The Hammer and the Cross

Rating:
Summary: Big disappointment
Review: From the beginning you are caught up in the viking age, and the story of Shef, who changes the course of history through the help he recives from the Norse Gods in the form of visions. As an ametuer historian, I found this novel exceptional, and as someone who personally followes the old norse gods, I was not dissapointed. The Gods and Goddesses are portraied truly, I get the feeling the author has had experience with them himself, or at least the input of someone else who does.

This is a long book by itself, full of action. The two books which follow it only get better.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Having read other Harrison greats such as the Stainless Steel Rat, the Turing Option, Stonehenge, the Eden series and many others, I was not suprised by Harrisons ability to write a great story. What I was suprised by was the fact that he has managed to out do all his previous efforts with this his greatest work ever. Having a Scandinavian heritage may make me impartial in reviewing it but I know anyone who likes a good story will like the Hammer and the Cross. In fact, not only do I consider this Harrisons best, but I also consider it one of my personal favorites.

Rating:
Summary: The Beginning of a Great Saga
Review: I am not usually interested in alternate-history stories, but this one intrigued me -- and paid off. This book looks at the battles between the different English factions, the Vikings, and the Catholic Church with its allies the Franks (French) to settle or conquer England. The "alternate" factor thrown in to the mix is a new religion, called "The Way", which is a more organized and civilized version of old Norse mythology. As in standard Norse mythology, there is a set of gods, with each representing different aspects of life and with internal strife between the gods. What "The Way" adds is the idea that Man's role in life is to find his greatest talents and to dedicate himself to his patron god by mastering the talent that god represents, adding something to it, and teaching others. This new religion also does not see itself as being necessarily in conflict with any other religion, and follows a belief in freedom of choice.

All of this might sound somewhat dry and esoteric to some. However, the religious factor is woven into a rousing, well-written adventure tale featuring lots of battles, alliances, treachery, a little romance, and very interesting settings. I have read this book several times, and expect to read it again.

Rating:
Summary: One of My Old Favorites
Review: I love this trilogy, from the start of book one to the end of book three, the historical aspects are pointed out in a way that fits as part of the story and they don't overthrow the plot, lending the books a very authoritative tone. The Characters are great, (Brand is one of my favorites) and there's plenty of action. What I like best about these books is that Harrison really makes you feel inside the story, the way he handles the characters attitudes towards each other and their surroundings really makes you feel like you're right with them weather it's Anglo-Saxon England, Scandinavia, The Frankish Empire, Muslum Spain or what's left of Rome. As for character development, Harrison has a great way of using the third-person point of view in a way that can convey things unknown to the characters yet at the same time the tone of the narrative is flavored with the particular character's personality, culture and view of their surroundings, helping the reader understand more fully the motives and inhibitions of the people he describes. I read these back in high school and loved them then as much I still do now.

Rating:
Summary: Great, Excellent, Fantasic
Review: I normally dislike alternate history. But this proved that people can pull this genre off. If you come to this book looking for stories about the Norse gods you won't find them. Instead, you find an Englishman who falls in among Viking raiders . He meets a Way-man(i.e. Asatruar) who tells him about the Asier and Vanir (Norse gods). His life from that point is then touched by his patron god (can't say who, it will spoil the book).
This is a grand story, filled with romance, action, adventure, mystery, and one suprise after another. I'm currently reading the sequel and so far it is proving to be just as impressive. You will not be disappointed if you buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Harry Harrison - The Hammer and the Cross
Review: Starting from a point of historical truth, Shef the hero shows how one man can change history. An alternate timeline develops as the Anglo-Saxons not only halt the Viking invasion but absorb the culture and create a brave new world in England that will not fall to the Norman Invasion.

Not what you might expect from Harrison, but perfect if you like both Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Historical Fiction.

Gripping always, Harry Harrison's best work to date (yes better than the Stainless Steel Rat and on a par with Captive Universe and The Technicolour Time Machine). I read this book without rest and was still left wanting more so I had to buy the hardback sequel!

Rating:
Summary: Where myths are borne
Review: This alternate history tale is full of attractive ideas, images and characters. A very well documented background, it reveals Harrison's researches. This novel shows how myths are created, the chosen Hero, rising from an obscure corner and going step by step on the path Gods or Destiny had forged. At the same time, Shef is not a puppet in their hands, his humanity is present, he is free to choose and he does so, not without paying the price. The entire early middle age world is reconstructed accurately; its reality is overwhelming. Harrison has profited from his long period at Denmark, the Norse legends blended into the narrative and the Viking characters, with their regional characteristics (a Dane is different from a Norwegian and from a Sweden) shows it. Also we may trace hints of Mark Twain's "Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's court", and that excellent movie that was "Alfred the Great" but recreated in a new and brilliant scheme. The inventions and rediscoveries are plausible, they make me think about a genius like Leonardo da Vinci, transported some centuries ahead of his time. A book to enjoy and read more than once.

Rating:
Summary: Big disappointment
Review: This book was terrible. I stuck with it, always hoping it would get better. I didn't care an ounce about the main character. It was really just one battle scene after another, throwing in a new weapon each time. The story wasn't very interesting either. Good concept, but not enough was said about the gods and their roles.

Rating:
Summary: Fun Book
Review: This was a fun book-I enjoyed it so much that I slogged through the end of the series, which I thought was pretty crappy, because I liked this one so much.

It's sort of sad that people say 'It's great history' or 'It changed my life', though. It's not that hard to write a history that makes one people look evil and another saintly, especially if you use 'alternate history' to do it, and Harrison is far from an un-biased observer in matters of religion.

Rating:
Summary: Improbable, but fun
Review: With a little coaxing from mysterious "gods", a 9th century peasant begins a career as a warrior, inventor, and leader that will start a minor industrial revolution, bring an early end to slavery, serfdom, and the oppression of women, and establish Nordic religion as a serious rival to Christianity.

Probable? Not really. But this is one of those carefully-written conjectural stories that entertains and stimulates the mind, so you're more than willing to overlook a few flaws in the premise. Throw in a host of interesting characters and fascinating descriptions of everyday medieval life, and you have a nice antidote to the tedious soap operas and weird political diatribes that dominate current SF.