Publisher's Synopsis
The year is 971 AD. Ireland is consumed by conflict and Vikings raiders and settlers will exploit any weakness.
In the aftermath of a bloody battle that has swept away the nobility of Connacht, a foreigner from far off Orkney is compelled to stand against the chaos. Rannal Halvorsen, The King's Priest, must deny his Viking heritage to unite the province and defeat the invaders. His actions rekindle a fellowship and pit him against a forgotten spectre from his Northman past. Love, loyalty and purpose are challenged in his redemptive journey as The King's Priest is forced to exploit his unique position standing astride two waring cultures while confronting his past. The essence of the fabled Queen Medb from the Ulster Cycle comes to life in the women who must also rise to the challenge of salvaging a future from the pyre of a ravaged land. Centuries-long rivalries are renewed in a storm of events that echo the ancient sagas. In this novel by Martin J. Bird, Celtic and Norse cultures clash at the frontier of the Viking Empire, and the names of heroes will emerge to be proudly borne by their descendants for a thousand years.
