“Save us, Lord, from the fury of the Normans!” – 1000 years ago, all of Europe prayed for this, with the exception of Ancient Rus', where the Vikings did not go on raids, but to be hired into the service of powerful Russian princes. (Contrary to the notorious “Norman theory”, the Scandinavian sagas testify to the backwardness and poverty of North-Western Europe in comparison with the richest civilized Russia, which amazed newcomers from the West with the improvement, abundance and almost universal literacy of the urban population.) One of these Varangian mercenaries was the hero of this novel, Harald the Severe, who was nicknamed the Last Viking. The name of this great king, sailor, conqueror and skald, is known to every Scandinavian. His exploits became legendary. And his poems addressed to the Russian bride were translated by K.N. Batyushkov and A.K. Tolstoy. In his youth, Harald had the opportunity to participate in the bloodiest battle in Norwegian history between Christians and pagans and flee from the revenge of the berserkers to Rus', where he became an ally of Yaroslav the Wise and fell in love with his daughter Elizabeth. But in order to win the hand and heart of the Russian princess, the young Varangian will have to do the impossible - go to distant Constantinople and get the secret of the all-burning “Greek fire”, which the Byzantines keep under pain of death... Read the first novel about the greatest of the Vikings, based on real events, compared with which Hollywood blockbusters and the best historical series pale in comparison!