Rachel Tsoumbakos - Vikings: The Truth About Lagertha and Ragnar

The Vikings and the sagas about them has always been a fascinating subject. They were a vicious breed, fierce, yet steeped in tradition and their own moral code. While many Vikings have captured the imagination of those who read about their feats, it seems the tales of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons are some of the most recognised today thanks to History Channels television series, Vikings . Along with Ragnar, the love story between him and the shield maiden, Lagertha, has created a fable that truly captures the imagination.

However, how much of this story is actually true?

For many of you, this book has been found because your curiosity has been piqued as a result of watching History Channels Vikings and you want to find out more about Lagertha and Ragnars story. Have you watched this series and fallen in love with these characters, but wondered how much of it is true but wondered about the truth? If so, this book is the perfect place to find out just how much of what you know about Lagertha and Ragnars story is correct. In my exploration, I will be referencing the television series and how they have helped to get the story rightand where they have gotten it wrong.

Vikings: The Truth about Lagertha and Ragnar will delve into the tales that involve this power couple and unravel the truth about Ragnar Lodbrok and his famed wife, Lagertha, the shield maiden. Along with this discovery, I will be exploring other versions of Ragnar and Lagerthas romance as viewed by historical documentation, as well as present day perceptions of this famous Viking couple.

Vikings: The Truth about Lagertha and Ragnar is also different to previous accounts of their tale. This book is both a historical discovery and a fictional adventure. Many books delving into the history of the Vikings are historical, nonfiction events that aim to uncover the truth according to the evidence. While my book will also include this sort of information, for those of you who prefer to learn about history by reading about it as if the people involved were characters in a novel, this book will interest you. Therefore, it does not need to be read from start to finish. If you are not interested in the historical documentation, feel free to skip the nonfiction section in favour of the fictional retelling. Both parts, after all, tell the same story.

Initially, when I set out to write this book, my intention was to look at the historical facts behind Lagertha and Ragnars story. The fiction side was going to be a secondary function to this. However, over the course of my studies, it has become apparent that most people are interested in the fictional retelling. As a result, I have now placed this section at the front of the book rather than at the end.

While each book in this series can be considered a standalone, there are also some parts of each story that become integral over different novels, so they can also be read as a series. Take, for example, Aslaugs tale. In Vikings: The Truth about Lagertha and Ragnar , Aslaugs story is touched on thanks to the timeline of Lagerthas involvement with Ragnar. However, there are also clues left behind that suggest there is more of Aslaugs story to tell. This will definitely be explored further by reading Vikings: The Truth about Aslaug and Ragnar .

As a result, all characters will be set in, basically, the same timeframe as each other. Some of these stories will certainly overlap, and, where possible, I have tried to maintain consistency between each novel. However, if there are conflicting stories, I will always choose to maintain the integrity from the individual sagas being used for each particular book. Therefore, this series will take on the oral tradition seen often with the Vikings in that every story can change with subsequent tellings.

If you are partial to a factual look into history, this book is for you. Various sources will be evaluated in an attempt to piece together the true story about Ragnar and Lagertha.

So, settle back and enjoy the ride.