Start 2026 with the right kind of escapism: Vikings!

My series The Saga of Hasting the Avenger is getting a makeover by Vinci Books.

Gold Medal Winner – Reader’s Favorite International Book Awards.

Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Kristian, James L. Nelson, and Robert Low.

His is the story of a boy who was a slave, who became a warlord, and who helped topple an empire.

Orphaned by a blood feud and sold across the sea, Hasting should have vanished into history. Fate had other plans. Under the eye of the gods and the hand of a Viking warrior, he rises beyond survival to lead.

In a brutal world of oath-breakers and ambition, he finds a rare light: a woman named Ása. When she is stolen from him, his journey turns to fire. What begins as a quest driven by love becomes a saga of vengeance that will echo across the ages.

From the icy fjords of the North to the sun-scorched cities of the Moors, Hasting’s legend spreads with every raid, every betrayal, and every battle won. He becomes the first Viking to sack a fortified Frankish city—Nantes—and with his name now carried by skalds and kings alike, he unites a fearsome alliance of sea kings—their goal: Paris.

But even Paris is not the end. As storms gather and loyalties fracture, Hasting sets his sights beyond the bounds of the Carolingian Empire—to Constantinople, the seat of Roman emperors and gateway to the East.

His is a saga of blood, ambition, and destiny—of a man who dared to defy fate, carve his name across the world, and prove that, in the end, reputation is everything.

The Saga of Hasting the Avenger is a visceral, gripping Viking epic inspired by the true story of one of the most daring warlords of the 9th century.

PRAISE FOR THE SERIES:

Kirkus Reviews: "Richly developed fictional adventures of a real Viking on an epic journey through Europe. Our verdict: Get it!"

The Historical Novel Society: "If you want to sit down with an extremely well-researched tale involving heroic battles, first loves, and the making of a legend, this book is for you. Recommended."

Reader's Favorite: "Filled to the brim with interesting and accurate details about the Viking period that are sure to have fellow history fans deeply fascinated, with an intelligent balance between historical research and the furthering of the narrative. Highly recommended."

The Book Commentary: "Richly detailed, conveying the harsh truths of Viking life and the visceral landscape of Northern Europe. From fierce ocean battles to intimate moments of domesticity, Adrien creates a world where the elements play an integral role in shaping the characters' fates, reflecting the brutal yet vibrant nature of the Viking Age. The prose is delectable, and the overall writing is cinematic."

Johanna Wittenberg, author of The Norsewomen series: "A thrilling action tale that leads us through the eastern Viking lands, leaving us breathless by the end."

Ian Stuart Sharpe, author of The Vikingverse: "CJ Adrien's Fell Deeds of Fate is a riveting journey through time, delivering a Viking Age saga for the ages. A masterwork filled with thrilling encounters and dramatic twists that holds you captive till the very last page."

J.M. Gillingham, author of the Ten-Tree Saga: "C.J. Adrien has laid forth another saga worthy of the heroes of old. With many narrative tie-ins and continuations from Adrien's The Saga of Hasting the Avenger trilogy, new and old fans are in for a ravens-feast of sharpened steel, shining silver, and long-hidden secrets!"

D.W. Roach, author of the Marauder series: "A vivid historical depiction of a world lost to time. Brilliant, complex, a true underdog tale."

Mary Enck, author of A King in Time: "I am awestruck by how immersed I felt while reading this story."