Youthful Thron and Garad thrill to every tale of the vikings. Trapped at home with their mothers, both boys spend every summer dreaming of going viking with their fathers, anxiously awaiting their returns and the exciting stories they tell. But not every viking goes well. Many Norsemen die, and some whole ships sail off and never return. The women hate the costs of the vikings and the loss of men; more widows than wives live in Norway. Yet the boys laugh at their warnings, dreaming of fighting bravely, watching your enemies flee from you, and enriching yourselves on the golden treasures and willing women your enemies abandon. Then Thron and Garad sail upon their first viking expedition ... and learn the ugly truths behind the fanciful tales. No pleasure cruise awaits; the viking voyages were deadly, brutal, and savage. After centuries of raids, their enemies know who they are, when they are coming, and why they invade. Mighty fortifications are built to thwart them, and enemy ships sail to catch and sink them. Rowing proves more difficult than expected, especially when being chased. Fighting beside the village men, Thron and Garad must face the costs of the vikings that the women scorned, which they had foolishly ignored. Quickly Thron and Garad discover the murderous realities of going viking ... and the inevitable secret that stalwart dedication to the traditions of their fathers could eventually doom all of Scandinavia.