Heir to the Bear Clan of Valheim, young Raknar anticipates the day he will become chief and lead his clan across the sea to pillage foreign shores. When his village is sacked, his clan put to the sword, Raknar must forge a new destiny, alone. Captured during a raid on the Kingdom of Acheron, Raknar is enslaved by the diabolical Queen Zakara. She forces him to fight as a gladiator in the pits, but her true interest in Raknar lies in the fulfillment of a dark prophecy that will provide her an heir and unlock unworldly power. Escaping to the exotic land of Byzantia, Raknar steals to survive, captures the heart of Princess Yabala, and is banished by the emperor for his impudence. Unable to win Yabala’s hand, he becomes a raider on the steppes, certain he will never see her again. But the gods have other plans for him. When Raknar learns that Queen Zakara has kidnapped Princess Yabala, Raknar must return to the dungeons of Acheron to face the queen and her fell sorceries once and for all. Raknar: The Northman is the first standalone novel set in the gritty Hystoria fantasy world. It contains graphic violence, profanity, and sexual content, and is therefore intended for a mature audience.