The Raven Banner by Tim Hodkinson
Einar Unnsson will be a great warrior, whether he wants it or not.
AD 935 - Late Winter, City of Jorvik.
Einar Unnsson is destined to be a great Icelandic warrior. He has already defeated the men sent to kill him by his notorious father, Jarl Thorfinn, the 'Skull Cleaver' of Orkney. He has a gift that makes him lethal in battle. Yet he has cast it all off to be a bard.
When three men attack him, Einar's poetry provides little protection. Luckily, the skilled archer and Norse-Irish princess Affreca saves him. She'd assumed Einar had left to raise an army, challenge Thorfinn and seize the Jarldom of Orkney. Now she's determined to set him back onto his rightful path.
Einar soon finds himself entangled on Affreca's own mission. She's seeking the Raven Banner for King Eirik. Legend has it that the banner is imbued with powerful magic. That it was a gift from the Norse God Odin and any army that marches behind it will be victorious. The quest sets events in motion that are beyond Einar's control.
Einar has no choice but to face his fate and swing his sword once more...
Praise for Tim Hodkinson:'An excellently written page-turner, with a feel for the period which invites you into the era and keeps you there' Historical Writers Association.
'A gripping action adventure like the sagas of old; and once finished, you just want to go back and read it all over again' Melisende's Library.