Sigurd's Swords, the second book in Olaf's Saga, sweeps you into a Nordic action/ adventure in the historical backdrop of the Rus Kingdom (modern-day Bulgaria) in AD 968. The Viking-age saga is based on the Norse tales of the legendary Viking king, Olaf Tryggvason, but is told in first-person by his companion and protector, Torgil. The saga follows the adventures and tribulations of three primary characters: Torgil, Prince Olaf, and Turid (Torgil's love interest and female warrior). In the first book, Forged by Iron, the three adolescent companions barely escape with their lives after the betrayal by the Norse king, Harold Eriksson, and are subsequently enslaved under horrific conditions. After Lord Sigurd—Olaf's uncle and commander to Rus Prince Sviatoslav—frees them, Olaf and Torgil feel indebted to him and serve as soldiers under his command.
The second book, Sigurd's Swords, starts ten years later when Prince Sviatoslav is expanding the Rus Empire in bloody warfare. The story jumps into a brutal siege at Konugard, which Signurd's army is defending against the treacherous Pechenegs. A small fleet of Rus ships has come to their aid, but someone has to slip through the enemy line to get a message to the Rus general aboard the vessel on where to attack. Without hesitation, Olaf and Torgil both volunteer as messengers and succeed in their mission. Ultimately hailed as heroes, they are but game pieces in the political machinations of royals and generals willing to sacrifice them to achieve their ambitions. The three companions wrestle with their internal turmoil as they strive to find their places in life. Their perseverance and loyalty to each other are tested in open battlefields, siege warfare, and royal courts. Universal themes of unconditional love, corruption of power, and betrayal resonated with me after reading the book.
Author Eric Schumacher has again skillfully portrayed the essence of the Norse characters in a riveting epic adventure with battles, political intrigue, and unrequited love. The brash and charismatic Olaf embraces his destiny to become a king while Torgil struggles to find his place as an honorable and courageous warrior. After enduring sexual assault as a slave, Turid strives to control her life by being a warrior but must overcome her fear of intimacy with a man she loves. One of the more heartfelt subplots is how Torgil supports Turid's desire to be a warrior after she has rejected his marriage proposal.
Sigurd's Sword is a tale about friendship and the bond between warriors fighting alongside each other. Themes explored in this epic tale include the illusion of power, unconditional love, and honor. The author vividly describes the Viking culture and the harsh conditions that warriors must endure in battle and siege warfare. Like the first book, poignant moments of compassion are juxtaposed with harsh realities of bloody conflict and betrayal. Extra bonuses in the book include regional maps and a glossary of Viking terms used in the narrative.
Sigurd's Swords continues the riveting epic of the legendary King Olaf and his closest companions. It is a character-driven Viking adventure of three young warriors searching for their destinies in the brutal world of warfare, political intrigue, and betrayal. I look forward to reading the third book and highly recommend the series for readers who enjoy multi-layered Norse adventure and action epics.
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![Sigurd's Swords: A Viking Age Novel (Olaf's Saga Book 2) by [Eric Schumacher]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ZLwJmVEKS._SY346_.jpg)
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