The Life and Times of Corban Loosestrife Series

From a "master storyteller," a historical fantasy that pits the son of an Irish slave against a Byzantine emperor in the high city of Constantinople (Houston Chronicle). Raef finds himself in Constantinople at the turn of the first millennium, the early years of the reign of Basil II as the city is racked by civil war. Basil will become one of the most successful, and most feared, Byzantine Emperors. But for now, he rules as co-Emperor with his brother Constantine and makes war on a would-be-usurper, Bardas Phokas, son of a general who once claimed the throne for his own. Raef and his fellow Rus and Norsemen, Viking raiders and wild horsemen from the steppes, fall upon the elegant city of Constantinople like wolves on a garden party. But when Raef catches the eye of the Emperor's wife, life becomes even more fraught with peril. And Raef's stubborn pride in the face of a thousand years of imperial privilege will come near to bringing down the High City itself . . .  "A potent blend of fantasy, history, and romance . . . a rousing, vivid tale rich with Nordic lore." —Publishers Weekly

  A Viking saga continues with  an "entertaining adventure tale" that's "imaginative and creditable" with "sharply drawn and authentic" characters (Publishers Weekly).   Conn Corbansson is a clever and strong leader of men and his cousin and best friend, the god-touched Raef, is his navigator and shield against evil. After joining a fur-trading ship to Russia they are forced to overwinter in the icebound village of Novgrod.   But tempers flare in the confinement, and factions form—the far-faring Norse against the native Rus, the honor-bound warriors against the gold-seeking traders. Taking service with the leader of the Rus, Dobrynya, they travel south to Kiev, and on with a raiding party that will take them all the way into the northern reaches of the Byzantine Empire.   Praise for the writing of Cecelia Holland:   "Elements of romance, mysticism, and suspense are interwoven into one superlative, spine-tingling adventure." —Booklist   "The best historical novelist since France's Zoé Oldenbourg." —Kirkus Reviews

From "a true master," a historical fantasy featuring an Irish adventurer caught up in the epic struggle for the throne of England (Kirkus Reviews).   After fleeing Constantinople and the wrath of the Emperor, Raef Corbanson has washed up with his companions on the coast of Normandy. His former patron Gunnhild is dead, and Raef is commanded to return to his father's hall in Jorvik, in England. Duke Richard of Normandy has sent his sister Emma to be wife to Ethelred of Wessex, the King of England. But other powers have designs on the island kingdom; Sweyn Forkbeard, king of Denmark and Raef's old shipmate, would be King of England, too. And Ethelred has other sons, older sons from his first marriage. Raef cannot escape this web of power; he owes a debt to Emma and her brother for aiding him. He owes fealty to Ethelred, for Jorvik is part of England, and Raef intends to rule the city as his father once did. And he owes an older, stronger, loyalty to Sweyn, for they are kin. "Holland's battle scenes are brilliantly, viscerally detailed, and she's even better in quieter scenes that provide illuminating contrasts . . . If you love history, do not under any circumstances overlook or underestimate Cecelia Holland." —Kirkus Reviews

  A Viking raid leads a young man on a quest to save his sister in this "potent blend of fantasy, history, and romance . . . Rich with Nordic lore" (Publishers Weekly).   Though Corban and Mav are twins, they could not be more different in the eyes of their father, the lord of an Irish coastal farmstead. While Mav has the Second Sight and is her father's favorite, Corban is a deep disappointment. Exiled for refusing to take up his sword in the name of the High King, he is long gone when Viking dragon ships bring slaughter to his people and fire to his home. Now Corban must embark on an epic quest to save his sister from slavery. From the far coast of Ireland to the occupied village of Dublin, and across the sea to the Kingdom of the Danes, Corban is drawn to the trail of his sister, fighting for his life and striving to earn the influence and money he will need to buy her freedom.

  "Interweaves . . . romance, magic, and suspense into a superlative historical epic featuring a stoic hero often at odds with the all-powerful Viking warriors." —Booklist Corban Loosestrife, his family slain by Viking raiders, has saved his twin sister Mav from the clutches of her Viking abductors, and wrought bloody revenge on Eric Bloodaxe, the King of Jorvik.   After fleeing with his family from the war of succession to Vinland, he feels they have finally earned some peace. But then a ship appears on the horizon, bringing Corban a summons to Jorvik and the murderous intrigues of those who would be king.   Corban, his son, Conn, and his sister's son, Raef—young men ready to prove themselves in battle—must return into this nest of vipers and navigate the deadly political war for the ultimate prize: the Viking throne . . .   The Witches' Kitchen is second in the epic Life and Times of Corban Loosestrife series, perfect for fans of James L. Nelson, Ben Kane and Adrian Goldsworthy.   "A potent blend of fantasy, history and romance. . . . A rousing, vivid tale rich with Nordic lore." —Publishers Weekly   "Holland fleshes out a lively account of the time of Eric Bloodaxe. Recommended." —Library Journal

"Expertly researched narrative abounds with fascinating lore . . . this flamboyant re-creation of the distant past . . . is another genre triumph." —Kirkus Reviews When Norse raiders slaughtered his family and abducted his sister, Corban Loosestrife set out on an odyssey that took him across half the world, from the Viking fortress of Jorvik to the wild and desolate shores of Vinland in the New World. Now Corban struggles to make a new life alone in this strange land amid bloody clashes between warring native clans. Shunned for his pale skin and dark, coarse hair, Corban seeks shelter with the Wolf Clan discovering he is also feared for his strange powers to make fire and cut through the toughest skins with his magical blade. The healer of the tribe comes to love Corban, but will this be enough to defend him against the hatred of Miska, the tribe's cunning chief? When Corban has a vision he is compelled to follow, the world he has come to know is forever altered . . . "This compelling installment will satisfy fans of Holland's meaty Viking epic." —Booklist   "The best historical novelist since France's Zoé Oldenbourg still has the chops—and TheSerpent Dreamer will not disappoint her many fans." —Kirkus Reviews