The Adventures of Helgi the Viking is a series of historical fantasy novels, written and illustrated by J. R. Smith. They are tales of intrepid adventure, intrigue, and magic. The first book, Helgi and the Spirit Sword, is available to read here.
The Story Begins …
The year is AD 964. The ruling powers of Norway wish to gain control of the far North. For 12-year-old Helgi and his father, a renegade northern chieftain, life turns upside down when the usurper Grjotgard, aided by their arch-enemy Queen Gunnhild, a reputed sorceress, burns down their hall and slaughters most of their household.
Iceland becomes a place of refuge for the handful who survive. But with Gunnhild’s terrifying assassin Grimnir hot on their trail, and ready to strike down anyone who stands in his way, how long will they be safe?
Now living in lonely exile in a strange, not-long-discovered land, Helgi must contend with the local chieftain’s three bullying teenage sons. Using his charismatic powers, he attracts new allies, both human and animal. The risk is that he will drag his new-found friends into a spiral of armed violence.
When Helgi retrieves a rusty old sword from a haunted burial mound, it seems he is the only one able to access its mysterious power. A marvellous world opens up to him.
But as his peculiar ‘gift’ develops, Helgi feels increasingly out of control. Soon he is in serious trouble which could cost him his life. But he has good reasons not to trust the stranger who approaches him with an offer of help …
Find out what happens in Book I, Helgi and the Spirit Sword.
The Adventures of Helgi the Viking 