Review: Good action-packed military history.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2012
I read this book on the back of the author's other military history book, The Swords of Carthage, and I was similarly impressed with this effort.Heppner spares nothing in bringing out the dire times that were the Dark Ages. A feudal system of "haves" and "have-nots" which produced lives of luxury and wealth for the nobles and grinding poverty and slavery for the serfs. Heppner presents the descriptions of the peasants' life of filth and degredation in a masterly fashion. Any day a serf got through without pain, cold, hunger, or back-breakingly hard labour was indeed a red-letter day for him. Now add to this the extreme, gratuous violence, visited on all and sundry as a consequence of the Danish invasion of Paris in 886, and you have the background for a hard-hitting novel of bloody mayem.One of the features I particularly enjoyed was the initiation and training techniques that potential recruits were subjected to before they could join the ranks of the infamous, berserker brigade. This exclusive caste of warriors were feared by all other Northmen, who were themselves the most bloodthirsty soldiery of the day. Can't comment at all on the historical accuracy of what was described, but I found this element of the book original and gruesomely entertaining.Characters are introduced and developed with realism, compassion and skill. I was thoroughly involved with the majority of them and anxious to see just how many got their just deserts. Was a little disappointed here. Must agree with many other reviewers who mention that the book seems to simply peter out; strange when one considers the extensive coverage the period is given throughout the main chapters.Be that as it may, if you find the title and the genre to your liking, you will probably enjoy this book just as much as I did.