VIKING - Odinn's Child

by Tim Severin

This book is the first of a planned trilogy following the life of Thorgils Leifsson, son of Leif the Lucky.

I'm enjoying this book so far. It is written in the style of someone writing their memoirs as an old man, looking back over the life, contemplating on what the have done and achieved.

So far it has given a real interesting insight into the life of the pagan Vikings and their way of life. The author has done his research with detailed descriptions of the pagan practices of the times, the Viking culture and law and the way that families and clans interacted with each other.

It's not just abut blood and guts, I think that people that practice modern paganism would enjoy reading some of the chapters relating to the female seidr (psychics).

--- UPDATE ---

I really enjoyed this book. It's part of a trilogy so I'll be looking out for the next two installments, whenever they arrive.

This book covers Thorgils life from birth through to his early twenties. It's an interesting culture that he lives in, not growing up with his parents, but within the viking community. As a young man he ends up in Ireland studying at a christian monestary.

His affair with a local girl soons forces him to leave, chased by the corrupt monks. It's at this point the story ends, with Thorgils being banished to sea as punishment and rescued by a viking ship homeward bound to Iceland.

While on the run from the monks, he teams up with a hermit druid where he learns more of the pagan ways. I wonder what he will become in the next book? His education in the pagan ways increased throughout this book. Learning to read and write in runes, learning about the gods and then learning more about celtic paganism from the druid.