The King Forever: The Life of Olaf the Holy, the Bloodiest Viking

Before you is a biography of the Viking hero, recognized as a Christian saint and proclaimed the "eternal king of Norway." For Norwegians, Olaf Haraldsson is an even more important figure than Arthur for the British, but unlike the British "king of once and future," Olaf actually existed. From a young age taking part in Viking sea raids, he was a glorious conqueror, but it was he who doomed the Viking way of life to disappear, forcing Norway to abandon its ancient gods. Nowadays, Vikings have become an object of cult. They star in series and are the subject of bestselling novels. Nevertheless, outside of Norway and a narrow circle of historians, Olaf is almost unknown. Desmond Seward has filled this gap by writing a dramatic and captivating biography of King Olaf.