I’ve been with this series since the beginning and was so looking forward to more adventures with Sven the Boar!

After events in the last book Sven’s home, Ribe, Is lost and his grandson missing. There’s nothing left for Sven to do than to set out to find Charles and get him to safety. He failed him once before and he has no plans to let him down again.

Sven and those loyal to him set out to meet with King Louis.. there’s not really a game plan here..he will do anything to see his grandchild safe.

King Louis has the upper hand from the start, the location of the meeting is very poignant and sets the tone for the tale.. history and the present are about to clash one final time..

Forced to submit Sven sets out to secure Charles safety by causing chaos around West Frankia.. the fighting is brutal and you can really see it take it’s toll on Sven who while under the bloodlust fights like the boar he is.. but he’s no love for it.. he’s fighting for Charles..

At the same time Charles has to grow himself, to learn how to stand up for himself, he’s still young but he’s forced to battle his demons, the deal with death and destruction that has surrounded him these past few years.

What I really enjoyed was the depth and growth of Charles and Sven, both battle the same issues, separated by faith in different gods each struggle to reconcile the death and destruction.. and who is actually watching over them. It’s a connection the two never really understand they have and the inner turmoil these two suffer is beautifully awful for the reader.

The fight scenes are superbly detailed but more than anything moving.. reading those scenes really evoked something within the reader… it’s harrowing but gives you chills with the excitement too!

I’m not going to spoil anything but the author really had me on the edge throughout this one. You never know what’s to come and you fear for the characters.

Development wise I loved the emotion added subtly.. the details bout the families following the men to war.. even the planning of events such as the sacking of farms etc.. every event had an undercurrent of emotion behind it.

Sven always hoped he would do something worthy enough to have ballads written about him.. Valhalla’s’ Fury is Sven’s ballad and I’m glad I took the time to listen to and enjoy the tale.

For fans of the series this won’t disappoint. I think you could pick this up now and understand the story as the author nicely adds detail when needed to give the reader the background but personally I’d say start at the beginning to really enjoy and understand the mighty SVEN!!

This is Sven’s tale of glory and redemption and it’s a ballad worthy 5*

Valhalla’s Fury, the final installment in Donovan Cook’s Charlemagne Cross series, delivers an intense and gripping conclusion. Charles is still being held captive by King Louis, with Father Leofdag by his side as much as possible. When Charles is taken away, Leofdag is left in the dark about his whereabouts. Charles soon finds himself on a beach, facing his grandfather, only to realize that King Louis intends to use him as a pawn, not keep his promises. Finn the Boar recognizes this as well and knows there’s no way King Louis will allow Charles to leave West Francia alive.

Things take a turn when King Louis strikes a deal with Finn, asking him to raid towns in East Francia while his son Pepin seizes Aquitaine. Despite the small number of warriors at his disposal, Finn feels compelled to accept the deal, especially after Thora stays behind in West Francia to protect young Charles. As the group sets out to fulfill the king’s orders, Finn hopes Charles remains safe, while Charles himself struggles with his faith in God and the mystery of his mother. Thora’s presence nearby provides him some comfort in the midst of the chaos.

The story escalates into a thrilling climax, where Charles barely escapes death, saved by an unexpected hero. As betrayals pile up, it becomes clear that not everyone can be trusted. The ending is absolutely incredible, leaving me excited about the potential for future books featuring Charles, Thora’s niece, and Rollin’s son. Even if those stories don’t materialize, I’m beyond thrilled to have experienced this series.

Donovan Cook has a way of crafting suspenseful, action-packed narratives that keep you on the edge of your seat, even when you think you know what’s coming. The fight scenes are fierce, the dialogue sharp, and the historical context seamlessly woven into the plot. I love the way he intertwines real history with fiction, making you wonder what might have really happened. The footnotes at the end of the book are a great bonus, something I never skip. Anyone with a passion for Viking history will absolutely enjoy this series—it’s a must-read.

Donovan Cook is back, with the final instalment in the Charlemagne's Cross series. Set in the 800s, it's been an immersive and gripping read so far! I didn't doubt for one second that Valhalla's Fury wouldn't match up to the previous books.

This is a series that I feel you need to start from the first book to follow the stories and appreciate the character depth, too. Donovan Cook is an author who writes historical fiction as if he actually lived it. I never try to work out what's real or fiction. From the very first book, I have said he can weave fact and fiction together so expertly that I have learnt to be swept away with the storytelling.

Sven is desperate to get Charles back from the Franks after the events from Thor's Revenge. Charles himself is a pawn in King Louis's hand, being used to force Sven to raid King Louis's brother's kingdom in the West.

Every character is multi layered and all the more real for it. Sven himself is almost a contradiction of himself at times. A brutal Norse raider who will shed blood in the blink of an eye one one hand. Then there is his grandson, Charles. You can easily sense the torment he feels, and, I have to say, my heartstrings were being tugged by this man and his predicament.

The authenticity of the period is clear to see. The battles are bloodthirsty, and the details are all there. It's an exhilarating read with tension that I could cut with a knife. I am sorry to see the end of this series, and just know I will miss the characters that I have got to know very well over the series. Another brilliant, well written book from Donovan Cook! I am waiting for his next book now. It won't be a minute too soon.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the gifted widget to write this review.

