✦ Author of Norse Historical Fiction ✦
Saga-Teller · Keeper of the Old Stories
"Foolish is the man who lies awake at night, worrying about his troubles. In the morning he finds his troubles are still there, only now he is tired as well."
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Tim Hodkinson grew up in Northern Ireland, where the rugged coastline and the call of the Atlantic Ocean led to a lifelong fascination with Vikings and a degree in Medieval English and Old Norse Literature.
With a deep knowledge of the sagas and medieval history, Tim weaves gripping historical adventures that bring the Viking Age vividly to life — from the frozen fjords of Iceland to the war-torn shores of Francia. His acclaimed Whale Road Chronicles series has won praise from the Historical Novel Society and The Times alike.
Tim lives in Moira, Northern Ireland, with his wife Trudy and three daughters. He is currently working on new Viking adventures for Ares Fiction, an imprint of Head of Zeus.
As praised by
"Epic, violent storytelling and great fun to read"
— The Times
"A brilliantly written historical adventure which will appeal to fans of Bernard Cornwell, George R.R. Martin, and Theodore Brun"
— Historical Novel Society
✦ The Complete Works ✦
The Saga Chronicles
Book I
Odin's Game
2019
Book II
The Raven Banner
2020
Book III
The Wolf Hunt
2020
Book IV
The Serpent King
2021
Book V
The Bear's Blade
2022
Book VI
Blood Eagle
2023
Book VII
Eye of the Raven
2024
Book VIII
The Blazing Sea
2025
The Richard Savage Series
Book I
Lions of the Grail
2012
Book II
The Waste Land
2015
The Undead of Belfast
2015
The Savage Forest
2015
Sword of the War God
2025
✦ Dispatches from the North ✦
January 2025
Book Eight of the Whale Road Chronicles is here. Einar Unnsson's journey has taken him from the ice-locked shores of Iceland to the sun-drenched courts of Muslim Spain, and now — in the Mediterranean's treacherous waters — he faces his greatest challenge yet. I wanted to share some thoughts on writing this instalment and how the research led me down some extraordinary historical rabbit holes...
Continue Reading →September 2024
One of the great mysteries of early medieval history is the location of the Battle of Brunanburh, fought in 937 AD — a clash that Old English poets called the greatest since the Angles and Saxons first came to Britain. Eye of the Raven reaches its climax at this battle, and the research was as gripping as any saga...
Continue Reading →May 2024
Thought and Memory — two ravens that fly across the world each day and return to whisper all they have seen into Odin's ears. This image from the Eddas has always fascinated me. It speaks of a god who hungers for knowledge above all else, who sacrificed an eye and endured self-hanging to gain wisdom. In writing the Whale Road Chronicles, I've tried to honour this idea...
Continue Reading →November 2023
My parents used to take us to see the megaliths and castles scattered across Northern Ireland. What might look to others like unremarkable hillocks were, to my childhood imagination, sites of ancient battles. I remember riding my bike to see Norman remains near Lisburn, and wondering about the people who had built them. That sense of history breathing beneath the landscape never left me...
Continue Reading →— More posts coming soon —
✦ Send Word ✦
Whether you're a fellow traveller of the old sagas, a bookseller, a journalist, or simply someone who got lost in the Whale Road — I'm glad you found your way here. Fill in the form below and your message will reach me in Moira, Ireland.
Your words have crossed the Whale Road. I shall reply as swiftly as a longship with a fair wind.