Harald Sigurdson, whose Viking career has already been chronicled in Viking's Dawn and The Road to Miklagard, sets of on a voyage to revenge himself on a renegade Viking who has looted and burned Harald's own village. With his best mate Giant Grummoch and a crew of characters, he chases northwards to becomes the first Viking to visit Greenland and live with the Inuit; they then voyage on to North America.
As with the other books, this is concerned with bravery in battle and manliness. Cowardice and weakness are despised. Meeting a good death is everything. Women must stay at home, keep house and bring up children. It is a sobering reminder of the mindset not only of the Vikings but of writers for children as recently as 1960.
Some moments:
- "Thorfinn said, 'A poet must live, Harald'. Gudbrod said, 'Why'?" (Ch 10)
- "Before death, man stands alone, and no one may comfort him." (Ch 23)
A very macho boys' adventure story. August 2021; 176 pages
- Horned Helmet: more Vikings
- Legions of the Eagle: Romano-British adventure
- The Golden Strangers: A story from prehistory
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