The Viking Herald sails into a brave new era

We want to talk to you about a moment of change here at The Viking Herald.

Firstly, let us begin with a big thank you. After more than five years of service, blood, sweat, tears, and countless coffee cups consumed at ungodly hours while working on a tight deadline, the man behind The Viking Herald, Robin, has decided to take a deep breath and focus on his young family.

We would like to take a quick moment of appreciation for everything Robin has done here at The Viking Herald.

It was Robin's vision, dedication, and hard work that laid the foundation for everything that The Viking Herald is today. Without his stellar effort, The Viking Herald would simply not exist, and we would all be very much the poorer for it.

To paraphrase Isaac Newton, whatever heights we reach in this new era of The Viking Herald, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants, and Robin is one of them. With Robin's future seat at the giant feasting table in Valhalla guaranteed thanks to his enormous contribution, he will no longer be involved in the daily operations of The Viking Herald.

This means that Robin has passed on the golden chalice (sorry, mead horn) to Jonathan Bennett, loved by and familiar to many as one of our writers. Jonathan (JB) brings a distinctive (and, can we say, a sophisticated) voice, a true love of storytelling, and a passion for all things Viking.

JB will steer this Viking ship with a steady hand and ensure that the highest standards of quality content established by Robin are met every day. However, JB will not be alone on this mission. 

Viking reenactors in combat demonstration. Photo: Michaela Pilch / Shutterstock

Two able and noble assistants

Assisting Jonathan Bennett (JB) will be me, Jonathan Williamson (JW). I've been writing for the platform for nearly five years and could not think of a writing gig I've enjoyed more.

I've had the privilege to scribble away well over 600 articles over the years (not that I am counting!), covering everything from the Viking history of Canada, the rise and fall of Harald Hardrada, the mystery surrounding the Sparlösa runestone, Loki's place in Norse mythology, and the discovery of a huge Viking poo (yes, you did indeed read that last part correctly).

I have a particular interest (which some in The Viking Herald offices may say borders on an obsession) in Norse mythology and history, so expect plenty more deep dives into these topics going forward.

A third old hand helping JB and myself is our eagle-eyed editor, Igor Sarnavka.

Igor has been with us for over three years now and is instrumental to the platform as an editor of great skill, knowledge, and expertise (not to mention patience... which he no doubt requires in bucketloads when it comes to editing some of my work). His attention to detail ensures every piece we publish meets the highest standards of the written word.

This, too, is a moment of change for Igor, as he will be stepping into a writing role from now on as well. You, dear readers, can expect some insightful, well-crafted contributions that reflect both his precision and depth of Viking knowledge. 

Some fresh Viking blood

To add to the excitement and possibility of this new era, we will bring in two fresh faces to our platform. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Brian Talgo and Brynjulf Haugan to join us here.

Both gentlemen are esteemed writers with considerable experience, a strong connection to Scandinavian heritage, and a deep love of history. Their work is grounded in both careful research and genuine personal interest, and we are confident that this will shine through in all the stories they share.

We know we are very fortunate to add not one but two such skillful and knowledgeable writers of immense experience to our platform. We are, as I am sure you will be, exceptionally excited to see the fresh insights they bring and the yarns they will spin going forward.

Brian M. Talgo and Brynjulf Haugan, two writers joining The Viking Herald team and co-authors of The Salt of Ancient Tears. Photo: Nordic Noir Press

What does this mean for you?

Whilst this moment of change is exciting for us workers here at The Viking Herald, it is also an exciting time for you, dear readers.

We have made exciting updates to our Patreon system with an aim to make it both more accessible in this cost-of-living crisis, as well as more rewarding for your spending of your hard-earned coin (or hacksilver).

We've added a new entry-level tier, Boatbuilder, for those who want to support The Viking Herald in a small but meaningful way. At the other end, the Chieftain tier is for those who want to get deeply involved and help shape the direction of our content.

Our Warrior tier remains at the heart of things, and we've added a few new features we think will make it even more rewarding for those who are already part of it. Supporters at this level will receive access to exclusive, full-length articles selected by community vote, along with monthly Q&A sessions where we answer your questions in video form.

You'll also get behind-the-scenes-type access (stay tuned for more information on that!), offering a closer look at how all our content comes together.

Each month, we'll share a reading list derived from the books and sources we're currently exploring. This will give you a chance to dive deeper into the history, and the history behind the history, with us.

Finally, we will still keep our weekly updates and newsletter, so you can keep up to date on the latest Viking analysis and news, what we're working on now, and what's coming up next.

In short, this all means a lot more bang for your Viking buck!

We have listened to some of the feedback we have received about our Patreon and believe these small adjustments and improvements will not only make it a more rewarding experience, but will also help to create a stronger sense of connection and community around what we are all trying to build: a kick-ass Viking history and heritage platform.

A carved Viking ship prow against the sky. Photo: Sergey Sivkov / Shutterstock

Operating in an era of AI and algorithms

Finally, just a word on the era we are operating in now. Whilst our expertise lies in digging up the Viking past and bringing it to life, we are sadly not immune to the current trends affecting the digital world. This current media environment is hitting all businesses hard, particularly small, niche platforms like ours.

We sail our small Viking ship across seas that are increasingly full of algorithms and AI slop. What differentiates us from the larger corporate websites, whose budget on paperclips dwarfs what meager earnings we have made since our foundation, is that we are human. That is indeed sad and shocking to have to declare in 2026, but The Viking Herald is proudly run by and for humans.

We are deeply committed to telling the human side of Viking history (as if AI would ever write an article about childhood in the Viking Age, musical instruments that people in Viking societies used, or... again... a Viking poo!), be it through highlighting the lesser-known aspects of the past or by sharing stories that don't always fit neatly into algorithmic searches.

All of us here at The Viking Herald share a deep passion for history that is both educational and entertaining (the two are not mutually exclusive), and we believe that can only ever be achieved with the power of the human brain and not some chatbot. Sorry, Mr. Roboto.

I can confirm that each member of the team I've spoken about in this article is a real human being, flesh and blood, and we are so excited to chat and connect with you more over the coming weeks, months, and years ahead!

In this exciting time of change for The Viking Herald, we want to finally thank you, dear reader, for your support. We absolutely love running this platform and bringing all aspects of Viking heritage and history to you.

It remains our pleasure and privilege, and we are so thankful you have hopped onboard for the ride.

Until the next tale is told...

We get to provide readers with original coverage thanks to our loyal supporters. Do you enjoy our work? You can become a PATRON here or via our Patreon page. You'll get access to exclusive content and early access.