Those Vikings

Karl McGregor is twelve years old and friendless. He has a temper, so the other kids at school steer clear. Friendship's tedious until a new student, Adam 'Finch' Bird, enrols.

Finch confides that his dad's in gaol; Karl says his dad, Stan, is from the ninth century. Finch is sceptical. This is the 21^st century after all. Then a mysterious object appears in Karl's shed. The boys investigate.

They stumble across a dubious history professor, who tells them they've found the gamban-a mystical Norse wand with incredible powers. In the ninth century, God Odin lent it to the Vikings. The boys discover that Odin wants it back and is hot on its trail.

(Thanks to some godlike shape shifting, the professor is Odin's pet wolf Geri.)

Against adult advice, the boys tinker with the gamban and activate its time travel function. They land at Stan's farm in the ninth century.

Stan introduces Erika, a 12-year-old orphaned runaway he's protecting from the Vikings. She knows Stan as Stannusson. Erika stole the gamban from the Vikings.

Stan and Erika hide it from them by sending it into the future. The Vikings kidnap Stan's sister Sonya and her son Henry and demand a trade.

Stan tells Karl how he became his dad. On a trip to the 21^st century to hide the gamban, Stan meets Karl's future mum.

The group plan a Sonya and Henry rescue, but Finch discovers that his dad's in gaol because of another Odin pet-Munin the raven. Finch demands a return to the 21^st century.

The Vikings intervene by capturing Erika, Stan and Finch. With his new friend missing, a stronger connection with Dad blooming, and Erika's friendship advice echoing, Karl takes action.

Back home, he writes a note to Odin requesting a meeting. Then it's back to the ninth century with some 21^st century equipment.

Karl and Finch chase Ulf, the Viking chieftain, to retrieve the gamban. Ulf's on horseback, the boys ride a quad motorbike. After a nail-biting pursuit, Finch grabs the wand.

Karl frees the prisoners. They use the gamban to escape to the 21^st century. Erika goes missing and is left behind. 

Karl's note brings Odin to a local park.

Everyone believes the gamban has huge destructive power. Odin explains it's a wand of construction, not destruction. Those Vikings got it wrong. Odin tempts Karl to try out its magic to build friendships.

Karl refuses. He wants to make friends the old-fashioned way, by sharing and caring.

Karl and Odin agree to a trade-the gamban for helping Finch's dad and finding Erika.

The story ends with Finch's dad released from gaol. Stan remains in the 21^st Century. Karl's mum invites Sonya and Henry to live with them. Karl's parents foster Erika. She joins Karl's class as Erika Stannusson.

Those Vikings is a tale of the fortunes and foibles of family and friendship. Set against the scary backdrop of a Viking invasion, it's aimed at readers 10-12 years old.