Boekverslag: Viking's Dawn
Uitgegeven door Heinemann Educational Books, Londen.
Eerste uitgave in 1955, onder andere herdrukt in 1973
Samenvatting
At the beginning of the book, a boy, Harald, and his father, Sigurd, are watching a castle that?s burning. It?s the castle of the man they were working for, but now the castle burnt down they have no job anymore. They decide to go to the nearby village, and find out if there?s work for them there.
Meanwhile, in the village, the villagers are building a boat. The boat is almost finished, and they want to go ?a-viking? with the boat, so they can gather money and get rich. They think the rest of the world is very rich, so that they can get a lot of money in a short time. Then a man arrives. It is Thorkell Fairhair, a very strong and brave man. All the villagers have respect for him and some believe that Odin, the god they believe in, has sent him. [ Because on page 19 it says: ?Some whispered that Odin had sent him down? ]
Wolf Waterhater, Thorkell?s friend, arrives also.
When the boat is finished and Thorkell has checked it he begins choosing the crew. There are 40 men needed. But many more men volunteer. One by one they come to Thorkell, and he decides wheter they can come with him or not. One of the men he chooses is Gnorre Withing. He was abandond from his home country Finland because he killed a man. So first Thorkell wasn?t ver pleased to have him on board. But then another man, Aun Doorback, tells that the man Gnorre killed was evil, and that he would have done the same. Then Thorkell chooses both to come with him. Also chosen is Horic, a strange man from Lapland. He says that he can tell the winds which direction to blow. But at the end Thorkell still needs 2 more man. At that moment Harald and Sigurd enter the village, so they are chosen also. But then another man appears, Ragnar, an old friend from Thorkell. [ Because on page 44 it says ?Ragnar, he (Thorkell) said, we are blood-brothers and come what may you shall share my fortune? ] The ship still has to be named. But because no one comes up with a good name, they call it The Name-less.
The next morning Horic changes the direction of the wind, so that they can sail. Ragnar says that he wants to join the crew, but he is not allowed, because there are already 40 man in the crew. But when they put the boat in the water, Sigurd breaks his leg, so that he can?t join the crew. Now Ragnar is allowed to join the crew, because they are one man short. But later that day Harald hears Ragnar speaking to some men that he is planning to steal the ship when they?re sailing, and then give it to his own people, the Deens.
At last the ship sails away. Harald tells Thorkell what he heard, but Thorkell answers that he already had heard about that. Then Thorkell tells Harald that he will treat Harald as being his son, because his real father couldn?t come with him. Kragge, a man from the crew, says that he thinks that Ragnar would be a bether leader then Thorkell. Most men agree with him, but Harald and some other men support Thorkell. Just when they are discussing this they see land.
Before leaving the ship they eat a lot so that they will be strong enough to fight, if needed. At last they sail towards the shore. But before they reach it, they meet another ship. After they have conquered the ship, it turns out that the men on the strange ship are Picts, just like Wolf Waterhater. One of the men on the ship, a druid, asks Wolf why he doesn?t join the Picts. Wolf refuses to join the Picts. But he commands not to harm the Picts, and so they sail away. When the Picts have gone, the Name-Less sails further to shore.
When they reach it, and leave the ship, they hear a horn. First they think this is a sign for a fight, [ because on page 85 it says: ?They (the Vikings) ran into the shadows, drawing knives and swords, or unhooking the axes from their girdles? ] but then a man comes to them, and tells that his master would like to receive them like friends. But Ragnar doesn?t trust the man and wants to kill him. Just in time Aun Doorback notices this and stops him.
The people that are living here turn out to be Picts also. There leader is called Dubgal and his son Feinn. Thorkell and Feinn become friends. A big feast is hold, and all men dance. Then everybody goes sleeping. Then, in the middle of the night, Harald hears Aun calling that the Picts had betrayed them. They get into a fight and Harald gets hurt on his shoulder. At last they can escape, but they have lost 12 men.
Later, while the Vikings attack a village to get some food, six Picts try to destroy their ship. The Vikings catch them, and the six Picts are used like slaves. [ Because on page 99 it says: ?And took the men aboard to act as oarsmen, and later to be sold as slaves? ] When they sail further they run into another ship. It turns out to be the ship of Knud, a cousin of Thorkell. Thorkell gives Harald his first sword because Harald has survived his first battle.
But Harald is still sick, because his wound wasn?t treated right. Then they meet some fishermen from Orkney, who are family of Aun. One of the fishermen, Olaf, says that his wive, Asa, knows how to treat Haralds wound. The Vikings, who were out of water at that time, decide to go to Olafs house. When they arrive at Olafs house they decide to stay a while so that they can repair the ship. Meanwhile, Harald his shoulder heals quickly due to the good care of Asa. Then Thorkell becomes blind. Most men leave him and now call Ragnar there leader. Only Horic, Gnorre, Aun and Harald, stay loyal to Thorkall. But Ragnar becomes the leader, and says that they will sail back home. Thorkall can?t do anything against it and has to admitt that Ragnar is the leader now.
