Official Review: Vengeance of the Viking by Magnus Hansen

CataclysmicKnight · Post by **CataclysmicKnight** » 05 Feb 2016, 16:09

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Vengeance of the Viking" by Magnus Hansen.]

4 out of 4 stars

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I've always been a big fan of fantasy in every form, so I jump at the chance to check fantasy books out anytime I can. Saving the world, heroes and villains with amazing abilities who fight epic battles - the typical requirements for a good fantasy story - are nowhere to be found in Magnus Hansen's Vengeance of the Viking. The surprise twist? The complete lack of these clichés is one of my favorite things about the book!

Torlief, the story's protagonist (I purposely avoid the word hero here) is a Norseman who starts the book off by escaping imprisonment from a nearby village where he was tortured and forced to do menial labor. During his escape, he ends up with a motherless bear cub, and the two quickly form an unlikely pair. From here, the book largely focuses on village life for the two, and I've never been so happy to read about it in a book before. As opposed to many fantasy or historical novels, scenes aren't overly detailed or laid out in a way that makes me want to go to take a nap every few pages - these scenes are quick, yet sneak in some great, realistic moments. Trading, stone carving, "romance", war and much more is made both entertaining and fascinating, even for a huge fantasy lover like myself, which really impressed me.

That's not to say the book is without action, far from it in fact. The book leaps into a crazy first chapter with Torleif escaping, with many more action-packed scenes throughout. Torleif is far from extraordinary, though - he can't take on a dozen soldiers alone, he isn't immune to cowardice and he can't just ignore injuries, which is exactly how a woodworker and hunter should be! Fighting is looked at as a brutal thing that leaves emotional scars and repercussions, not just an adrenaline-fueled berzerkerfest.

While I can't blame the author, the book does fall into one of the pitfalls of fantasy - names that are difficult to differentiate. While reading, I often had to keep notes on who certain people were because the book holds true to Norse names, not something most folks are familiar with. While Magnus occasionally included notes - "Brennabjorg (Viggo's village)" for example - it was very rare. There were also a handful of typoes throughout, but nowhere near enough to interrupt the enjoyment of the book.

When it comes down to it, the best measure of a book like Vengeance of the Viking is whether you want to read more and live in the author's world once the book is done. Above all else, Magnus Hansen exceeded all expectations here, and I'm already fighting a really strong urge to buy the next book in the series. Despite the small flaws I found in the book, and even days of waiting to see if my feelings changed after reading the book, I'm beyond happy to give the book 4 out of 4 stars. The only folks I can suggest avoid the book are those that don't like fantasy, Vikings or violence - while the book doesn't get overly gory, you can't have a Viking book without some violence!

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Vengeance of the Viking
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kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 17 Feb 2016, 06:55

Sounds like a very interesting book and Torleif seems like a relatable character. Though I am a fan of fantasy books, I am not very comfortable reading about violence. However, I would still check this out. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Magnus Hansen for such a well-written book!

Paliden · Post by **Paliden** » 17 Feb 2016, 11:15

Sounds like a great book! I love fantasy books. This will have to go on my TBR list, for sure!

CataclysmicKnight · Post by **CataclysmicKnight** » 10 Mar 2016, 22:04

kimmyschemy06 wrote:Sounds like a very interesting book and Torleif seems like a relatable character. Though I am a fan of fantasy books, I am not very comfortable reading about violence. However, I would still check this out. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Magnus Hansen for such a well-written book!

I'm the same way on books and movies and tv - I love the stories of fantasy and sci-fi and even post-apocalyptic stuff, but often the violence is just too much... And thanks for the compliment

gaporter · Post by **gaporter** » 16 Mar 2016, 15:27

I love historical books and particularly old Norse culture! This sounds great! Good job on the review.

CataclysmicKnight · Post by **CataclysmicKnight** » 08 May 2016, 14:02

gaporter wrote:I love historical books and particularly old Norse culture! This sounds great! Good job on the review.

Thanks for saying so! This one felt a bit more genuine and relatable as our hero is much more of a "regular guy" than most exaggerated, flawless Viking/historical heroes, and it made me really enjoy the book a lot more because of it!