Book picks similar to
The Norseman by Jason Born


historical-fiction
vikings
fiction
adventure

Veil of Lies


Jeri Westerson - 2008
    Crispin Guest is a disgraced knight, stripped of his rank and his honor - but left with his life - for plotting against Richard II.  Having lost his bethrothed, his friends, his patrons and his position in society.  With no trade to support him and no family willing to acknowledge him, Crispin has turned to the one thing he still has - his wits - to scrape a living together on the mean streets of London.  In 1383, Guest is called to the compound of a merchant - a reclusive mercer who suspects that his wife is being unfaithful and wants Guest to look into the matter.  Not wishing to sully himself in such disgraceful, dishonorable business but in dire need of money, Guest agrees and discovers that the wife is indeed up to something, presumably nothing good.  But when he comes to inform his client, he is found dead - murdered in a sealed room, locked from the inside.  Now Guest has come to the unwanted attention of the Lord Sheriff of London and most recent client was murdered while he was working for him.  And everything seems to turn on a  religious relic - a veil reported to have wiped the brow of Christ - that is now missing.

Knights of the Black and White


Jack Whyte - 2006
    But the Order has other plans for him: to uncover a deadly secret that could shatter the very might of the Church itself.

Sword for Hire


Griff Hosker - 2017
    His hopes of inheriting his family's manor are dashed when Prince John takes power in his brother's absence. With a handful of men Sir Thomas is forced to travel to Sweden where he joins The Jarl Birger Brosa fighting the Estonians, Karelians and Slavs. Fighting in a the harsh environment of a Baltic winter makes Sir Thomas and his men stronger. There he learns of further treachery and dishonour among Bishops, Kings and Princes who value thrones more than men.

Rules for a Knight


Ethan Hawke - 2015
    In a series of ruminations on solitude, humility, forgiveness, honesty, courage, grace, pride, and patience, he draws on the ancient teachings of Eastern and Western philosophy, and on the great spiritual and political writings of our time. His intent: to give his children a compass for a journey they will have to make alone, a short guide to what gives life meaning and beauty.

Anastasia's Secret


Susanne Dunlap - 2010
    Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family's future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death?Inspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap's new novel is a haunting vision of the life-and love story-of Russia's last princess.

Meadowland: A Novel of the Viking Discovery of America


Tom Holt - 2005
    His only companions are a detachment of the Empire's elite Guard, recruited from Viking Scandinavia. When the wagon sheds a wheel, he passes the time talking with two veterans, who have a remarkable story to tell—the Viking discovery of America.

The Mongoliad: Book One


Neal Stephenson - 2012
    In it, a small band of warriors and mystics raise their swords to save Europe from a bloodthirsty Mongol invasion. Inspired by their leader (an elder of an order of warrior monks), they embark on a perilous journey and uncover the history of hidden knowledge and conflict among powerful secret societies that had been shaping world events for millennia.But the saga reaches the modern world via a circuitous route. In the late 19th century, Sir Richard F. Burton, an expert on exotic languages and historical swordsmanship, is approached by a mysterious group of English martial arts aficionados about translating a collection of long-lost manuscripts. Burton dies before his work is finished, and his efforts were thought lost until recently rediscovered by a team of amateur archaeologists in the ruins of a mansion in Trieste, Italy. From this collection of arcana, the incredible tale of The Mongoliad was recreated.Full of high adventure, unforgettable characters, and unflinching battle scenes, The Mongoliad ignites a dangerous quest where willpower and blades are tested and the scope of world-building is redefined.A note on this edition: The Mongoliad began as a social media experiment, combining serial story-telling with a unique level of interaction between authors and audience during the creative process. Since its original iteration, The Mongoliad has been restructured, edited, and rewritten under the supervision of its authors to create a more cohesive reading experience and will be published as a trilogy of novels. This edition is the definitive edition and is the authors' preferred text.Reviews:“This off-beat alternate history of Eurasia could be your new obsession.” –i09.com“This story is pure adventure, with much swordplay and swashbuckling.” –Kirkus Reviews“A terrifically engaging book that pulled me along at least as quickly as The Hunger Games. Think Lord of the Rings without all that pesky fantasy…Five frighteningly accurate historical sword fights out of five.” –Fanboy Comics

In His Majesty's Service


Naomi Novik - 2009
    Will Laurence is serving with honor in the British Navy when his ship captures a French frigate harboring most a unusual cargo–an incalculably valuable dragon egg. When the egg hatches, Laurence unexpectedly becomes the master of the young dragon Temeraire and finds himself on an extraordinary journey that will shatter his orderly, respectable life and alter the course of his nation’s history.Thrust into England’s Aerial Corps, Laurence and Temeraire undergo rigorous training while staving off French forces intent on breaching British soil. But the pair has more than France to contend with when China learns that an imperial dragon intended for Napoleon–Temeraire himself– has fallen into British hands. The emperor summons the new pilot and his dragon to the Far East, a long voyage fraught with peril and intrigue. From England’s shores to China’s palaces, from the Silk Road’s outer limits to the embattled borders of Prussia and Poland, Laurence and Temeraire must defend their partnership and their country from powerful adversaries around the globe. But can they succeed against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?Together in one volume, here are the first three novels in Naomi Novik’s New York Times bestselling Temeraire series, combining the gripping history of the Napoleonic era, the thrill of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern books, and the excitement of Patrick O’Brian’s seafaring adventures. In His Majesty’s Service also includes an exclusive original Temeraire short story - "In Autumn, a White Dragon Looks over the Wide River".

