From time to time I talk to you about the parish of Avaldsnes in Norway, where my great-grandfather was born, and where one of the most dramatic events in Erling Skjalgsson’s career occurred.
They’re very aware of their Viking heritage at Avaldsnes, as you can see by viewing the short video below. This is the Viking farm they’ve built on the nearby island of Bukkoy. I’m not sure why they identify the naust (boathouse) as a great hall — except that that’s how it’s used in the TV series Northmen, which is filmed there. But still, this video will give you some idea of the place.
I guess mentioning the slavery would not have been good pr. Your books were the first ones that ever got me to thinking about that aspect of the culture and history. I mean I knew there were slaves because it seems like every YA Viking novel is about a slave boy who becomes a warrior or something like that.
I believe in evenhandedness.