Then they meet a ship with monks who are carrying a treasure for God. The Vikings steal the treasure and catch one of the monks. But when the ship arrives at Leire?s Dun it crashes on the rocks by the shore. Most men drown in the water. Those who survive are catched by Leire, the leader.
Leire commands to put the Vikings in the prison. In the prison Ragnar tells Thorkell that he is sorry for his behave. Thorkell forgives him. Ragnar and some other Vikings come up with a plan to escape from the prison, and asks who will follow him. Everybody follows him except Thorkell, Harald, Horic, Aun, Wolf, Gnorre and John, the monk. The next morning Ragnar and his followers escape from the cell, but once they are out of the prison they get killed by Leire?s men.
The other Vikings try to escape by digging a hole under the door of the cell. But when the hole is big enough to escape trough, the tunnel almost collapses. Gnorre is to weak to come with them and Aun says that he wants to stay with Gnorre. So, while Aun keeps the tunnel from collapsing, everybody but Gnorre escapes. Then, when everybody went trough the tunnel, the tunnel collapses and Aun dies. The others run to the see and see the Name-Less, totally destroyed.
They steal a small boat and sail away. there is a heavy storm and the boat breaks into pieces. Wolf, Horic and Thorkell drown in the water. John takes a piece of the boat and holds himself to that, while he holds Harald in his other hand. Harald gets unconcious. When he wakes up he is on another ship. The crew that saved him tells him there was not another man when they found Harald. Harald understands that Joh has kept him above water until he saw the ship. Harald is the only survivor of the crew.
After a few months he returns to his village, where his father also is. They?re planning to build another ship and go a-viking once more. [ because on page 167 it says: ?Perhaps if we waste no time we shall be there before they launch her (the new boat)? ]
Oordeel achteraf
Zoals verwacht hoefde ik niet veel tijd te besteden in het lezen van het boek. Maar ik moet wel zeggen dat het boek me tegenviel. Het was veel minder spannend dan ik had gedacht, en ik vond het zo nu en dan ook vrij voorspelbaar of ongeloofwaardig. Een van die ongeloofwaardige dingen was bijvoorbeeld dat Horic de richting van de wind kon bepalen. Misschien dat dit zo is omdat het een boek voor wat jongere lezers is, maar het zorgde er wel voor dat ik niet zo veel plezier in het boek had.
Eerste uitgave in 1955, onder andere herdrukt in 1973
Samenvatting
At the beginning of the book, a boy, Harald, and his father, Sigurd, are watching a castle that?s burning. It?s the castle of the man they were working for, but now the castle burnt down they have no job anymore. They decide to go to the nearby village, and find out if there?s work for them there.
Meanwhile, in the village, the villagers are building a boat. The boat is almost finished, and they want to go ?a-viking? with the boat, so they can gather money and get rich. They think the rest of the world is very rich, so that they can get a lot of money in a short time. Then a man arrives. It is Thorkell Fairhair, a very strong and brave man. All the villagers have respect for him and some believe that Odin, the god they believe in, has sent him. [ Because on page 19 it says: ?Some whispered that Odin had sent him down? ]
Wolf Waterhater, Thorkell?s friend, arrives also.
When the boat is finished and Thorkell has checked it he begins choosing the crew. There are 40 men needed. But many more men volunteer. One by one they come to Thorkell, and he decides wheter they can come with him or not. One of the men he chooses is Gnorre Withing. He was abandond from his home country Finland because he killed a man. So first Thorkell wasn?t ver pleased to have him on board. But then another man, Aun Doorback, tells that the man Gnorre killed was evil, and that he would have done the same. Then Thorkell chooses both to come with him. Also chosen is Horic, a strange man from Lapland. He says that he can tell the winds which direction to blow. But at the end Thorkell still needs 2 more man. At that moment Harald and Sigurd enter the village, so they are chosen also. But then another man appears, Ragnar, an old friend from Thorkell. [ Because on page 44 it says ?Ragnar, he (Thorkell) said, we are blood-brothers and come what may you shall share my fortune? ] The ship still has to be named. But because no one comes up with a good name, they call it The Name-less.
The next morning Horic changes the direction of the wind, so that they can sail. Ragnar says that he wants to join the crew, but he is not allowed, because there are already 40 man in the crew. But when they put the boat in the water, Sigurd breaks his leg, so that he can?t join the crew. Now Ragnar is allowed to join the crew, because they are one man short. But later that day Harald hears Ragnar speaking to some men that he is planning to steal the ship when they?re sailing, and then give it to his own people, the Deens.
At last the ship sails away. Harald tells Thorkell what he heard, but Thorkell answers that he already had heard about that. Then Thorkell tells Harald that he will treat Harald as being his son, because his real father couldn?t come with him. Kragge, a man from the crew, says that he thinks that Ragnar would be a bether leader then Thorkell. Most men agree with him, but Harald and some other men support Thorkell. Just when they are discussing this they see land.
