THUNDER GOD

A young man, struck by lightning, is believed to be a keeper of the Norse religion''s greatest secret. When war breaks out against the rising tide of Christianity, he must embark on a journey where he must confront his own gods, and the gods of a people yet more savage. 'The action sweeps across oceans and continents... As with all Watkins'' work, the writing is terse and physical, the themes big and resonant.'' Tatler; ''A Viking Odyssey... Thunder God vividly charts the voyages of Hakon, a fisherman''s son who is struck by lightning, kidnapped by raiders, taken to Miklagard (Constantinople), where he becomes part of the Emperor''s personal guard, caught up in a raid on the Welsh coast, storm-driven across the Atlantic...'' The Times; ''The rich physical descriptions are matched by an equally sure understanding of the ways of religious belief... This unusual, fluent novel suggests that Watkins remains a force to be reckoned with.'' Sunday Telegraph; ''A thundering good read... Watkins is a master of suspense, and his action sequences have a visceral power'' Sunday Times''