Why Vikings?

By RobOn January 5, 2021April 10, 2024

Why Write about Vikings? – by Rob Shackleford

As part of my perpetual drive for better exposure as an author, and hopefully to allow promotion and sale of my books, an activity my Publisher is failing to engage in, I have to bite the bullet and write more blogs.

So, why Vikings?

My first three novels, Traveller Inceptio, Traveller Probo and Traveller Manifesto are a gentle science-fiction and historical fiction blend that start with the premise that a device was invented that would allow people from our age to be transported back in time, but strictly 1000 years only. As the device, the Transporter, is freely described in academic publications, the discussions as to how it could be best used are not secret, but are promoted in public discourse. Ultimately it is decided to create a group of specialised historical researchers called Travellers from members of elite military Special Forces, humanity’s most accomplished survivors, of nations involved in the research and funding of the Transporter: Australia, the United States, Great Britain and Canada.

When I originally wrote the first novel, Traveller Inceptio, the whole Traveller term was unique. The greatest fear of any author is to create a novel that has already been done. Now, cheesy, second-rate science-fiction Netflix programmes have joined the Outlander franchise and the Traveller labelled Time Travel concept is there. But reviewers still tell me my novels are unique, well-written and a great read, so I am only grateful they enjoyed reading about the universe that I, as an author, have created.

Vikings in Traveller Inceptio

According to Angelo Forte, Richard D. Oram and Frederik Pedersen, authors of “Viking Empires” (Cambridge University Press, 2005), the Viking Age generally refers to the period from A.D. 800, a few years after the earliest recorded raid, until the 1050s, a few years before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. So, this time of 1000 years in the past as mentioned in my books, lies smack-bang in the middle of this era.

While Vikings are not the main theme of Traveller Inceptio, which concentrates on a 21^st Century Special Forces soldier’s attempts to survive and assimilate into Saxon society of the early 11^th Century, this era was when Vikings are in the process of conquering the peoples and kingdoms that we know as England and Scotland.

So, my hero does, inevitably, come into contact with members of the Viking conquering forces.

Keeping in mind that I wrote Traveller Inceptio and Traveller Probo before the hit series, ‘Vikings’ made an appearance, I had to engage in a lot of detailed research to learn of the peoples of the time. While I could never hope to compete with such a series, nor do I consciously wish to ride along its coat-tails, the fact that I am writing of the time and peoples that lived in England 1000 years ago should appeal to some lovers of the Vikings franchise.

So, along with the need to grow my public profile and sacrifice to the Gods of Social Media, I will, over the next few months, be posting a series of Blogs about my research into Vikings: their origins, their society, and beliefs.

I most welcome comments and corrections. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, my research might be awry.

I really should start watching ‘Vikings’ too.

About the author:

Hi, I’m Rob Shackleford. I am author of a number of novels, though so far only Traveller Inceptio and Traveller Probo have been officially published. As Traveller Inceptio looks at the fates of modern historical researchers sent to the early 11th Century Saxon world, Vikings do feature.

Below are the Amazon links for the two novels so far.

In reading my novels, I ask if you wouldn’t mind posting a review and, perhaps, a picture of yourself with my book – either paperback or on kindle. Link to me on Social Media. I most welcome your comments and images.

I hope you enjoy.