Jerome Miller

The Last Great Viking: a Novel Jerome Miller

The year is 1030 AD. Prince Harald of Norway is rescued from the battlefield where his half-brother, King Olaf, lies dead. Reunited with loyal comrades, he leads them in three longships to Novgorod in Rusland, then to Kiev. Under the patronage of Prince Jaroslief he establishes his reputation as warrior. Three years later, he travels to Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. As mercenaries in the Varangian Guard, he and his men prove their worth: a campaign against pirates, the siege of Edessa, a mission to the Holy Land, an invasion of Bulgaria. They become the elite contingent of the emperor's armed forces: forays in the Adriatic Sea and North Africa, then in the battle for Sicily against Moslem forces where his cavalry guarantees victory. Back in Constantinople, he receives one of the highest imperial honors. Despite another Bulgarian war, he becomes embroiled in the intrigues to replace the dying emperor with a dangerous successor. Having achieved his goal of amassing wealth and fame, he feels obligated to stay until the crisis is resolved. He is instrumental in saving the throne for the legitimate dynasty. This epic of action and romance of a real Norse hero ends in 1042 AD.