Product details
- ISBN 9781036714390
- Dimensions: 129 x 198mm
- Publication Date: 08 Oct 2026
- Publisher: Vinci Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Paperback
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From the award winning author of The Lords of The Wind (Gold Medal Winner – Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards)
838 A.D. Chaos reigns.
After rising from slavery, Hasting must learn what it means to rule.
The death of King Horic leaves the Viking armies in Frankia fractured and leaderless. Old alliances collapse. Ambitious rivals move quickly to claim land, power, and lives. Hasting, once a survivor, now stands at the centre of the chaos, forced to hold together a fragile following in a world where loyalty is easily bought and quickly broken.
As he struggles to unite Danes and Northmen under his command, word reaches him of an old wound that has never healed. When the past resurfaces, what begins as a fight to secure his territory becomes a far more personal reckoning.
Moving through pagan and Christian lands, among Franks, Celts, and Vikings, Hasting is tested not only as a leader, but as a man. Siege, imprisonment, and betrayal strip away certainty and mercy alike. Each victory strengthens his hold on power but pushes him further from the life he once imagined.
Inspired by the true exploits of the Viking warlord Hasting, In the Shadow of the Beast is the second novel in The Saga of Hasting the Avenger, a sweeping historical epic of loss, war, and the dangerous weight of power. Reviewed and recommended by The Historical Novel Society.
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Praise for The Saga of Hasting the Avenger Series
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Hasting goes from impetuous youth to a shrewd and cunning warrior.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Right up there with Bernard Cornwell.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Historical fact mixed with fiction in a plausible way.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Great Viking adventure.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fast-paced, brutal battles that held my interest throughout.
Through his writing, Adrien invites readers to see the Viking world not merely as a distant past but as a mirror for our modern struggles. In addition to his novels, he teaches online history and writing courses and delivers guest lectures worldwide. He currently resides in France with his wife, sons, and pug, Captain Jean-Luc Pugcard.
