Dayraven Sword of Woden Book 4 edition by CR May Literature Fiction eBooks
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Frisland Summer-523AD
An immense ship army under the command of Hygelac, King of Geatland has fallen on the northern provinces of the Frisian Kingdom. Rushing to defend his land the armies of the young inexperienced King Ida are defeated piecemeal as the invaders sweep through the length and breadth of the country at will. Moving south the Geats raid deeply into the lands of the Salian Francs, carrying sword and spear to the regions of the Hetware and Cherusci as the Christian giant in the south slumbers on.
But appearances can deceive. As the long days of midsummer slowly fade and the Geats prepare to sail away back to their northern fastness the Francs and Frisians move to crush their tormentors.
Into this whirlwind the paths of three heroes converge until they meet on the bloody battlefield before the town of Dorestada. Only the gods know who will survive the clash.
Dayraven is a final 46,000 word novella in the Sword of Woden series dealing with the early life story of Beowulf and his clan.
FIVE STARS...A THRILLING FINALE - HOOVER BOOK REVIEW.
Dayraven Sword of Woden Book 4 edition by CR May Literature Fiction eBooks
The Geat warriors are on the move. King Hygelac and his mighty army prepare themselves for the traditional summer campaign without knowing this time things will be different. A Frisian warlord and the Frankish army will be more than just thorn in Hygelac's plans.Meanwhile, legendary Geat warlord Beowulf has been appointed as Hygelac's ambassador in Saxon's land due his great fame by killing off the creature known as the Grendel. He is also in a personal journey, as per Woden's instructions, he has to deliver Grendel's head into the Irminsul, Saxland's mighty landmark. As he travels back by fulfilling the missions both to this his lord and his god, Beowulf has one thought on his mind, reach Hygelac before it is too late.
*****COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*****
First of all, don't get deceived by the fact that this is a novella because it feels like a novel. Aside from this, events on this novel are rather different that in previous Beowulf books as Beowulf will be most of time traveling than fighting. This is not as bad as might sound, since the book has plenty of actions and gripping moments.
The premise of the book is very straight forward and can be summarized as "A raid that starts promising and gets wrong". The story is told mainly in two parallel plot-lines, there is one for what is happening in Frisia (with Hygelac and Dayraven) and the other with the traveling Beowulf.
In the first plot-line we dive-in into Hygelac's army and the Frisian Champion Dayraven. Hygelac is featured with the traits that we like from him: brave, smart and trying to use anything his has on his hand to prevail. He his assisted by his noble heart-troops and his trust-worthy friend, earldorman Hromund. Basically, we are witnesses about the epic defeat of the Geat forces by the hand of the Frankish and Frisian Armies. Even against the odds, Hygelac and co. manage to fight with courage and wits, giving us a rewarding sense about what means the warrior's pride and honor.
By the other hand, Beowulf plot is more a pilgrim journey to the Saxland. I liked very much the descriptions and the trip, as this had a different taste. Beowulf was traveling more as a diplomat than a warrior. I also enjoyed, the relax trip and the chances that Beowulf had to further spread his legend. Then he learns that Hygelac is on trouble and run to support him without making it on time.
In general the plot is very straight forward, but I did not like the fact that the book was shorter. It could be better if things were not so rushed. I also, didn't like the fact that Beowulf sidekicks were not performing so much and the fact that Mighty Dayraven was a wimp. He never stood a change against Beowulf anyway and he died brutally, just to enlarge the list of enemies killed by the young Geatlord.
In any case, the book is great and delivers. Could it be longer, but it won't disappoint any who has read the previous books.
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Dayraven Sword of Woden Book 4 edition by CR May Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews
The finale of this most entertaining series about Beowulf concerns not only him but the Geatish King, Hygelac and his raid on the Frisians. It is an exciting romp filled with insights into the culture of the Dark Age warrior; the bond between sword brothers, the need to die well in battle with your sword in hand so to feast at Woden's table in Valhal ( the scene from the movie The Vikings springs to mind where Tony Curtis gets Ernest Borgnine a sword to face the wild dogs in the pit he is being thrown into). Fast paced action is interspersed between some wonderful dialogue; especially between Hygelac and his vastly outnumbered raiding force as they prepare to face, not one, but two armies arrayed against them. Meanwhile, Beowulf has been tasked by Woden to attend a religious festival; one where the author's descriptive imagination brings the reader into the realm of Woden and Thunor. Naturally, for Beowulf, this errand, while necessary, is somewhat of a distraction as he longs to be involved in the battle play with his King. All in all, this is a page turning foray into an age that will soon be overtaken by Christianity and a most fitting end to the Sword of Woden series. 4.8 stars
This novella (167 pages) is a follow-up to the author’s Beowulf trilogy that takes place some three years after the last book of the author’s trilogy. It is about a historical event which was a major naval raid on Dorestad by King Hygelac (Beowulf’s uncle) and against the coasts of the Frisians which had become vassals of the Franks by the early sixth century. The raid failed because, after initial successes, the King and part of his army were caught by the Frankish army led by Theudobert, the son of Theodoric King of the Franks (himself one of the four sons of Clovis) before they managed to get to their ships and re-embark. Hygelac was therefore trapped and killed with at least part of his army being destroyed.
Hygelac was King of the Geats which were established in a region that corresponds to South-Central Sweden nowadays. They seem to have been neither Swedes nor Danes, although it is probable that the former ended up by absorbing them. One theory presents them as Goths, or rather the part of the Goths that did not emigrate towards the South and end up by founding kingdoms within the borders of the former Roman Empire.
