A series that gained additional popularity due to the Vikings series (totally unrelated), mr Severin provides us with another enjoyable 350 page reading of the semi-historical figure.
The central motivation for Thorgills in this book is love. At first, love for a queen he has become a secret lover for. Then the love for his sworn brother Grettir, an outlaw in Iceland who he meets on his journey.
After Grettir is killed, he travels to Finland where he finds his first "true" unconditional love, but only after losing his former mentor Thrand in the last battle of the Jomsvikings. And he ends up in Constantinople, as a soldier of the Varangian Guard...
As you can see, a lot goes on in the life of young Thorgills in this book, and while enjoyable written, it's perhaps also the biggest drawback. A LOT goes on in the span of 350 pages, making that some "connections" to characters are passing to fast for the reader to get an in depth feeling for the events. For example, the whole Grettir relation, between them meeting and swearing the oath, to Grettir finally being caught and executed, the character "grows" to little to actually care about his death.
It`s an enjoyable read, but not as good as the first instalment of the series in my opinion.
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