Octa, born and raised as a Saxon warrior is a coward. Well, what else would you call a warrior who froze in his first battle, saw his cousin killed without defending him and then ran away? Wandering the countryside, avoiding those looking for him and wondering how he could redeem himself, he falls in with a strange traveller. The traveller’s tale of Woden’s Spear that was stolen, hidden by magic and needs to be restored to Woden leads Octa to believe he can redeem himself by finding the spear and restore his family’s honour.

An engaging tale set in post Roman Britannia, this book weaves historical fact and fantasy in a very interesting way. Octa really grows as a person through his interaction with the people and the ‘gods and goddesses’ that he encounters on his quest.

Woden's Spear is the first part of a new series by Donovan Cook. Starting in Saxony, our young would-be warrior embarks on a journey to rehabilitate his reputation alongside some well-known figures from the dawn of Saxon England.

Octa, our main character, is a young man far from being the warrior he wishes he were (and perhaps thinks he is). Indeed, he's weak and ineffectual and very much enjoys life in the shadow of his more warrior-like father until he's abruptly confronted with the truth about himself. Not that he immediately rises up to counter those truths; instead, he slinks away from all he's ever known, feeling very sorry for himself, haunted by his failures.

But this changes when he meets first an old man who speaks to him of a quest, and then Hengist and Horsa, those very famous names associated with the beginning of Saxon England. He joins them in journeying to Brittania, encountering Vortigern along the way. But Octa has a very different motive behind his actions to that of Hengist and Horsa.

Octa is very much swept up in events outside his control as he pursues his quest with the aid of a native Briton and some Jutes who don't much like him and, indeed, have a very different idea of his destiny.

This is a vivid portrayal of Britannia in the middle of the fifth century and is sure to delight readers of the genre as we follow Octa on his quest to rehabilitate himself with the aid of a god or two along the way.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Woden‘s Spear by Donovan Cook, we meet Octa, the son of a fierce warrior who is on the eve of his very first battle. Where he will prove to be a coward and blames himself for letting his best friend and the son of the war chief die in battle. All Octa’s life his mother said he was meant for great things and a coward brings no glory. So when he runs into an old one eyed man he previously saw in his own village that tells him a story about Woden’s spear and how it’s being held by magic to the aisle of Britannia. He further explains that Octa was picked by Woden himself to retrieve it and that this is the way he will redeem himself. despite him being worn that this man is a trickster, Octa will not be deterred and coward or not he is going to retrieve the spear. this is a great dark age warrior story we even get to see Octa join ranks with the great Vikings horsa and Hengist but I must say for someone who is a coward poor Octa sure gets put through the ringer. I haven’t even mentioned the seer Bridget, the mistress of the King of Kings of Britannia and the sister of someone who befriends Octa and trust me he’s gonna need all the friends he can get. This is a great dark age warrior story with whispers of magic folklore great battles and one man’s quest for redemption. This is a great great book and one I definitely recommend Donovan Cook does it again the story is original and kept me on the edge of my seat and I cannot wait for the next one. #NetGalley, #BoldWoodBooks, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #DonovanCook, #Woden‘sSpear,.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review

I recently read Woden's Spear by Donovan Cook. This thrilling historical novel is set in 449 AD, during the Dark Ages, and follows the journey of Octa, the son of a mighty Saxon warlord.

The story begins with Octa standing in the shield wall for the first time, eager to make a name for himself. However, fear overtakes him, leading to his cousin's death and bringing shame to his family. Disowned by his father and hunted by his own people, Octa is driven by his mother's vision of his future greatness. A chance encounter with a traveller offers him a path to redemption: retrieving a sacred weapon, the lost spear of Woden.

Octa's quest takes him to Britannia, a land abandoned by the Roman Empire and besieged by enemies. He joins the famous warlords Hengist and Horsa, traveling west to forge his future and redeem his past. The novel is an epic adventure of turmoil, coming of age, and survival, set against a backdrop of a nation fighting for its very existence.

The strengths of the book lie in its vivid historical setting and the well-developed characters. The pacing is excellent, with enough action and intrigue to keep the reader engaged.

Woden's Spear is a captivating and immersive read that I would recommend to fans of historical fiction and epic adventures.

Not normally the type of read I would choose. Out of my comfort zone however I found it an intriguing and great read. I read it through very quickly.

I don't know that it's absolutely necessary, but it may help the reader to better appreciate the story if they are aware of Norse and Celtic cultures. If not, a little research may be in order while reading. There are amazing characters within these pages and a job well done in combining history with fiction. There are questions left unanswered in this first book of the series and I'm looking forward to answers throughout the remaining adventures.