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Best Viking Historical Fiction Book.Series (2026)

Five viking historical fiction series books compared by fit, contents and value, from an 11-book saga starter to a romantic fantasy.

Best Viking Historical Fiction Book.Series (2026)

At a glance

Top picks

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we score

Shield walls, sea kings and vengeance oaths: the best viking historical fiction book.series picks below span full sagas, and we scored five books by fit, contents and value.

ShelfAnswers earns a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

Quick picks

  • Viking Blood and Blade
    Best Overall Viking Blood and Blade: Book 1 of 11, 485 pages, start the saga here Check price on Amazon
  • Son of Anger by Cook
    Best Series Starter Son of Anger by Cook: Book 1 of 5, 374 pages, vengeance tale Check price on Amazon
  • Axes for Valhalla by Gibbons
    Best for Saga Fans Axes for Valhalla by Gibbons: Book 3 of 11, 403 pages, Hundr’s story continues Check price on Amazon
  • Viking: The Green Land
    Best Iceland Voyage Viking: The Green Land: Book 3 of 4, 464 pages, 982 A.D. Check price on Amazon
  • The Road of Bones by Winters
    Best Romantic Fantasy The Road of Bones by Winters: Book 1 of 4, Viking-inspired romance Check price on Amazon

The picks

Viking Blood and Blade

Viking Blood and Blade

Peter Gibbons9.8/10 Shelf Score
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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of an 11-book saga, 485 pages, for readers who want to start the series at the beginning.

Pros

  • Book 1 of 11, the place to start the saga
  • 485 pages, the longest here
  • 865 A.D. setting with Ivar the Boneless

Cons

  • Independently published, not a traditional publisher
  • Book 1 of 11, a long series commitment
  • 2021 edition, no newer printing stated
Son of Anger by Cook

Son of Anger by Cook

Donovan Cook9.8/10 Shelf Score
i
The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of a 5-book saga, 374 pages, for a vengeance tale from a small farm in Vikenfjord.

Pros

  • Book 1 of 5, a clean series start
  • 374 pages, the quickest read here
  • Available in paperback and hardcover

Cons

  • Book 1 of 5, a series commitment
  • 2020 edition, no newer printing stated
  • Revenge plot may feel familiar to saga readers
Axes for Valhalla by Gibbons

Axes for Valhalla by Gibbons

Peter Gibbons9.7/10 Shelf Score
i
The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 3 of the same saga, 403 pages, for readers already following Hundr's story.

Pros

  • Continues the Viking Blood and Blade Saga
  • 403 pages of battles and shield walls
  • 873 A.D. setting, Viking Dublin

Cons

  • Book 3 of 11, not a starting point
  • Independently published, not a traditional publisher
  • Assumes you know the earlier books
Viking: The Green Land

Viking: The Green Land

Katie Aiken Ritter9.7/10 Shelf Score
i
The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 3 of 4, 464 pages, for Iceland 982 A.D. and a voyage to a legendary land.

Pros

  • 982 A.D. Iceland voyage setting
  • 464 pages, the second longest here
  • Deep historical research, per the listing

Cons

  • Book 3 of 4, not a starting point
  • 2016 edition, the oldest here
  • Assumes you know the earlier books
The Road of Bones by Winters

The Road of Bones by Winters

Demi Winters9.7/10 Shelf Score
i
The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of 4, for readers who like their Vikings with romance and fantasy.

Pros

  • Book 1 of 4, a clean series start
  • Viking-inspired romantic fantasy
  • 2023 publication, the newest here

Cons

  • Romantic fantasy, not pure historical fiction
  • No page count is stated
  • Book 1 of 4, a series commitment

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Compare the picks

Book Shelf Score Pages Series Book # Published Amazon
Viking Blood and Blade 9.8/10 485 Viking Blood and Blade Saga 1 of 11 2021 Check price
Son of Anger by Cook 9.8/10 374 Ormstunga Saga 1 of 5 2020 Check price
Axes for Valhalla by Gibbons 9.7/10 403 Viking Blood and Blade Saga 3 of 11 2022 Check price
Viking: The Green Land 9.7/10 464 Norse Adventure Series 3 of 4 2016 Check price
The Road of Bones by Winters 9.7/10 Not stated Ashen 1 of 4 2023 Check price

Page counts and series details are as listed, collected 18 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit, contents and value. How we pick explains the weights.

Book Shelf Score Fit /35 Contents /25 Value /25 Age/level /10
Viking Blood and Blade 9.8 33 22 21 n/a
Son of Anger by Cook 9.8 33 21 21 n/a
Axes for Valhalla by Gibbons 9.7 30 21 20 n/a
Viking: The Green Land 9.7 29 21 20 n/a
The Road of Bones by Winters 9.7 30 20 20 n/a

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best viking historical fiction book.series

Start at book 1

Two picks are series starters: Viking Blood and Blade (book 1 of 11) and Son of Anger (book 1 of 5). Axes for Valhalla is book 3 of the same saga as Viking Blood and Blade, and The Green Land is book 3 of 4, so both assume you know the earlier books. The Road of Bones is book 1 of 4. For sagas that reward reading in order, browse our book club books lists.

Pure history or romantic fantasy

The Gibbons, Cook and Ritter books are historical adventures with battles and vengeance: Hundr fights Saxons and treachery, Ulf avenges his family across oceans, and Tiller sails for a legendary land. The Road of Bones is described as Viking-inspired romantic fantasy, with creatures of darkness alongside the warbands, so it suits readers who want magic with their longships. If the reader wants other eras too, our historical fiction books by era list covers them. Pick the shelf that matches the reader’s taste.

Before you buy

  • Check which book of the series you are buying: two of these are book 3.
  • Page counts run 374 to 485 where stated; The Road of Bones states no page count.
  • The Gibbons books are independently published; the others list traditional publishers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I start the Viking Blood and Blade Saga?

With Viking Blood and Blade, book 1 of 11. Axes for Valhalla is book 3 of the same saga.

Which are series starters?

Viking Blood and Blade, Son of Anger and The Road of Bones are all book 1 of their series.

Which has the most books in the series?

The Viking Blood and Blade Saga runs to 11 books, the longest here. The Ormstunga Saga has 5, and the Ashen and Norse Adventure series have 4 each.

Which is the longest?

Viking Blood and Blade at 485 pages, then The Green Land at 464 pages.

Viking Blood and Blade
Still deciding? Our top pickViking Blood and Blade
Check price on Amazon

See every book club books list and all fiction lists.

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