The Swan’s Road:
The Atheling
Chronicles Book #1
By Garth Pettersen
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In the eleventh century,
Cnute, the Viking king of Engla-lond and Scandinavia, sails with his son,
Harald, and his shield brothers to Rome. Thrown off course by a storm, they
follow the route up the Rhine.
When Harald hangs back to assist Selia, a beautiful Frisian woman, his path turns perilous. Newfound enemies, retainers of Robert the Devil, Duke of Normandy, pursue them. Harald, Selia, and their companions fail to rendezvous with King Cnute, and are forced to travel cross-country on horseback. If Duke Robert's plan to assassinate Cnute succeeds, an invasion of Engla-lond will follow.
Can Harald and Selia reach Rome in time to warn the King?
When Harald hangs back to assist Selia, a beautiful Frisian woman, his path turns perilous. Newfound enemies, retainers of Robert the Devil, Duke of Normandy, pursue them. Harald, Selia, and their companions fail to rendezvous with King Cnute, and are forced to travel cross-country on horseback. If Duke Robert's plan to assassinate Cnute succeeds, an invasion of Engla-lond will follow.
Can Harald and Selia reach Rome in time to warn the King?
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“So
tell me, how does a son of the illustrious King Cnute come to be in Friedland
rescuing my niece from Norman abductors?
All
roads lead to Rome, especially when your father, who so happens to be King
Cnute, has made an alliance with Conrad, the Holy Roman Emperor. However, what
was meant to be a long but worthwhile journey takes a sinister turn.
“Stay
out of trouble,” that had been King Cnute’s warning to his son, Harold. Harold
tried, he really did, but when he met the beautiful Selia, he feared there was
more to her story than what the eyes saw. And he was right. Robert, Duke of
Normandy, plans to make Selia his wife, whether she likes it or not. Taken by
force, Selia is determined to escape the clutches of the vile Bertrand
deZouche, Captain of Arms to the Duke of Normandy, before she is forced to wed
Robert. Perhaps, this young Anglo-Dane would help her escape before it is too
late.
From
the dangers of a storm out at sea to the perilous streets of Rome, The Swan’s
Road: The Atheling Chronicles Book #1 by Garth Pettersen is the enthralling
story of Harold Harefoot as he battles to save his father from assassination
and the woman he loves from marriage to a man she despised.
Having
already read The Dane Law: The Atheling Chronicles Book #2 I was looking
forward to going back and reading book #1 in the series. I was immediately
transferred back to the world of Harold and his family. Filled with non-stop
action and with a narrative that threatens to mesmerise, The Swan’s Road was
impossible to put down — in fact, I read it in one sitting!
The
historical detail of this book has to be commended. Pettersen writes with a
keen eye for historical accuracies of the time this book is set in, although he
does use a little poetic license to make his historical characters fall in line
with the direction he wanted his story to go in. Pettersen certainly has a
visceral understanding of what makes historical fiction worth reading. His descriptive
prose brought this era back to life, and his ability to flesh his characters
and make them breathe only demonstrates what a great writer he is.
As
before, I adored the characterisation of Harold. He is a very noble yet humble
man, who is honourable and above everything else, kind. It is no wonder that
Selia falls in love with him. The love story between Harold and Selia is a slow
simmering build, which gave this story a sense of depth and realism. The
journey the two them go on is fraught with danger and adventure, which
propelled the story forward and kept me turning those pages.
Pettersen’s
masterful style pulls the reader into the story immediately. The Swan’s Road is
told in the first and third person, which really worked for this book. I enjoyed
reading about Cnute and The Duke of Normandy. Their perspectives gave this
story its background and depth. Although I have to admit, it was Harold’s
story, told in the first person which made this book an enchanting epic.
If
you are looking for an absorbing, yet heartwarming historical fiction novel,
then The Swan’s Road: The Atheling Chronicles Book #1 is the book for you.
I
Highly Recommend.
Review
by Mary Anne Yarde.
The
Coffee Pot Book Club.
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Pick up your copy of
The
Swan’s Road:
The
Atheling Chronicles Book #1
Garth Pettersen
Garth Pettersen is a Canadian writer living in the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. When he's not writing, he's riding horses and working with young, disabled riders.Garth's short stories have appeared in a number of anthologies, and in journals such as Blank Spaces, The Spadina Literary Review, and The Opening Line Literary 'Zine. His story River's Rising was awarded an Honourable Mention for the Short Story America 2017 Prize, and his fantasy novella, River Born, was one of two runners-up in the Wundor Editions (UK) Short Fiction Prize. His debut novel, The Swan's Road (Book #1 of the Atheling Chronicles) published by Tirgearr Publishing was released in 2017 and Book #2, The Dane Law, in September of 2018.
Congratulations on your award,Garth!
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