Winter's Fire

(The Rise of Sigurd 2): An atmospheric and adrenalin-fuelled Viking saga from bestselling author Giles Kristian

By: Giles Kristian

Narrated by: Philip Stevens

A thrilling and breathtaking Viking saga of betrayal, bloodshed and brotherhood from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lancelot, Giles Kristian. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Games of Thrones.

"Nobody writes this type of swaggering historical fiction better than Kristian" -- THE TIMES
"A belter of a novel...perfect for fans of historical fiction and fantasy alike, from Cornwell to Abercrombie" -- BEN KANE
"Combines gritty, brutal history with the lyrical essence of men as war...written with a panache that made the pages fly by. More!" -- ANTHONY RICHES
"I love a good Viking romp and these are really good!" -- ***** Reader review
"Giles Kristian certainly knows how to spin a yarn." -- ***** Reader review

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A VOW OF VENGEANCE MUST BE KEPT...

Norway AD 785. Sigurd Haraldarson has proved himself a great warrior . . . and a dangerous enemy.

And yet the oath-breaker King Gorm, who betrayed Sigurd's father, still lives.

The sacred vow to avenge his family burns in Sigurd's veins, but he must be patient and bide his time as he knows that he and his band of warriors are not yet strong enough to confront the treacherous king. They need silver; they need more fighters to rally to the young Viking's banner; they need to win fame upon the battlefield.

And so the fellowship venture to Sweden, to fight as mercenaries. And it is there - in the face of betrayal and bloodshed, on a journey that will take him all too close to the halls of Valhalla - that Sigurd's destiny will be forged...

The Vikings return in this thrilling, thunderous sequel to Giles Kristian's bestselling God of Vengeance. Sigurd's adventures continue in Wing's of the Storm.

Critic reviews

Storm-blown, salt-flecked and gore-spattered, Winter’s Fire is a belter of a novel. It’s just what I have come to expect from the master storyteller, Giles Kristian, whose books throw the reader headlong into the Viking age . . . this is a stirring tale of comradeship, bloodshed and treachery. It’s perfect for fans of historical fiction and fantasy alike, from Cornwell to Abercrombie. (BEN KANE)

Wild as the waves, savage as a wolf pack in full flight, this is Viking writing at its best. bloody and savage and glorious, this tale of courage and cunning, of vengeance and of lives touched by the Gods is all we could possibly ask for from a historical novel: perfect. (MANDA SCOTT)

Nobody writes this type of swaggering historical fiction better than Kristian. Big swords, bigger beards and lots of action, all delivered with real panache and poetry. (ANTONIA SENIOR)

There are authors whose work I take the time to savour. Ben Kane for gritty, brutal history. Christian Cameron for the lyrical essence of men at war. Joe Abercrombie for grim, scarred characters with no choice except to fight and die. Giles Kristian’s Winter's Fire combined all three, but blended with a panache that made the pages fly by in a single sitting. More! (ANTHONY RICHES)

Simply stunning.

Another Triumph

A worthy sequel to the first book in the trilogy. Although not as meaty as the first book, it is still a very good read for its vivid battle scenes and colorful dialogue. It should prove a great set-up for the finale which I am about to greedily devour. I will most certainly keep my eye on this author and expect him to have a sterling storytelling career!

A good solid story.

When I first started listening to this series, it seemed like it was going to be your generic "Viking tale". You know lot's of raiding, killing, drinking, sex and talk about the gods. I figured there would be that one character who wasn't quite like the rest and that character would turn out to be our hero/ adventurer with a better moral compass then his companions. But this story is so much more then that. It's deep and thought provoking. It really feels like your right next to them on this adventure. The characters are all compelling and diverse, and yes you have that one character who is set a part from the rest, but every character in this book brings life too it. I would compare this read/ listen to the great Bernard Cornwell stories. It really is a good solid story, and I can't wait to see how it plays out.

Fantastic!

Third listen .... Amazing reread fireside saga tale. It will get your blood up and keep you in the gym for sure🤘SKOL!

cannot wait to start the next book!

great story well told. looking forward to the next book. went through this one very quickly

Band of “brothers” ... and a sister

Another fun listen about an entertaining group of warriors out for revenge.. and plunder. They all hold their own, but together they are even stronger. The story was good and kept my interest but not great. Added a star for keeping my interest, but I missed the historical details and character building of the first. The writing was still superb at times and much better than I could ever do!
The narration was a mismatch for me. The odd inflection and added dramatics took away from a well-written story. There were numerous times I thought it would have been a better read. The last book in the series is in my queue.