Reviews of Njall & The One-eyed Lord
by Bob Flaws

Ninth century Orkney is the setting for a new piece of historical fiction by American author Bob Flaws. Of Orcadian descent, Njall & The One-eyed Lord is Flaws’s debut in this field and ties together his interest in the genealogy and history of the Northern Isles. The novel hurls the reader back to Viking Orkney around the time covered by the opening chapters of the Orkneyinga Saga. Central to the story is Njall, a young Orcadian boy from Westness on Rousay. With each page, the reader is drawn into Njall's world and into the political intrigues and action that the Orkneyinga Saga is famed for.       

Interspersed with Njall's escapades, we come across great saga heroes, such as Harald Finehair, Aud the Deep-minded, and Rognvald the Wise. Their appearances drift in and out of the narrative as the story rips along at a great pace – although, at times, this pace can make it slightly difficult to keep track of what's going on "behind the scenes." However, this actually adds to the "saga-like" feel of the piece, so is a minor grumble.       

There is always a tendency with any piece of historical fiction – especially when the subject material is so close to home – to concentrate too much on the veracity of the historical elements than following the story. My suggestion? Forget about it. Flaws has done a good enough job. So settle back and let the story carry your imagination along though a magical, heroic, but brutal age.

– Sigurd Towrie, The Orcadian

Something about the title of this book made me think it was going to be a cheesy Viking fantasy adventure.  But it's not.  It is a really well done, historically researched, account of a man living in the Orkney isles.  The author introduces some well known viking figures, a slew of Norse terminology, and overall some insight into just what it might have been like to live during the viking era.

– Robert Dominy, Ierne, Celtic history & fiction, www.dominy.com/ierne

I just finished Njall & The One-eyed Lord last night and it was a rattling good yarn. Reading it became very real as I sat beside the peat fire with a glass of whisky.

– Lord Malcolm, Earl of Caithness, Chief of Clan Sinclair

An interesting new book from Bob Flaws.

– Jeffrey Elric Diehl, The Northern Gnostic