Meadowland

In 1037, a senior civil servant of the Byzantine empire faces a tedious journey to Greece, escorting the Army payroll. His only companions are a detachment of the Empire's elite Guard, recruited from Viking Scandinavia.

When the wagon sheds a wheel, he passes the time talking with two veterans, who have a remarkable story to tell; the Viking discovery of America.As he records the story, years later, he also considers its effect on the fourth member of the party; a young Norwegian guardsman who went on to become King Harald Hardradi, who died invading England

in 1066 …

ReviewFour hundred and fifty years before Columbus, America had already been abandoned by European settlers… A new historical novel from the author of A Song for Nero, Alexander at World’s End, Olympiad, and The Walled Orchard novels.

From the PublisherThe year is 1036. John Stetathus, a middle-aged civil servant from Constantinople, is volunteered to accompany the army payroll to Sicily. Traveling with him are twelve iron chests filled with gold coin and three soldiers from the Varangian Guard—the elite troops recruited from Scandinavia. When their wagon loses a wheel somewhere near Corinth, all they can do is wait and talk. And the Varangians have a remarkable story to tell. For two of the men, originally from Ireland, once knew a man called Leif Erikson. And all three of the soldiers, some years earlier, had founded a settlement on a large island they called Meadowland. In his memorable new historical novel, Thomas Holt tells the story of the Vikings' discovery of America.