Over a thousand years ago, in the period we call the Viking Age, a fourteen year old boy lived on the island of Gotland. His name was Torbjörn. He lived on a farm not far from the harbour at Vi on the west coast of the island. His parents Knut and Sigrid, his two younger sisters, his grandmother Astrid and an uncle called Ulf also lived on the farm. But his father wasn't there now, because one spring when Torbjörn was only nine years old his father had sailed away on his ship and hadn't been seen since then. Torbjörn missed his father, longed to snuggle in his father's arms, listening to all his stories about the Viking expeditions in the East.
Thus begins the exciting story of Torbjörn and his journey far, far away to the distant city of Bolghar to search for his father.