Lord of Raven's Peak (Viking Series)

(Author)

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

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Jove (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515113514
• ISBN-13: 978-0515113518
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.2 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.com Sales Rank: #366,493 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 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

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Are we reading a rough draft?, August 26, 2003

By	Nicole Wagner (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just in the first few paragraphs alone she makes the same point about the smell of the slave market not being quite as strong because of the cool weather 3 times. It seemed like a redundant effort to fill pages with nonsensical information. If she had a better editor who helped her catch these errors she could concentrate on making an even deeper more rich story which I believe she desperately wants to accomplish. Sorry to say I won't be reading another of her stories again.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NOT VERY WELL DONE!, October 22, 2005

By	L. J. Morris "Lara" (Wish to be in england but in Seattle) - See all my reviews

I READ MOST OF WHAT THE OTHER REVIEWERS WROTE AND I AGREED WITH THEM. THERE REALLY WAS NO DEPTH, BARELY ANY EMOTIONS, THE HERO IS SO VERY DULL. WHAT I DIDN'T GET WAS THE FACT THAT HE WENT AND KISSED THE HEROINE'S SISTER AND RESPONDED, WHAT'S WORSE WAS THAT, THAT PART WAS ONLY 67 PAGES TO THE END. HE DIDN'T REALLY ADMIT HE LOVE HIS WIFE UNTIL SHE ASKED HIM! AND HE REPLIED,

"AYE. I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. I AM YOUR HUSBAND. HOW CAN YOU DOUBT IT?"

THERE WASN'T EVEN ANY EMOTION AS HE TALKED! BORING! I STILL CAN'T IMAGINE HE WENT AND KISSED SOMEONE ELSE AND FELT NO REMORSE OR GUILT. NO FEELINGS, PRATICALLY FOR WHAT HE DID!

ANOTHER PROBLEM, IS THAT HE SEEMED TO TAKE A LIKING TO THE HEROINE'S LITTLE BROTHER WAY TOO MUCH! IT'S ALMOST DISTURBING!

THE FACT THAT IN THE SEQUEL, CLEVE MENTIONED OF THE HERO'S LOVE FOR THE BOY MORE THAN THE WORLD AND PERHAPS HIS WIFE TOO. PREHAPS? I MEAN THAT IS EXTREMELY MESSED UP! '&'

I'M NOT GIVING THIS BOOK A TOTAL ZERO BECAUSE IT IS COULTER AFTER ALL. I STILL HAVE HOPE, HER OTHER BOOKS ARE BETTER.