Perilous / The Extraordinary Lives of Hamlet and Horatio (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781943691647)

David Orsini's novel PERILOUS - The Extraordinary Lives of Hamlet and Horatio portrays the world-famous Hamlet and his brotherly cousin Horatio as Viking heroes. Readers will be drawn to Hamlet's and Horatio's courage and to their warrior spirit. They will also approve of the realistic battle scenes, the themes of loyalty and betrayal, the portrayal of women as brave and resilient, and the male bonding that tests courage and allegiance.

This compelling novel explores exciting territory. It is set not in Shakespeare's English Renaissance variation of a Danish kingdom. Instead, the novel takes place in the tenth-century Viking era. PERILOUS - The Extraordinary Lives of Hamlet and Horatio returns the Hamlet story to its Northern origins. The novel captures the sweep and the ferocity of the Norse sagas. Hamlet is not a Renaissance prince who becomes a prisoner of his anguish and his hesitation. Hamlet and his brotherly cousin Horatio are Viking warriors. They are activists fighting for their survival and for the upbuilding of an honorable country. The novel introduces new leading characters, such as Ingrid (Horatio's brave wife) and Gunnhild (Hamlet's fearless aunt). Other new characters who influence the narrative include Signe, Astrith, Thorberg, Eyvind, Magnus, and Alfgeir. The novel expands and deepens the character of Horatio and enables him to stand with Hamlet as a brave warrior and a dominant figure. It also reinterprets the characters of Ophelia and Fortinbras. Its main concern is Hamlet's and Horatio's struggles to make the world cleaner and the sacrifices they make as they fight fearlessly and savagely to make their world better.