Then there is the character of Beowulf himself. As you will see when reading this novella, the author has him take part in the expedition but not in its disastrous outcome. Beowulf’s meeting with the Saxons remaining in Germany in interesting in itself and in at least a couple of respects. One is to show that, at the time, and contrary to the Franks in particular, the Saxons were organised as a collection of tribes or clans, each led by an eldorman. This fragmented leadership, which would still be in place at the time of Charlemagne’s wars against and conquest of the Saxons, did nevertheless not prevent them from uniting against common foes.
Another good feature is to show through Beowulf’s encounter and discussion with a young guard that many among the various inhabitants could be the remnants of other tribes whose lands had been overrun and who were absorbed by the newcomers. A third feature is a description of what might have been one of the causes of the emigrations towards and conquest of Britannia, and this was a rise in the sea level that would make large swaths of land unfertile in what is now still called “the lowlands”. Another feature that I found interesting and which the author has been also keen on displaying throughout his trilogy are the pagan religious practices of the time. Here the reader is presented with those of the Saxons, and I will let you guess at some of the practices what they included…
As the author mentions in his historical note, the failed raid is well attested through four sources, two Frankish and two Anglo-Saxon (one of which is the poem of Beowulf itself). What may however be not so historical is the character of Dayraven – a Frisian warlord who returns from England when he learns that the homeland is under attack. It is however quite plausible and it illustrates, once again, the close links that the various invaders of Britannia (Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians, among others) are very likely to have maintained with their homelands during at least a few generations after their arrival and during part of the Fifth and Sixth centuries.
The story-telling is of course suitably grim and heroic, with Hygelac and his companions – many of which are in fact Beowulf’s friends – selling their lives dearly and being (partly) avenged by the hero. The shield wall clashes are quite superb. However, the apparition of a contingent of Hun horse archers may be a little bit over the top, although just about possible. This is because the event takes place in AD 523, at a time when the Hun confederation had been destroyed for over nearly seventy years. The remnants of the Huns had been expelled from what is now Hungary and pushed back towards the Danube delta and the Black Sea coast and while they still raided the Eastern Roman Empire and many of them served as mercenaries in its armies, it is less likely that they were also serving the Franks at the time. The performances of their unique type of composite bow and the penetration power of its arrows in particular may also have been somewhat exaggerated. Despite this, however, their introduction adds a nice dramatic touch which was – I guess – precisely the object of the exercise.
Five stars for a superb read, despite my little rant about the Huns. I am very hoping for a second trilogy where Beowulf will lead his people overseas and found a new kingdom somewhere in Britannia, perhaps in what will become East Anglia.
top read
Good story
well written
Read them all, will continue to read his works
Focuses on Hygelac's failed raid while Beowulf is on another mission with the Saxons. Continuation of the prior trilogy. It is relatively short and makes a good afternoon read.
The Geat warriors are on the move. King Hygelac and his mighty army prepare themselves for the traditional summer campaign without knowing this time things will be different. A Frisian warlord and the Frankish army will be more than just thorn in Hygelac's plans.
Meanwhile, legendary Geat warlord Beowulf has been appointed as Hygelac's ambassador in Saxon's land due his great fame by killing off the creature known as the Grendel. He is also in a personal journey, as per Woden's instructions, he has to deliver Grendel's head into the Irminsul, Saxland's mighty landmark. As he travels back by fulfilling the missions both to this his lord and his god, Beowulf has one thought on his mind, reach Hygelac before it is too late.
*****COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*****
First of all, don't get deceived by the fact that this is a novella because it feels like a novel. Aside from this, events on this novel are rather different that in previous Beowulf books as Beowulf will be most of time traveling than fighting. This is not as bad as might sound, since the book has plenty of actions and gripping moments.
The premise of the book is very straight forward and can be summarized as "A raid that starts promising and gets wrong". The story is told mainly in two parallel plot-lines, there is one for what is happening in Frisia (with Hygelac and Dayraven) and the other with the traveling Beowulf.
In the first plot-line we dive-in into Hygelac's army and the Frisian Champion Dayraven. Hygelac is featured with the traits that we like from him brave, smart and trying to use anything his has on his hand to prevail. He his assisted by his noble heart-troops and his trust-worthy friend, earldorman Hromund. Basically, we are witnesses about the epic defeat of the Geat forces by the hand of the Frankish and Frisian Armies. Even against the odds, Hygelac and co. manage to fight with courage and wits, giving us a rewarding sense about what means the warrior's pride and honor.
By the other hand, Beowulf plot is more a pilgrim journey to the Saxland. I liked very much the descriptions and the trip, as this had a different taste. Beowulf was traveling more as a diplomat than a warrior. I also enjoyed, the relax trip and the chances that Beowulf had to further spread his legend. Then he learns that Hygelac is on trouble and run to support him without making it on time.
In general the plot is very straight forward, but I did not like the fact that the book was shorter. It could be better if things were not so rushed. I also, didn't like the fact that Beowulf sidekicks were not performing so much and the fact that Mighty Dayraven was a wimp. He never stood a change against Beowulf anyway and he died brutally, just to enlarge the list of enemies killed by the young Geatlord.
In any case, the book is great and delivers. Could it be longer, but it won't disappoint any who has read the previous books.
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