Customer Reviews

The Whale Road

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't read a lot of viking books these days. Not because I don't like the genre or the era or the ethos though, but because I find so few that do justice to the time and place they aim to depict. More, I'm partial to the literary approach that aims to recapture and evoke the saga tradition in which the original viking stories came down to us (suggesting the voice and tone of the old Icelandic sagas) and that is a rarity in most modern saga novels (though it can still be found, in varying degrees in such viking classics as Eric Brighteyes and Styrbiorn the Strong and, of course, in the Golden Warrior -- or, for an even more recent and solidly successful effort in this direction, Saga: A Novel Of Medieval Iceland).

Nevertheless I recently found myself reading THE WHALE ROAD and was pleasantly surprised to find it tightly paced and rich in its accurate evocation of the viking world (as it might really have been), despite its fairly modern style and voice. The author is apparently an enthusiastic viking reenactor and has spent a deal of time in this milieu, giving a real freshness and sense of reality to the details of the life he describes. Robert Low has vividly recreated a not-so-loveable gang of Norse seafaring mercenaries, and how life might have been for these rogues and cutthroats on the whale road, in this the first of his Oathsworn trilogy.

Though the story is somewhat singleminded in its focus on these hard men and their often violent fellowship, built mainly around thieving and killing (of both enemies and victims), and though it never digs too deeply into a wide range of human motivations beyond the relatively uncomplicated ones of greed, honor and lust, it is well paced, with a bit of mystery tossed in as the Oathsworn crew sets out to find a fabled treasure hidden in eastern lands (think The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics) or Volsunga Saga: The Story of the Volsungs and the Nibelungs).

Following the historical record (and Low has done his research admirably) Einar the Black, leader of these blackguards, takes his bloodthirsty crew into the lands that would one day become Russia, after retrieving Orm the son of one of his critical supporters, to uncover a mythic treasure hoard and a sword of allegedly mystical powers.

Though I'm always alert for historical inaccuracies (having researched and written an historical novel about the Norse myself some years back), I was pleasantly surprised to find this a near perfect rendering of what we currently know about the peoples and ways of life in this era and place in history. The portrayal of the still coalescing Swedish and Russian worlds, especially, seemed right both on the details and the overall feel of it. This isn't quite the sort of novel I'm drawn to because I prefer a broader and deeper exploration of character but it's fast-paced, vivid and remarkably entertaining. Though the characters aren't deep they're sharply drawn, testimony to Low's apparent use of real people he has known in his reenactment group as models for the warriors in this novel.

I actually came to this one in an odd fashion, having stumbled across an interview with the author on-line in which he told his interlocutor that he was reading but not enjoying the novel of the Norse I'd written! Stung, I whipped off a brief e-mail to him, to let him know I'd read that and regretted his reaction to my own viking novel. (I guess I wanted him to feel a little guilty though that probably wasn't fair of me -- I should have left it alone!)

To my surprise, he responded, taking me to task for having previously denigrated his novel (this one) in an amazon discussion group. I was surprised because I hadn't read this book and didn't think I would have panned it unread. After we went back and forth a few times, it turned out I had actually been responding to someone's recommendation to read it with a dismissive remark that its modern (non-saga like) voice held no appeal to me! But the guilty feeling was now mine and it seemed like the only right thing left to do was to get hold of THE WHALE ROAD and give it the read I had refused to do previously.

It would have been awful if I hadn't liked it, of course (probably wouldn't have posted anything here in that case!), but, in fact, I found I did. So much so, in fact, that I actually read it in a single day. It's still not my ideal kind of book but then few books are -- for any of us. But this one is well written, fast-paced, adventurous, historically accurate and, generally, a fun read. That's a pretty strong recommendation for any writer and any book.

SWM
author of The King of Vinland's Saga

Wow. I came upon this novel by chance, and the reviews I read were intriguing, so I took a flyer and bought the book. Growing up I liked Edison Marshall's THE VIKING. I loved Frans Bengtsson's THE LONG SHIPS. I loved Jane Smiley's GREENLANDERS. I loved Dorothy Dunnett's KING HEREAFTER. More recently I have been reading Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series with great enjoyment.

THE WHALE ROAD is one of the absolute best Viking tales I have ever read. The language is starkly beautiful. You find yourself going back to reread a turn of phrase -- and going back to make sure what you think just happened did indeed happen. This story moves fast, yet captures the spirit/language of an ancient saga. Yet it leaves room for your imagination to fill in details.

The story moves with conviction, and does not rely heavily on coincidence, but on logical assumptions and actions by the principal characters. If you like stories of the Northmen, this is a must read.

