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Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
In the fifth book in C.J. Adrien’s Saga of Hasting the Avenger, The Empress and Her Wolf, the Viking anti-hero Hasting and his hardened, oath-bound crew sail deep into the treacherous heart of the Byzantine Empire in the ninth century. Empress Theodora hires Hasting to help recapture the fortress of Serres from Bulgar invaders, but the Norse mercenaries soon find out that their greatest battles are beyond the sword. Swept into the labyrinthine court politics of Constantinople, Hasting must confront deadly assassins, religious factions, and a deepening conspiracy that hits at his own heart. A personal tragedy forces him on a path of vengeance at the same time when a heretical movement known as the Paulicians threatens to destroy the empire from within. Hastings must fight on multiple fronts, including distant lands and the cunning enemies within the walls of the empire.
C.J. Adrien's historical novel is intriguing, featuring pulse-pounding action that makes the book difficult to put down. The first-person narrative voice makes the story intimate, irresistibly drawing the reader into Hasting’s inner world. He is a character in whom I invested a lot of time, enticed by his flaws, his grief, and his desire for revenge. While he is flawed, he can also be tender. Theodora is another fully-drawn character, guarded and possessing the kind of authority that reflects the imperial period. The Empress and Her Wolf is fast-paced and punctuated by relentless action that takes readers from open-field battles to infiltrations through tunnels. The worldbuilding mirrors a meticulous attention to military action and the cultural clash between the Byzantine statecraft and Viking fatalism. The story delivers adventure and explores the cost of power and what it means to serve with loyalty.
