Customer Reviews

Season of the Sun (Viking Novels)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Not long ago, I watched a special on " PBS " viewing the Viking onslaught into new territories, taking into account the tales of violence, plunder, and rape. Similar facts must have helped Catherine Coulter write this book. This novel may entice the reader's interest, but it is a violent story.

The male lead, Magnus Haraldsson, is a rugged, handsome Viking. On a trading mission to York, Haraldsson encounters a beautiful, statuesque, redhead known as Zarabeth and the warrior wants her! And Zarabeth wants him!

Now the issue, Catherine Coulter may have written a book but she didn't fill it with romance. Zarabeth has the "smarts" of a turnip; easily her lustful stepfather manipulates her. Sorrowfully Zarabeth rejects the marriage offer made by her dashing Viking warrior. With revenge and hatred, a subdued Magnus buys Zarabeth for his slave. Sadly, Zarabeth realizes Magnus Haraldsson has changed . . . .

--- "Zarabeth . . . I am going to take you, and I don't wish you to fight me" . . . He gritted his teeth . . . her eyes were no longer vague . . . there was only fear now, and he smiled . . . "Now, hold still" . . . he felt her fists pounding at his chest . . . but he didn't stop . . . she was crying." - - -

This is rape. Catherine Coulter has truly written a disturbing story.

They published the edition I read in 1991 and the story followed the same guidelines all romance novels of the era seemed to follow. Thank you authors for moving forward into today's style -- stories showing flexible storylines -- characters existing on equal playing fields.

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

I can always tell when I am reading one of Catherine Coulter's earlier works. I started reading her books with her later work and thought I'd enjoy her earlier stuff, too. Boy, was I wrong. Apparently, at this point in her life, Catherine Coulter was much too influenced by the genre common to so many of the 70's and 80's romances. She would have us believe that, after being raped repeatedly by Magnus, Zarabeth would feel anything tender for him? For 2/3's of the novel, Magnus treats Zarabeth with contempt and barely controlled rage and we are supposed to believe that this is conducive to inspiring love and faith in him? Not likely.

Also, I know that Catherine Coulter's writing style today is much, much better, but I have to say that the dialogues in Season of the Sun were clipped and the character developement was horrible, with much left to the reader to fill in.

I didn't think that it was such a terrible book, like many here stated but it is not one of the best. Personally, I would like the alpha male hero that's often dark and brutish. Rolfe in Brenda Joyce's "Conqueror" is an excellent example. However, Magnus didn't quite measure up. He tortures Zarabeth for the better part of the book for no good reason other that she refused to marry him after initially accepting his offer, and he is now pissed. Also, there were at least two (and possibly more) instances when "...his fist connected with her jaw". The woman likely had no teeth left by the end of this book. Was that the ONLY way he could shut her up? I didn't find that very appealing or romantic.

I have been a fan of Coulter's books for a while now and many of them are very good...not the best but good. They often follow similar story lines, rapidly changing, under developed characters and have simple, choppy sentences with many grammr mistakes but overall the adventure and action usually make up for it. However, she struggles to finish out the sub plots- especially in this book. There were many questions I had when I finished for it ended so abruptly. I was really unsatisfied with this book despite the fact that I gave it a higher rating and I wished she would have explained more about the various plots and people she included but never finished out. Overall it was a book I could not put down but the ending left me with too many questions and very disappointed

I absolutely adored this book. The exchange between the hero and heroine in the beginning of the novel is awkward, at best, but endearing. And their faults are part of their charm. I would say that, despite this book being categorized as a "romance", it's more or less a cross between a romance and a mystery novel with the plot's conflict extending far beyond the confines of the hero and heroines relationship. People in the town mysteriously get lost and the villain is downright sociopathic. For me, this gives the book a bit of a broader perspective and makes the romance seem more grounded. After all, vikings were not exactly the type of guys who worried about things like composing poems and reading them to ladies on balconies. Coulter's realism enriched the story in that respect. And while I wouldn't hazard to say that the hero ever "rapes" the heroine as some reviews here have mentioned, I would admit that the scenes are pretty rough. Admittedly, it's not a light beach read and if you're a regency romance girl, I'd stay away. But if you're into something more edgy and "alternative", then you'd like this book!

I love Catherine Coulter books but this one was disappointing at best. The formula for the book which involves female slavery has been used over and over in historical romances but this plot fails where many others succeed. Mainly because Magnus is such a [jerk] throughout the whole story, he never stops being cruel long enough to make this a good romance novel. If you want a good Coulter book read her bride triology but skip this book.

I'll be honest, this is an almost barbaric look at 9th Century Europe. Disturbing at times, but I just couldn't put it down. Read straight through the text in one sitting. If I can't give a book like that a 5, then I have no business writing reviews. The dialogue at first was clipped. Sort of like, "Me Magnus, You Woman. We will wed and you will serve me." It was almost amusing and I hoped it wouldn't continue. Fortunately, it got better and better and better! If you have a weak stomach and are the radical Rosie O'Donnel type, then stay away, this is not a book for you. In terms of romance in may be somewhat lacking, but overall storyline was intriguing and I appreciate authors that cut to the chase and don't stuff chapters with endless fluff.

This is supposed to be a romance? In whose world are rape, slavery, humiliation and other abuses romantic? This is disgusting. Someone mentioned they "like the fact that they simply didn't just fall in bed together and live happily ever after". Does this mean they liked the fact that he raped and humiliated her? Or was it her being whipped that was so much better? If I wanted to read about abuse and slavery I'll re-read ROOTS. At least it is well written. When I want to escape with a feel good, funny, romantic book I'll read a romance - just not one from this author.

So the man feels betrayed and automatically he seeks revenge. Then of course he enacts it and feels awful later on. Perhaps he should have reasoned things out better before jumping to conclusions. The whole slave collar, the beating given to her by his sister and all the other abuse that she took from his sister, were all horrible. Why couldn't he have stepped up and tossed his sister out long before he did? He seemed to accept her better than he did the woman he claimed to have wanted to marry and would be faithful too.

Yeah he did punch her twice. But it's not what you think. She was hysterical after losing her sister and he had to get conrol of the situation. She didn't stay out that long. When the villian punched her she was out for quite awhile.

I don't think Zarabeth was stupid but she was definitely naive to be so trusting of some people. But how was she to have ever thought that her stepfather wanted to be her husband. Who would have ever thought that? Yeah she new to be wary of the stepbrother but his dad? The real dummy here was Ingunn Magnus' sister. To believe all that crud that was fed to her by Orm.

What is with the hard to pronounce names?

'Magnus' was physically abusive with 'Zarabeth', even his eight year old son 'Egill' was physically abusive to little 'Lotti'. I know women were treated to rape, slavery, beatings, infidelity and other abuses, even killed at the whim of a man back then but I look for better from the hero of the book. I want some gentle, protective feelings from my hero. And the heroine, I would like to see more backbone and intelligence from her. 'Magnus' and 'Zarabeth' were both lacking of all the ingredients that make for a truly romantic and memorable romance. I liked Lotti the best. 'Lotti' had a bravery and sensitivity in her little body that 'Zarabeth' lacked.