THE JOURNEY NORTH
Norway, 1919. Russian agents and a German secret society are hunting a mysterious boy protected by an ancient brotherhood. As Chief Inspector Frank Larsen travels north, a parallel story from the Viking Age reveals the origins of the Guardians and their centuries-old oath.
By Svein Gudbrandsen
Norway, 1919. Russian intelligence agents have secretly entered Northern Norway, while Germany’s far-right Thule Society is taking a dangerous interest in the mysterious events unfolding there.
Chief Inspector Frank Larsen, Amanda Elkjær and Victor are preparing to travel north. Their mission is to find Kolja, a boy believed to possess extraordinary powers, and locate the secretive Guardians sworn to protect him. But enemy agents are closing in, and a perilous race towards Vardø has begun.
More than nine centuries earlier, in Trondheim in the year 996, King Olav Tryggvason rules Trøndelag. His brother-in-arms Sviatopolk has arrived from Kievan Rus’, bringing with him events that will shape the Guardians’ destiny. When an unexpected enemy emerges from the great forest near Vassfjellet, cries for vengeance lead to a life-and-death struggle.
Alternating between 1919 and the Viking Age, The Journey North reveals the ancient origins of the Guardians and the oath that binds them across generations. History, crime, political intrigue and Norse mythology come together in an epic story about a secret brotherhood whose choices may affect the future of humanity.
The Journey North is the second book in the series about Chief Inspector Frank Larsen and the mysterious Guardians. It follows The Covenant – The Keepers of the Pact.
Title: The Journey North
Series: The Guardians, Book 2
Original Language Title: Reisen mot nord
Author: Svein Gudbrandsen
Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Thriller / Crime
Themes: Secret societies, Norse mythology, political extremism, espionage, loyalty and destiny
Language: Norwegian (Original) / Complete English Translation Available
Publisher: Kolofon Forlag AS
ISBN: 978-82-300-3187-2
Publication Date: 2026
Copyright Year: 2026
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 544
Page Size: approximately 145 × 215 mm
Edition: 1
Rights Available: Translation, print, digital and audio rights. Please contact Norwegian Indie Agency for information about available territories.a
Author Biography
Svein Gudbrandsen was born in 1967 and lives in Mo i Rana in Northern Norway. He made his literary debut with The Covenant, the first historical crime novel in the series about Chief Inspector Frank Larsen and the mysterious Guardians.
