What if someone had conquered the Vikings, someone claiming to be their gods?
What if King Arthur’s knights met a very different metal-clad warrior?
What if you were ordered to execute a statue, and hanging just didn’t seem to work?
These short stories explore different aspects of history, some of them grounded in reality, some alternative takes on the past as we know it. Stories of daring and defiance; of love and of loss; of noble lords and exasperated peasants.
This short collection contains five stories:
Holy Water – a pair of medieval peasants struggle with faith and futility as they try to execute a statue.
Farewell to a Foreign Shore – a Viking sets sail from the raiding lands.
Odin’s Mirror – Vikings face the image of the divine in an alternative Dark Ages.
From the Sea – a messenger is plagued by visions on his run from Marathon.
Sir Cai, the Shining Knight – an Arthurian warrior proves to be more than he appears.
From reviews of the author’s other short stories:
“Andrew Knighton paints a vivid picture and sweeps you up in the story from the very start.”
“I found myself drawn in to the world of this story right from the first page.”
"It is hard to pick a favourite story, because they are all so good. A truly excellent short story collection."
Reviewer: Reader for Bookangel.
Snapshots and short stories from historical settings and alternate pasts. A religious icon is sentenced to death for murder, but the executioners have to work out how to kill a wooden statue when damaging it is heresy. A Viking faces his memories, another faces his gods, and Phillipedes make his marathon run, along with many more.
The author has a genuine gift for language, and painting a picture of a world with very few words. The result are short stories rick in detail, plot, and character with just enough of a twist on the familiar to readers guessing and pages turning. Several of the stories have a sci-fi twist, with first contact occurring far early, but while the reader can see the situation, guessing how the characters will react is still gripping.
I read it once, tried to skim it for the review and found myself wondering where a couple of hours had gone. It is hard to pick a favourite story, because they are all so good. A truly excellent short story collection. Rating:5
Well I love short stories, and the fact that you are having trouble picking between good ones is just making me feel that I have found a good little collection here. Thank you for this one, and I can't wait to see what it has in store.
