Book Review : The Viking’s Sacrifice by Julia Knight

Title: The Viking’s Sacrifice  
Author: Julia Knight
Publisher: Carina Press
Pub Date: January 02, 2012
ISBN: 9781426892981
Category: FICTION – ADULT: Romance: Fantasy
URLs: Publisher Website
Author Website

Summary:

Viking raiders destroyed Wilda’s home. She witnessed the murder of her mother and would have been killed herself if it weren’t for the Viking boy Einar, who saved her from his ruthless brother. The blood and murder left Wilda cold and shorn of feeling.
Eight years later, the heathens return for Wilda. As a captive in the Viking village, she finds protection and silent comfort in the man who once gallantly saved her.
Einar has been cursed to silence by his brother. With the dark net of his brother’s power cast over their village, silence is a small price to pay for his family’s safety. But Einar is immediately drawn to Wilda, and the need to protect her from his brother awakens his Viking courage. Can Einar break his brother’s curse in time to save the village and the woman he loves?
69,000 words

My Thoughts:
This was a good short story. I like how it ended, but the way that Einar was treated really bothered me. Here was this young boy on his first raiding mission, and due to a much elder brother ruthlessness this boy is forced to submit himself to his treacherous brother to protect his young siblings. Einar could not defend himself, and no one but him really knew what happened to his eldest brother,Arni, or how Bausi had wounded Einar. Life creates Einar very baldy as his whole village turns against him, but he suffers in silence to protect the innocent. Wilda lost everything to Einar’s Viking village members but she is a strong girl, and then a strong woman. She is the redeeming part of this book. She helps Einar to break through his years of harsh torment and to stand up for himself. This is a good book if you like stories of the victim learning not to be the victim anymore, to stand up for himself. I really liked that part of this book, but the parts where Einar is torments and bullied by those who should be protecting him are the parts that I don’t like. So I do not recommend this book if these types of things disturb you. But if you like a book where the under dog gets his teeth and bites back, this book is for you.

Overall Rating:    4 / 5 Stars
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Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book to review.