The Last Viking: The True Story of King Harald Hardrada | 
pickI really enjoyed the book. The author does a very nice job of placing Harald the Varangian in the context of the Byzantine court and campaigns. The detail is exquisite and the personalities are clearly drawn throughout. I would have preferred not starting at the finish but it was probably done to best appeal to an english audience. The author does a terrific job of neither idolizing nor demonizing him. He was a hard man in a hard world.