(C.J. Adrien. Photos courtesy of C.J. Adrien.)

Diving deep into the world of the Vikings, Central Oregon’s own C.J. Adrien’s research and fact-based writing, coupled with his imaginative and rich storytelling, takes you on a journey of betrayal, loss and redemption.

A graduate of Summit High, C.J. is a French-American historian and award-winning author of Viking historical fiction novels with a passion for Viking history. Using his academic background in the humanities and medieval history as a guide, he has taken the time to understand the history, geography and culture of Vikings on an intimate level, which has helped him to paint the rich tapestry of his immersive storytelling. He is best known for his bestselling and award-winning series The Saga of Hasting the Avenger, inspired by research conducted in preparation for a doctoral program in early medieval history. The first book of the series, titled The Lords of the Wind, was published on July 4, 2019 in both English and French.

C.J. is not just an author — he’s an expert. As a published historian on the Vikings, he has written articles featured in France’s L’Association des Amis de Noirmoutier, among other publications. His deep knowledge of Viking history has also provided him several opportunities to speak on the subject both in America and internationally, including the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and conferences on Viking history in France, among other opportunities to speak on the fascinating and enthralling history of Vikings and the medieval period. C.J. earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Oregon, a master’s degree from Oregon State University and is currently searching for the right university to complete his doctoral thesis.

C.J. has also been featured and interviewed by newspaper outlets and radio stations, which can be reviewed on his website (cjadrien.com); in 2020, he won the Gold Medal for Historical Fiction on Readers’ Favorite; and has been a #1 bestseller across multiple categories on Amazon..

In addition to the Saga of Hasting the Avenger, C.J. published I’m A Viking!: A History Book About the Vikings for Kids. Children can explore the world of the Vikings through the eyes of a young boy named Leif, a chieftain’s son who aspires to grow up just like his dad. With spectacular illustrations by Crystal Whithaus, explore a day in the life of a Viking child by following Leif as he gives you a tour of his life — the things he must learn, the things he likes to do for fun and much more. “I’m a Viking! is an excellent primer for young minds interested in the past,” said C.J.

I’m a Viking! contains real history presented in an engaging way for children ages three to eight years old. “Don’t be fooled — adults will find the book fun to read as well,” said C.J. “Our hope is that they will learn about the Viking Age, too.”

And dive deeper into Viking lore and history with C.J’s Viking Blog (cjadrien.com/viking-blog), a collection of blog posts that will pique your Viking curiosity covering artifacts, historical data, fun facts and general information regarding this exciting era in human history.

Learn more about C.J. at cjadrien.com and follow him on facebook at facebook.com/cjadrien.