"Whirlpool Whips Medieval Viking into future."
997 A.D. Shipbuilder Geirolf Ericsson is on a mission. He
has promised to his father that he would return a stolen
religious relic to its rightful place. The theft is
believed to have brought famine upon the Viking people.
Upon the sea, he is beset by a fierce enemy. Geirolf alone
survives the skirmish, as his longboat is shipwrecked and
sucked into a whirlpool. Holding fast to the ship's
figurehead, a scantily clad maiden he's named Ingrid, he
vows to survive to complete his mission and repay his enemy
for his vile deeds. 1997 A.D. Geirolf emerges from the whirlpool onto a calm
sea. Gazing upward at the heavens he spies an omen of his
destiny. High upon a cliff is the skeleton of a longboat,
the boat he is determined he must have to complete his
mission. Professor Meredith Foster has a mission of her own. She is
determined to complete a project left unfinished by her
late grandfather. Her grandfather's fondest dream was to
involve his students in the building of a replica of a
sailable Viking long ship, using traditional methods. He
had felt that the simple Viking way of life would teach his
students valuable lessons, regarding hard work,
reliability, and commitment. Meredith, 35 and divorced, is determined to see her
grandfather's project through to the end. Her grandparents
had been the sole source of joy in her life. She had never
been able to please her self-centered, bigoted parents, or
the stuffy ex-husband who had left her for a pregnant
mistress, after it was determined she could not bear
children herself. She has plenty of willing workers. Her
only problem is that she needs and expert on Viking
shipbuilding to carry out the project. Returning to her grandparents' home, she is accosted by a
scantily dressed man, a very tall muscular man, holding a
knife to her throat. She fears the worst. Naturally it is
Geirolf. When things calm down he tells his tale. He is
unable to believe that he has come 1000 years into the
future. She thinks he is a practical joke played by either
her assistant or her older brother. He must surely be a
real ship builder pretending to be a Viking. It isn't long before they both realize that the unthinkable
has happened. Geirolf HAS time traveled to the future! It
takes even less time for each of them to realize that they
are soul mates. Rolf respects Meredith's quest
as he too has a sacred mission he must honor to his family.
He agrees to help her build her ship, but he will also
build a smaller one for himself, for though it will
certainly break both their hearts, he must return to his
own time to honor his quest and perhaps save the Viking
people from certain starvation. This book is hilarious, as one would expect with a medieval
Viking trying to adapt to the twentieth century. He has a
special fondness for Oreo cookies! Of course it wouldn't
be a romance without a happily ever after, so never fear.
In fact a sequel to THE LAST VIKING, involving
Rolf's older brother, will be released this summer. The
title is TRULY, MADLY VIKING. It is sure to be as hilarious
as the first. Jorund Ericsson will travel to our present as well, but he
will find himself a patient in a mental hospital. Oh my,
and just who will believe his story there? Ah, not to
worry, he shall find his perfect mate and even visit with
Rolf and Meredith. I highly recommend THE LAST VIKING if
you enjoy humorous time travels and tall gorgeous Vikings.
Look for the sequel in July. Copyright © 2000 for PNR Reviews
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted February 26, 2002
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