The Queen of War

The Norsewomen #6

by Johanna Wittenberg

An old enemy has been secretly watching Tromøy, probing for any weakness. An opportunity presents itself and he strikes, capturing Åsa. Imprisoned by a mighty king and his powerful sorceress, Åsa must survive by her wits while her allies launch a desperate rescue attempt against overwhelming odds. Cornered and outnumbered by her enemy, Åsa summons the dark power of war magic to save her people.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 26, 2024

About the author

Like her Viking forebears, Johanna Wittenberg has sailed to the far reaches of the world. She lives on a fjord in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, whom she met on a ship bound for Antarctica.

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Reviews

[Kherri Bilbro]

Fabulous series!

I am sad that this series has ended. I fell in love with every character for so many reasons! Even the villains! Amazing story!

[Daverly Whitescarver]

Now I will clean!

This series was riveting! I have spent all of my free time reading the last 2 weeks. I hope to continue reading this authoress.

[Cora Fortin]

Another great Norse women book. Perfect balance of true history and supernatural. I love these books.

[Jennifer Walker]

Another great novel in this epic Viking saga. Can't wait for the next book!

[Linda Susan Garman]

Impatiently Waiting

6 books and I still don't have enough. I have always been a fan of historical fiction. Also being a history scholar and a lover of the Vikings Age and the Middle Ages. I find these books compelling and well written enough that they fill your head and heart with historical facts and fiction.

[Stacey]

They just keep getting better and better!!!!!! ❤️

[Dennis Steussy]

In book #6 of the Norsewoman series, by Johanna Wittenberg, we have Asa, the queen struggling with the idea of having her son, Halfdan, go to live with his father and learn more about being a warrior and a good man. Also, she decides to take a trip with her lover to see another part of the world, but
it turns out to be a big problem. A rival Danish king finds out that she is on vacation and captures her and is going to force her to marry him, so he can claim her kingdom, because this is a general societal rule of Norse custom. A rescue attempt is made, but it gets a little complicated when her son sneaks on to the boat sent ahead to rescue the queen. There's a big sea battle, but Asa, her son and the
rescuers succeed with the help of her former lover and Halfdan's father, King Olaf and Asa's own fleet of Norse ships. However, another battle is brewing, because the rival Danish king isn't done and he has more ships and warriors. Asa calls for help and surprising a number of other kingdoms come to her aid. The story has some magical moments with her seer, Heid and we are introduced to a new character by the name of Cian, a former slave of the Danish king and a remarkable harpist and warrior. A big thumbs up on this book and I look forward to reading book #7 too.

[Linnea Tanner]

The epic Nordic saga, The Queen of War (Book 6 of The Norsewomen), continues the legendary tale of Queen Åsa from Tromøy, an island off the east coast of Norway. Sufficient backstory is provided so the book can be read as a standalone. The tale begins in 825 CE, a year after Åsa survived an odyssey to Hel to break a curse that unleashed a deadly plague in her kingdom. With her kingdom at peace, she arranges for her six-year-old son to be mentored by his biological father and her previous secret lover. However, her world turns upside down when she is captured by the Danish king, Horik, who is determined to make her his queen in his scheme to conquer and rule the Norwegian coast. Against all odds, Åsa has to find a way to escape imprisonment and warn her Norse allies of Horik’s threat. She must rely on her cunning and magic to thwart the Danish invasion and save her people.

Author Johanna Wittenberg is a masterful storyteller reminiscent of the oral traditions of skalds retelling mythological tales and legends. The author vividly describes battle scenes that are riveting and cinematic in scope. The fast-paced adventure races to a heart-throbbing climax where Norsemen and Danes ultimately clash. Mystical elements seamlessly weave into the historical backdrop of medieval Scandinavia. A sorceress, Åsa can cast spells and spiritually meld with a falcon to see through its eyes. A list of characters, maps, and glossaries of Norse terms, gods, and heroes help the reader to navigate through the story.

The The Queen of War is an epic adventure that captures the battle tactics, religious beliefs, and culture of the seafaring Vikings. Highly recommended.

I voluntarily reviewed this book for the Historical Novel Society HNR Issue 108 (May 2024).

[Brooke Ryan]

A lot of Wittenberg’s writing style has increasingly become less and less rich. The pacing is very off in this book, and while even just reading a random paragraph throughout the book, you’ll find it’s missing a sentence or two to expand on the context of the scene.

The foundation is there, but it lacked that depth that a good read has. Queen of War felt very rushed and too short. A lot happens in 200 pages, leaving the reader feeling whiplash by the end, and not in a good way.

[Karen Mullen]

Here we go again, Åsa prevails, despite many challenges.

A seamless connection from book five, most of the action continues! Åsa comes to her most mature self, bearing the responsibility for her people and kingdom. Her spirit animal, the falcon Stormrider, becomes the lynchpin in the story.