How much would you sacrifice to rule a kingdom?
That is the
central question that Hakon Haraldsson must answer in God’s Hammer. It is not an irregular question for the Dark Ages.
There are countless stories of warlords and kings dying in their pursuit of the
throne, or dying to protect it. Yet Hakon is not the typical Viking leader.
Hakon was not only
fourteen when he returned to the North to fight his brother for the High Seat
of the realm – he was also a Christian. While teenage kings weren’t uncommon in
medieval times, it was uncommon for a
Christian to rule Norsemen, especially a boy. What’s more, when Hakon returned
to the North, he was somehow able to win enough support to raise an army that
rivaled the king’s. How could he do this? Who supported him in his efforts?
What did he have to sacrifice to succeed? The historical texts provide few
answers, which gave me the opportunity to put skin on the bones of Hakon’s
story.
I won’t spoil the
ending, but I will say this: even if marginally true, Hakon’s story has so many
of the elements of that ancient time – intrigue, bloodlust, fratricide, sibling
rivalry, religious fervor, and more. It is the tale of kings and armies,
chieftains and battles, Christians and “pagans” – the gritty stuff of legend
and truth as seen from the eyes of a boy who would be king.
And it is only the beginning…
Eric Schumacher
# # #
About the Author
Eric Schumacher was
born and raised in Los Angeles, and has had a life-long love affair with Dark
Age Europe and writing. As a 20-year veteran of PR, marketing and copywriting,
Eric has told the story of numerous companies, products and individuals. God's
Hammer is his first novel. For more information on his recent endeavors, Follow
him on Twitter at @DarkAgeScribe or here: http://amzn.to/20TAJUG.
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