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The First Kingdom #3
Woden's Vengeance: The BRAND NEW Dark Age Tale of Honour and Vengeance from Donovan Cook
💥The continuation of Donovan Cook’s thrilling Dark Age series.🛡️ A must-read for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy⚔️ 450AD Britainnia
The war has begun - a war feared by both men and gods. But will the old give way to the new?
Prince Vortimer has imprisoned his father, King Vortigern – The High King of Britain. With Woden's spear, he believes God has chosen him to lead an army south to banish the Jutes once and for all from Britain's shores. Triumphant after the first battle, Prince Vortimer lays siege to the Jutes, but the war is far from over.
In a desperate fight for survival, Octa and the Jutish warlords, Hengist and Horsa, are trapped on Thanet, their island home, as Prince Vortimer’s army surrounds them. With dwindling numbers, their only hope is to send for reinforcements, but winter is upon them, and the journey will be perilous.
In a race against time and his own wishes, Octa leads the expedition to recruit Saxon and Jutish warriors. But will they follow young Octa the Coward? To prove himself, Octa must confront his past and seek vengeance on those who wronged his family, all while being mindful of Woden's wrath.
Can Octa stand strong as the fires of war rage around him?
And will warriors pledge their allegiance to a man known as Octa the Coward?
Praise for Donovan
'Woden’s Spear is yet another shield crunching epic from Donovan Cook. Any reader who loves battle, Saxons, warriors and adventures won’t be disappointed! A spell binding tale of early Britain certain to keep pages turning and readers entertained.' - Peter Gibbons
'Cook gives you thunderous action in a tightly woven plot. An epic adventure from a crumbling empire to a mysterious mist strewn land. Not one to be missed for fans of Cornwell and Kristian.' - Adam Lofthouse
'Donovan Cook’s Charlemagne’s Cross series has everything I look for in a tale of the Dark Ages. Adventure and gritty action set against the backdrop of clashing religions and the collision of kingdoms. Great stuff!' - Matthew Harffy
'A fabulous Norse tale of family secrets, betrayal and conflict right up until the very last page - I loved it!'- MJ Porter
'An action-packed scintillating thriller. Pacy, raw, violent fayre, with a cast of characters you'll swiftly loathe or admire - you'll think you're in the shield wall' - Ross Greenwood
The war has begun - a war feared by both men and gods. But will the old give way to the new?
Prince Vortimer has imprisoned his father, King Vortigern – The High King of Britain. With Woden's spear, he believes God has chosen him to lead an army south to banish the Jutes once and for all from Britain's shores. Triumphant after the first battle, Prince Vortimer lays siege to the Jutes, but the war is far from over.
In a desperate fight for survival, Octa and the Jutish warlords, Hengist and Horsa, are trapped on Thanet, their island home, as Prince Vortimer’s army surrounds them. With dwindling numbers, their only hope is to send for reinforcements, but winter is upon them, and the journey will be perilous.
In a race against time and his own wishes, Octa leads the expedition to recruit Saxon and Jutish warriors. But will they follow young Octa the Coward? To prove himself, Octa must confront his past and seek vengeance on those who wronged his family, all while being mindful of Woden's wrath.
Can Octa stand strong as the fires of war rage around him?
And will warriors pledge their allegiance to a man known as Octa the Coward?
Praise for Donovan
'Woden’s Spear is yet another shield crunching epic from Donovan Cook. Any reader who loves battle, Saxons, warriors and adventures won’t be disappointed! A spell binding tale of early Britain certain to keep pages turning and readers entertained.' - Peter Gibbons
'Cook gives you thunderous action in a tightly woven plot. An epic adventure from a crumbling empire to a mysterious mist strewn land. Not one to be missed for fans of Cornwell and Kristian.' - Adam Lofthouse
'Donovan Cook’s Charlemagne’s Cross series has everything I look for in a tale of the Dark Ages. Adventure and gritty action set against the backdrop of clashing religions and the collision of kingdoms. Great stuff!' - Matthew Harffy
'A fabulous Norse tale of family secrets, betrayal and conflict right up until the very last page - I loved it!'- MJ Porter
'An action-packed scintillating thriller. Pacy, raw, violent fayre, with a cast of characters you'll swiftly loathe or admire - you'll think you're in the shield wall' - Ross Greenwood
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book tells the story of Octa the Coward, a Saxon warrior, whose father was murdered by his cousin after Octa fled his first battle. In the two previous books, Octa traveled to Britain to find Woden's spear and joined the Jutish warlords. The books opens with the Jutes in Britain being attacked by a British prince. Octa, is sent back to Juteland and Saxony to bring more troops to Britain. In order to win recruits, Octa has to prove that he is no longer a coward to the Saxons be avenging his father. Various gods are characters in this series, and their power is influenced by their followers, and Woden specifically is trapped in Saxony as long as he doesn't have his spear. The Christian God is also referred to. Interestingly, it makes the Jutish mercenaries lead by Horsa and Hengist the good guys, by changing many aspects of the legend, making it more pagans versus Christians. However, the focus is more on personal goals for the main character.
The pacing of the book is slow as it is a lot of Octa thinking about the same things over and over again and then discussing the same things over and over again. Occasionally a god will show up and hint at some plan and do some foreshadowing. I didn't read the other books, but I don't feel like I missed anything because the same events, especially Octa fleeing his first battle, are repeatedly referred to. Octa comes across as just going with the flow. I guess part of the theme is that Frigg and Woden both have a plan for him, still he is basically forced to return to Saxon by his mother. When he returns, Woden who previously said he wanted his spear back, lets Octa keep it and Frigg who previously said she didn't want Octa to return to Saxony, says she did. So both plans seem to align with each other, but also what the author needed to happen. What does Octa feel about this? Nothing. He seems to want to serve the gods, but isn't sure what they want from him, or which one to follow.
