The Dane Law by Garth Pettersen
The Atheling Chronicles #2

Harald “Harefoot” son of King Cnute and his wife Selia have been living happily in Freisia for a year or so when Alric arrives with a message from the king requesting Harald and Selia to return to court. So, Harald, Selia, Alric and a contingent head off together only to be nearly killed along the way. And thus begins another stirring episode in the lives of Harald and Selia.

Cnute has three sons that are mentioned in this book: Harald and his older brother Sweyn by a woman hand fasted to their father are older than their half-brother Hartha who is the son of Emma, the wife of Cnute. Of the three young men the one that might make the better ruler seems to be Harald. That is not the plan of Cnute and his wife Emma though as Cnute has promised Emma that the son of their loins will sit on the throne. Emma is willing to do anything to ensure that Hartha is crowned king rather than his half-brothers.

Intrigue, murder, abduction and evil fill this action-packed story of a royal family’s sons pushing for primacy. The fact that Harald appears more interested in being with Selia in Freisia than sitting on his father’s throne does not preclude him from considering it as an option should it become a necessity but it has never been his strongest desire…at least not in the way it seems to be for Sweyn and Hartha.

This story has all the elements of an ongoing saga that should have a bard’s tale and song to accompany it. With a king getting older, a huge kingdom to keep from being split asunder, an evil stepmother with ambitions of her own, a shire-ref with aspirations, friends treated badly, double-dealers playing both sides of the situation and some rather cold-blooded black-hearted dastards who are at times sadistic you end up with a bloodthirsty tale with a strong hero and heroine eventually thwarting the evil that pursues them.

It would seem that the next book in this series will see Harald and Selia heading off to meet with the men who will determine who actually will sit on Cnute’s throne when he dies. The road trip and meetings with men in power should provide plenty of fodder for further adventures set in the early 1000’s as the three brothers are weighed to see which one is the best man to take the throne. That said, since the book is based on historical characters there is no leeway in adjusting the lifespan or ending of any of them and as the longevity of men in that era was the early thirties for males born in that era the saga cannot last forever…more’s the pity.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Do I want to read more in the series? Yes

There is a glossary of terms that was very helpful as the prose included “old” terms not in common use today. It may take a bit to get into the rhythm of the writing but once into the story it made me feel I was back in time with all who were in the tale.

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )