Customer Reviews

Viking Gold

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was one of the best books I've ever read. The plot and the story line are amazing and the love story is trully touching. From the second I picked up this book I couldn't put it down and I found my self laying awake at night thinking about the characters and what will happen to them. The plot is truly a work of art, full of suspence and mystery, important hystorical facts as well as romance, girl power, love and life. This book has it all!!! It takes you to a time of pure magic but hardship and introduces you to genuine characters that you whish you could be or meet. One of the BEST. WOW. READ THIS BOOK!!!!

The book Viking Gold by Nadine Crenshaw is my favorite book. It has everything needed to get 5 stars. It has romance, a little bit of action, a good plot, and GIRL POWER! The book shows how a woman can be so respected even if there isn't a powerful man behind her. Aasa (the main character) is a strong, intelligant woman who is able to gain respect from those who did not respect her at first. The love story in this book is amazing. It makes you want to be that character; boy or girl. The love story is not like every other love story that you read and see. It has a twist to it. Viking Gold is an exciting book that definitely deserves 5 stars.

This book got me hooked on viking romances. Since reading this I've tried to find each and every one I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, they pale in comparison. I've since read some of the books Nadine Crenshaw wrote prior to this. I think she honed her skills up to this point and reached her pinnacle with this book. It is by far the best viking romance I've read and probably ever will read (possibly the best romance--period). Sorry to sound sappy but there was something special about this book that touched me. It is a keeper.

Superbly written story that will draw you in, I promise. This is one of the best Viking romances I have read. And very unusual in some aspects of a story that covers twenty years in the lives of the characters. When I finished it, I felt like I'd lived those years and tears were running down my cheeks.

A Norwegian princess, Aasa, the only daughter of Harold, a wealthy king, is 17 when the story opens. While promised to another, she meets Olaf, the son of a ruthless Viking lord who would kill Aasa's father and brother and take her for his own. Olaf, sent to ask for Aasa's hand for his father, falls in love with Aasa when he first sees her--and she with him. It is one of those rare loves that seldom comes along, a true love that will not be denied. Aasa's brother, when he discovers they are lovers, separates them and sends Olaf and his ship back to the sea. Olaf experiences first a violent storm and then an attack of pirates that leaves him gravely wounded. He recovers slowly. Meanwhile, Aasa has been taken by Olaf's father in a brutal Viking raid where everyone she loves was killed and her home burned. Believing Olaf is dead, Aasa becomes the unwilling bride and queen of Olaf's father whom she loathes. She lives for revenge. She has a son, Halfdan (I assumed patterned after the real person, Halfdan the Black, the 9th century King of Vestfold and father of Harald I of Norway, the great unifier who lived from 850 to 933).

Crenshaw paints a vivid picture of Viking life and weaves an enthralling story that will keep you up late at night reading. I could hardly stand to put it down. Olaf is a wonderful hero, a strong Viking warrior with a softer side, who freely declares his love for Aasa. Aasa is at first a young maiden with few cares and a family that loves her. Then she becomes a woman with Olaf. Suddenly ripped away from all she loves, she becomes a strong and defiant queen of a man she hates, definitely a worthy heroine. The unrequited love experienced by Olaf and Aasa--for years--will tear your heart out. I thought these two would NEVER get together.

Crenshaw does not spare us the violence of the times, the hardships people at all levels endured nor the pagan rituals. But that is all a part of the rich tapestry she weaves so well. Written in 1995, this romance is as engaging as any you'll read written today. In fact, some of the earlier romances are the best and meant to be savored. This is one of them and should be reissued.

There's a glossary of terms in the back (I missed it until the end!).

I highly recommend this one for you Viking romance lovers! If you like this one, try her earlier Viking romance, EDIN'S EMBRACE. It's just as good. After reading these two, I reached out for more of Crenshaw's amazing romances and you can see my reviews of those on Amazon. I think Nadine Crenshaw was one of the early great romance authors and I, for one, intend to read all her novels. Here's her backlist:

MOUNTAIN MISTRESS (Golden Heart Winner; 1987)
CAPTIVE MELODY (1988)
EDIN'S EMBRACE (1989)
SPELLBOUND (1990)
DESTINY AND DESIRE (1992)
CITY OF DREAMS (1992)
THE HIGHWAYMAN (1993)
VIKING GOLD (1995)
CELTIC TALES: BALOR OF THE EVIL EYE (1995)
FIELDS OF THE SUN (1997)