When I read the description of "The Whale Road" on Amazon, I was skeptical. It seemed to me that the author was trying to bring too many elements together, and that the result was bound to be a jumble.
I could not have been more wrong. "The Whale Road" is a rare treat- a book that combines high adventure, meticulous historical research and the excitement of ancient mysteries. The premise, of a band of oath-sworn comrades (in Old Norse, a "felag") seeking an ancient treasures based on clues that they have to traverse the known world to find, is believable and innovative. The characters are well-developed, from the narrator's companions to the historical and fictional figures they come across in their quest. Those who are familiar with the tale of Sigurd from the Volsunga Saga (VOLSUNGA SAGA - The Story of the Volsungs and Niblungs) and other works of Old Norse literature (e.g., The Sagas of Icelanders: Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition (World of the Sagas) will delight in Low's inventive and fresh look at the legends and tales of this fascinating culture.

In 965, merciless Einar the Black recruits fifteen years old Orm "the Bear Slayer" Ruriksson to his cold-blooded Oathsworn Viking raiders and mercenaries who sell their swords to the highest bidder yet are loyal to one another. The teen was chosen because he is the son of one of the toughest crewmen Rurik and more significant is said to have killed a polar bear; hence the nickname.

An apparent crazy woman insists she knows where Attila's "mountain of silver" is located; so they set sail for the fjord even as deadlier rivals also challenge for the loot including the Danish-Norwegian King Bluetooth and an immoral monk. However, the former wants the silver booty, but the latter seeks a relic of the White Christ, the "Spear of Destiny" that stabbed Jesus as he was crucified and Attila made into his sword.

THE WHALE ROAD is a superb tenth century Norse historical thriller that grips readers the moment Orm joins the Oathsworn band of brothers on their sea escapades all over northern Europe. The story line is fast-paced and never slows down even when the crew disembarks on dry land. Robert Low provides a powerful insightful high seas adventures of a teen growing up fast in the ruthless world of Beowulf.

Harriet Klausner

While this may not be a great page turner like Cornwell's Viking series, it is an exciting adventure story that excels at bringing the characters and their world to life.

Our man Orm Rurikson joins the Oathsworn crew of the Fjord Elk as they leave Norway to follow the Whale Road on a quest for the treasure of Attila the Hun. It is a great original concept, and Low has obviously done meticulous research on the Vikings to deliver a very enjoyable tale as the crew travels between various exotic locations and faces challenging encounters along the way. Don't want to spoil it. Enjoy!

The Whale Road is the most authentic seeming piece of historical fiction I've read. From the harshness of life as a Norseman to the ultra-realistic fight scenes, this book, more than any other, brings this violent age to life. Robert Low seems to have gone back in time and lived for a while as a Viking. I have the two sequels on my shelf and am making myself save them for a time I can fully savor every word.

I agree with what the five and four star reviews have said, and would add only that there is a certain shallowness to the characters--I don't have a sense of any depth of emotion other than anger, hate, greed and lust. I will definitely continue to read the saga though, to see how it all ends.

Fantastic book! Mr Low writes so well, he makes you feel as if you are part of the book. I high recommend this, and all his books to everyone


Wil Smiley

I absolutely enjoyed this book. For someone interested in Anglo-Saxon history, they would enjoy it, too. Mr. Low's talent as a writer is illustrated in his artful weaving of the tale of Orm Ruriksson, and his adventures aboard the Fjord Elk and with the Oathsworn, with a twist at the end to surprise everyone. An excellent read, I look forward to reading The Wolf Sea next and The White Raven when it is released.

"The Whale Road" by Robert Low is a very ambitious novel. Try to picture an Indiana Jones type adventure 1100 years ago. Our story is centered around a young man, 15 years of age, Orm Ruriksson, aka The Bear Slyaer, who is plucked out from his home in Norway, and placed on the Fjord Elk. He is sworn into a group called the "oathsworn" These are the toughest, and well known, Vikings, who sell their services to the highest bidder, seeking out treasures along "The Whale Road." When the group comes to knowledge of Attila the Huns ancient and secret treasure, the race is on to whom can find it first.

Robert Low does an excellent job of truly making this an historical fiction novel by weaving in what the times were like. The ever changing lords, tribes, groups, and what it meant to take an "oath." Through the eyes of Orm, we travel from Norway, through England and through the Middle East and Russia, and finally ending in "The Great City."

This story is jammed packed with believable places, people, and scenarios. We feel what it was like to live on a ship day in and day out, and what true fear is on the battle field, and just why men do rush in when in war. From battles ranging from sea, land and sieges, you won't be disappointed in this saga.

My only gripe, if we shall call it even that, was I felt that Mr. Low was trying to convey too much history at one time. While it was rare for any many or woman of the time to read or write, our Orm can read in a multitude of languages, is uncanny with history and people, and has a real knack for trading and value. However, even if this does feel overly done, it gives the reader a real insight to what life was like 1100 years ago, when the old ways were dying, and making way for the new, the "White Christ."

Readers of historical fiction, fiction, thrillers, and books from authors such as Bernard Cornwell, will not be disappointed in this. "The Whale Road" is a sure hit.