Set six years after the events of THE
HALF-DROWNED KING, in THE
SEA QUEENby Linnea Hartsuyker, Svanhild becomes wife to Solvi,
who is Ragnvald's enemy, and she also becomes a mother to a son.
Torn between supporting Solvi's ambitions and desires, as well as
looking after her son whose desires are in conflict with Solvi's, Svanhild
must eventually revisit the choice she has made in THE HALF-DROWNED KING; either family or love. But
with high stakes, what will her choice portend for her future?
For Ragnvald, stakes have risen even higher, especially when it comes
to his friendship with Harald the Boy King, for Ragnvald must not only
navigate his own relationships and prove himself as an invaluable
advirsor, but he must become prescient as well. But when numerous
tragedies strike Harald's kingdom, testing Ragnvald's cunning and
knowledge, what will Ragnvald give up in order to fulfill his and Harald's
vision of a unified Norway?
Reading THE HALF-DROWNED
KING, the prequel to THE SEA
QUEEN, is necessary because this is an intricate tale that requires
some backstory to fully understand it. Already the whole story is set up
as a chess game, and in THE SEA
QUEEN, the players are in the middle of the game.
Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading THE SEA QUEEN and was once again immersed into
Ragnvald's world of loyalty, betrayal and complex Norwegian
relationships. THE SEA QUEEN is a
much better read than THE HALF-
DROWNED KING. I loved getting updates on the characters and
seeing strong and clever woman character in Svanhild. I also loved the
pacing of the story and how it feels epic. There are vague references to
the time period it takes place in, unlike in THE HALF-DROWNED KING, and I look forward to the
conclusion and seeing how it all wraps up.
If you either loved THE HALF-
DROWNED KING, or are a fan of political games, vikings, historical
fiction in Norway, or how people lived in 9th century, then THE SEA QUEEN by Linnea Hartsuyker
will be a treat to savor.
An exhilarating Viking saga filled with the rich
history, romantic adventure and political intrigue that
have
made Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, George R. R.
Martin’s Game of Thrones, as well as Phillippa
Gregory’s historical fiction and Neil Gaiman’s Norse
Mythology popular bestsellers.
Six years after The Half-Drowned King, Ragnvald
Eysteinsson is now king of Sogn, but fighting battles for
King Harald keeps him away from home, as he confronts
treachery and navigates a political landscape that grows
more dangerous the higher he rises.
Ragnvald’s sister Svanhild has found the freedom and
adventure she craves at the side of the rebel explorer
Solvi
Hunthiofsson, though not without a cost. She longs for a
home where her quiet son can grow strong, and a place where
she can put down roots, even as Solvi’s ambition draws him
back to Norway’s battles again and keeps her divided from
her brother.
As a growing rebellion unites King Harald’s enemies,
Ragnvald suspects that some Norse nobles are not loyal to
Harald’s dream of a unified Norway. He sets a plan in
motion
to defeat all of his enemies, and bring his sister back to
his side, while Svanhild finds herself with no easy
decisions, and no choices that will leave her truly free.
Their actions will hold irrevocable repercussions for the
fates of those they love and for Norway itself.
The Sea Queen returns to the fjords and halls of
Viking-Age Scandinavia, a world of violence and prophecy,
where honor is challenged by shifting alliances, and
vengeance is always a threat to peace.
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