New Review: Violetta Rand’s BLIND MERCY – Another Fast-Paced Viking Tale!

This is Rand’s second novel and book 2 in the Blind series. The story begins in York in 1058, as Rachelle Fiennes’s parents are killed and her uncle Sir Henry Fiennes becomes her guardian. Years later, in the aftermath of the Battle at Stamford Bridge in 1066, where King Harold defeated the forces of the King of Norway, Rachelle searches the battlefield for her uncle, worried he may be dead, and stumbles over a Norwegian warrior, Tyr Sigurdsson.

Tyr, a powerful half-English jarl, wants to recoup his losses from the failed invasion and so takes Rachelle back to Norway thinking to ransom her, but his passion for the English girl leads him in another direction. Tyr has his enemies, however, and soon the bastard son of the fallen Norwegian king decides to claim Rachelle as his own. All of which leads to an exciting finish.

This is a novel that takes you to the very end of the Viking Era. Rand writes very well and the story is quite entertaining. As with Rand’s first novel, BLIND ALLEGIANCE, at times the story seems a bit modern in the choice of some words and phrases and the behavior of the heroine. And, of course, they didn’t use surnames in the 11th century. But the story will nevertheless hold your interest. If you ever wondered what happened to the Vikings, this will answer that question!