Viking Blood 3 "Revenge" Third book in the series "Viking Blood" by Marianne Slot. "Hauge draws his bow and aim at the big moose. The cold air makes his breath come out like clouds. This beast may better not escape! At last they are going to have some proper meat. Even at the recent Yule sacrifice they'd had nothing to offer the Gods but a goat. Their winter supplies had run out much too soon. But then there hadn't been a great deal of order at the slaughter this last fall, either. Hauge aim at the animal's shoulder holds his breath - and releases the arrow. But just then the scared animal jumps off, the arrow stuck in a hind leg. ....." Four years has gone and Hauge's mother Aasa has married Sven, hoping to help him become a better chieftain. The dumb slave-girl, Astrid, gives birth in secrecy to a stillborn child. Hauge is shaken when he learns who the father of the child is. The men travel to the winter markets in Skiringssal where many a good deal is done. Once again Hauge meets his friend Hannibal. But on their way home they are brutally attacked and many die; among them, Sven. Hauge is made chieftain and can finally avenge his father. But who is the young beautiful girl, Edwina, who was enslaved on a raid in England?

極寒の生存競争と宿命を、本作は冷徹かつ叙情的に描き出します。飢えが忍び寄る冬の情景は、単なる背景ではなく、ハウゲの精神的自立を促す過酷な試練として機能しています。静寂を切り裂く一矢が、彼の少年時代の終焉と、拭い去れない「血の責任」を象徴する瞬間の描写は、読者の魂を激しく揺さぶるでしょう。 復讐という古典的テーマに、指導者としての孤独と内省を注ぎ込んだ点も白眉です。凄惨な別れを経て若き首長となったハウゲが、憎しみと慈しみの狭間で揺れ動く様は圧巻。異国の少女エドウィナとの出会いが、閉塞した北欧の世界に投じる波紋も見逃せません。宿命に抗い、自らの手で未来を掴もうとする少年の成長譚は、気高くも切ない輝きを放っています。