Book Jacket

 

rank 1744
word count 52856
date submitted 17.02.2009
date updated 06.03.2009
genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction
classification: moderate
incomplete

Legend of the Last Vikings - Taklamakan

John Halsted

Action and adventure from Norway to China along the Silk Route at the end of the Viking age.

 

As the Viking age is brought to an end in 1066 with defeat at the battle of Stamford Bridge, a rag-tag group of Vikings conclude the quiet life is not for them and they decide to go-a-Viking one last time.
They retrace a journey of their youth across the Steppe to Byzantium. A chance discovery in a Kiev library leads them to venture even further afield - to Astrakhan, Chorasmia and Bactria and along the ancient Silk Route into China.
They inflict fatalities on the sinister Black Scorpions who plan to exact revenge. Escaping entrapment they flee by night across the Roof of the World and meet the remnants of the "lost" European tribe of Asia, the Hepthalites, who protect them in their hidden city in the Celestial Mountains. A place where romance is kindled and love blossoms.
They gather more clues, and continue with their quest into the Taklamakan desert. The desert so called by locals because those who venture in seldom venture out.
There they meet the Lang Ren, the Wolf people of Lou Lan, outcasts thieves and criminals living in an abandoned desert city. A city in which the final clue to their quest is uncovered.

 
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tags

historical action adventure viking silk route china hepthalites norway rurik kiev

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6 comments

 

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Bryn Hammond wrote 51 days ago

This had been published since (updated or what I don't know); I'm getting stuck into the ebook. It's great stuff.

lamiel wrote 705 days ago

The premise holds promise. It deals with a period of history I love and exotic settings that spark visions. It's obvious that you've done incredible research....but the novel shouldn't be overbearing with names... eliminate the incidental references ... example: when the character goes to the market, the market's place name can be trashed especially if it is difficult to retain. When Kings are mentioned Ex: Vladimir II is fine, we don't need the pedigree.

Other than that it's a great story. Will keep it on my watchlist.

Miguel
Absentee Bidder

Debra wrote 962 days ago

Interesting premise. It got me to read the first chapter, but I wasn't engaged in the reading. I had no sense of where I was and who those people are. They all seemed to sound the same. With some of the them, I assume the setting is China? Or am I wrong? Best wishes with this.

ScoRho wrote 963 days ago

Fascinating idea, one that instantly caught my interest. The second and third chapters are little too "reporty" for me to get into your character, but because it's one of my favorite subjects to read about, my interest has not yet lagged. I'm looking forward to reading more of this.

Janet Marie wrote 1188 days ago

Hi John. You captured my interest in the first chapter and truthfully gave so much background info in the second you were loosing me. The third picks up again. I adjusted my brain to appreciate a non-fiction account of the era. I suggest adding emotions to pump up the suspense. Yet, I didn't stop reading, likely because the first POV was talking to me and explaining what I needed to know in order to move on to chapter 3. He engaged me somehow. Then, the chapter 3 goes back into story mode. Interesting how you accomplished that. I placed you on my shelf and wish you success. Janet Marie

DanM wrote 1192 days ago

Well written, with a much needed oomph at the start to get things moving. You know your period well and there is a lot of information in here to prove it. It's a pity for me, given how well it begins that there is a shift to first-person. It's not a perspective I personally enjoy, and I think that you will find it more challenging to sustain an Editor's interest because of it, and that's a pity.

I'm backing this regardless. While I don't like the perspective, the world you've (re)constructed merits it.





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