Mother of Kings

FROM OUR EDITORS

When Gunhild, the daughter of a Norse chieftan, serves an apprenticeship with two shamanistic masters, she learns her lessons well. She uses her newfound power to call forth her heart's desire, Erik Blood-Ax. United, the pair can vanquish any opponent.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"As a child of just seven summers, Gunnhild finds herself fascinated with the powers of a witchwoman who is a concubine of her father's, a powerful Norse chieftain. She also finds another fascination in handsome and lordly Eirik, son of their king. When her mother dies, Gunnhild promises, "I will never yield," and that, "through me, our blood shall flow greatly."" "Gunnhild has learned from her chieftain father the way the powerful use the weak. But there are other lessons and other powers she seeks. Sent away to learn the magic of a pair of shamans, Gunnhild becomes a Spaewife - a knower of the Gods, a master in the ways of witchcraft and sorcery. Aided by her new abilities, Gunnhild marries Eirik. She is destined to become queen, and her magic is a fearsome complement to Eirik's strength. But Eirik's enemies are cunning, and Gunnhild is soon without his might." "If Gunnhild can keep the promise she made as a child to never yield, her family's blood will flow greatly, and the sons she bore Eirik will each become a king." Her own struggles, though, are far from over.

SYNOPSIS

Blending historical and mythological characters, Science Fiction and Fantasy Grandmaster Poul Anderson has crafted a novel of magic, mystery and the might of ancient nations that rivals Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon.

In the tenth century, during the violent end of the Age of the Vikings, Gunhild, the daughter of a Norse Chieftan, is sent away to learn the magic of a pair of shamans. She learns her lessons well, and uses her power to summon her heart's desire: Eirik Blood-Ax. Gunhild's magic is a powerful compliment to Eirik's strength, but is not enough to save him from death at the hands of his vicious rivals. Still, the sons they conceived will each become kings, and Gunhild's own struggles are far from over.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Though marketed as fantasy, this densely written, fast-paced tale, set in Norway in the 10th century during the clash of paganism and Christianity, reads more like a grandly told history describing the life of Gunnhild, the mother of Norse kings. Its huge scope and the long time frame of events mean that the personal often gets lost in the political, but with meticulous research, Anderson (War of the Gods) brings to life the bloodthirsty Norse as they evolve into the looting, plundering Vikings of popular lore. After learning witchcraft from the Saami, Gunnhild schemes to marry a powerful Norse king, Eirik. The power behind the throne, she bears nine children, mostly boys, and ensures her husband's rule by weaving a web of spies and orchestrating a murder or two. When Eirik dies in battle, she works to further the careers of her sons, many of whom prove unworthy of leadership because of their tyranny, arrogance and stinginess. Less than engaging, global-level power struggles tend to take the place of individual conflicts, while the continually shifting point of view fragments any sustained emotional impact. Since some of the rival kings are far more appealing characters than Gunnhild's progeny, readers may find themselves rooting for them instead. This may well be what the author intended, but the result is as incongruous as the witchcraft that while interesting does little to further the plot. Norse scholars will be pleased, but those expecting another Mists of Avalon, about a strong woman at the cusp of Christianity and paganism, will be disappointed. (Sept. 27) FYI: The late Poul Anderson has a second novel this season, a reissue of Conan the Rebel, reviewed above. Copyright 2001Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

Against a backdrop of the violence of tenth-century Vikings, the story of Gunhild, the daughter of a Norse chieftain, and her husband, Eirick Blood-Ax, is explored in this often difficult-to-read novel of intrigue, lust, and power seeking. Gunhild, the Mother of Kings, was sent from her father's house to learn the magic ways of two shamans. She learned her lessons well and now uses her magic to draw to herself the man she desires, Eirick Blood-Ax. Their union produces several sons and one daughter. Although Eirick dies young in a bloody battle, Gunhild and her children continue the violent search for power and control throughout their lands. Her sons become kings and Gunhild advances many plots and strategies to help her sons advance their control. Packed with unfamiliar names and places, this novel is demanding reading. The reader must keep track of an abundance of warriors who have similar sounding names and places that are totally unfamiliar. The final edition will include maps that should help the reader keep track of who is going where on the constant quest for riches and lands. Teens might be discouraged from completing the story because of the confusion of names and intrigue, and only very determined readers will be able to persevere through it to the conclusion. Anderson's afterword does provide explanations for much of the story and helps ground the action in its historical era. VOYA CODES:3Q 3P S A/YA (Readable without serious defects;Will appeal with pushing;Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12;Adult and Young Adult). 2001, Tor, 384p, $27.95. Ages 15 to Adult. Reviewer:Rosemary Moran—VOYA, December 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 5)

Library Journal

As the daughter of a Norse chieftain, Gunhild sets her ambitions high to learn the ways of shamanic magic and to wed Eirik Blood-Ax and lead him to the throne of a newly united Norway. The late sf Grand Master and Nebula Award-winning author of The Boat of a Million Years, along with numerous other works, adds an element of myth and pagan magic to a true story set in the tenth century, as the advent of Christianity in Scandinavia spells the end of a violent and heroic way of life. Fans of historical fantasy and Norse mythology should appreciate this well-crafted tale of epic adventure. Recommended for most fantasy collections. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A ponderous, meandering, but unquestionably great work. Science-fiction grandmaster Anderson, who died of cancer in August, was renowned among postwar SF writers for his elaborately detailed future worlds and his uneven, albeit prolific, output of novels about clever, marginal characters who find themselves whirled into the center of vastly complicated historical and political events. A voracious scholar of Scandinavian languages, history, and mythology, Anderson based many of his stories on plots and characters lifted from Norse sagas. Mother of Kings is a direct reworking of tales about Gunnhild Ozuradottir, the historical wife of tenth-century Norse King Eirik Haraldsson Blood-Axe, who bore him nine children before his murder. Spanning a grim, unforgivingly primitive landscape reaching from Iceland to arctic Norway, down to England and east to Russia, it is mainly about Gunnhild, a child of a minor Norse warlord, who barely escapes a rape and then persuades her father Ozur to let her study sorcery with a pair of Finnish wizards. When the wizards become far too friendly, she makes a pact with Thorolf Skallagrimson, brother of the scheming, brutishly violent Egil (whose sagas are the earliest source for Gunnhild), to slay the wizards. Thorolf introduces her to Eirik, whom she glimpsed in a vision and quickly marries. While Eirik plunges into increasingly treacherous maneuvers for control of the unraveling empire of King Harald, Gunnhild uses her sorcery and increasingly astute political savvy to survive a series of intrigues. Though powerful beyond her dreams, Gunnhild fails to control her fractious brood and flees to the Orkney Islands. Episodic adventure in a visceral, peculiarlyarchaic language ("Soon after the knarr turned in there, it was sail down, oars out and Skeggi at the tiller") with far too many similarly named characters. Still, a worthy effort through it all.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Mother of Kings is a classic from one of the most influential writers of all time. — Kevin Anderson

Mother of Kings is Poul Anderson at the top of his game. As enthralling as The Mists of Avalon! Poul Anderson shows himself to be the true modern heir of those who wrote the sagas that inspired Tolkien and laid down the foundations of modern fantasy. — Greg Bear

With Mother of Kings Poul Anderson proves that he is indeed a master! — Robert Jordan