The Oathsworn Series - The Whale Road (The Oathsworn Series, Book 1)
The first in the Oathsworn series, charting the adventures of a band of Vikings on the chase for the secret hoard of Attila the Hun.
Life is savage aboard a Viking raider. When young Orm Rurikson is plucked from the snows of Norway to join his estranged father on the Fjord Elk, he becomes an unlikely member of a notorious crew. They are the Oathsworn – so named after the spoken bond that ties them in brotherhood – and they ply a casual trade on the ocean wave, selling their swords to the highest bidder.
But times are changing. Loyalty to the old Norse Gods is fading, and the followers of the mysterious ‘White Christ’ are gaining power across Europe. Hired as relic-hunters by the merchant rulers of a bustling city, the Oathsworn are sent in search of a legendary sword of untold value to the new religion. With only a young girl as guide, their quest will lead them onto the deep and treacherous waters of the ‘whale road’, toward the cursed treasure of Attila the Hun. And to a challenge that will test the very bond that holds them together.
Robert Low, a significant up and coming voice in historical fiction, has created a startlingly modern tale in the style of the great Viking sagas. A heady mix of powerful suspense, blockbuster battles and religious intrigue, THE WHALE ROAD is a must for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Tim Severin. The Oathsworn series is sure to hook old and new readers alike.
'A company of warriors, desperate battles, an enthralling read' BERNARD CORNWELL -
'A fantastic book, one of the best I have read for years. There's a wonderful earthiness to proceedings and he creates a tangible sense of being there. There's a sturdy, lyrical and epic quality about the writing which makes it feel like the kind of saga a Viking would recount in his old age.'SIMON SCARROW -
‘A stirring Viking series of blockbuster battles and religious intrigue.’Publishing News -
‘All the right ingredients are firmly in place…above all there is the storyline itself; told in an earthy, rough-and-ready stylewhich perfectly compliments this saga for the 21st Century.’Yorkshire Evening Post -
”'A fascinating read” - The Glasgow Herald
‘The Hangman humour of the band of sworn brothers gives Low’s epic but brutal tale real humanity and the detail of 10th century life is wonderfully vivd. The action is fast and furious…shockingly believably so. Low’s debut novel hits the mark with maximum impact.’Bridlington Today -