The Very Virile Viking
By Sandra Hill 

    This is, without a doubt, the funniest book I have read in years. I have not read Sandra Hill's previous Viking books, but I have my eyes open for them now.

     The book opens in 999 A.D in Norseland. Magnus Ericcson is a man whose physical attributes are equaled only by the number of children he seems to produce. He has buried several wives, and has driven others off, running and screaming. He is fully responsible for his brood of 10 children…when suddenly, as if from out-of-nowhere, a new infant appears at the threshold, complete with stinky diapers, her only expression of "Goo," and her father's unmistakable eyes.

     In order to escape further children, he takes a vow of celibacy. When the members of the household (including the older children) set out to find him a new mate, he tells them he has but one requirement: they must be past the age of childbearing.

     Finally, in desperation, he sets sail for his cousin's home in Greenland. However, his course gets about as off-center as Christopher Columbus' did when he headed for India and wound up in America.

     Across the ocean-and across time-Angela Abruzzi is trying to convince her grandmother that she can persuade her business counterpart to film the movie he is making at the family winery, in the Sonoma Valley, California, in 2003, thus saving the winery from financial ruin.

     As Angela sits in the office of the movie producer, haggling over the price of renting the winery, they look out the window and see… They stare in astonishment at the publicity stunt some actor, who is obviously desperate for work, standing on the deck of the boat they will use for the movie is the most realistic Viking look-alike either of them has ever seen. The only thing they can't figure out is what those 9 children are doing with him. They are the biggest bunch of ruffians Hollywood had ever seen.

     Angela, convinced that this guy is perfect for the part, takes Magnus and his children in her van to her apartment, but not until she has stopped at the local Wal-Mart, which should be a TV sitcom in itself.

    As they intermingle and try to educate Magnus, Angela finds her heart being drawn to the stranger, and before long they are not only in each other's hair and each other's way, but they are in each other's arms-and even in the same bed.

     Before the end of the book, Magnus learns that his brothers have also somehow arrived in this strange land, and the family reunion that takes place is like one you have never witnessed.

     If you don't read one other book this summer, if you want to sit and laugh until the tears run down your cheeks, you won't want to miss this one.

      One final note is that the cover of The Very Virile Viking features a very "hunky" Viking. However, much to Ms. Hill's dismay, the publisher also produced a cartoon-type cover. A few of these covers were printed. You can find them on amazon.com and bn.com. If you are lucky enough to get one of the cartoon covers, hang onto it. It might be a collector's item before long.