“This novel by William Sullivan (of Oregon hiking guide fame) is based on a true historical incident. In 1910, an ancient Viking burial ship was discovered inside a hill on a farm in Norway. From this springboard, Sullivan develops two parallel storylines. He follows the archeological dig, introducing us to Kristen, an archeologist who works hard to unearth the mystery of the find. The other plot follows the Norwegians who built the ship in the 800’s A.D. through the twisted threads of three generations. Sullivan alternates between these two plots, and his storytelling genius is such that at the end of each chapter, I was left thinking, “No, I want to stay with these people and see what happens to them!” But by the end of the next chapter, I was burning to know what happened to the other characters! That’s partly because the characters. Kirsten (1910) and the fierce queen Asa and plucky princess Gytha in the Viking age are both admirable and endearing. This super book has everything—love, kidnapping, betrayal, revenge, adventure, heroic journey. It’s all told in such a way that I felt like I was right there with them.” —Amanda MacNaughton, Paulina Springs Books, Sisters, OR
Face Out
The Ship in the Hill by William Sullivan
November 18, 2010