Lord of Raven's Peak (Viking Series) [Mass Market Paperback]

Catherine Coulter (Author)

Book Description

Series: Viking Series | Publication Date: April 1, 1994

This is the sweeping tale of Lord Merrik and Laren, a slave girl determined to buy her freedom. But when she’s accused of murder, he must protect her—then save her yet again when he discovers her secrets.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Merrik Haraldsson, younger brother of Rorik, the hero of Coulter's first Viking novel, Lord of Hawkfell Island , buys a young slave boy, Taby, in a Kiev slave market. He also rescues the boy's dirty, half-starved older brother, who proves to be an older sister, Laren. Taby and Laren are both nobles who were kidnapped two years earlier; beneath her dirt, Laren is a beautiful young woman. She is also a gifted skald who uses her skills to unravel the mystery behind the murder of Merrik's brutish brother, Erik, and her own earlier kidnapping. Unfortunately, these stories, which are told at some length, tend to slow the action, and one is tempted to skim over them to get to the larger plot. The characters are also stereotypical: the evil brother, the beautiful heroine too liberated to be believable. Still, Coulter has obviously done her research and gives the reader myriad details of Viking life in Norway in A.D. 916, including a Viking wedding and funeral, methods of cooking, dress and travel. Though bestselling author Coulter glosses over unsavory facts, such as Merrik's own slave trading, and there are occasional lapses (Laren calls another woman "an insufferable twit"), readers interested in the period have a treat in store.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Coulter has written another spry Viking romance. Merrik Haraldsson, a Norse trader unencumbered by wife or property, except for his longboat, suddenly finds himself the owner of three slaves after a plaintive child in the Kiev slave market begs to be reunited with his sibling. When Merrik sets out to steal the sibling from the vicious new owner, he finds the young person in the midst of an escape, pursued by another slave. Their escape is only the start of a grand adventure, for the sibling turns out to be a young woman, disguised as a boy. Of course Merrik falls in love, not knowing she is the niece of King Rollo of Normandy, and her brother the probable heir. Family rivalries set both lovers at risk until events are finally suspensefully unraveled at story's end. Denise Perry Donavin

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Jove (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515113514
• ISBN-13: 978-0515113518
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #201,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Love Poems
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Coulter, Catherine R.

More About the Author

Catherine Coulter is the author of the New York Times-bestselling FBI thrillers The Cove, The Maze, The Target, The Edge, Riptide, Hemlock Bay, Eleventh House, Blindside, Blowout, Point Blank, Double Take and TailSpin. She lives in northern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining read, October 8, 2001

By 

pigpig (BKK, Thailand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord of Raven's Peak (Viking Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

Despite quite low ratings I loved this book. It did entertain me. Merrik and Laren are ideal couple. Merrik is not like other heroes that are woman abusers. Merrik never poorly treats Laren he always keeps Laren safe even from his own brother, Erik. At first I felt that the relationship between Merrik and Laren's little brother Taby was disturbing but later Merrik shows that he loves Laren so much and he feels that Taby is his little brother. He proves that he loves Laren not because she is only Taby's sister. Their adventure is exciting. There are many intriques and twists. The tamest character could become the most dangerous murderer.
Catherine Coulter never disappoints me. Although this is not her best book but it's worth a try. Her wonderful sense of humor never let you read without laugting. You will enjoy this one as much as I did.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars boring, March 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lord of Raven's Peak (Hardcover)

I did not like this book at all. I found it weird that Merrick is soooo close to Tabby, Laren's brother. In the next book Lord of Falcon Ridge, Cleve tells a Duke that Merrick love his brother-in-law Tabby more than he loves his own sons. Cleve goes on to say that he hopes. Boring Merrick's son does not find that out. This book hase nothing interesting in it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The best of the Viking Trilogy, February 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lord of Raven's Peak (Viking Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was enjoyable reading but enough with the stories already! I found myself skipping over the stories that Laren told because they simply were not interesting. But the hero, Merrick, had a good heart, and it made the book very worthwile.