The Road to Rus'
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4.5 • 4 Ratings
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- $3.99
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
In the 9th Century, the Byzantine Empire was on the rise. The Vikings were also well on their way to influencing most of the known world with their spirit of adventure and quest for glory. Slavic tribes led by the Polians and their leader Vratymyr with the aid of the Vikings and their representative Askoldir organize a brazen attack at the heart of New Rome – Constantinople. Their goal is not only revenge but the formation of a new empire. There are battles, political plots, sea voyages, treachery, bravery and death. This is a story of adventure. This is the only historical novel to date about this event. This is the story of the birth of Kyivan Rus’.
Customer Reviews
The Road to Rus
There are books one can't wait to finish than there are books that one is sorry that it ended. This book was the latter.
A fictionalized historical novel based on the founding of Kyivan Rus'
First, I must disclose that the author is my brother and I purchased a copy on iTunes in addition to receiving a physical copy as a gift.
I will start out with the fact that I am fascinated by this period in history and there are few works of this type on this period in English. Michael spent quite a considerable amount of energy researching this period and the historical accuracy and plausibility of the fictionalized parts of the story give a excellent feel for the time period. It is obvious that he has studied this period well. The main story line following an early Rus' raid on Constantinople is interesting.
If there is one flaw in this work, it is that the story is written more as a historical account than an exciting adventure story. Some of the characters could have been improved by adding some more depth to their characterization and some of the dialog may come off as a bit dry or too expository. Nonetheless, this a competent first novel that I enjoyed reading. I hope my brother continues exploring this period.