Lord of Hawkfell Island (Viking Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "HE PLACED HIS finger to his lips as he turned to his two men..." (more)
Key Phrases: Old Alna, Hawkfell Island, Rorik Haraldsson (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this historical romance set in 915, English Viking Rorik Haraldsson seeks to avenge the slaughter of his wife and children by the Irish warrior Einar. Rorik's ambush of Einar's castle fails, but he kidnaps Einar's half-sister, Mirana, who proves a difficult hostage. Orphaned at 12, Mirana was raised by Einar to be self-reliant; she can keep house and fight like a man. To Rorik's surprise, she is not the only woman with notions of independence. Returning to his farmstead, he discovers the wives feeding their husbands inedible meals to punish them for bedding a slave. Mirana's pride becomes the justification for whipping, bondage and rape. Despite the power struggle that undermines their mutual attraction, they marry. But Einar's men kidnap Mirana and return her to her half-brother, who plans to sell her as a bride to a rich, old king. While Mirana awaits Rorik's rescue, Einar continues his evil ways, forcing his favorite mistress to reveal that she is a man and to become a sex slave. Coulter ( The Heiress Bride ) makes a big show of introducing feminism and gender-bending that paradoxically highlight the stereotypical representation of sex and gender in a plot overloaded with twists.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

On a Viking fortress raid, the Lord of Hawkfell Island plans to take the beautiful Mirana hostage. But she has other plans for the lord...

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Jove; later printing edition (November 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515112305
• ISBN-13: 978-0515112306
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #525,151 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Falls a mile short of interesting!, January 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lord of Hawkfell Island (Audio Cassette)

I love romances, once I get them I usually can't put them down. This is the first book I've read from Ms.Coulter and it's my last. Rorik was an unsympathetic abuser who was found humiliating Mirana constantly throughout the book. Mirana was uninteresting. Their romance was practically nonexistent and they went from hating each other to loving each other in one chapter! Don't waste your time on this one!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Wife-beating = romance? PUH-LEASE!, June 18, 2000

By A Customer

I got this book as part of a lot on ebay. Believe me, I wouldn't have sought out this monstrosity for itself alone.

The historical accuracy and detail are great, hence the two stars for this book. Coulter really makes Viking times come alive, but if I'd read about the heroine getting socked in the jaw by the hero one more time, I was going to scream. It wasn't romantic - it was sick! Maybe women were pretty much treated close to that back then, but that doesn't make it palatable reading for today's woman. To have a romance book that fails in its most important mission - creating a story that makes the reader wish she had a love that great - is unforgiveable. Had I been Mirana, I wouldn't want Rorik anything BUT dead, and I would have made it happen, too. The fool had to sleep sometime!...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unforgettable Tale, February 27, 2003

By	Dorie (California) - See all my reviews

It begins with Rorik, a Viking warrior bent on revenge who comes to Clontarf in search of his enemy Einar. He intends to kill Einar but since he is not there, kidnaps Einar's half-sister, Mirana, instead.
From the moment she comes to Hawkfell Island nothing will be the same again.
Mirana is a strong and intelligent woman, who fights with as much strength and cunning as a man. She is also courageous and proud-to a fault. She does not hesitate to defy Rorik and vows to escape but at the same time finds herself befriending the women of Hawkfell Island and learning why Rorik is filled with such hostility.
Rorik can be stubborn and cruel but he IS a man after all. A man who has lived with pain and hatred and takes it out on Mirana. He is not evil but a strong and naturally good man. When he meets Mirana he discovers that life is not lived if lived in hatred.
Lord Of Hawkfell Island is a wonderfully written novel. Written with enough character description and feeling! To me she conveys enough emotion and life into this novel as to make it captivating. The plot is full of surprises and even a little suspense. She is one of my favorite authors and this is one of her books that I would highly recommend.
Catherine Coulter knows how to write romance, she is one of the best, Period.