{"product_id":"the-halfdrowned-king-9780349142531","title":"The HalfDrowned King","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Lovers of epic rejoice!...A vivid and gripping read'' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eMadeline Miller, author of the Orange Prize Winner 2012 for The Song of Achilles\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Linnea Hartsuyker brings myth and legend roaring to life in this superbly good page-turning saga of Viking-era Norwa\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ey''\u003c\/b\u003e Paula McClain, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Paris Wife\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eCircling the Sun\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince the death of Ragnvald Eysteinsson''s father in battle, he has worked hard to protect his sister Svanhild and planned to inherit his family''s land when he comes of age. But when the captain of his ship tries to kill him on the way home from a raiding excursion, he must confront his stepfather''s betrayal, and find a way to protect his birthright. It is no easy feat in Viking-Age Norway, where a hundred petty rulers kill over parcels of land, and a prophesied high king is rising. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut where Ragnvald is expected to bleed, and even die, for his honour, Svanhild is simply expected to marry wel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn unusual Viking saga.\u003c\/b\u003e Most such fiction is written by men and tells largely of blood-soaked battles, the lopping off of limbs and disembowellings. Hartsuyker's book has its share of violent action as it relates the story of its hero Ragnvald Eysteinsson, who survives a near-drowning by his enemies to hitch his fortunes to the rising star of Harald Fairhair, a teenage warrior and would-be king of all Norway in the ninth century. It also has several strands of narrative - mostly focused on Ragnvald's sister Svanhild as she strives to assert herself in a male dominated world - that are less predictable. \u003cb\u003eThis is a novel that \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ecreates a more nuanced and richer portrait of Viking society, with its complex web of rituals, laws and debts of honour, than the genre usually provides\u003c\/b\u003e * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSuspenseful, intriguing, gripping!\u003c\/b\u003e... Treachery and astonishment and surprise are always right around the corner...As with all great historical fiction, there are strong similarities to actual events. \u003cb\u003eGood research is very important to a believable historical novel. This book has it. If you enjoy Bernard Cornwell, do not pass this book by.\u003c\/b\u003e It is well worth the read! * New York Journal of Books *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMs Hartsuyker captures the sense of saga times and saga heroes\u003c\/b\u003e:violent but litigious, treacherous but honorable, impetuous but crafty...\u003cb\u003eLike \u003ci\u003eGame of Thrones\u003c\/i\u003e, only more unscrupulous\u003c\/b\u003e * Wall Street Journal *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eGame of Thrones\u003c\/i\u003e will be back on our screens by the time this epic Viking saga comes out, and \u003cb\u003eit's a safe literary bet for those of us who enjoy a bit of Westeros action\u003c\/b\u003e. Ragnvald Eysteinsson is betrayed by his avaricious stepfather, and in trying to gain back his rightful inheritance, he pledges his sword to a young warrior plotting to become the king. If you like your heroes noble and your struggles for power bloody, this one's for you * 24 Best books To Read This Summer from Elle.com *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA terrific historical epic\u003c\/b\u003e...Posing thoughtful questions about the nature of honor and heroism, and devoting significant attention to women's lives, the novel takes a fresh approach to the Viking adventure genre. The multifaceted characters are believable products of their era yet relatable to modern readers; the rugged beauty of Norway's farmlands and coastal landscapes likewise comes alive. \u003cb\u003eThe language is clear and eloquent, and the action scenes will have the blood humming in your veins. This is how tales from the old sagas should be told\u003c\/b\u003e * Starred review, Booklist *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA spellbinding evocation of a long-lost world of magic and blood feuds\u003c\/b\u003e, populated by characters riddled with doubt and human failing beneath their epic exteriors * Bookpage *\u003cbr\u003eSteeped in legend and myth, Hartsuyker's debut is \u003cb\u003ea swashbuckling epic of family, love, and betrayal\u003c\/b\u003e that reimagines the Norse sagas....While Hartsuyker's prose is straightforward, \u003cb\u003ethe plot is as deliciously complex as \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eGame of Thrones\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e. And, in an era so dominated by the tales of men, it's nice to see a complicated, cunning heroine like Svanhild swoop in and steal the show. Hold on to your helms and grab your shields - Hartsuyker is just getting started * Kirkus Reviews *\u003cbr\u003eMaking her fiction debut, Hartsuyker, who claims descent from Norway's first king, writes \u003cb\u003ean absolutely top-notch Viking saga\u003c\/b\u003e, and readers will eagerly await the next two volumes * Starred review, Library Journal *\u003cbr\u003eLovers of epic rejoice! Hartsuyker illuminates these old stories with authority and visceral detail, bringing to life the adventure, bleak beauty and human struggle that lies at their heart. \u003cb\u003eA vivid and gripping read\u003c\/b\u003e * Madeline Miller, author of the Orange Prize 2012 winner The Song of Achilles *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLinnea Hartsuyker brings myth and legend roaring to life in this superbly good page-turning saga of Viking-era Norway.\u003c\/b\u003e Hartsuyker is fearless as she navigates a harsh, exacting and hair-raising world, with icy fjords and raiding seasons and ancient blood feuds. \u003cb\u003eBut the book's fiercest magic shines in the characters of Ragnvald and Svanhild, as unforgettable a brother and sister duo as I can remember\u003c\/b\u003e in recent literature. Linnea Hartsuyker is an exciting, original voice in historical fiction, and \u003ci\u003eThe Half-Drowned King\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003enothing short of mesmerizing\u003c\/b\u003e * Paula McLain *\u003cbr\u003eReplete with exciting battles, duels, and sieges[...] this novel can stand proudly with Edison Marshall's The Viking and Frans G. Bengtsson's \u003ci\u003eThe Long Ships \u003c\/i\u003eas an immersive fictional recreation of a bloody moment in Scandinavian history * Publishers Weekly *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48733658186071,"sku":"9780349142531","price":8.54,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780349142531.jpg?v=1720001068","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-halfdrowned-king-9780349142531","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}