Legend of the Last Vikings - Taklamakan by Halsted, John - December 2006: Taklamakan

London: Abela Publishing, December 2006. First edition. Hardcover. New/new. Y Ping. A VIKING EPIC! The Indiana Jones of the 11th Century! Finalist – ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award .Action, Adventure and Romance from Norway, across the Steppe and along the Silk Route into China’s notorious Taklamakan desert! Experience friendship, dignity, honour, love, betrayal and greed against the backdrop of a hostile environment which gives no quarter – just what one expects from a Viking.As the Viking age is brought to an end in 1066 with ignominious defeat at the battle of Stamford Bridge, a rag-tag group of Vikings conclude the quiet life is not for them and they decide to go-a-Viking one last time. They retrace a journey of their youth across the European Steppe and down the mighty Dniepr River enroute to Byzantium. However a chance discovery in a Kiev library leads them to venture even further afield, further East - to Astrakhan, across the Caspian sea, up the mighty Oxus river, through Parthia and Bactria and along the ancient Silk Route into Asia and Tian Xia (China).Engaged in a battle not of their choosing, they inflict fatalities on the sinister and evil Black Scorpions who want to exact their revenge. Pursued, they flee by night across the Roof of the World and meet the remnants of the "lost" European tribe of Asia, the Hepthalites, who offer them protection in their city, hidden in the Tien Shan - the Celestial Mountains. A place where romance is kindled and love unexpectedly blossoms. During their winter sojourn in the Hidden City they gather more clues, and in the spring continue with their quest, on into the Taklamakan desert. The desert so called by locals because those who venture in seldom venture out. More danger and peril lies in wait for this rag-tag Viking crew as they travel along the Silk Route - the world's first super-highway. At the eastern end of their journey they meet the Lang Ren, the Wolf people of Lou Lan, outcasts thieves and criminals living in an abandoned city in the desert. A city without water. A city about to die. A city in which the final clue to their quest is uncovered. What fate awaits this rejected element of Asian society? Can this motley crew intercede on their behalf?Will the fundamental cultural differences between the Vikings, Jews and Moslems in the group cause them to self destruct, or will the adversities they face cause them to overcome these differences and become a unified fighting unit? ------------------------------------ This is a wonderful blend of fact and fiction, putting flesh on the dry bones of history, demonstrating the insatiable restless human desire for discovery, adventure and the pursuit of knowledge.Be drawn into a classic sojourn which spans many religions and beliefs and incorporates the ingredients of friendship, dignity, honour, love, betrayal and greed; against the backdrop of a hostile environment which gives no quarter – just what one expects from a Viking.An intellectual read, leaving the door open with a promise of more to come … Riveting stuff!Paul SweetlandEXCELLENT! The book tells a story that captures the reader on several levels. What appears to be an historical novel becomes an adventure set in a background of rich experiences and wide diversity. This adventure, alongside the stories of the different settlements and religions, and that of a moving love story, means that this book provides a compelling and exciting journey of discovery for both the characters in the book and the reader themselves. Laura Stannard USA & Canadian Customers - books are printed in the USA. Please contact us for prices and postage in US$. Booksellers. Please contact us for trade/wholesale pricesAn adventure which skilfully combines history and fiction into a page-turner. A wonderful story.David Lighterness  Books hot off the press direct to you" US Customers - Select local shipping rates DO NOT select world zone 1 rates.