Winter Solstice Winter


E.J. Squires - 2013
    But Ailia's on the verge of discovering that she hasn't even seen the tip of the iceberg that sleeps below...On Winter Solstice Ailia visits her favorite place to ponder: a large cliff overlooking her hometown. On her way home, Eiess and an army of Vikings capture her before attacking the Northlandic Kingdom. After usurping the Northlandic Throne, Eiess immediately suspends the seasons on the darkest and coldest day of the year and begins her preparations for the prophesied battle to end all battles.Princess Lucia, sole heir to the Nothlandic Throne, is taken prisoner by Eiess and is thrown into the castle’s tower. For months, Lucia wastes away, never knowing when this nightmare of beatings, starvation and bitter cold will end. But when she miraculously escapes, she learns that she has a twin sister she must find before Eiess completely destroys the Northlandic Kingdom.Months later, Ailia wakes up in a glacier cave with no memory of how she ended up there. On her way home, a handsome, yet mysterious young man named Soren rescues her from wolves and a dangerous shape-shifter. Ailia is immediately drawn to Soren, thinking she knows him from somewhere, maybe from her dreams of another life? He reveals he is a Sentinor sent by the gods to defeat Eiess and is waiting to be reunited with his soul mate, Lucia, so they together can defeat the Empress.As Eiess continues to amass her forces, Ailia, Lucia and Soren are about to discover that their destinies are intertwined behind a veil of dark secrets and lies. If they are to take back the Northlandic Throne, they must work together and form an alliance.But their mission to overthrow the Empress is stalled when the secrets and lies surface. And when a strong love develops between two, jealousy and duplicity arise between them, causing one of them to betray the others – a betrayal which puts their lives and the lives of humanity in grave danger. WINTER SOLSTICE WINTER is a Young Adult/New Adult fantasy romance set in the Viking Era. With Suspense, Norse paranormal elements and a breathtaking soul mate love story, it's a great read for those who enjoy a page-turning story. This is the first book in its series.

Assassin's Creed: Renaissance


Oliver Bowden - 2009
    To eradicate corruption and restore his family's honour, he will learn the art of the assassins. To his allies, Ezio will become a force for change, fighting for freedom and justice. To his enemies, he will become a threat.

The Last Dragon


M.K. Hume - 2014
    Hume's King Arthur trilogy.King Artor lies slain and Ector, a mere boy, is acknowledged as the legitimate heir to the kingdom. But the land of the Celts has been weakened, and Ector grows up torn by conflicting senses of doom and duty. It is only his marriage to Gwyllan that gives him a sense of fulfilment.Meanwhile, Arthur, the Bastard Prince, grows up aware that he is the son of Artor and Lady Elayne but knowing he can never challenge the position of his ruler and childhood friend.Living in the shadow of King Artor, neither man can escape the his legacy...

The Book of Viking Myths: From the Voyages of Leif Erikson to the Deeds of Odin, the Storied History and Folklore of the Vikings


Peter Archer - 2017
    But who were these strange and mysterious folk? The Book of Viking Myths retells the stories of the Viking people, with myths of their gods and goddesses, monsters, and great heroes. From tales of the beautiful and powerful Freyja, to the gold-toothed Heimdallr, to the wolf Fenrir, Peter Archer explores all the figures and tales that make up Norse mythology. Along with these legends of seafaring, dwarves, giants, and the exploits of Thor, you will also discover the influences that Viking culture has had on our own lives. It’s a true exploration of Nordic culture—and a glimpse into the history and lore of these fabled Nordic warriors.

Eleanor and the Iron King


Julie Daines - 2015
    All Eleanor knows of Brac is that he is a ruthless, war hungry man.Eleanor arrives at the Welsh castle of Bryn Du already expecting the worst. When the ghost of Brac Goch’s first wife appears and warns her that the Welsh king is not to be trusted, all of Eleanor’s fears are confirmed.As the countdown to her wedding day approaches, Eleanor must figure out who is lying, who is telling the truth, who is loyal, and who is the traitor--and most of all, if she can love an enemy king.

Daughter of Time


Sarah Woodbury - 2011
    He saves her, and she in turn saves him, thanks to her knowledge of future events. Although powerful forces seek to divide them, by working together, Meg and Llywelyn have a chance to navigate the dangerous and shifting alliances that constantly undermine his rule and threaten the very existence of Wales — and to create a future in which Llywelyn's death does not come too soon.Daughter of Time is a stand-alone novel within the world of the After Cilmeri series. Other books in the series include Footsteps in Time and Prince of Time.

Northlanders, Vol. 1: Sven the Returned


Brian Wood - 2008
    See why Entertainment Weekly calls it "a well-reserched, richly realized world that illuminates politics and culture without getting bogged down in history-book stuff."