Poor Athelstan—when Ecbert and Lagertha start unashamedly coupling in the bath, he’s simply ignored, left to look awkward and towel off. It reminds me of the lord of the rings but not quite .... a bit like game of thrones but again it's more like it's own category with a LOT of potential and I can't wait to read the second book ! I'm sure the Wolves of Morai will be an absolute sucess and I hope to see the author gain the recognition she deserves!

Permalink: This is not about you Floki. It's about our children and their children. It is about our... A brilliant ending to an amazing series of books and stories. With this, the Extinction Cycle is complete. Helga, Siggy, and Aslaug help Harbard with his injured hand and lodging while he tells them stories about his travels and the gods.Some will always believe that mutual religious tolerance is impossible. The tension between the Christian Saxons and the Norse Vikings has begun to create problems on both sides as we are shown early on in parallel scenes in the episode. Two of Ecbert’s court (somewhat) hesitantly call their king out for his willingness to ally himself with the Northmen, even to the point of evicting his own people from their lands and giving it to the new arrivals. The fact that they feel strongly enough about this to admit the content of their muttering to him speaks a great deal to how serious a problem his people believe this to be. While any king rules, on one level or another, by the consent of the people, an English court of the time did not have the democratic tone that tended to be more true of a Viking one where anyone could, in theory, speak his mind. As always, remember, you can watch Vikings online via TV Fanatic if you ever miss an episode and need to catch up. The only thing that I didn't love was the struggle to get a good idea of what time period the setting was based on. I think it's more modern? There's mention cars and some other modern inventions, but for the longest time I was picturing the common vaguely medieval fantasy setting. The faith of some extends to martyrdom. It’s a feature of many religions, even today, that those who die in their defense or according to their rules will reap rewards in the next life. While we see none of the zealotry that tends to be a feature of the former in this episode, the title definitely references the latter. Torstein meets his fate head-on when he all but begs (or as close as a Viking gets to begging) Rollo to drag him to the battlefield so he can die fighting, thus earning his way into Valhalla. His faith (and the content of that faith) is highlighted because his death in the beginning of the battle is in counterpoint to Burgred’s surrender at its end. Of course, while we are intended to see that surrender as cowardly, it also marks out an important difference between the two belief systems: the attitudes of each towards fate and free will.

high fantasy (one of the only shifter fantasy romance books I’ve ever read with a truly high fantasy setting and sensibility!) I loved the love story between Kai and Isla and the world building was easy to understand. When it comes to the mystery aspect of this book and the events that contribute to the underlying mystery, I was often confused about what was going on and felt like the plot was murky and not developed well. Once I got to the end of the book, things became clearer but I still feel like that aspect of the book wasn’t as well developed as the rest of the story. I don’t normally read mysteries so that could be why it didn’t hit for me. The FMC was so badass. Fully grumpy but deep down stressed and anxious and trying to be strong and unbothered. When she said “down boy” I SCREAMED. She’s one of my all time favorites. What was wrong with Aslaug offering the stranger dinner, shelter and letting him know all the men were gone? Woman are you insane? Siggy's face was priceless.A Warrior's Fate is the Adult Paranormal Fantasy Romance and its first installment in the The Alpha and The Warrior series. The angst between these two love interests was what hooked me. The murder mystery kept it going. And the political intrigue.. unreal! This book has an in depth world that is written and described intricately. The world building is fabulous. The character building is deep and I’m so impressed with how real these characters feel. The plot and storyline are so compelling that I was clutching my metaphorical pearls the entire time. There is suspense, there’s romance, there’s wolf shifters and witches and fae. There’s betrayal and intrigue; mysteries to solve. The goddess, Fate, must enjoy playing with the mortals. For why else would she choose the most important night of Isla’s life to place her soulmate on her path? On the night she’s to enter the Hunt, a perilous trial to earn her title of warrior, Isla meets her fated mate. Handsome, arrogant, and frustratingly captivating, Kai is everything she could want, but nowhere near what she needs right now. Because he is the king of the enigmatic Deimos…which makes Isla their rightful queen.

Speaking of, while George Blagden’s sly watchfulness as Athelstan remains a fascinating portrait, his ongoing storyline being pursued by Jennie Jacques’ Princess Judith isn’t promising. Although his position as spiritual representative of both worlds marks him out for bigger things this season.

Simplistic military post-apocalyptic series continues with solid military lingo and action that would be better on screen as a visual spectacle, instead of book format. This is more than a fantasy romance because the relationships between all the characters are so nuanced. There is more than romantic love here. There is the love between siblings, the relationships between best friends, parents, coworkers. Relationships and bonds being strained because of circumstances, but still holding true. Historically, we know the Viking culture was assimilated into mainstream European and Christian culture. Floki is actually making a ton of sense, but Ragnar's far too focused to pay any attention.

It is an through and carefully-written book - everything comes together and there are no unexplained or irrelevant plotholes- which makes reading it efffortless. When Bjorn tends to the grievously wounded Porunn (her face horrifyingly beaten by an English soldier), it’s uncle Rollo who reaches out to the boy, finding a way through Bjorn’s self-involved grieving, drawing on his own relationship with the gods (and perhaps his own experience with massive facial injuries). Rollo’s journey has been an inconsistent one, but his current characterization has taken on an appealing serenity—or as close to serenity as the axe-happy Rollo gets. Here, his advice to his nephew is less about worship, or pragmatism, and more emblematic of Rollo’s resigned understanding of his place in the Norseman’s universe: This also introduced us to one of my favorite types of villains: the ones who believe they are the hero.On the night she's to enter the Hunt, a perilous trial to earn her title of warrior, Isla meets her fated mate. Handsome, arrogant, and frustratingly captivating, Kai is everything she could want, but nowhere near what she needs right now. Because he is the king of the enigmatic Deimos...which makes Isla their rightful queen. Ragnar’s response to Bjorn upon learning that Porunn came raiding while pregnant is worth examining further, but his fury at his son strikes deep at the contradictory heart of the king. There’s a level of paternalism there, sure, but it also speaks both to Ragnar’s lesson on power and sacrifice to Bjorn in the season’s first scene, and his speech to Floki tonight: What did you think of "Warrior's Fate"? Will you miss Torstein? Is Floki getting on your nerves? Does Harbard posses special powers? How do you feel about Lagertha and King Ecbert? Your turn friends, please hit the comments and share your thoughts with me. Kevin Durand was brilliant as Harbard, and completely unrecognizable with that beard and accent. Though he temporarily cured little Ivar, something is definitely off. Story time was fun, and it was Helga that figured out he was Thor in the story.