Review: Captivating piece of fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 23, 2012
Malik ad-Din Qasim is a warrior of the Anatolian empire until one fateful day when he and his brothers are taken away. Most of his brothers are sold on the market as slaves, and using his talent for foreign languages Malik convinces Erik, a skilled warrior of high social standing, to buy him. He is taken to Iceland and given the name Tyrker. He lives as a teacher and guard for Erik's sons. This short story sets up the background and presents a conflict wherein Tyrker wishes to have a family as a free man.The writing was very good. I got a good sense of the land and customs, and felt immersed in the tale. There was a hint of great battles and romance to come. Tyrker is a strong character, despite his status as a slave, and his resourcefulness and strength shines through in these few pages. Runa also seems like an interesting character and a good romantic match for Tyrker. The story is very short, but I'm eager to read more of the series and I hope further entries are quite a bit longer. The author has managed to draw me in with about 19 pages, so eagerly anticipate seeing something this high quality in a full-length book.