Title: Danelaw
Author: Susan Squires
Published in February 2003 by Dorchester's Leisure Books
Genre: Historical
IBSN: 0-84399-5124-9
Related Books: Sacrament Sacrilege: The Only One Anthology The Companion The Hunger The Burning
Other Books by Susan: No More Lies, Danegeld, Body Electric
She was gifted in more ways than one, and her destiny was not what she had been prepared for by her mother. Epona is therefore rather shocked when her life swings in strange directions. The contract between the young stallion and his partner is broken, and she goes with Herd to rescue him. This is only the beginning of the strange events that will change her life more than she knows. Epona lives in the shadow of the white chalk horse, and is blessed with the gift of understanding and communicating with the horses. She must pass her gift on to another, and to do that, she needs a daughter. She is therefore accepting when the young king, Alfred, looks upon her as a goddess, and asks for her blessing.
She is Epona, the last of the druid priestesses. She lives a solitary life as have all the "gifted" females in her line for generations. She is a powerful symbol of the Old Ways, she can control horses, and Alfred hopes to gain the blessings of all the tribes, unite them, and stand against the Vikings by joining the Old Religion with the new through her. Epona doesn't think this will work, and in spite of his plans, she will not leave her hill, nor will she give him her horses. Time is running short, and Epona has a date with destiny, and a man far different than the young king. The man of her destiny just might be the man of her heart.
He is known as Valgar the Beast, due to his fighting prowess and his ruthlessness in service to those on the banks of the Volga. He has returned from this self-imposed exile, and allied himself with Guthrum, joining him in the conquest of these lands. Guthrum trusts him, but there are others who do not, and Val finds himself fighting to take his rightful place among his people once more. Val is an unlikely Viking Warrior in that he has a sensitive nature, and has had to be even more fierce in battle because of this handicap. He can wield a sword with great skill and ease, but wields the tunes of his flute more deftly, and has the the tongue to tell the tales. He has the attributes of a skald, but to warriors on a campaign, they are useless traits.
Val has won the right to Keep the Downlands for Guthrum, even though Harald challenged him. He goes forward with the men given to him, and proceeds to do the job that Guthrum has given him. The challenge was not easy on him, and the test by fire left him with a severly burned shield arm. Val knows quite well that the arm has become infected and he could lose it. He has not considered that he could run into the young Saxon king, nor that he would lose him. The biggest surprise would be the young woman, Epona. Never in all his life would he believe that the Norns had spun him such a destiny. He is certain that even Odin would be surprised....this is truly an unexpected gift from the gods.....Uh-Oh.
Susan Squires has again taken us back to a time of unrest in the youth of civilization. Danelaw is the story of two people who are unlikely allies drawn together by fate. Danelaw was the fair and equal system of justice the Vikings established everywhere they went, and we owe much of the current legal system to those early conquerors. Val is charged by Guthrum to hold the Downlands and bring, and enforce the Danelaw on the inhabitants of the region. The fates have much in store for him, and a lot of it is not in his plans. Of course, the same fickle fate has thrown him in Epona's path, and she isn't too happy about that fact either.
Squires has again given us that wonderful blend of romanticism, mysticism, and bravery that marked her first novel, Danegeld , as such an exceptional read. Well, this one will not disappoint you either, specially with the villainous Osrick and his ilk plotting and popping up from time to time. Danelaw is a wonderful adventure into love and the excitement of the Viking conquests of the British Isles. More importantly, it is the story of how two people conquer and capture each other's hearts. Leisure Books proudly presents Danelaw in February, so be sure to keep you eyes open for this 5 Star read.
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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