Beowulf meets The Lord of the Rings meets Bernard Cornwell in an epic novel of vengeance, faith and the power of myth.
To the Danes, he is skraelingr; to the English, he is orcneas; to the Irish, he is fomoraig. He is Corpse-maker and Life-quencher, the Bringer of Night, the Son of the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. He is Grimnir, and he is the last of his kind-the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued humanity since the Elder Days.
Drawn from his lair by a thirst for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, Grimnir emerges into a world that's changed. A new faith has arisen. The Old Ways are dying, and their followers retreating into the shadows; even still, Grimnir's vengeance cannot be denied.

Taking a young Christian hostage to be his guide, Grimnir embarks on a journey that takes him from the hinterlands of Denmark, where the wisdom of the ancient dwarves has given way to madness, to the war-torn heart of southern England, where the spirits of the land make violence on one another. And thence to the green shores of Ireland and the Viking stronghold of Dubhlinn, where his enemy awaits.

But, unless Grimnir can set aside his hatreds, his dream of retribution will come to nothing. For Dubhlinn is set to be the site of a reckoning-the Old Ways versus the New-and Grimnir, the last of his kind left to plague mankind, must choose: stand with the Christian King of Ireland and see his vengeance done or stand against him and see it slip away?

Scott Oden - author of the acclaimed Men of Bronze and The Lion of Cairo - brings together history, myth and fantasy in an epic tale of vengeance and faith, of the Old Ways versus the New, and of a monster - the last of his kind - against mankind.

About the Author
Scott Oden was born in Indiana, but has spent most of his life shuffling between his home in rural North Alabama, a Hobbit hole in Middle-earth, and some sketchy tavern in the Hyborian Age. He studied history and English at the University of Alabama. He is an avid reader of fantasy and ancient history, a collector of swords, and a player of tabletop role-playing games. His previous books include Men of Bronze, Memnon, and The Lion of Cairo. When not writing, he can be found walking his two dogs or doting on his wife. To find out more, visit scottoden.wordpress.com

Reviews
Oden has done a marvellous job . . . a true triumph. * PARMENION BOOKS *
A magnificent mytho-historical saga, blending the history of 11th century Europe with Norse and Celtic mythology. A dark, grim and unrelentingly bloody tale of the last Orc and his quest for vengeance. Highly recommended. -- JOHN GWYNNE, bestselling author of The Faithful and the Fallen
Set in a vividly-imagined world where history and myth blur, Scott Oden's gripping and bloody tale of monsters and men carves out a fantastic new legend for this modern age. -- JAMES WILDE, bestselling author of the Hereward series
Everything that a Grimdark novel should be, sharp witted, dark and dangerous. Highly recommended for anyone who loves action, good characters and, you know, an amazing story. I loved it! -- JAMES A. MOORE, author of the Seven Forges series and The Last Sacrifice
Swirling together Norse mythology with a Tolkien-esque writing style (there are even songs!) . . . if you like your fantasies with a serrated edge, this tale will be right up your alley. * OMNIVORACIOUS *



Book Information
ISBN 9780553819847
Author Scott Oden
Format Paperback
Page Count 480
Imprint Bantam Books (Transworld Publishers a division of the Random House Group)
Publisher Transworld Publishers Ltd
Weight(grams) 327g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 127mm * 29mm