The Wanderer Chronicles 4
My version: Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction, Byzantium, The Franks, Proro-Vikings
Publisher: Corvus
First published: 2023
ISBN: 9781786496126
Pages: 546
Bought
From the cover:
Byzantium, 718 AD.
Crippled warrior, Erlan Aurvandil, is weary of war. But he must rally his strength to ead a band of misfit adventurers back to the North, to reclaim the stolen kingdom of his lover, Lilla Sviggarsdottir. For this, they need an army. To raise an army, they need gold.
Together they plot a daring heist to steal the Emperor’s tribute to his ally. Barely escaping with their lives, they voyage north, ready for the fight. But when fate strands them in a foreign land already riven by war, Erlan and Lilla are drawn inexorably into the web of a dark and gruesome foe.
As blades fall and shadows close in, only one thing for them is certain: a savage moon is rising. And it demands an ocean of blood.
First published in a large format paperback, rather than the previous hardbacks. Which is an odd thing. And I didn’t even buy it at an airport. Not sure if this is a new policy from Corvus, or a reflection of their expectations of the sales for this book. Along with the enigmatic sign-off at the end of the Historical Note at the end of the book, it may be the latter. The book ends with a lot still to happen, and a lot on the point of happening…if it does or not, seems like it might be in the balance.
There are a few things not one hundred percent right with the book, but in general, it’s a very worthy follow on, follow up to the first three, absolutely exceptionally good books, in Brun’s Wanderer Chronicles. Certainly it does not read like a book of a story running out of steam – apart from maybe couple of uneccessary detours – far from it. There is genuine menace in the main body of the story, with unspeakable evil seeping gradually into every page every line the further you go in. It is, as I may well have said before about Mr Brun’s work – a full on, full-body experience. You are gradually, subtly drawn in to the story, until you cannot leave, ‘cannot lay the book from you,’ as we say in Denmark. Of course the startling newness, almost uniqueness from the first book, has worn off a little, through familiarity with the characters, but I still found myself more than fully invested in caring about finding out what makes them tick – and what makes them scared shitless – and thoroughly enjoyed riding into the unknown with them once again.
We can but hope that sales are sufficient to support at least a fifth installment. The ‘praise for Theodore Brun’ comments on the back cover, would suggest so, with The Times, and someone called Eric Schumacher, comparing the books to Bernard Cornwell and George R.R. Martin. Never having read Mr Martin’s books, but having waded through the whole of BC’s The Last Kingdom, it is obviously illustrious, but also well-deserved, well-justified praise.
A series not to be missed for any self-respecting Viking reader.
You can buy A Savage Moon by Theodore Brun from Amazon
*Yeah, that’s probably AI in the top picture. Sorry
Couldn't I Just Tell You 