One King's Way

One King's Way continues the alternate history saga that began with The Hammer and the Cross. Set in 9th century Europe, the story follows Shef, now a co-king in Britain, as he embarks on a journey through Scandinavia after being separated from his forces during a naval battle. The narrative tracks two parallel quests through the Nordic lands - Shef's path of discovery and survival, alongside the mission of Bruno, a Christian knight searching for the legendary Holy Lance. The book examines the clash between paganism and Christianity, Norse mythology, and early medieval warfare and technology. The novel builds on Harrison's vision of an alternate Dark Ages where pagan traditions and Christian expansion create complex political and religious tensions. Its incorporation of historical detail and Norse mythology provides a foundation for exploring themes of power, faith, and the forces that shape civilizations.

Limited reviews exist online for this book, with fewer than 20 total ratings found. The title appears to be less well-known among Harrison's works. Readers note it connects to Harrison's The Hammer and the Cross series but works as a standalone novel. Fans of historical fiction comment on the Norse and Anglo-Saxon era details. Main criticisms focus on slow pacing in the middle sections and too much emphasis on religious conflict. Some readers found the protagonist lacks depth compared to other Harrison characters. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (14 ratings) Amazon: 4.0/5 (5 ratings) "Not Harrison's strongest work but delivers on historical atmosphere" - Goodreads review "Gets bogged down in theological debates when I wanted more action" - Amazon review Due to the small number of available reviews, ratings may not fully represent reader consensus.

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🔹 Harry Harrison was originally named Henry Maxwell Dempsey and worked as a comic book illustrator before becoming a successful science fiction author. 🔹 Viking longships, crucial to the novel's naval scenes, could achieve speeds of up to 15 knots and were shallow enough to navigate rivers and beaches, revolutionizing medieval warfare. 🔹 The book's exploration of technological advancement reflects real historical tensions between Norse paganism and Christianity during the period of Christianization in Scandinavia (793-1066 CE). 🔹 "The Hammer and the Cross" trilogy was one of Harrison's final major works, published between 1993 and 1996, after a career spanning more than 50 years and 60+ novels. 🔹 John Holm, Harrison's co-author, is actually a pseudonym for British author Tom Shippey, a renowned J.R.R. Tolkien scholar and medieval literature expert.