Before leaving the ship they eat a lot so that they will be strong enough to fight, if needed. At last they sail towards the shore. But before they reach it, they meet another ship. After they have conquered the ship, it turns out that the men on the strange ship are Picts, just like Wolf Waterhater. One of the men on the ship, a druid, asks Wolf why he doesn?t join the Picts. Wolf refuses to join the Picts. But he commands not to harm the Picts, and so they sail away. When the Picts have gone, the Name-Less sails further to shore.
When they reach it, and leave the ship, they hear a horn. First they think this is a sign for a fight, [ because on page 85 it says: ?They (the Vikings) ran into the shadows, drawing knives and swords, or unhooking the axes from their girdles? ] but then a man comes to them, and tells that his master would like to receive them like friends. But Ragnar doesn?t trust the man and wants to kill him. Just in time Aun Doorback notices this and stops him.
The people that are living here turn out to be Picts also. There leader is called Dubgal and his son Feinn. Thorkell and Feinn become friends. A big feast is hold, and all men dance. Then everybody goes sleeping. Then, in the middle of the night, Harald hears Aun calling that the Picts had betrayed them. They get into a fight and Harald gets hurt on his shoulder. At last they can escape, but they have lost 12 men.
Later, while the Vikings attack a village to get some food, six Picts try to destroy their ship. The Vikings catch them, and the six Picts are used like slaves. [ Because on page 99 it says: ?And took the men aboard to act as oarsmen, and later to be sold as slaves? ] When they sail further they run into another ship. It turns out to be the ship of Knud, a cousin of Thorkell. Thorkell gives Harald his first sword because Harald has survived his first battle.
But Harald is still sick, because his wound wasn?t treated right. Then they meet some fishermen from Orkney, who are family of Aun. One of the fishermen, Olaf, says that his wive, Asa, knows how to treat Haralds wound. The Vikings, who were out of water at that time, decide to go to Olafs house. When they arrive at Olafs house they decide to stay a while so that they can repair the ship. Meanwhile, Harald his shoulder heals quickly due to the good care of Asa. Then Thorkell becomes blind. Most men leave him and now call Ragnar there leader. Only Horic, Gnorre, Aun and Harald, stay loyal to Thorkall. But Ragnar becomes the leader, and says that they will sail back home. Thorkall can?t do anything against it and has to admitt that Ragnar is the leader now.
Then they meet a ship with monks who are carrying a treasure for God. The Vikings steal the treasure and catch one of the monks. But when the ship arrives at Leire?s Dun it crashes on the rocks by the shore. Most men drown in the water. Those who survive are catched by Leire, the leader.
Leire commands to put the Vikings in the prison. In the prison Ragnar tells Thorkell that he is sorry for his behave. Thorkell forgives him. Ragnar and some other Vikings come up with a plan to escape from the prison, and asks who will follow him. Everybody follows him except Thorkell, Harald, Horic, Aun, Wolf, Gnorre and John, the monk. The next morning Ragnar and his followers escape from the cell, but once they are out of the prison they get killed by Leire?s men.
The other Vikings try to escape by digging a hole under the door of the cell. But when the hole is big enough to escape trough, the tunnel almost collapses. Gnorre is to weak to come with them and Aun says that he wants to stay with Gnorre. So, while Aun keeps the tunnel from collapsing, everybody but Gnorre escapes. Then, when everybody went trough the tunnel, the tunnel collapses and Aun dies. The others run to the see and see the Name-Less, totally destroyed.
They steal a small boat and sail away. there is a heavy storm and the boat breaks into pieces. Wolf, Horic and Thorkell drown in the water. John takes a piece of the boat and holds himself to that, while he holds Harald in his other hand. Harald gets unconcious. When he wakes up he is on another ship. The crew that saved him tells him there was not another man when they found Harald. Harald understands that Joh has kept him above water until he saw the ship. Harald is the only survivor of the crew.
After a few months he returns to his village, where his father also is. They?re planning to build another ship and go a-viking once more. [ because on page 167 it says: ?Perhaps if we waste no time we shall be there before they launch her (the new boat)? ]
Oordeel achteraf
Zoals verwacht hoefde ik niet veel tijd te besteden in het lezen van het boek. Maar ik moet wel zeggen dat het boek me tegenviel. Het was veel minder spannend dan ik had gedacht, en ik vond het zo nu en dan ook vrij voorspelbaar of ongeloofwaardig. Een van die ongeloofwaardige dingen was bijvoorbeeld dat Horic de richting van de wind kon bepalen. Misschien dat dit zo is omdat het een boek voor wat jongere lezers is, maar het zorgde er wel voor dat ik niet zo veel plezier in het boek had.
Andere boekverslagen van boeken geschreven door Henry Treece
2
boekverslagen
Viking's Dawn
