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    The Polaris Whisper: The steel of the Norse, the faith of the Christian White Cross Followers – a path to war
    The Polaris Whisper: The steel of the Norse, the faith of the Christian White Cross Followers – a path to war
    The Polaris Whisper: The steel of the Norse, the faith of the Christian White Cross Followers – a path to war
    Ebook443 pages6 hours

    The Polaris Whisper: The steel of the Norse, the faith of the Christian White Cross Followers – a path to war

    By Kenneth Gregory

    3.5/5

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Niclaus has just one aim in life – to win the Trial of Endurance to become the next leader of his village in Norway. The Trial is not without risks, and many have perished trying to complete it.

    But little does he realise that Cado, leader and oracle of Newgrange, has very different plans for him; plans that involve taking on the might of the Norse lord Hakon, and travelling far from everything he knows, to Ireland and the home of the Book of Kells, to defend the Christian White Cross Followers.

    Hakon’s savagery knows no bounds; battle lines are forming; power beyond imagining is at stake – at the heart of it all is Niclaus. Will he have the strength to fulfil his destiny?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBlackstaff Press Ltd
    Release dateSep 24, 2013
    ISBN9780856402203
    The Polaris Whisper: The steel of the Norse, the faith of the Christian White Cross Followers – a path to war
    Author

    Kenneth Gregory

    Kenneth Gregory is a Belfast-born author, who now lives on the outskirts of the city with his wife and five children. He has been writing since 2006, and in 2007 was selected by the Irish Writers’ Centre for a masterclass with Roddy Doyle. The Polaris Whisper (Blackstaff Press, 2013) is his first novel, and in 2015 it will be released as a special enhanced eBook. Follow him on Twitter (@KennethGregory1).

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    3.5/5

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    • 3/5
      Originally a Wattpad publication, The Polaris Whisper, by Kenneth Gregory appears to be a self-published book through the services of The Black Staff Press. I received a PDF copy of Gregory's debut novel through Black Staff on Net Galley.The novel has all the potential of a truly great novel: great subject matter, interesting characters, a delicious melange of history and mythology. Set during the Dark Ages (the early to mid 1st century) amid Norse raids on Ireland, Iona, and England, the story follows the lives of a disinherited and exiled Norseman, Vidar, the son he places into foster care for protection, and the people (including a dwarf from a society with prescient talent) who form his association. The main thrust of this, the first of a planned series of novels, is Vidar's quest to find a glacial cave which is a portal. A portal to what, we never find out, but the dwarf who charges Vidar with this quest has invested considerable wealth and his life into the undertaking.There are intrigues and loves lost and found, betrayal of friendship, tests of courage.And while all of this has, as I wrote, the potential of a great novel, it falls short for all the same reasons so many novels fall short: lack of a good developmental editor. Along with the need for a developmental editor is the need for a good copy editor, as there were many punctuation errors as well as errors in word usage. Certainly were I Gregory, and if my supposition is correct that he paid Black Staff to publish his book, I'd be a mite miffed with the lack of quality services.A decent entry, in my opinion, enough that I'd entertain reading the next instalment. However, let us hope Gregory undertakes to surround himself with more qualified editors.
    • 4/5
      Like a lot of other reviewers, I found The Polaris Whisper, the first book in a new series by author Kenneth Gregory, somewhat slow in the beginning. It was interesting enough to keep me from abandoning it altogether but not enough to keep me up at night reading – that is, until about half way through. After spending weeks reading a page here and a chapter there, suddenly I was completely engrossed in the tale.Set in medieval Norway and Ireland, this historical fantasy tale switches between 800AD and 840AD and Gregory does a fine job of evoking the period when Iona, the last bastion of Christianity in western Europe until the crowning of Charlemagne in 800AD, was the target of many Viking raids. Among the treasures the Vikings sought were the manuscripts hand-copied and illustrated by the monks which were worth the wealth of nations and much of the tale hinges on one. Tomas has been enlisted by Cado, a dwarf with unusual powers, to copy and illustrate one for him in secret. This sets off a string of events, many seemingly random but all orchestrated and guided by Cado and which will shake this already violent world to its roots.There are no major wars in this story and most of the battles are between man and nature befitting the place and time. Yet, somehow Gregory manages to make these small events seem big and exciting as the characters fight the elements, snowbears and wolves, and each other for mostly small but important victories. In many ways, the landscape is as much a character here as the people who populate it with its contrasts between the peace and gentle green of Iona and its monasteries, the insular village of the dwarves which hides the last remnants of magic on earth and especially the images of Norway and the north with their frozen fjords and wastelands. The characters are well-drawn and the story, once past the beginning set-up, moves at a break-neck pace. In particular, the sacking of the monastery and a sleigh race across the frozen landscape will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a tale of love and betrayal, of small battles and big losses, and the bonds of family and friendships in a time of profound change but mostly it is just a really exciting story about vikings with bears, reindeer, monks, and a dwarf and, seriously, what more could you ask for!

    Book preview

    The Polaris Whisper - Kenneth Gregory

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