Thanks to The Write Reads and Neem Tree Press for my gifted copy of this book to join the book tour with my honest review.
False God.
At the dawn of the 11th Century in a small Icelandic settlement, these words, daubed in blood, herald the arrival of a killer. Soon, a spate of murders threatens the fragile peace between pagans and a growing Christian minority.
Arinbjorn, a young pagan farmer resolves to track down the killer before the community is permanently torn apart. His investigations draw in Freya, an isolated housewife whose secrets could either condemn or free her.
Meanwhile in Norway, King Olaf Tryggvason has his own designs upon Iceland and its people. War is rife in Scandinavia, and a Christian Iceland would bolster his control over the region.
Only one thing is certain: these murders will change Icelandic society forever.
My Review
Historical fiction is never better than when a reader doesn’t know much about the country or the period the novel they are reading is set in. Faith of their Fathers was very much that for me.
This is one of my favourite genres, so I was dying to be able to sit down and start reading. It didn’t take me long before I was totally invested in this book. I am a sucker for the Viking period, and this story gave me a more rounded view of it. It isn’t just about warriors, shield maidens, and battles that are prevalent within anything I read. It’s more about the day to day folk who are just living their lives, working away.
This gave it a multi-layered story. There is depth, and it’s so clear. The way the author begins the story gives me the ” I am all in here!” Feeling. I couldn’t have torn myself away if I had wanted to. Set in the 11th century, in Iceland. It is a time when the Norse gods are being pushed aside due to the christians who are arriving in the country.
I do find this fascinating to read about, and the way the author has woven the story makes it much more intriguing to read. The fact that the story is told from multiple characters just made it much more enjoyable. I have always loved a multiple POV. I find it gives me such a fuller picture of what’s happening.
Every character is unique and realistic. The women are all strong and so believable. In fact, I revelled in the characters, and there is even LGBTQ+ representation.
I found this not just a vivid recreation of the past but also a tale of the harsh life people had to live back then. The brutality of the time is on display, but that’s how it was. It also has the right amount of action to keep the pages turning.
Well written, excellently researched, and an author to watch out for!
Author Bio
Samuel Sargeant is a Lecturer in the English Literature and Creative Writing department at the Open University. He studied at Cardiff University as part of his doctoral degree programme where his PhD thesis focused upon the structure of Medieval Old Norse-Icelandic sagas. He is currently researching the samtíðarsögur (contemporary sagas) and how their narrative structures compare to the other saga genres. He is viewing these broadly historiographical texts as acts of creative writing and using them in the development of his novels set within this period.
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 