The Last Berserker
An action-packed Viking adventure
-
- $3.99
-
- $3.99
Publisher Description
‘Donald is a writer not only at the top of his game, but of the game’ Giles Kristian, author of the Raven series
‘Donald delivers a masterclass’ Theodore Brun, author of A Burning Sea
The greatest warriors are forged in the flames
Two pagan fighters
771AD, Northern Europe. Bjarki Bloodhand and Tor Hildarsdottir are journeying south into Saxony. Their destination is the Irminsul, the One Tree that links the Nine Worlds of the Middle-Realm. In this most holy place, they hope to learn how to summon their animal spirits so they can enter the ranks of the legendary berserkir: the elite frenzied fighters of the North.
One Christian king
Karolus, newly crowned King of the Franks, has a thorn in his side: the warlike Saxon tribes on his northern borders who shun the teachings of the Church, blasphemously continuing to worship their pagan gods.
An epic battle for the soul of the North
The West’s greatest warlord vows to stamp out his neighbours’ superstitions and bring the light of the True Faith to the Northmen – at the point of a sword. It will fall to Bjarki, Tor and the men and women of Saxony to resist him in a struggle for the fate of all Europe.
Praise for The Last Berserker
‘Donald has taken the legendary berserkers, those frothing-at-the-mouth shield-biters, and made them human, which once again proves that Donald is a writer not only at the top of his game, but of the game ... It is a wonderful, rich and violent brew. I welcome Angus Donald to the shield wall of Viking fiction like a thirsty man welcomes a mead-brother to the feast ... A tale worthy of the skalds’ Giles Kristian, author of the Raven series
‘With The Last Berserker, Donald has given us the first cut of some serious Dark Age beef. By turns heart-racing, intriguing, and touching, this is not a book for the faint-hearted – I can’t wait for more’ Theodore Brun, author of A Burning Sea
‘A wonderful, blood-soaked tale of redemption and revenge, set amidst the eighth century clash of civilisations between Pagan Vikings and Christian Franks, by a master of the genre’ Saul David, author of Zulu Hart
‘Well researched detail and stunning battle scenes make The Last Berserker a white knuckle ride. A thrilling, up-all-night read’ C. R. May, author of The Day of the Wolf
‘I loved it. Bjarki and Tor are great characters, instantly relatable. The depth of the immersion in their world and their values gives the book authenticity and weight’ Cecelia Holland, author of The Soul Thief
Customer Reviews
Outstanding
Great story that gets at the berserker mentality and gift.
Great fun reading. Enjoy especially on a stormy night.
Awesome
I’ve read many books this summer of ‘23, but this was my absolute favorite. Couldn’t put it down. Historical fiction at its best - in my honest opinion. On to the next book in this series.
Excellent and fast-paced, filled with enough mysticism and history to be truly entertaining!
Angus Donald has done another great job weaving a page-turning adventure from history. Set against the backdrop of the emerging Frankish kingdom of Charlemagne, this story focuses on the clash of cultures between a hegemonic version of proselytizing Christianity and a violent Nordic ethos that it is seeking to extinguish. The mystical elements of Nordic religion and culture are well captured and conveyed in a story about two young people who are easy to like and who have to square with the realities of death, an oppressive growing empire, and even a complex father who is both heroic and horrible.