Historical Fiction Virtual
Blog Tours Presents…
War King
By Eric Schumacher
It is 954 A.D. and a tempest is
brewing in the North. Twenty summers before, Hakon Haraldsson wrested Norway’s
throne from his murderous brother, Erik Bloodaxe, but he failed to rid himself
of Erik’s family. Now the sons of Erik have come to reclaim Erik’s realm and
avenge the wrong done to their father and their kin.
They do not come alone. With them
marches an army of sword-Danes sent by the Danish King, Harald Bluetooth, whose
desire to expand his realm is as powerful as the lust for vengeance that pulses
in the veins of Erik’s brood.
Like storm-driven waves, the
opposing forces collide in War King, the action-packed sequel to God’s Hammer
and Raven’s Feast.
“I
was swept up in the action and enthralled by the descriptions of Hakon’s
struggle.”
Roundtable Reviews
“I
highly recommend this historical fiction novel, both for its entertaining story
and historical information.”
Historical Fiction Review
“A
story of war, family, sacrifice, honor … one that keeps your blood pumping and
your fingers turning pages rapidly. I can’t wait to dig into the next.”
Goodreads Review
Hakon Haraldsson has had enough of war and death. But, for this
Christian King, an act of compassion could lead to his downfall. For the sons
of his brother, Erik Bloodaxe, seek revenge and the throne that Hakon won. This
time, the sons of Bloodaxe would not come alone.
War King — Hakon’s Saga Book 3 by Eric Schumacher is the dramatic
conclusion to what has been the most fabulous series. Filled with complicated
political intrigue, questionable allegiances and vivid battle scenes, this
story, and indeed this series, would be a real treat for readers who have
enjoyed Michael Hirst’s fabulous Vikings.
There is a wonderful authenticity to this story. From the
historical setting to the characters themselves, there is a strong sense of
realism. Hakon is not an old man in this story, but the years of countless
battles have taken a toll on his health, not only physically but in a sense
mentally as well. He has had enough of all the killing. He is very human in
the telling.
This book left me in tears on several occasions, due to the terrible
things that happen to Hakon. I am not going to give away any spoilers, but
before one battle, Hakon has to make a terrible life or death choice. It was
truly heartbreaking.
The story, as with all the books in the Hakon series, was well paced,
and really drew me into the Viking world in which it is set. This isn’t just a
book where there is one battle after another. There are softer, quieter
moments, which complements the wars and the violence. I think this is a
fabulous portray of Hakon Haraldsson and his life. Mr Schumacher has obviously
spent many hours researching this fascinating man and the way of life during
this era. Kudos, Mr Schumacher.
There is a useful Glossary of Viking words, tribes and Gods at the
beginning of the book, but so engrossed was I with the story, that I did not
once look at it! The Historical Notes at the back of the book was very
interesting, and I am now more intrigued than ever by the wonderful, yet
complex, Hakon Haraldsson.
War King — Hakon’s Saga Book 3 is a masterpiece of well-executed
historical fiction.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be
giving away ten copies of War King (ebooks and paperbacks)! You can enter:
Giveaway Rules
• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on
November 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to readers in North America and Western Europe.
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
AMAZON
Eric Schumacher
Eric Schumacher was born in Los Angeles in 1968 and currently resides in
Santa Barbara, CA with his wife, two children and dog. He is the author of two
historical fiction novels, God’s Hammer and its sequel, Raven’s Feast. Both
tell the story of the first Christian king of Viking Norway, Hakon Haraldsson,
and his struggles to gain and hold the High Seat of his realm.
No comments:
Post a Comment