Sveneld. The Silver Path

Each novel by Yelizaveta Dvoretzkaya is an exciting adventure—the world of Ancient Rus’ is right there on the pages of the book. Her heroes earn genuine respect, their actions make you feel and rejoice, and their fates are so engaging you can’t stop reading without finishing to the end.

In spring of 914, a united force from the Russian lands returns from a campaign to the Khazar Sea, bringing considerable spoils. Having broken the agreement, Hakan-bek’s cavalry will attack them at the campsite near Itil, forcing them in brutal battles to defend both their loot and their own lives. But even for those who manage to survive, hardship is only beginning. The southern part of the force, led by the prince of Plesnets, Amund Yotun, attempts to break through by the usual route—through the portage from the Volga to the Don. The northern force, headed by two brothers from Holmgarð—Sveneld and Godred—has to go the other way, into the unknown. To return home, they will need to find a completely new path to their homeland through the lands of unfamiliar peoples. And at home, Sveneld is waiting for Vitislav—his young wife. Three years ago, when he took the daughter of the prince of Veligrad as war spoils, she was only eleven years old. While he was away on a foreign campaign, she grew up and became an adult woman. When Sven returns, they will finally have to truly get to know each other.