Synopses & Reviews
Holland returns over the sea to the saga of Corban Loosestrife's son and nephew. Corban's son Conn is a clever and strong leader of men; his cousin and best friend, the god-touched Raef, is his shield and navigator. They have joined a fur-trading ship to Russia, and are forced to over-winter in Novgorod. While there, they take service with the leader of the Rus, Dobrynya, and with him travel south to Kiev, and then on with a raiding party down the Dnieper river into northern reaches of the Byzantine Empire.
With vivid description and passionate characters, Cecelia Holland takes the reader back to a time when heroes voyaged to the far corners of the known world. Whether fighting the ice in a deep Russian winter, sailing down a great river in a dragon ship, or wandering the elegant streets of the Black Sea city of Chersonese, Holland makes it real.
Review
Praise for Varanger:
"[Holland's] characters-especially introspective Raef and impulsive Conn-are sharply drawn and authentic..The novelty of Vikings out of their traditional milieu keeps the pages turning."--Publishers Weekly
"This compelling installment will satisfy fans of Holland's meaty Viking epic."--Booklist
About the Author
CECELIA HOLLAND is widely acknowledged as one of the finest historical novelists of our time. She is the author of more than thirty novels, including The Angel and the Sword and The Kings in Winter. Holland lives in Humboldt County, in northern California, where she teaches creative writing, and is current at work on a new historical novel.