still continues to fascinate us, providing an
endless source of inspiration for stories like the one Tim Leach created.
Gunnar, a warrior and a family man, has had to adjust to
the conditions of an uninviting but magnificent land. Kjaran, a poet, a bard
that lives on the hospitality of others, is his loyal friend Kjaran is the
narrator, using his story-telling skills to bring people to life and describe
events and surroundings. When the two men find themselves in a web of treachery
that has nothing to do with them. Tim tells the tale of his two heroes placing
their profound friendship at the novel’s emotional core.
One night, in the gloom of Iceland’s winter two men:
Kjaran a poet, singer (or skald), who sings in exchange for food and shelter,
and Gunnar, an ex-warrior, now a father and farmer. One night the pair set out
to hunt a ghost as they believe that ghosts are not shadow and air but walking
flesh. Instead, they kill a farmer. Kjaran and Gunnar were outlawed by the
people after choosing between hiding their deeds or confessing their crimes to
the family and paying for them. Under Icelandic law, they should pay the man’s
family a blood-price, but instead, they try to hide the murder, but their
decision leads to a brutal feud. One of the men is outlawed, the other can be
legally hunted down by the victim’s family to avenge the man’s death.
This is a novel where the atmosphere of the book is
significant, it’s part of appreciating the difficulty of surviving in a hostile
environment. Who will survive, and at what cost? I loved every minute of this
book and it honestly made me want to jump on a plane and visit Iceland and jump
into the books world.
L x
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