Sigurd’s Swords
(Olaf’s Saga, Book 2)
By Eric Schumacher
From best-selling historical fiction novelist, Eric Schumacher, comes the second volume in Olaf’s Saga: the adrenaline-charged story of Olaf Tryggvason and his adventures in the kingdom of the Rus.
AD 968. It has been ten summers since the noble sons of the North, Olaf and Torgil, were driven from their homeland by the treachery of the Norse king, Harald Eriksson. Having then escaped the horrors of slavery in Estland, they now fight among the Rus in the company of Olaf’s uncle, Sigurd.
It will be some of the bloodiest years in Rus history. The Grand Prince, Sviatoslav, is hungry for land, riches, and power, but his unending campaigns are leaving the corpses of thousands in their wakes. From the siege of Konugard to the battlefields of ancient Bulgaria, Olaf and Torgil struggle to stay alive in Sigurd’s Swords, the riveting sequel to Forged by Iron.
Publisher: Bodn Books
Page Length: 300 Pages (print)
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Inspiration for Sigurd’s Swords
To understand my motivation for writing Sigurd’s Swords, it’s helpful to know that it is the second novel in a series about Olaf Tryggvason, one of Norway’s most colorful kings.
I began writing about Olaf Tryggvason for several reasons. Although the words written about him were penned centuries after his death, Olaf seems to be nothing short of a demi-god. He is born on an island while being pursued by his enemies, a tale that reminded me much of a certain Christian child being born in a manger. He grows into a tall and fair boy who is skilled in all manner of kingly pursuits: sports, weapon-craft, word-craft, music. As a young man, he attracts warriors and women to his side and sparks the jealousy of lords and kings. All of these things were interesting to me, but also one-dimensional and clearly chronicled by historians who were eager to elevate our thoughts of him. I wanted to create a more three-dimensional character. One with flaws to which I could relate –– flaws that could lead to his many successes but also his failures.
There was something else about Olaf’s story that attracted my attention. He travels extensively through the Viking world and is involved in many of the key events that defined the late 10th century. My first book, Forged by Iron, tells of his harrowing flight from Norway and the many injustices he and his companions experience during their time in Estonia. In this second novel, he fights among the Rus in what is now Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Bulgaria during some of the most battle-torn years of the Rus kingdom’s existence. In later books, he will go on to live in Wendland, to fight on the Danevirke, and to plunder in Frisia, the Netherlands, and Germany. He will battle the Anglo-Saxons at the famous Battle of Maldon before heading to Ireland. Finally, he will return to his homeland of Norway to claim his birthright. His travelogue and his participation in so many of these events had my research and writing mind salivating. He was someone I had to write about.
Let us return, though, to Sigurds Swords, which is currently available to pre-order on Amazon. The book tells the story of Olaf as seen through the eyes of his sworn protector, Torgil, as they struggle to survive in the kingdom of the Rus, known then as Kievan Rus’. While Olaf’s chroniclers aren’t 100% accurate, we believe he was in that area of the world sometime around AD 965 to 973 because he is in Wendland (modern-day Germany) by AD 973-974. I could have skipped over this portion of Olaf’s life, but in the course of my research, I came across several events that would be perfect for my protagonist and his friend: the Siege of Kyiv (known to the Norse as Konugard) and the Siege of Drastar, which was an old Roman outpost in the kingdom of Bulgaria. Both were brutal affairs in which the Rus were involved, and I could tell early on that both would provide the ideal scenarios to test my characters.
So it was that I dove headfirst into Olaf’s life during his time in Kievan Rus. I hope you will pick up a copy to read about his exploits in that long-ago kingdom.
Sigurd’s Swords (Olaf’s Saga, Book 2) is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.
Eric Schumacher
Eric Schumacher (1968 - ) is an American historical novelist who currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and two children. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended college at the University of San Diego.
At a very early age, Schumacher discovered his love for writing and medieval European history, as well as authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Those discoveries continue to fuel his imagination and influence the stories he tells. His first novel, God's Hammer, was published in 2005.
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