Norse Vikings

Frazzled mum Alice Ray likes to think she’s on top everything - she has four bags-for-life in the boot of her car for heaven's sake. But after spectacularly embarrassing herself at work, she finally gives in to her sister’s pleas to take a much-needed break. But this is not the luxury spa holiday Alice hoped for - instead, she finds herself in Denmark, in the middle of nowhere, on a ‘How to be a Viking’ getaway. Can the two sisters finally learn to get along, or will learning to embrace their inner warriors just make them better at fighting?

How much do you know about the enthralling and unique Viking culture? Perhaps you have watched one of the many remarkable fiction or non-fiction films that depict Vikings (Last Kingdom, anyone?), and it has piqued your interest, making you want to learn more. Or maybe you're just a big history buff, who is keen to learn more about how the Vikings lived, innovated, and helped shape society as we know it today.

Harald Sigurdsson burst into history as a teenaged youth in a Viking battle from which he escaped with little more than his life and a thirst for vengeance. But from these humble origins, he became one of Norway’s most legendary kings. The Last Viking is a fast-moving narrative account of the life of King Harald Hardrada, as he journeyed across the medieval world, from the frozen wastelands of the North to the glittering towers of Byzantium and the passions of the Holy Land, until his warrior death on the battlefield in England.

The land of Ascarlia, a fabled realm of bloodied steel and epic sagas, has been ruled by the Sister Queens for centuries. No one has dared question their rule. Until now. Whispers speak of longships of mysterious tattooed warriors, sailing under the banners of a murderous cult of oath-breakers long thought extinct. A tide of black steel that threatens to vanquish all in its path. Thera of the Blackspear, favored servant of the Sister Queens, is ordered to uncover the truth. As Thera sails north, her reviled brother, Felnir, sets out on his own adventure.

In part one of this audiobook, you will discover the pantheon of the Norse gods and goddesses.

The Vikings maintain their grip on our imagination, but their image is too often distorted by medieval and modern myth. It is true that they pillaged, looted, and enslaved. But they also settled peacefully and developed a vast trading network. They traveled far from their homelands in swift and sturdy ships, not only to raid, but also to explore. Despite their fearsome reputation, the Vikings didn’t wear horned helmets, and even the infamous berserkers were far from invincible.

In AD 793 Norse warriors struck the English isle of Lindisfarne and laid waste to it. Wave after wave of Norse "sea wolves" followed in search of plunder, land, or a glorious death in battle. Much of the British Isles fell before their swords, and the continental capitals of Paris and Aachen were sacked in turn. Turning east, they swept down the uncharted rivers of central Europe, captured Kiev, and clashed with mighty Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Exciting stories, extraordinary creatures, and compelling gods, goddesses, and heroes come together in this compendium of Norse myths - first told long ago by the Vikings. Hear about Thor, the god of thunder, and how he once disguised himself as a bride to seek revenge on a giant and retrieve his powerful hammer - Mjölnir - and how Sif, the goddess of fertility, had her long golden hair cut off by Loki, the trickster god. Each myth is told with thrilling immediacy, in language that is easy for children to understand, while retaining the awe and intrigue of the original tales.

Suspend your disbelief and embark on a journey through time and space, stepping into a world of Norse magic, paganism, runes, mythology, and mystery. Have you always been fascinated by Norse mythology and its myriad of powerful gods—including Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya, and Baldur? Have the Norse runes always mystified you, and would you love to know more about their history, symbolism, and usage? Would you like to harness the power of Norse magic, rites, and rituals, so you can connect with the extraordinary Norse gods and goddesses?

Jarl Dragon Heart leaves the Isle of Man to go raiding. Beset by enemies both Viking and Saxon, he has to rely on the Ulfheonar and his own skills to see him through the crisis. A harsh winter in the land of Rheged brings him face-to-face with his old enemy, the Wolf. All the while, he is learning about his own ancestor, the Warlord of Rheged. The treachery of other Vikings who try to carve out kingdoms has Dragon Heart caught in the middle of their machinations.

These dramatic and atmospheric tales are based on the Scandinavian myth cycle, one of the greatest and most culturally significant stories in the world. From the creation of the nine worlds to the final battle of Ragnarok, listeners will pore over the enthralling exploits of all-powerful Odin, mighty Thor and his hammer, and Loki, the infamous trickster. In this stunning anthology, the strange world of ancient magic, giants, dwarfs, and monsters is unforgettably imagined.

His vengeance against the gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive...and teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series - satisfying combat, breathtaking scale, and a powerful narrative - and fuses them anew.

The Strongbow Saga is an epic tale of one man's unstoppable quest for justice and vengeance that carries him across the ninth century world of the Vikings. In Viking Warrior, Book One of the saga, a cruel twist of fate both frees Halfdan and robs him of the mother he loves, setting him upon the path to a new destiny. But a brutal act of treachery and murder upends Halfdan's new life, sending him on the run with ruthless hunters hot on his trail.

Drawing on contemporary sagas as historical sources, and capturing some of their spellbinding narrative drive, renowned historian and Orkney native Angus Konstam describes how these Norse earls and their followers led Viking raids around the British Isles and even further afield. At their military height in the 11th century, they held a 400-mile swathe of territory, stretching from Shetland down to the Clyde Estuary.

Daughter of a Norse king, 15-year-old Åsa dreams of becoming a shield-maiden. When she spurns a powerful warlord, he rains hellfire on her family, slaughtering her father and brother and taking her captive. To protect her people, Åsa must wed her father's killer. To take vengeance, she must become his queen.

The journey of Erik the Viking is almost done but the Norns have not yet finished spinning and their webs threaten to engulf Erik, his family and his growing clan. He may be getting old, but Erik is still a force to be reckoned with and when others falter, the last Viking in the New World is there to steer the clan to safety. This is the last audiobook in the saga that has been the story of Erik the Navigator.

The mysterious and widely misunderstood Vikings have been explained clearly and completely in this audiobook. This audiobook brings valuable insights into Norse and Celtic mythology for the lovers of ancient mythology - what was told about the Vikings, their culture, their polytheistic religion, and much more.

The ubiquitous picture of the Vikings as horn-helmeted, brutish, hairy giants that mercilessly marauded among the settlements of Northern Europe is based on a smattering of facts combined with an abundance of prejudicial historical writing by those who were on the receiving end of Viking depredations. At the same time, much of the popular picture of the Vikings is a result of the romantic imagination of novelists and artists. However, the Vikings' reputation for ferocious seaborne attacks along the coasts of Northern Europe is no exaggeration.

Shamanism is humanity’s oldest spiritual tradition. In much of the Western world, the indigenous pre-Christian spiritual practices have been lost. Yet at the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity did not displace the original shamanic practices until the end of the Viking age. Reconstructing the shamanic practices of the hunter-gatherers of Scandinavia, Evelyn Rysdyk explores the evolution of Norse shamanism from its earliest female roots to the pre-Christian Viking Age.

The Vikings on the Island of Man are set on revenge. Their families have been kidnapped and taken to Ireland. They have to find them and rescue them. They find themselves fighting not only Hibernian warriors but renegade Vikings, too. The perpetrator of the act, Tadgh, escapes and a chase ensues.