Best Selling Author of Historical Fiction and Fantasy
By D.W. Roach — MarauderBooks.com Christmas is, at first glance, a Christian celebration rooted in the Middle East — a holiday tied to Bethlehem, the Nativity, and a faith born under desert skies. Yet if you look around at what we actually do during Christmas, the symbols we cherish, the imagery we decorate with, the … Continue reading Christmas, Yule, and the Fire in the Dark: A Personal Exploration of the Holiday’s Ancient Roots
By D.W. Roach | MarauderBooks.com Few images evoke the Viking Age as sharply as the axe—broad-bladed, utilitarian, and deadly. But the truth behind the Norse axe is far richer than our modern pop-culture silhouette. To understand Viking warfare, you have to begin with the everyday lives of the people who fought—and the tool they carried … Continue reading The Viking Axe: Tool of the Farm, Terror of the Field
By D.W. Roach When the autumn nights lengthen and the air grows sharp with the scent of woodsmoke, the veil between worlds feels thinner. Across the modern world, Halloween arrives — a night of masks, spirits, and flickering candles. But what did the Vikings make of such a night? Did they too feel the chill … Continue reading Shadows of the North: Viking Traditions and the Roots of Halloween
By D.W. Roach In the Viking world, power did not come from a crown, a parliament, or even an army. It came from blood. Family — not state — was the nucleus of Norse society, the true engine that drove politics, trade, and war. To be born into a large and respected family was to … Continue reading Blood and Bond: Viking Families and the Power of Kinship
By D.W. Roach In recent years, a quiet revolution has taken place across the Western world. Amidst the chaos of modern life — corporate grind, digital noise, and cultural confusion — many women are rediscovering the power and dignity of the homestead. The stay-at-home mother, once dismissed as “outdated,” has begun to return not as … Continue reading The Return of the Homestead Mother: Modern Women and the Legacy of the Viking Age
by D.W. Roach As the air cools and the days grow shorter, I can always feel it coming — that unmistakable shift that signals my favorite time of year. Autumn settles in like an old friend, bringing the scent of woodsmoke, the rustle of fallen leaves, and that perfect mix of cozy and eerie that … Continue reading The Haunting Origins and Heartwarming Spirit of Halloween
By D.W. Roach If you’ve ever wandered into a renaissance fair, a pagan festival, or even a lively corner of the internet, you may have run across folks proudly calling themselves Asatru. Horns of mead may be raised, runes may be carved, and occasionally someone shows up in a horned helmet (spoiler: those aren’t historically … Continue reading Modern Paganism and Asatru: Faith, Heritage, and Why You’re Probably Not a Viking
The event (facts we have) On 8 June 793 (traditional dating), seaborne raiders struck the monastery of Lindisfarne (Holy Island) off Northumbria’s coast. The attack was recorded by several near-contemporary sources and quickly became emblematic of the “Viking Age.” The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle notes a terrifying year of portents followed by the raid; the Northumbrian scholar … Continue reading Lindisfarne, 793: What We Know, What We Think, and Why It Shocked Europe
By D.W. Roach When the Viking Age officially ended in 1066 CE with the Battle of Stamford Bridge, it did not mean the Vikings vanished overnight. The popular image of fierce Norse warriors sailing home, tossing their swords into the sea, and quietly becoming farmers is overly simplistic. The truth is more nuanced—a gradual transformation … Continue reading The End of the Viking Age: What Really Happened to the Vikings?
By D.W. Roach The word “Viking” carries a powerful mystique today. It conjures images of longships cutting through icy seas, warriors with shields raised, and a culture steeped in myth and legend. But in the modern world, the term is often misunderstood. Many people take DNA tests, find even a fraction of Scandinavian ancestry, and … Continue reading Why You Can’t Be a Viking—But You Can Embrace Viking Heritage
D.W. Roach "Marauder" 