It is May 28, 1453 and Constantinople has reached the last day of
its existence. Within 24 hours, the 21 year old Ottoman Turk,
Sultan Mehmet II will blast through the walls of the city and the
Byzantine Empire will cease to exist. Inside the palace, Leif
Redbjorn, Captain of a small group of Northmen known as the
Varangian Guard prepares his warriors for a final battle. The
Varangian Guard has been the Empire's elite mercenary unit for over
500 years; fiercely loyal to the Emperor even unto death. These
remaining few are the last of their kind. The warriors of the
Varangian Guard are Northmen; mostly Vikings. Some of these Vikings
are known as 'Berserkers'. In Viking battles, Berserkers were used
as shock troops by the Scandinavian Kings to strike terror in the
hearts of their enemies. They would consume wine or ale and work
themselves into a blood lust rage or 'Odin Fury' while dancing
around a bonfire. Emperor Constantine VII, The Purple Born, called
it a 'Gothic Dance'. Captain Redbjorn calls his 14 year old son,
Erik to his side and gives him an overwhelming task; "I have a
great thing I must ask of you. Go to my chamber. Under the chest at
the foot of my bed is a stone with a wolf carved into it. Pry it up
and you will find a book that has been passed down through the
centuries. It holds the secret of the Varangian Guard; one that was
carelessly lost by our ancestors and we have been searching in vain
to find it again. You must follow my instructions left within."
Soon, Erik Redbjorn will find out for himself what it means to be a
Varangian Guard. He will learn why hardened warriors tremble in
fear when the drums begin to beat, the bonfire rages into the sky
and word spreads that Berserkers are dancing...
General
Imprint: |
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
November 2013 |
First published: |
November 2013 |
Editors: |
Marlina V. Vincent
• Lee D Olson
|
Dimensions: |
203 x 127 x 23mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
400 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4895-9145-6 |
Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
Genre fiction >
Fantasy
|
LSN: |
1-4895-9145-1 |
Barcode: |
9781489591456 |
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