The Ice Queen

--- "Odin's Child" is the first of author Bruce Macbain's 'Odd Tangle-Hair Saga' trilogy. Impressively well written, "Odin's Child" is an inherently fascinating read and documents Macbain's considerable storytelling talents in crafting truly memorable characters and deftly embedding them into a complexly woven and solidly entertaining story that will leave his readers looking eagerly toward the next title in this outstanding series. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. - James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review

---Macbain has turned from his home stomping grounds of ancient Rome to this first in a new Viking series. His writing is vivid and compelling, and his understanding of Norse and Icelandic culture and history is woven deftly throughout the tale. The cast of characters is well-fleshed out and Odd makes for a wonderful protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I eagerly await its sequel. Highly recommended." -- Justin M. Lindsay, Historical Novels Review

---"Meticulous research and poetic writing make Odin's Child a multilayered masterpiece in the genre of historical fiction. It brings medieval Scandinavia vividly alive. Written with passion, peopled with superbly realised characters, I was gripped from the very first page of this historical novel." -- Carol McGrath, author of The Handfasted Wife and The Swan-Daughter

---This first book of “Odd Tangle-Hair’s Saga” is a triumph for Macbain, previously known for clever detective novels set in ancient Rome. Odin’s Child takes place in 11th century Iceland, where Odd grows up as the younger son of Black Thorvald, a once-fierce warrior who has fallen into bitter melancholy as the ways of the “White Christ” overcome the worship of Odin and Thor. When a rival chieftain rigs a murder charge against Odd and his brother in order to acquire Thorvald’s farm, the bloody consequences leave 16-year-old Odd no choice but to flee his homeland on a stolen ship with a ragtag crew. His ambitious plans to go a-viking and return, laden with gold, to take revenge on his family’s enemies go utterly awry as he is swept into extraordinary adventures with a Lapp shaman who saves his life, a battle for the kingdom of Norway, and captivity in superstition-ridden Finland. Quite aside from the colorful settings, full of battle-lore and wonderful detail, Macbain’s skill is in letting us see how this inexperienced boy, haunted by the loved ones he has lost and desperate to prove himself, begins to know and trust himself as a man. - Sherry Christie

---Odin’s Child is easy and clear reading, filled with cultural nuances that envelope the reader in Odd’s adventures and experiences. The sheer brutality of the times even seems naturally done, though it’s horrific to think that the way to revenge is through splitting your enemy’s skull in two with a hefty axe.
Because of the great attention to cultural and historical detail, I think this would make a great addition to any university’s Icelandic or Norse literature program. And to anyone interested in historical fiction centred on Icelandic and Norse traditions, this is not to be missed! - Kristin Ravelle

Praise for Bruce's Roman Mysteries:

When Sextus Verpa, the emperor's number one informant, is murdered in his bedroom, Emperor Domitian wants the killer found and gives young, naive lawyer and senator Pliny the Younger 15 days to do the job. If he fails, Verpa's household slaves will be burned alive in the arena. MacBain, a scholar of ancient Greek and Roman history, leads the reader down the mean and dirty streets of Rome to find a conspiracy of hatred and greed that ends in an entanglement of diverse religious groups united by a mutual hatred of the emperor. VERDICT This debut is sure to appeal to fans of Steven Saylor and Lindsey Davis. -- Library Journal

Macbain's debut novel convincingly re-creates everyday life in ancient Rome, weaving real and fictional characters with aplomb. -- Kirkus Review

"Macbain's love of the ancient world is manifest on every page ... a highly atmospheric and absorbing murder mystery that builds to an earthshaking climax." - Steven Saylor, author of many novels of Ancient Rome including the Sub Rosa series

The story is full of suspense with nice twists which keep the reader occupied. Roman History Books and More --Roman History Books and More

Bruce Macbain keeps his saga fresh with a strong look at the decadence at the end of the first century in which an ethical hero struggles to keep his morality and his head. The story line is fast-paced as the two opposite ins status and outlook sleuths unite following clues that are religious and political dangerous as separation of state denotes separation of one's head. This is an enjoyable whodunit due to the Roman background interwoven throughout the historical mystery. --Harriet Klausner"

"I thought it brilliant, a fantastic weave of fact with fiction in a brutally described Rome, rigid with hierarchy and fear. I really enjoyed the disillusionment that Plinius suffers at the end as the slaves are burnt alive for the collective good of the coup and ultimately Rome itself if one considers the era that Nerva ushered in. An excellent series. And I look forward to more."" —Robert Fabbri, author of Vespasian, Tribune of Rome on Roma Far from Rome, mass murder complicates a provincial governor's fight against local corruption.

In A.D. 108, Gaius Plinius Secundus ventures east with his young wife, Calpurnia, and an entourage to the province of Bithynia-Pontus, on the Black Sea, where resentment against the empire runs high. Newly appointed as governor, Pliny's feted at the home of Marcus Vibius Balbus, the Fiscal Procurator of the province, and senses unrest there. His instinct proves correct when Balbus goes missing, as does his chief accountant, Silvanus. Nearly two weeks later, Balbus' partially decomposed body is found in a deep gully, transforming Silvanus into the prime suspect in his murder. Embezzlement of some kind is suspected of either or both of the men. Although the locals are inclined to blame everything on the infidel Persians, Pliny is neither so gullible nor so bigoted as to adopt this view. Pancrates, a slick, fraudulent fortuneteller who seems to exert a Rasputin-like control over several powerful locals, becomes a key figure in Pliny's investigation. So do the unctuous orator known as Diocles the Golden Mouth, who seems to pop up around every crime scene, and Glaucon, a hotheaded magnate who used to be a wrestler. On the personal front, Pliny struggles to deal with marital incompatibility; Calpurnia, who is prone to spontaneous outbursts, would rather play with her maid Ione than her husband. Packed with colorful characters and a strong sense of history, Pliny's second adventure (Roman Games, 2010) takes its time developing its whodunit but consistently entertains along the way. —Kirkus Review