The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker

Linnea Hartsuyker - from her Twitter pages One might be tempted to say the waters off Norway, but the formation of that state had yet to take place and the beginnings of that process constitute one of the centerpieces of this novel. Downside is that Solvi had been biding his time until the right moment, which has now arrived, and Rags is unceremoniously tossed into the chilly waters of the ninth century North Sea. Rags has been a productive member of the crew and is having a good time as the mission nears its end. Young (20), strong, lithe, and happy to be on a raiding mission with the impressive Captain Solvi, a Loki-type figure. Ragnvald Eysteinsson (hereafter referred to as Rags, with apologies to Dave Righetti, although Hartsuyker pronounces it Ron-vald, so Ron might have worked better) is a pretty decent young man, by the measures of the time. It's not a fate she relishes, and when the chance to leave her stepfather's cruelty comes at the hand of her brother's arch-rival, Svanhild is forced to make the ultimate choice: family or freedom.ĭrawing from the Icelandic Sagas, The Half-Drowned King takes inspiration from the true story of Ragnvald of Maer, the right hand man of King Harald Fairhair, first king of all Norway, and his sister, Svanhild, as she tries to find freedom in a society where the higher her brother rises, the greater her worth as a political pawn. It is no easy feat in Viking-Age Norway, where a hundred petty rulers kill over parcels of land, and a prophesied high king is rising.īut where Ragnvald is expected to bleed, and even die, for his honour, Svanhild is simply expected to marry well.

But when the captain of his ship tries to kill him on the way home from a raiding excursion, he must confront his stepfather's betrayal, and find a way to protect his birthright. Since the death of Ragnvald Eysteinsson's father in battle, he has worked hard to protect his sister Svanhild and planned to inherit his family's land when he comes of age.

The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker