Swords
of Good Men by Snorri Kristjansson, Valhalla Saga #1
After two years spent as a travelling envoy and
bodyguard to his high-born cousin, Ulfar Thormodsson has one last stop to make.
But in the cold, hard town of Stenvik, not everyone is as they seem and
strangers can make hard enemies. Aundun Arngrimsson works his forge and lives a
secret solitary life. No one knows about his past, and he’d like to keep it
that way. But the Old Gods have other ideas. While unseen forces move within
the town a young king’s army marches towards Stenvik, intent on raising the
Banners of the White Christ. And a Viking Fleet of longships bring another,
more mysterious enemy from the North.
Swords
of Good Men is written by the Icelandic, living in London author Snorri
Kirstjansson. It’s the first in the Valhalla Saga and also features as Snorri
Kristjansson’s debut. When I encountered the blurb of this book on the website
of Jo Fletcher it was immediately a book that I wanted to read. I haven’t had
the chance to read more into the Scandinavian inspired types of stories after I
finished Runemarks and Runelight so I was really looking forward to emerge once
again in this part Norse history, part mythical experience. And an experience
it proved to be!
Swords
of Good Men is a Viking inspired story that takes place in Norway 996 AD. From
the prologue onwards this story really throws you right there in the middle the
story. A great set of characters and an interesting world. You are readily
introduced to a lot of characters that each play their own part in the
storyline. For me the introduction to each of these character did seem a little
fast, especially by some of the things that happened. Because certain actions
that are made remain obscure until much later in the book. Having to just
accept these facts might be hard for some readers as it can be quite off
putting. However for me it worked quite well actually. And even more so were
the chapters and the alternating paragraph, highlighting different characters
each time, in them. As you get to follow each storyline, there is always an
introduction to where those events were happening, like in Stenvik itself or on
the North Sea etc. This especially produced a great sense when armies were on
the march and you felt them nearing Stenvik. Furthermore Snorri Kristjansson
produced a great pacing by alternating the storylines. He keeps the action
pretty tight, gruesome and bloody.
Within
the story of Sword of Good Men you follow three initially separate storylines,
one that takes place in Stenvik, one of a marauding fleet of Vikings and the
last of King Olav Tryggvason, who is spreading the religion of the White
Christ. Now within these three storyline you get introduced to a lot of
different characters that each really have their own personality. Though some
might have been more unique that others, they were al great to read about. In
Stenvik, you follow the adventures of Ulfar, Harald, Audun and Sigurd mostly.
In the prologue and earlier on in the story there is a lot of focus on Ulfar
himself, but the reason for this remains to be guessed, since it didn’t feel
that his character would be that important.. just yet. Luckily later you learn
more about what Ulfar might be destined to do. Which produced a great tie-in
with all the earlier events. Audun was a real cool character to read about,
from the synopsis the parts of “leading a secret and solitary life” really got
me curious, and what Audun does in the ending is pretty cool stuff, and though
it might not be that original, I don’t really care frankly because it fitted
well into the story itself. This blacksmith knows how to handle a hammer! The
other two characters Harald and Sigurd mostly play a part in the town politics.
Stenvik is ruled/coordinated by Sigurd, Harald has a lot of bottled up rage
that he lets loose on villagers and his wife...
The
second storyline focuses on the Viking part. Now I reread several parts of the
book to get to know whether there was any motiviation as to what they wanted
out of Stenvik and couldn’t quite get the reason why they ventured to it in the
first place. There is nice interlude at the end of the book that finally
reveals their motivation, but a few hints thrown in their earlier on might have
produced a better rounded story, it now like they just went without cause. That
aside, this storyline was just chockfull of barbaric, brutal, gruesome, bloody
and viscous Viking action. Snorri Kristjansson really puts these warrior in the
spotlight by describing them, how they looked, war regalia and the like, but
also their foul language and their bold actions. As you get to learn more about
the force they are assembling with the different legendary chieftains like
Egill Jotunn and his band of Berserkers really gave these vivid images in my
imagination. Blood soaked warrior swinging double headed axes, rampaging! Well
I can say that with the Vikings introduced this book isn’t lacking any action!
The
third storyline focuses on a crusade set into motion by King Olav Tryggvason
who spreads the word of the White Christ. The Christian believe. Still in the
age of the Nordic gods: Thor, Odin and Freya. He has a task set out for him and
trying to convert village after village and he has set his goals to reach
Stenvik and convert those heretics, or let them die by his army. King Olav is
utterly convinced that his god is the sole one and shows this by a set of bold
moves when trying to win villagers over to his cause, though there is nice
emphasis on this part of the book. There is shift halfway as the story more
focuses on the Vikings and the villagers Stenvik themselves. There isn’t really
any action until the book nears it finish. But this part was crucial to the
storyline as in the end you see all three collide with each other. In the final
battle.
In the
end of the book is was great to see that a lot of the things in each storyline
were connected. Swords of Good Men might have felt “chaotic” by jumping from
place to place and storyline to storyline. Although I must say, no stress, that
it felt goodly chaotic, once you are really into this story it just doesn’t
seem to let you go. The ending feels pretty good and solid and Snorri
Kristjansson neatly lets the major storylines connect with each other, finally
seeing the bigger picture of it all. What also falls to notice is the bold
writing of the plot, a lot of people die, even important characters die. It
does come to show that Snorri Kristjansson isn’t afraid of surprising and
shocking (in a good way) the reader. And even more so is the introduction of the
Nordic gods that are influencing (speculating here) people to rise up for their
own cause and fight the White Christ. I hope to see more of these influences in
the second book. It really transformed the story from only Viking fighting to
the more mythical side, especially once I learned to full plans of Skuld. Good
stuff right there.
Swords
of Good Men is definite recommendation if your looking for a story hinted with
Norse mythology and if your into bold, bloody and violent fighting it’s even
more up your alley. But it is not only fighting that takes place, on the whole
Swords of Good Men also shows great characterization and a interesting world.
The beginning of the book might have take a bit getting used but once I was
into Swords of Good Men this book read away in a few strokes. Snorri
Kristjansson has pulled of a great feat with his writing, producing three great
storylines that neatly collide into one in the end. This book has a lot of
great brutal fighting scenes that all come to fruition in the final raid on
Stenvik where you see how inventive people can get! But it’s not solely the
fighting that makes this book great, in the town of Stenvik and among the
Viking tribes there is also a lot of internal politics that show a nice
diversity on the side. This book is just the right length and with the last
sentence of the story (not epilogue) I’m already guessing how this story might
be picked up, Snorri Kristjansson leaves this book open with a nice classic
cliffhanger. Swords of Good Men is a well rounded story that shows a lot of promise to be explored later on.