Mother of Kings

Book excerpt: This epic tale based on Norse sagas by the Science Fiction Grand Master “proves that he is indeed a master!” (Robert Jordan, #1 New York Times–bestselling author). In Mother of Kings, Poul Anderson “brings to life the bloodthirsty Norse as they evolve into the looting, plundering Vikings of popular lore” (Publishers Weekly). During the tenth century, Gunnhild, the daughter of a Norse warlord, is sent to study sorcery under the auspices of two Finnish wizards. She is able to ensnare as a husband a man she has only seen in visions—the formidable Norse king Eirik Blood-Ax—and bears him nine children. Wielding her magic as a weapon, Gunnhild survives political intrigues and power struggles at Eirik’s side, forging a family dynasty that will cement its place in Scandinavian legend and lore . . . “An unquestionably great work.” —Kirkus Reviews “The genre’s guru blends mythology and history into a powerhouse of a tale that tells readers the story of Gunnhild, a real persona who has received legendary status over the last millennium. The gritty but vivid story line provides a powerful look at the tenth century as rarely seen by literature except perhaps [in] Beowulf and that is a few centuries earlier. The beginning of the end of the Age of the Vikings is fitting posthumous triumph from one of the greats.” —AllReaders.com