Have a question or a comment about the Strongbow Saga or Judson Roberts’ other work? Want chat with other readers about the books or related subjects? Post here and look for responses from the author and other fans of the series.
Have a question or a comment about the Strongbow Saga or Judson Roberts’ other work? Want chat with other readers about the books or related subjects? Post here and look for responses from the author and other fans of the series.
Hope all is well, wishing you the best. Was looking through my library for a good reread and decided to restart the saga. As a fellow Oregonian I have been proud to have you as an author from our state, hope to continue to read your works in the years to come and know your next book would be a fantastic Christmas gift to all your readers!
Thanks very much, Mitchell. Now that the harvest season is finally over on our farm, I have time to get back to writing book 5. I’m still hoping to finish writing it this year, but at this point, I doubt I’ll also be able to get it published, which takes a chunk of time. But if I can finish the writing, then I should be able to make it available in January.
I truly hope that the books come out soon. I have been waiting for years! I have both paperback and audio addition of the first four. I know these books front to back. I literally read/listen to them all at least four times a year. Judson Roberts, you really can write a story that is so lively, Jeff Hays is an amazing narrator. I feel like Halfdan seeing the Gull for the first time when reading the books but listening to it is like seeing her out at sea. I’m so upset that these books are unfinished. They would have made an amazing mini series if stuck to the books. It’s probably for the best though. you can’t rush the story and cheapen the experience.
Jack, I’m sorry to be so slow to respond. We are smack in the midst of harvest season on our small farm, which is always the busiest and most exhausting couple of months in the year, as we harvest, process, and preserve the bounty from our several gardens and orchard, which will be a majority of our food supply over the coming year. But your message was extremely moving, and I am very grateful for you writing it to me.
I obviously have had no time to write over the past couple of months, but the garden is finally beginning to wind down, and I hope to get back to writing before long, and am still hoping to get book 5 out by the end of the year.
I loved these books when I was young and just remembered them the other day! I think what you guys are doing on your farm is awesome, hopefully everything keeps getting better!
Thanks very much. Life on the farm is certainly challenging at times–currently, for instance, we’re in the midst of a week long “heat dome” heat wave, with daily high temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity–but is a wonderful adventure. I’m still hoping to publish the long overdue fifth book by the end of this year, although a series of eye surgeries really derailed my writing for a time.
Judson I know your probably getting tired of people asking about the release date of the book, but I was just wondering if there was any news? Thanks in advance for your reply
Hi Corey. I just published an update about the book.
hey! i just wanted to say that i love your books and cant wait for the next one i was just wondering if you were still on schedule to release the book this year and im glad you and jeannette are doing better this past year i hope the good luck continues and the drought
Thanks, Corey. My current release target is April of this year.
I’m so glad things are going well and still on track! I look forward to reading this book front to back nonstop you sir have a gift. Thank you for sharing it with us
hi i love your books and i am wondering if we can get a update on book 5.a and are you on track to complete it is year. thanks for your time and have a nice day
Thanks, Chris. I just published an update.
While I wait for book 5, Do you have any suggested authors in he same genre ? I would love a few software recommendations for home publishing and would also LOVE some “investing’ advice books, apps, and favorite links.. I have been working on a book for for 2-3 year now , I’m on chapter 3 ( just clipping along by your standards…giggle ) I love your books, I have enjoyed them immensely. I hope book 5 is the end of the saga though, I don’t think I could handle a 4-5 year wait for book 6. There are some wonderful book translation software available. It seems a shame for you to be paying someone Royalties for this. Thanks in advance for any advice and best of luck in all your endeavors. Anita
Hi Anita,
My top recommendation for other authors’ Viking fiction is The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson. It’s an old book–I first read it as a child–it is what started my fascination with the Vikings–and I turn 70 this year! And unfortunately, it’s a stand-alone novel, not a series, but I think it does an outstanding job of accurately portraying the Vikings’ culture, while also being a great story.
Another author you might try is Bernard Cornwell. He is a prolific historical fiction writer, and has a number of different series set in different time periods. My favorite is the Richard Sharpe series, set during the Napoleonic wars between Britain and France. Many of the stories in that series were made into quite good filmed dramas by the BBC, with Sean Bean, in one of his first starring roles, playing Sharpe.
