The Viking's Bride

Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Medieval Romp
Review: Alas, what's poor Aisling to do? Her parents have provided her with material security by betrothing her to the richest man in Ballynacarriga, but he's old, fat, and ugly, and she could never love him. Well, thank goodness for the Vikings, led by macho stud hunk dreamboat Cormac (he reminds me of myself!), for they come to loot and pillage just in the nick of time, on her wedding day, and spirit her off.

But it's not that simple. Cormac has two older brothers, fraternal twins actually. Trygge, by a few minutes the older of the two, is handsome and kind, but rather feeble and losing his eyesight to cataracts. The younger twin, Rafn, is a shaman, and he's just plain evil. Their father is Ragnar, chieftain of Eaglescrown, and he's dying, evidently of consumption. Aisling is made a slave, or thrall, to tend to Ragnar's care.

All three brothers have designs on Aisling, but Aisling proves more than equal to all the challenges that confront her, winning Cormac in the end and saving Eaglescrown from the Northern Raiders in the process (the Irish and the English aren't the only ones who have to worry about looting and pillaging!).

This is the first modern romance novel that I have read. Romance novels appeal mainly to women, but my lady thought I might enjoy this one because I am an avid student of the Middle Ages (to the point of being quite active in the Society for Creative Anachronism, a worldwide medieval reenactment group). She was right - I did enjoy it! These novels crowd the bookshelves at places like supermarkets, and, as she tells me, there are good solid reasons for the enormous popularity of the genre: At their core, they are about overcoming obstacles to follow one's heart, and romance novels are actually uplifting and affirming to the human spirit. The success or failure of any book in the genre depends partly upon the quality of the writing, but mostly upon the emotional authenticity of the human experience in the story.

This one succeeds. It is written gracefully. I cared about Aisling and her friends, and the action was exciting enough that I read the book in a couple of sittings (to the great annoyance of my lady, who wanted some attention from me while I was reading it).

Another appealing aspect of the book is that the Daniels have done a lot of research on Viking culture, and their depiction of life in the Viking village is consistent with what I've learned during a lifetime of interest in medieval topics - with one exception: The authors repeat the Hollywood clichés about ponderous medieval weapons, and when Aisling has need of Ragnar's greatsword, she can hardly lift it. In fact, a typical Viking sword weighed about two pounds, and a spunky 17-year old like Aisling would have had no trouble wielding it. The "greatsword," meaning a two-handed weapon, didn't appear for hundreds of years after the Viking period, and even they were surprisingly light (5-8 pounds). "Bearing swords," ponderous monstrosities meant for ceremonial purposes only, are another story, but Vikings didn't have them.

That nit-pick aside, THE VIKING'S BRIDE paints a vivid and authentic picture of life among the Vikings, and it portrays an even truer portrait of the yearnings of the human heart - or so it seemed, at least to this hopeless romantic.

Rating:
Summary: Historical Passion will pull you in - don't miss it!
Review: In this, their first novel, James and Aasne Daniels immerse you into the life of a Viking community from the very beginning with their lush historical description. Aisling, the beautiful young Irish girl, is preparing for her unhappy future when disaster strikes her small village. She is taken captive by a band of Vikings, and then the journey begins! Set in the 9th century, this adventure romance is a feast for all the senses. The Daniels' have gone above and beyond the norm in creating detail, passion, and mystery. If you have never read a romance novel before, this is the perfect introduction. If you are a seasoned romance reader, you will delight in the new style and setting the Daniels' have created for you. THIS IS A MUST READ!!!