Paperback
Retail Price: $26.95
With Eli standing at his back He lifted high the battle axe And horsemen turned their mounts around Or died upon that piece of ground. But lo the Khan of all the hordes Upon that spot his forces poured And promised gold in huge reward For he who killed the mighty Nord. From Ballad of the Blacksmith’s Son (circa 1100 anno domini) A Hero’s Ballad Fragmented by Cowardice and Greed Bound By Duty, Love, And Faith
Bards know the Ballad, but who knows the truth? Viking-Slav shield walls fought mounted Turk archers, and the end was messy. Whole units disappeared and with them the axe-wielding berserker Keri Ellison, the blacksmith’s son.
Years later a mysterious stranger is asking questions about Keri—and is willing to pay for answers. Driven by treasure, revenge, or perhaps power, the stranger sails a thousand leagues from the bone-littered Russian steppes through axe ravaged Baltic taverns to Norman England. But the trail proves cold…
What happened to the blacksmith’s son? Some survivors do not want the answer.
Paperback
Format: 6 x 9 Black & White Paperback, 381 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press (Jul 19, 2025)
ISBN10: 197727563X
ISBN13: 9781977275639
Genre: FICTION / Christian / Historical
Rick Taylor is a retired soldier and high school teacher. He has written for regional and national magazines and penned a column for the local newspaper. He and his wife, Patricia, live near the Puget Sound, where they cruise and race their sailboat. He is a six-time finalist in the Cascade Christian Writers contests. Lament of the Blacksmith’s Son is the sequel to the popular Ballad of the Blacksmith’s Son. 
My representative Jamie was always extremely professional and helpful during the entire process of my book publication. She always responded very quickly to requests and was always helpful throughout the entire process. She is a great role model and a great asset to the Outskirts Press family. I will highly recommend Outskirts Press to my friends and associates and also look forward to doing more business in the future. I am extremely pleased with my book publication and consider this a major milestone in my life . Thank you all very much...
Lawrence N. Weston
author of Avoiding Self Imposed Adversities
From the beginning, and throughout the process of publishing my first book, I felt that I was in the hands of a pro. Dana always took the time to answer my questions in detail and swiftly, and if she didn't have 100% confidence, she researched the question and got back to me. I was very pleased with her and I am also thankful that I was paired with her as an Author Rep.
David Matityahu Ben Avraham
author of There's No Such Thing as Magic Blood
Bridget, as well as the entire Outskirts Press team working with me, are exceptional. They held my hand through the entire process in addition to providing me with welcomed support and encouragement. I am looking forward to our next project together. I have recommended Outskirts Press to several freelance authors in my area. Thank you for making a potentially hectic journey so enjoyable and so satisfying.
Paneque y Diaz
author of More Than What They Seemed
I was very happy with my author rep's responses to me. She did a superb job of answering my questions and helping me through the editing process. She was always available when I needed her. I'm delighted with the outcome--my book looks good and it's selling! Thank you.
Kathleen O'Brien
author of Reclaim Your Right To Grow Old
A great experience with Outskirts Press. I learned a lot in this process. I will do it all over again. Thank you so much.
Esther A. Ota
author of Children: My Heritage - A Testimony
The one-on-one with Lisa was great. Especially the phone call picking out styles, font, cover template etc. She even got a vote on the color. I so wanted to have my daughter's painting as the art work on the cover and she gave me a way to do that. Her guidance helped turn my dream into a reality and sometimes it is still hard to believe until I look at my book. Thank you.
Nancy L. Regas
author of The Art of Being a School Counselor
Outskirts Press has perfected the art of self-publishing. Their process is simple and seamless with everything happening in a timely manner, giving authors complete control over how their book will appear inside and out. And the people there are fantastic. They’re friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, patient and quick to reply to emails. What more can an author ask?
Needless to say, I’ve found a home here at Outskirts Press.
Jim Black
author of Life with Bingo, Miracle on the Gridiron, Football Hero, and Ezra
Outskirts Press changed my life for the better. They turned my adoption memoir into a book that is not only beautiful to look at, it is pleasurable to read, easy to purchase online, and in less than a month already has had a profound impact on many people. A truly amazing company with a heart. Deepest gratitude!
Paul Kimball
author of We Are All Human Beings
The Outskirts Press team was helpful, attentive, prompt and detail oriented during the publishing process. It really felt like a team effort, and everyone worked hard to create an awesome final product that was my fully published book!
Eric B.
author of Realm of the Invader
Having just published my eighth book with Outskirts Press, I can attest to it being a great experience, and I look forward to publishing number nine. Thanks for a great job.
James A. Hunter
author of Soft And Gentle 8
I would like to thank everyone at Outskirts Press for helping me getting my book (Storms of Jaycard) into print. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would write a book and have it published. Once again, I would like to thank everyone at Outskirts Press for making my book dream come true.
Joseph J. Myer
author of Storms of Jaycard