The Wolf Hunt (The Whale Road Chronicles 3)
The third book in the Whale Road Chronicles has our Viking warrior band despairing, as they believe they have been cursed by a witch. They are now exiled from Norway by King Erik, and as Erik goes to war against his half-brothers Olaf and Sigrod, The Wolf Coats feel they have no choice but to agree to join their forces against King Erik. However, the battle proves fierce and bloody, and as Erik’s forces close in they capture the Wolf Coats, determined to bring them all to a brutal and bloody end. Taking a chance to escape across the mountains, the Wolf Coats meet with foes old and new. Before long they must do battle again to get back to their ship and return to Iceland to save Einar’s mother, under threat from his father, Jarl Thorfinn of Orkney.
The adventures, as in previous instalments, come thick and fast, and the occasional gore is leavened by humour, fast-paced storytelling, and excellent character development. The characters are gently (re)introduced in the opening chapter, and while this book could work as a stand-alone title, I recommend reading the entire series, not just for better understanding of the overarching plot and the characters’ backstories but because these books are such stonking good reads. Perfect for fans of Theodore Brun and James Wilde.
