Faith of Their Fathers - by Samuel Sargeant (Paperback)

About the Book

"At the dawn of the 11th Century in a small Icelandic settlement, these words, daubed in blood, herald the arrival of a killer. Soon, a spate of murders threatens the fragile peace between pagans and a growing Christian minority. Arinbjorn, a young pagan farmer resolves to track down the killer before the community is permanently torn apart. His investigations draw in Freya, an isolated housewife whose secrets could either condemn or free her. Meanwhile in Norway, King Olaf Tryggvason has his own designs upon Iceland and its people. War is rife in Scandinavia, and a Christian Iceland would bolster his control over the region. Only one thing is certain: these murders will change Icelandic society forever."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A gripping and taut Icelandic historical thriller by debut author Samuel M. Sargeant.

False God.

At the dawn of the 11th Century in a small Icelandic settlement, these words, daubed in blood, herald the arrival of a killer. Soon, a spate of murders threatens the fragile peace between pagans and a growing Christian minority. Arinbjorn, a young pagan farmer resolves to track down the killer before the community is permanently torn apart. His investigations draw in Freya, an isolated housewife whose secrets could either condemn or free her.

Meanwhile in Norway, King Olaf Tryggvason has his own designs upon Iceland and its people. War is rife in Scandinavia, and a Christian Iceland would bolster his control over the region.

Only one thing is certain: these murders will change Icelandic society forever.

Perfect for fans of Ken Follett and Michael Punke.

Review Quotes

"This fast-paced thriller about murder and vengeance explores one young man's obsession with family honour. Sargeant explores close friendships and family relationships in this hostile environment, where a small community, eking out a livelihood in the harshest of conditions, is split apart by religious discord. Vivid descriptive passages of locations, weather, and Icelandic culture are packed into a tight plot, which will no doubt entice readers interested in Iceland's medieval history."--Historical Novel Society

"Faith of Their Fathers is truly exciting: a compelling blend of murder mystery, romantic drama, and historical epic. Think Game of Thrones meets In the Name of the Rose. The writing is crisp and lyrical and perfectly suited to this icy landscape. Rarely does a debut come along that is this mature and accomplished."--Tyler Keevil, award-winning author of Your Still Beating Heart

"Faith of their Fathers vividly depicts a community riven by intolerance during a seismic period in Iceland's history. Its protagonist, Arinbjorn, is as dogged in his quest for vengeance as many a legendary hero from the old sagas. This well-researched novel explores timeless themes of retribution, security and loyalty--and the price we are willing pay in pursuit of these goals."--Susan C Wilson, author of Clytemnestra's Bind

About the Author

Samuel Sargeant is a Lecturer in the English Literature and Creative Writing department at the Open University, UK. He studied at Cardiff University, Wales, as part of his doctoral degree programme where his PhD thesis focused upon the structure of Medieval Old Norse-Icelandic sagas. He is currently researching the samtíðarsögur (contemporary sagas) and how their narrative structures compare to the other saga genres. He is viewing these broadly historiographical texts as acts of creative writing and using them in the development of his novels set within this period.