Octavia Randolph

Set mostly in Denmark, this book tells the story of Sidroc the Dane. The first few chapters tell the story of Hrald, Sidroc’s father, who farmed on the large Danish peninsula of Jutland. In 847 Hrald returns from a year long trading journey to find his mother dead and the farm stock taken in taxes. His older sister Signe is married and has taken in Yrling, their younger brother. Ingirith, the woman that Hrald is promised to, is none too pleased to see him return, but has no choice but to go ahead with the marriage. Jorild is a freewoman who cared for Hrald’s mother when she lay dying, she will also become Sidroc’s mother, but will be forced by Hrald’s wife Ingirith to leave the farm and her son behind. Ingirith gives birth only to girls and treats all the children harshly. When Hrald goes fishing and never returns Ingirith sells the farm and Sidroc is sent to live with aunt Signe and her husband, his uncle Yrling and cousin Toki. Sidroc will carry a vicious scar on his face from an incident with Toki and his knife. Yrling finds success and silver when he joins raiding trips to the great island of Angle-land, and trains his nephews how to fight and plunder. When Yrling has enough silver, he has his own raiding ship built, and with Sidroc and Toki as part of his crew, makes a hazardous crossing of the North Sea, to far-off Angle-land. There the Danes murder, rob and rape to gain food, goods and slaves. Eventually in a bloody battle they take the Saxon fortress of Four Stones. A Saxon lord, in order to make a peace treaty and gain protection from Yrling and other Danes, offers his daughter Ælfwyn in marriage. Accompanying Ælfwyn to Four Stones is Ceridwen, who was lost in the frozen woods. When Sidroc sees Ceridwen he is captivated and calls her his shield-maiden, later extracting a promise from Yrling that she will marry none but him. This book has great attention to historical detail, such as how a sword is made, a farm operated, the reliance on women’s weaving for all clothing and cloth, food preparation etc. It was a tough life.… (mehr)

Tindr is a man of the forest, a place that doesn’t judge him for his deafness. The book begins with the story of his parents, fisherman Dagr and brewer Rannveig. We get to know Tindr better, and experience his non-verbal communication with all that surrounds him, even the goddess, Freyja, Lady of the Forest who sometimes appears to him as a white deer. Tindr has found a place with the Welsh-Saxon Ceridwen, and the Danish warrior Sidroc, who have taken the time to learn to communicate with him, but many others don’t bother. He still yearns for something more thought, but it will take a special person to fill that gap in his life.… (mehr)