Where is Book 5?

I have had several very kind, gracious inquiries from readers recently asking about the status of book 5. An update on that is due.

First, let me reveal that there now are going to be two more books in the Strongbow Saga series, a fifth and a sixth book. I was hoping to fit the remainder of the story into one long book, but have come to realize that that’s not the best choice for several reasons. First, the remainder of the Strongbow Saga has two very distinct plot arcs. The first, which will now be book 5, concerns the company’s journey into the area that is now Northern Russia, in an attempt to find and rescue Sigrid. The second, which will be book 6, concerns the return voyage to Denmark—a relatively short segment, but one that will contain some significant plot developments—then the journey on to Ireland, where the final confrontation with Toke will take place. The two arcs are more logically two books than one, plus there’s no way I could complete both this year, which is a strong argument for splitting them up.

A major part of the delay in getting book 5 out was the research necessary to write the Russia part of the story. The history of the Vikings in Russia is not nearly as well known or understood as is their history in the west, in their own homelands, in Europe, and in England. There is quite a lot of source material available for those areas, including accounts actually written during the Viking era, saga stories, and archeological findings, plus numerous works summarizing and/or analyzing the underlying historical data.

By contrast, for the period in which the Strongbow Saga is set—the mid 9th century—there is relatively little data available about Russia. There are essentially no contemporaneous accounts, save one or two brief, cryptic mentions in Frankish sources, and only a few mentions in the old sagas. Most of the data is just archeological findings, which, while they reveal the presence in the north-western Russia area of Viking-age Scandinavians, do not provide a clear picture of what exactly was going on there. The picture is further muddled by the fact that the later-written annals of the Rus, the Russian kingdom which was founded by Swedish Vikings beginning sometime in the mid to late 9th century, are more legend than fact when trying to tell the origin story of the Rus kingdom.

I write by “seeing” the scenes of the story in my mind, then putting those visual images into words. For a long time, I could not “see” Viking Russia clearly enough for that process to work. But eventually I finally did process the very extensive amount of researched data into an understanding of what I believe is a very likely historically accurate composite of mid-ninth century Viking Russia. Once I could “see” the setting, the story began to fall into place, and the Russian segment of the story is now largely worked out. That is not to say it has been completed—I’m still in the process of going from notes and outlines to fully fleshed out, finalized pages—but I do believe I can complete and publish book 5 before the end of this year, barring unforeseen problems.

Progress on book 5 has been, in fact, delayed in recent months by unforeseen problems, in that both my wife and I had to deal with some health issues that ate up a lot of our time. And living on a farm as we now do, there is always work to be done that cannot be ignored, and must take priority when time is limited. But those health issues seem to be behind us now, thankfully, and hopefully will not delay my writing any more.

I do apologize for how long this next installment has been taking, and appreciate my readers’ patience and understanding.

Leave a Reply to Justin PerfittCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

36 thoughts on “Where is Book 5?

  1. I love checking your page every now and then and finding an update! I’ve been working and traveling abroad for a few years now and I always bring one of the books of the Strongbow Series with me because they never fail to make the long bus rides and waiting in airports pass much quicker. Currently have my battered and well-loved copy of The Road to Vengeance with me in Morocco! Can’t wait to read the fifth.

  2. So glad to hear that the books coming along I understand the delays your books have inturduced me to the Viking world and I love because of it I have started taking HEMA classes as well as reading everything I can about Vikings

  3. Just letting you know that a teenage boy is anxiously awaiting the next installment! He has been asking me since I started to work here three years ago. And tonight he reminded me again…..I am sure he wishes you well as he loves your books.
    Catherine the librarian

  4. Glad you and your wife’s health has turned for the better. Can you give a closer date than end of the yr. Would love to have a date so I could reread the series and be able to purchase the 5th book and read it seamlessly straight on from the fourth book. Thanks.

  5. Do we know a time yet? I have read the series about 5 or 6 times now. I have become so anxious about it I have had to pick up reading other books. The “Viking Warrior” was the first book I read through ever and its was the only series I read for about 7 years. I have read 4 others series’ in the last couple of years to keep me distracted. I do hope all is well with you and your wife. I am just curious when I will be able to be a viking again.

    • Thanks Justin, and I am so sorry about how long it has been. I do feel I’ve let readers down. When my wife and I moved to our homestead farm six years ago, we had no idea how much work and time this new life would constantly require. We love it, but it can be exhausting, and it has certainly thrown my writing far behind. That said, I still believe I can get book 5 out by the end of this year. It is progressing, and I’m pleased with it so far.

      • There is absolutely no reason for you to apologize for living your life. And you have far from let any reader down. The story you have created is mind blowing and amazing. Take your time and make the books exactly the way you want them because that way they will be an amazing read for all of your readers to enjoy.