The Half-Drowned King is the first in a planned trilogy that is a heavily fictionalized retelling of the Saga of Harald Fairhair, which is one of the parts of the Heimskringla, an Icelandic Saga written in the 13th Century by Snorri Sturluson.
The trilogy charts the rise of Harald and how he became the first king of Norway in the 9th century. It’s told from the point of view of one of Harald’s dudes, Ragnvald, and his sister, Svanhild. It’s a Viking saga of revenge, politics, and nation building. Basically, I loved it.
It’s decidedly dark in comparison to the Viking romances that wax and wane in popularity. The book opens with Ragnvald coming home from raiding and nearly getting killed by the captain of his ship (on orders from Ragnvald’s stepfather). Ragnvald’s father was killed when he was but a kid, and while by law he should have the petty kingdom his father ruled, he and his sister have been living mostly by sufferance with their stepfather. Obviously, Ragnvald survives this assassination attempt (otherwise this would be a short book), and ends up with a young Harald Fairhair as he begins to consolidate power.
I loved the detail. Hartsuyker did a LOT of research and uses details to make the world more textured. From landscapes to how the buildings worked to the legal system- it’s all working in service to the story. It’s very immersive.
I went to an author event with Hartsuyker earlier this month where she talked about how she wanted to include supernatural elements in ways that the characters would understand as the work of the gods or witches, but which could also be explained by nature or science. One of the podcasts I listen to religiously is Hardcore History with Dan Carlin, and in the most recent episode (five hours on the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar), he talked about something one of his history professors said: you have to take magic into account when studying cultures that believed in it. That belief will have an effect on their actions and their decisions, and I think Hartsuyker did a REALLY good job with that aspect. Yeah, there are zombies and witches. Of course there are. Your mind makes it real.
Ragnvald’s character trajectory is the classic “you gotta grow up to deserve your birthright” thing that happens with so many heroes. The various people he falls in with teach him a lot about leadership, and how to manage interpersonal politics. There’s a scene where a king asks him to read the room: what do you think is going on with all of these men? Who’s going to be useful? Who’s a problem?
Svanhild’s journey is based on figuring out what she wants and what kind of power she can have as a woman in the world. Sure, free women in the Norse world had more rights and freedoms that many other women of the same time, but they were by no means equal to men. What Svanhild wants more than anything is a say in her own fate. She wants agency. Given that this is the first book in a trilogy, I know her story isn’t done (Svanhild is also a character in the original saga, which I have not read, so I don’t actually know how her story ends in the Sagas).
And that’s where I would give a bit of a warning for readers. The Norse world in the 9th century wasn’t a kind one. There was slavery, and raiding, the occasional murder, and rape. None of the rape is described, just as a “this is a thing that happened to this periphery character.” I don’t want anyone to be surprised by it.
Hartsuyker also has a good facility with language. The prose she uses very faintly echoes the rhythms of Norse poetry:
Then the great doors flew open, and in strode a great wolf, golden-furred and blue-eyed. Sparks flew from the ends of its fur. It stalked slowly down the length of the hall. Where it touched its muzzle, some men burned, but others grew burnished, losing the green cast of seawater. Ragnvald watched as it weaved between the men, wondering if it brought him ashy death or shining glory.
Isn’t that lovely?
I read this as an ebook, and I think it would be a better experience reading in print. There are a LOT of people, and one of the things I know about my brain is that it doesn’t hold well to names that aren’t familiar names. There is a cast of characters (at the end of the book) and I read through it before I even started so I at least knew who was who (I also had to do that with Game of Thrones). It would have been nice to be able to flip back to it easily as I was reading. Also, the cover is GORGEOUS.
I liked this a lot. It’s a bit heavy and there’s a lot going on, but if you’re looking for something to scratch that Game of Thrones itch (but with real history), I think you’ll like this one.
This book is available from:
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well.
Thanks!
I have this on hold at my library but didn’t realize it’s part of a trilogy, which, as a rule, I usually wait to read until all books are out. Can I ask does this first book’s ending have some closure/resolution or is it more of a cliffhanger?
I bought this for my significant other since he enjoys Viking stories. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it.
I’m in shock! I recognized the name immediately because she was my RA in college! I have to read this now.
It ends on a solid resolution. There are threads that need to be picked up, obviously, but it does end.
And while I get why people like to wait for a full trilogy or series to come out before reading, that does make it less like for the series to continue to be published. If the sales aren’t there, then a publisher might not continue with the series- I’ve seen authors express their frustration with this pattern. So… food for thought.
Omg I need this in my eyeballs immediately!
Heimskringla itself is well worth a read, but I know it used to be hard to find in good English translation (the Laing one is public domain, and reads very Victorian).
Having returned from Iceland a month ago, this immediately grabbed my attention. On our tours, we were reminded about the trolls, etc. which would still seem to inhabit the island. I’ll put this on my list. Thanks for the review.
Glad to know my brain isn’t the only one with that problem.
This sounds terrific, RHG. Thank you very much.
Ms. Hartsuyker spoke at a town near me – and I geeked out over her history infused world building. It was helpful to hear the names spoken. Ragnvald was just a collection of letters until then.
I had the library book and didn’t plan to purchase, but found myself picking up the pretty book for her to sign. I must have been under a spell or it could be that I lack impulse control.
Wow excellent review. I love these kind of tales. I think I’ll be gifting copies of this book.
Ooh, this sounds wonderful. Thank you for the review!
I loved this book! It made memos recent list of WHATCHA READING along with a few other faves. In college I tried to read the Heimskringla but the translated copy I had wasn’t very good. I’m anxious for the next book and will pre-order it, just like I did for this one 🙂 Ragnvald and Svanhild are both such compelling characters and Ms. Hartsuyker has done a wonderful job of making the myth and history accessible.
Ugh. “made my most recent list of WHATCHA READING…” Autocorrect and I are heading to divorce court, I swear 🙁
Thanks for the Dan Carlin recommendation. Such a great discovery for me thanks to you. He is really entertaining and thought provoking.