Valhalla's Fury is the final book in the Charlemagne's Cross Series, bringing to an end this enthralling series set in the 800s, pitching the Danes against the Franks, or certainly, some of them. I've read all of the books.

In this final book, all seems impossible as Sven desperately wishes to rescue Charles from the clutches of the Franks, whereas Charles is something of a pawn in the hands of his Frankish grandfather.

The storyline quickly separates Charles and Sven once more, and we see glimpses of life in a Frankish town as well as in a Viking encampment deep in the heart of West Frankia, through the eyes of our two main characters. The narrative builds as the reader is left wondering how on earth the two can possibly be reunited, or if all will end in disaster, I don't want to say either way, but it is a solid ending for this enthralling tale.

Fans of the genre will delight in the concluding tale of Sven the Boar and Charles.

#BoldwoodBlogger

The author has a writing style that grips you from the first chapter to the end of the novel. Unfortunately, I hadn't read any of the other books in the saga, and at times it was a bit difficult to pick up the complicated and interwoven plots and the previous relationships between the various main characters..
I am an avid reader of military history and really enjoy tales about the Viking era.

Charles is essentially being held ransom by King Louis, obligating Hildegarde to undertake a harrowing mission - get back Charlemagne's Cross!

The political shenanigans are complicated with King Louis, Finn the Bore, Sven and even Hildegarde all getting involved in the overlapping plots. Poor Charles is the pawn in all the plots and has the most to lose in my opinion.

Charles has few things he can count on but with Thora nearby he feels a bit safer at least. He certainly leans into his faith and after the tumultuous ending to the tale, it seems to have been the thing that got him through the worst of days.

I'm pretty sure the Shetlands Isles got a few more inhabitants when things calmed down for Charles and his little found family. The the history merges with the fiction seamlessly and as records during this period are minimal you can't help but wonder...is it so far fetched!

I really hope we get to see more of an older Charles in a later book, hopefully with his new friends in tow.

This is the fourth book from the Charlemagne's Cross series and another fantastic read.

The author never fails to deliver page-turning gritty, action-packed stories and this book is no exception.

This book has deception, lies, secrets, and plenty of action throughout. It has another fantastic plot that perfectly combines history and fiction. I particularly loved Charles's character development.

Anyone who loves Viking and Norse history, I highly recommend this book to you. However, I'd recommend starting from book 1 to get the full story.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my copy to review.

Valhalla's Fury by Donovan Cook is a compulsive historical adventure book set in Francia in late summer AD 854.

This is the fourth book in the Charlemagne's Cross series, following Thor's Revenge. The main conflict has been established as a propelling course of action in the previous books, and I recommend starting with the first book in the series to appreciate all the dynamics of the plot, and the relationship between the major historical and fictional characters, appearing in this thrilling saga.

A deftly-woven, remarkable ending of the excellent historical saga. Stylish, compulsive and very readable.

Full review is part of the blog tour for Valhalla's Fury with Rachel's Random Resources.

Valhalla‘s Fury is the last book in the Charlemagne cross series by Donovan Cook, Charles is still locked away in a room by king Louis but father Leofdag is with Charles as often as possible but the day they come and grab him they refuse to tell father Leofdag where they are taking him. So when Charles winds up on the beach and sees his grandfather he knows king Louis‘s not there to keep his promise, but to use Charles like a pawn Finn the bore knows this as well, he also knows there is no way he’s going to let Charles leave West Francia alive. What does surprise Finn as when king Louis tries to strike a deal with him asking him to raid the towns in East Francia while his son Pepe takes possession of Aquitaine. Finn feels he has no choice but to agree to this despite his small number of warriors which grow to one less when Thora decides to stay in West Francia to keep an eye on young Charles because they know the danger he is in. Thankfully Alger has a brother raiding nearby who he knows will help. So they set off to do the Kings bidding, hoping Charles will remain safe. While Charles is grappling with his faith in God and wanting to know his mother he is surprised to see Thora sculking nearby and just knowing she’s close makes him feel better. Despite everything everyone is doing for and against Charles things come to ahead and Charles almost doesn’t make it out alive only saved by a surprising hero but not before more people prove they can’t be trusted at all. Like always there is way too much in this book to give a brief summary just note the ending was awesome I loved it I only hope we have future books with Charles and Thora’s niece all grown up along with Rollins son but even if that doesn’t come to pass I am so glad I got to read these books. Donovan Cook is the type of rider Who even when you see something’s about to happen when it does happen makes you have to catch your breath this book was so good the fighting was fierce the dialogue was intriguing the plot fabulous I love his books and don’t see that changing anytime soon. He does such a great job intertwining history into the fiction and makes you wonder if that really happened and so the footnotes at the end of the book are always a great bonus in some thing I never skip. Anyone who loves Viking history will absolutely enjoyed these books and their books I definitely recommend. #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks, #DonovanCook, #Valhalla‘sFury,#CharlemagneCrossSeries,

In Valhalla's Fury Charles is still lost and Sven once again faces unimaginable dangers to try and rescue his grandson. I really appreciate the development of Charles character in this story as it felt like he was starting to transition into a adult with decisions of what religion he wanted. The Cross of Charlemagne is another battle to be had as Sven tries to keep it from the Frankish Kings. Donovan Cook has written a page turning Norse tale of family secrets, lies, deception and nitty gritty action. It's a exciting addition to the series. Highly recommend you grab a copy now! I think I need to know when is the next book in the series?