- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Point; Reprint edition (Oct 1 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0439626617
- ISBN-13: 978-0439626613
- Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.4 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 91 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Slash, chop, stab, kill with swords and axes--and yell for joy! In this rousing, historically authentic and appropriately gory novel about the Vikings, Michael Cadnum continues his exploration of cultures of violence (his other books include Redhanded, a contemporary novella about the brutal world of amateur boxing, and The Book of the Lion, set during the crusades). Cadnum, one of our finest young adult writers, vividly recreates not only the outer trappings of Viking society, but the psychological mindset of a people whose values, myths, songs, and sagas centered on murderous seafaring raids.
Seventeen-year-old Lidsmod, however, is not so sure about this business of spectacular killing, although he does his best not to show it. He is on his first sea raid, aboard the new ship Raven, on the way with the other men of the village of Spjothof to plunder the English coast. Rumors have led them to a "gold fortress" or abbey, where 13-year-old Wiglaf is learning the healing arts under the protection of the good abbot Aethelwulf. Tension builds through the alternating perspectives of the two boys, as the attackers draw near and the victims huddle in dread, only to be cut down and chopped like meat by the wild Torsten and the other Vikings. Wiglaf is taken captive, and his compassionate healing of the Vikings' wounds plants a seed of understanding in Lidsmod's mind that leads to another compassionate but costly deed. Young teens, especially boys, will relish this thrilling and exquisitely crafted story. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
In this swashbuckling, often violent adventure set in the eighth century, Cadnum (In a Dark Wood) shows how a clash of cultures profoundly affects two distant enemies: a young Viking warrior and a monk's apprentice. At age 17, Lidsmod is eager to embark on his first pillage. He is proud to be sailing on the Raven to a distant place rumored to hold much treasure. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Wiglaf, afflicted by a withered arm but pious and blessed with the gift of healing, goes about his life in his English village. Alternating Lidsmod's eventful voyage with bucolic scenes of Wiglaf's days, the author provides a sharp contrast between the mores and beliefs of the two boys. Readers will find themselves continually switching loyalties until, inevitably, the protagonists meet during a bloody battle. Unsurprisingly, Wiglaf proves to be more consistent and noble, remaining quick-witted and compassionate during and after his brutal kidnapping. Lidsmod's sentiments and values are more slippery. Although he can identify with the captive boy, his thirst for blood and glory never significantly wavers; and although he agrees that Wiglaf should be freed, he sees no wrong in keeping the holy relics his shipmates stole. If the moral to the story is somewhat muddy, graphic scenes of murder, torture and ruin are perhaps all too clear. Ages 14-up.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Historically inacurate, innapropriate for young readers,
By
This review is from: Raven of the Waves (Hardcover)
This book purports to be an accurate description of viking raiders in, attempting to show their thoughts and feelings, and give us insight into their culture. Unfortunately the author has not done his research. He merely reinforced old stereotypes and borrowed heavily from common misconceptions of vikings in order to write a book that misrepresents the norse tradition. For example, he graphically describes the making of a "bloody eagle", a horrible mutilation of a man. Todays scholars have now proved "bloody eagles" to be a complete fiction invented by a couple of Christian writers (who must have had sick sadistic imaginations).Rape is also a common topic of the book, and this too is an old innacurate stereotype. What viking has time to rape a woman when hes fighting for his life? In addition, vikings abucted people to hold them ransom, so is it likely he would rape a ransom victim, thereby making his prisoner worthless to her family? No. Furthermore, when the vikings kept prisoners as slaves, they did not see them as expendable, and did not rape them with impunity as many believe. Viking tels even tell of Free men, Norsemen, wooing and courting slave women in their villages. Women even went on raids with the men, were sometimes leaders in the raids, and participated in the all aspects of Norse life. So near as we can tell, the fortunate Norse simply were allowed by their culture to live such uninhibited lives that they didn't need to be sadistic, and did not tie together sex and violence. The men did not hate and fear women, and so had no need to either rape them, or keep them in weaponless subjection. Despite his historically innacuracy, the book simply is not appropriate for young readers, boys or girls. It is given from the perspective of the men in the story, and makes no distinction between what is approriate behavior and what is not. It speaks of young boys getting drunk on a regular basis, as just a part of life. It makes mention of sex and young men "mounting" girls, women, etc., and raping other villagewomen. It is violent and perverse, and gives no context for the not yet discerning young reader to be able to sort through the behaviors of these people, and make a distinction between what is right and wrong. In short, THIS BOOK [STINKS]!
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Raven of the Waves (Hardcover)
What a great read for anyone of any age! Author Cadnum works magic with his words in this realistic coming of age story. Brought together by a Norse raid on England in 794 AD, two sympathetic boys learn grim adult truths about "heroic" warriors. This impressive novel offers accurate historical detail, sensitive pyschological insight and compassionate consideration of good people trapped by traditional expectations. Cadnum enriches our perceptions of both the Viking and the Anglo-Saxon worlds by his range of characters. We learn with 17 year old Lidsmod via the voices of his fellow sailors -- sensible leader Gunnar, veteran steersman Njord, comic Opir the Boaster and saga-singer Eirik. Even extremely violent men like Gorm or the Berserker Torsten are shown acting from different motives. Similarly, the author balances the impressions of the 13 year old English captive Wiglaf with the mature views of Christian abbot Aethelwulf and the local political lord Redwald. This work is a delightful combination of echoes of ancient myths and foreshadowing of cultural change for both the Norse and the English.
4.0 out of 5 stars
"historical"???,
By
This review is from: Raven of the Waves (Hardcover)
This book is a very interesting tale about the vikinggs and definetly a good read. the editorial review says "historical" reffering to the book as educational about history and thetime of the vikings. It is not at all historical but still a good read.
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