Cornwell also wrote an eleven book long Viking period series called The Last Kingdom. A few seasons of that series were made by the BBC, and then it was picked up and continued by, if I’m remembering correctly, Netflix. I personally am not a big fan of The Last Kingdom, because I don’t think Cornwell captures the Vikings’ culture that well, but the books are very popular.
Regarding investing advice, I currently only use https://contrarianoutlook.com/, and now only invest in Closed End Funds (CEFs), because they are a very diversified, and therefor safer, type of investment, and pay much higher dividends–and many pay out income monthly–than most other stocks do. The link goes to the publicly viewable portion of the site, which contains lots of free articles. They also offer subscription service that include more detailed investing advice, but the best one, CEF Insider, is kind of pricey.
I hate to disappoint you, but there is a book 6 in the Strongbow Saga. The good news is its story was researched and finalized before book 5’s was, so writing it should go much more quickly. Plus, my advancing years and health scares last year have become quite a motivator. I want to finish Halfdan’s story!
Thank you for the investing advice and the heads up on some good reads while I patiently await book 5. Now I shall be terrorized waiting for book 6 as well. Is there a release date for book 5 yet ? …. Till then, May you have spectacular health and luck and a wonderful summer. More blessings, Anita
Hi Judson first off i am a huge fan of the series, and I cant wait for book five as your little preview has me dying to know what happens next. Secondly im glad that you are recovering and feeling better after your wild battle with this unknown disease I am hoping you have answers soon and that you can get the treatment that is needed to heal completely. It seems like now more than ever, we could all use a little pick me up and a (socially distanced) friend.. So I was wondering if you could give us any update on the progress and timeline on book 5, I know i could use the distraction myself and personally im running out of finger nails sitting home after work wondering what happens after that storm. Thanks for reading thoughts and prayers for you and Jeannette, and i hope to hear some more about book 5 shortly.
Hi Corey,
Thanks for writing and for your kind thoughts to Jeanette and me, and sorry to be slow to respond. Good news on my health: the mystery condition on my legs turned out to be a somewhat rare effect caused by Multiple Sclerosis (which I’ve had for about 20 years now), where the autonomous nerves that control blood flow in the veins are affected, causing blood to pool and leak out into the tissues. There was an amazingly easy fix: wearing compression stockings to keep the blood moving. And Book 5 is still coming along, too. My pace of writing has slowed a bit recently just because spring on the farm is so busy (we had ten new lambs born last week, for example), but I still plan to finish and publish it before the end of this year.
All best,
Judson
Just a question and suggestion but seeing as if i remember correctly the next book will either go after Halfdans sister or to Ireland if if goes it Ireland assuming any still live that is wouldn’t some of his mother’s family still be alive and if so upon meeting each other it could help him in one degree or another (Ek I am better at combining myth, legends, historical data and modifying it to suit my ideas so long as it follows fantasy style books not so good with our real world style ideas for book) lol
The story in Book 5 (and I’m considering as a title, “Into the Wild-lands”) focuses on the efforts by Halfdan, Hastein, and the company to find and rescue Sigrid, Halfdan’s sister who was sold into slavery. It is set primarily in the area that today forms northwestern Russia, roughly in the areas of St. Petersburg and Novgorod. The latter part of Book 6, the final installment of the story, will be set in Ireland.
Thanks for the suggestion about Halfdan’s Irish kin. I suppose in theory there might be some he could find, in that he knew from what his mother, Derdriu, had told him that her father had been a king named Caidoc, who ruled over lands along the River Bann. From that information he’d know roughly where to look, and a name of his grandfather, on his mother’s side. However, remember from the story that Caidoc and many of his men were killed trying to rescue Derdriu. Most Irish kingdoms during this period were both quite small–often just a small hill-fort and the lands immediately surrounding it–and numerous. It would be likely that a neighboring king would just have absorbed Caidoc’s lands and surviving people into his own kingdom. Also, even if there were some surviving distant kin of Halfdan’s to them he would be a Dane, and an enemy.
I am sorry to read of your many difficult challenges. My son and I are reading the series again and enjoying them anew. We are praying for your health to improve, not just for the selfish reason of wanting so much to read more of Halfdan’s adventures, but also in sympathy for you and your wife’s health issues. All the best.
Thanks very much. Things have finally calmed down now, and for the first time in too long I’m making steady progress on book 5. I may post a preview of it soon.