• Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland

  • Norsemen Saga Series #1
  • By: James L. Nelson
  • Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
  • Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (680 ratings)

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Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland  By  cover art

Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland

By: James L. Nelson
Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
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Publisher's summary

AD 852. For centuries the Vikings have swept out of the Norse countries and fallen on whatever lands they could reach aboard their longships, and few could resist the power of their violent onslaught. They came at first to plunder and then to settle, an encroachment fiercely resisted wherever they went.

Such was the case in the southern lands of Ireland. En route to the Viking longphort there, known as Dubh-linn, Thorgrim Night Wolf and Ornolf the Restless stumble across an Irish ship that carries aboard it a single item: a crown. The Vikings eagerly snatch the prize, unaware of its significance to the people of Ireland and the power granted to the king who wears it. Soon the Norsemen are plunged into the violence and intrigue of Medieval Ireland, where local kings fight with each other and with the invaders from the north for rule of the island nation. With enemies at every hand and loyalties as fickle as the weather, Thorgrim must lead his men, the white invaders, the Fin Gall, in the fight of their lives, with both Irish and Dane eager to see them dead.

©2012 James L. Nelson (P)2015 Tantor

What listeners say about Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    377
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Tolerable with this trick

The story is good, not great, but good enough that I've bought the second in series. Narrator is intolerably slow however, not bad, just slow---so I used a trick I read in another audible review and upped the narration speed to 1.25 and it's great! Historically interesting about the Vikings in Ireland as well as Irish history.

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37 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Hard to hear

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I didn't listen to the entire book. The narration was really bad. So no the short time I spend listening to this was not time well spent.

What was most disappointing about James L. Nelson’s story?

Couldn't get thru the book b/c of the performance.

How could the performance have been better?

I'm sure the narrator thought he was channeling HBO's Peter Balish, but really he sounded like Ben Affleck's Batman loudly whispering

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

When I read my physical copy I'll let you know.

Any additional comments?

The story seems interesting. I think I'll use my eyes to enjoy it however.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not bad

Overall not a bad book and well researched but the narrator has the Vikings as cockneys and his Irish accents are diabolical... And his pronunciation of Irish names is even worse, they're so badly done that even as an Irish-speaker I can't recognize them!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My new favorite book!

My very first attempt to listen to this audio book was failed by my lack of being able to multitask and I left this book less than a half an hour in. It was gross injustice to both the author and narrator. It wasn't until my job allowed us to listen to music on my headphones inside the warehouse, did I discover the amazing Saga that has me so enthralled, the descriptive nature of his writing paints the picture in a very specific manner and in such a way as you can feel the atmosphere and ambiance, the scenes of far off lands, the smells of the emerald isle, it isn't hard to imagine what it must have been like living in the viking ruled Ireland. This gem is something I am very glad I stumbled upon. I have so far purchased up to book 4 and haven't been able to put the book down, so to speak. I have full confidence that I have found one of my new favorite authors, I am looking foreward to what is to come. He shows a great knack for capturing attention, and delivering on the promises that the anticipation invokes. If you are one the fence about purchasing this book. Please do.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Story

Would you listen to Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland again? Why?

Maybe

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I didn't much care for the narration. It was done in almost a whisper and did not seem to change with the action. It is a good thing the story itself was exciting. Otherwise, I would have stopped listening in the first 10 minutes.

Any additional comments?

I am a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales. When I first saw this book I wondered how it would stack up against Cornwell. I can tell you that, while it does stand on its own, if you love Saxon Tales, you will love this book.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well done historical period piece- lots of twists

Good book...seemed to be accurate and the plot was well thought out. Almost like a mystery novel, in some respects.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Not sure why all the criticism of the narrator. I enjoyed his style. After listening to all of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon stories, this ranks right up there so far

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Allfather’s Blessing

The names and places were problematic of course , but very enjoyable
after all. I will read more
of these. The battles were
easy to follow and very
exciting.
kevin Kelly





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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful series

If you are looking for an adventure then read this series! The first nine books are FREE(at the moment of this review) so you have no excuse. I would gladly have paid for them all, as I did for number 10 and 11.

I listen to all of my books at 1.3 speed so the narration is usually a non-issue for me.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Narrator needed direction

Narrator had good character voices and dialects, but a very repetitive and nearly expressionless delivery of all descriptive text.

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