Thorfinn is a charming boy, polite, tidy and he makes a lovely cup of tea. Unfortunately, he’s a Viking and this particular skill set doesn’t do anything to impress his family or neighbours – in the words of Erik Ear-Crusher, his dad’s arch rival for chief, ‘he has all the fighting spirit of a plate of boiled turnips’. But Thorfinn is smart as well as nice, and when he’s sent on a raiding mission proves that he more than deserves his place. Thorfinn’s politeness in the face of the Viking’s terrible behaviour provides lots of laughs and his eventual triumph is very satisfying for readers. Packed with illustrations and a whole host of extras too – games and activities – this is a very good addition to the canon of silly Viking stories for young readers.~ Andrea Reece
Prepare yourself for the wrath of the Norsemen! That is, if you don't mind and it's not too inconvenient...Everyone knows Vikings are ruthless barbarians whose idea of a good time involves pillaging, plundering and feasting. But Thorfinn is no ordinary Viking! He is always polite and happily offers to wash the dirty dishes. Too bad his dad is Harald the Skull-Splitter, Village Chief and the roughest and toughest Viking of them all. Harald, Thorfinn and the other Vikings are preparing to compete in the annual Gruesome Games, held on the Scottish island of Uraig. It falls to Thorfinn to save their village, but in a competition where belching, axe-throwing, pie-clobbering and goat-throwing are great point scorers, what help will a terribly nice Viking with a talent for baking be?
David MacPhail left home at eighteen to travel the world and have adventures. After working as a chicken wrangler, a ghost-tour guide and a waiter on a tropical island, he now has the sensible job of writing children’s books. He lives in Edinburgh.
