The Way of the Raven (The Lost Viking Saga)
Whether construed as harbingers of doom or revered as sacred messengers, the appearance of ravens propels the stories in this dual timeline novel. Set in both 14th-century and contemporary Newfoundland, it offers readers a compelling look at the differing types of interactions between Norse and Native American cultures over time.
The story begins with Thormod, one of the last survivors of the Norse settlement in Greenland, whose fleeing ship was destroyed on the coast of North America. He and his compatriots are now living with the Beothuk, the tribe of Native Americans who saved and sheltered them. Thormod hears rumors of pale-skinned men in more southern forests, so he and his friends set out to find these strangers in order to learn Greenland’s fate. In contemporary Newfoundland, a Norwegian-initiated lawsuit against a Canadian fertilizer company begins. Leonard, a Norwegian physician, and Kathryn, a Canadian scientist of Native American heritage, become intwined in an investigation of the company’s attempt to hide evidence of carcinogenic effects of its pesticide’s use.
The two storylines become connected through dreams experienced by Thormod, Leonard, and Kathryn. All three feel that they are somehow experiencing events of the past, present, or future through other human lives. Love, exhilaration, fear, longing, and sadness play out during these dreams. Additional characters further inject turbulence but also add to the layers of understanding. Synchronicity comes into play as well as events unfold.
Although written as the second volume in a series, this book can be read and savored on its own, even with some details of its denouement left hanging. Written in descriptively vivid prose, this novel would appeal to readers interested in both dreamscapes and historical Norse and Native American interactions. Highly recommended.
