Review: The Lords of the Wind by C.J. Adrien

I'm thrilled to share my review of The Lords of the Wind by C.J. Adrien, a gripping Viking adventure that keeps you enthralled.

My thanks to The Coffee Pot Book Club and the author for a copy.

The Lords of the Wind

The Saga of Hasting the Avenger, Book 1

C.J. Adrien

Historical Fiction

I've recently discovered historical fiction of the early Middle Ages, into which falls what we call the Viking era. A time of great turmoil – and boundless opportunities. A time to make a mark.

Hasting is such a man who made a mark. In The Lords of the Wind, we meet him first as a young boy, orphaned when his father is slain, and taken as a slave to Ireland. His early years are difficult. He is mistreated and beaten, but he remains aware of what happened to his father. 

A few years later, an almost deadly error sees him lifted from his time in the north, and taking care of all the duties on a Viking ship, he finds a friendly, supportive mentor in Eilif. Under his guidance, he learns about the Viking ways. A trader, Eilif deals with the various peoples that populate what is now north-western France: Normandy and Brittany. Back then, there were still tribal disputes for overlordship, and soon Hasting finds himself in the midst of it.

He also discovers what it means to fall in love. But when his beloved is taken, he sets out to find her, and to seek revenge. This takes him to new places – and continuing challenges.

The Lords of the Wind is a novel in true storytelling tradition. We grow with Hasting as he discovers life, loss, love, death, a breach of trust, and abandonment. And as he discovers the world around him. We feel his pain and his fears. 

Hasting is an interesting historical character, and the author breathed an exciting new life into him. Through Hasting's eyes, first as a child, then as he grows up, we see a world of warfare and hardship, but also one of loyalty and friendship. But there is always a sense of danger, and this novel brings it out really well. 

The challenges from the expanding Franks are realistic, as are the tough way of life the author shows us as part of the story.

However, I found the language at times too modern, which threatens to halt the reading flow. But the plot is really gripping, and you just have to keep reading on.  

The Lords of the Wind is a riveting historical adventure set in an era and area I know well (from the Frankish side). I will definitely look for the other titles in the series. 

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Blurb:

Orphaned as a child by a blood-feud, and sold as a slave to an exiled chieftain in Ireland, the boy Hasting had little hope of surviving to adulthood. The gods had other plans. A ship arrived at his master's longphort carrying a man who would alter the course of his destiny, and take him under his wing to teach him the ways of the Vikings. His is a story of a boy who was a slave, who became a warlord, and who helped topple an empire.

A supposed son of Ragnar Lodbrok, and referred to in the Gesta Normannorum as the Scourge of the Somme and Loire, his life exemplified the qualities of the ideal Viking. Join author and historian C.J. Adrien on an adventure that explores the coming of age of the Viking Hasting, his first love, his first great trials, and his first betrayal.

"The Lords of the Wind" by C.J. Adrien is a gold medal winner in the 2020 Readers’ Favorite annual international book award.contest.

Trigger Warnings:

Violence

Praise:

"If you want to sit down with an extremely well-researched tale involving heroic battles, first loves, and the making of a legend, this book is for you."

~ The Historical Novel Society

Buy Links: 

This series is available on #KindleUnlimited 

The Lords of the Wind (Book 1) - https://books2read.com/u/mgE797

In the Shadow of the Beast (Book 2) - https://books2read.com/u/bPQg67

The Kings of the Sea (Book 3) - https://books2read.com/u/b5ol2w

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About the Author:

C.J. Adrien

C.J. Adrien is a bestselling and award-winning author of Viking historical fiction novels with a passion for Viking history. His Saga of Hasting the Avenger series was inspired by research conducted in preparation for a doctoral program in early medieval history as well as his admiration for historical fiction writers such as Ken Follett and Bernard Cornwell. 

He is also a published historian on the subject of Vikings, with articles featured in historical journals such as L’Association des Amis de Noirmoutier, in France. His novels and expertise have earned him invitations to speak at several international events, including the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), conferences on Viking history in France, among others. 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://cjadrien.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorcjadrien

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cjadrien

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-j-adrien-147a40203/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcjadrien/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/c-j-adrien

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/C-J-Adrien/e/B00EWTIVH4

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7546704.C_J_Adrien