Neem Tree Books snaps up ‘bloody and brutal’ debut historical thriller from Sargeant 

Neem Tree Books has acquired historical thriller Faith of Their Fathers, the first title in Samuel M Sargeant’s Icelandic historical fiction saga. 

World rights were acquired by Archna Sharma, c.e.o. and publisher at Neem Tree Press, directly from the author. The book will be published in paperback and e-book format in July 2024. 

Faith of Their Fathers is set during the “Kristnitaka” in 999/1000 AD, a period when Iceland was voting on being a Christian state. The debut novel delves into the lives and political dynamics of an Icelandic community as they grapple with surviving socio-cultural expectations and the brutal environment they live in. 

Sargeant holds a PhD from Cardiff University specialising in the structure of Medieval Old Norse-Icelandic sagas, and is a lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at the Open University. 

Sargeant said: “Iceland has a rich literary history and this novel explores aspects of Old Norse culture that is often overlooked in modern fiction. I am incredibly excited for readers to delve into the lives of medieval Icelanders and discover a vibrant, resilient and complex society.” 

Sharma added: “We’re thrilled to illuminate Medieval Iceland through Samuel’s saga. He masterfully depicts the era’s brutality while also highlighting nuanced aspects of medieval Icelandic life, such as gender roles and homosexuality.”