The comfortable world of Jarl Dragonheart is about to be shattered as a ghost from the past leaves Norway to settle a blood feud. The Clan of the Wolf had defeated Saxons and Danes. They had helped to subdue the Hibernians but would they be able to fight those with the same blood? In a novel which ranges from Dyflin to Wessex and Wales to Man this fast moving novel charts another turbulent time in the Land of the Wolf.
We see his son and grandson join the Dragonheart as he fights on Man. This time the enemy are Vikings and it will not be an easy fight. This is the 16th book in the series. Although Dragonheart is now in his fifties he shows no signs of slowing down. He and Haaken One Eye lead the Ulfheonar as they fight to save the land of the wolf.
Excerpt
The thegn shouted back, “You are the Northmen. You are liars and murderers. We would rather die than surrender to you. King Egbert and God Almighty will punish you all!”
Many of my men understood Saxon but not all. I raised my sword, “Kill the warriors!”
We stepped forward in a solid line. We outnumbered them. Even if we had not outnumbered them we were better than they were We had warriors who knew how to fight and how to kill. Many of these we fought had rarely lifted a sword and shield. I headed for the thegn. If I could slay him quickly then the others might surrender. He had a spear and a large round shield. His open helmet was old fashioned. He had no nasal. His mail was the kind which used overlapping pieces of metal. I took all of this in as I stepped forward.
I could see that he was angry. That was never a good frame of mind in which to fight. He would have greater force with his blows but he would be blinded by hate. I was cool and I was calm. As he thrust forward with his spear I flicked up my shield. His spear struck the rim of my shield and I rammed my sword forward. In his eagerness to hurt me he had not kept his shield close enough to his hand. My sword scored a red, bloody line across the back of his hand before sliding between two of the metal plates and into his side. He felt the pain and tried to head butt me. It was doubly a mistake. He had an open helmet and my shield was close. I lifted the shield and his nose smashed into the metal edge of my shield. Blood spurted.
“Surrender now! You will die!”
“And I will die serving my king!”
“Then die!”
I pulled back my right arm and sank Ragnar’s Spirit into the hole I had made in his mail. This time I angled my blade and turned it. I found something vital for I saw the life go from his eyes. He slid to the ground. Olaf Leather Neck and Rolf Horse Killer were using axes and their mighty weapons smote the two housecarls who were next to the thegn. Their helmets were split as were their skulls and suddenly their line was breached.
I pushed the thegn’s body from me and swept my sword sideways at the two Saxons who stood petrified before me. I caught one in the neck with my sword and the other dropped to his knees yelling, “I yield! I yield!”