Octa also doesn't seem motivated to avenge his father. His lack of affection for his father is explicitly explained by him being fostered by a cousin. He cares more about proving that he isn't a coward. The idea that as his father's nearest surviving kin he has a duty to provide justice, isn't addressed. This lack of emotion or motivation from the main character makes him boring and contributes to the slowness.
I hesitate to address the historical accuracy of a book where Woden is a character and is based on figures considered to be completely fictional by historians (Hengist and Horsa), still I will point some things out. In Germanic myth, Frigg is not the mother of Thonur. There was a Roman fort built near Thanet island. The book also relies heavily on a literal interpretation of "shield wall" and the debunked theory of interlocking shields.
Very little is known about old Saxon culture specifically, but the book establishes that honour is of upmost importance, at the same time people don't act like it. Octa has to convince people he isn't a coward, but isn't helped that his friends call him "the coward". When insulted, he keeps explaining himself, instead of talking smack back. It is a big contrast to how the warriors talk to each other in Norse sagas or the Illiad. Also, the dynamics of the role of a chieftain isn't understood in the book.The role of the chieftain was to provide this followers with food and gifts, especially dividing the booty. Octa first meets a chieftain without land or income, but no explanation of how he feeds his men is offered. When Octa takes a city a ridiculously small force, he is careful only to take from the defeated chieftain's personal property. Earlier his Jutish allies have referred to raiding Saxony. So obviously they have no problem looting and pillaging. When Octa expresses worry that the women in the walled settlement could be raped, he seems oblivious to the fact that he and is men are the type that would do that. He doesn't always act according to modern values, but he often thinks according to them.
A lot of things just don't make sense in the story, especially things presented as clever tactics. At one point the Jutes send two ships to fake an attack on London. Time is handled poorly, so it seems that the British army splits and is attacked in seconds. However, there would be no sense trying to race a boat of the Thames, and if they did, they would see if it stopped. The main issue for me is the writing, it fails to convey the important things that are happening in a way that makes it feel like it is happening. It seems like the author also forgot what happened, because although Prince Vortimer was attacked, Vortimer is said to wonder if he made a mistake in attacking. Sometimes characters know things about people they just met. Other things are just convenient, like meeting a warlord just as he is attacked. A lot of Octa's decisions are treated as smart, when they are either pretty basic or actually dumb.
Another issue is the repetitive writing. Not only does Octa have the same internal monologues multiple times as well as the same conversations, but the writing repeats itself. For example, people are constantly said to have "hawk and spat". This gets annoying, especially as this is the main form how the characters express emotions. In general the writing is emotionally flat and needs more descriptions.
The pacing of the book is slow as it is a lot of Octa thinking about the same things over and over again and then discussing the same things over and over again. Occasionally a god will show up and hint at some plan and do some foreshadowing. I didn't read the other books, but I don't feel like I missed anything because the same events, especially Octa fleeing his first battle, are repeatedly referred to. Octa comes across as just going with the flow. I guess part of the theme is that Frigg and Woden both have a plan for him, still he is basically forced to return to Saxon by his mother. When he returns, Woden who previously said he wanted his spear back, lets Octa keep it and Frigg who previously said she didn't want Octa to return to Saxony, says she did. So both plans seem to align with each other, but also what the author needed to happen. What does Octa feel about this? Nothing. He seems to want to serve the gods, but isn't sure what they want from him, or which one to follow.
Octa also doesn't seem motivated to avenge his father. His lack of affection for his father is explicitly explained by him being fostered by a cousin. He cares more about proving that he isn't a coward. The idea that as his father's nearest surviving kin he has a duty to provide justice, isn't addressed. This lack of emotion or motivation from the main character makes him boring and contributes to the slowness.
I hesitate to address the historical accuracy of a book where Woden is a character and is based on figures considered to be completely fictional by historians (Hengist and Horsa), still I will point some things out. In Germanic myth, Frigg is not the mother of Thonur. There was a Roman fort built near Thanet island. The book also relies heavily on a literal interpretation of "shield wall" and the debunked theory of interlocking shields.
Very little is known about old Saxon culture specifically, but the book establishes that honour is of upmost importance, at the same time people don't act like it. Octa has to convince people he isn't a coward, but isn't helped that his friends call him "the coward". When insulted, he keeps explaining himself, instead of talking smack back. It is a big contrast to how the warriors talk to each other in Norse sagas or the Illiad. Also, the dynamics of the role of a chieftain isn't understood in the book.The role of the chieftain was to provide this followers with food and gifts, especially dividing the booty. Octa first meets a chieftain without land or income, but no explanation of how he feeds his men is offered. When Octa takes a city a ridiculously small force, he is careful only to take from the defeated chieftain's personal property. Earlier his Jutish allies have referred to raiding Saxony. So obviously they have no problem looting and pillaging. When Octa expresses worry that the women in the walled settlement could be raped, he seems oblivious to the fact that he and is men are the type that would do that. He doesn't always act according to modern values, but he often thinks according to them.
A lot of things just don't make sense in the story, especially things presented as clever tactics. At one point the Jutes send two ships to fake an attack on London. Time is handled poorly, so it seems that the British army splits and is attacked in seconds. However, there would be no sense trying to race a boat of the Thames, and if they did, they would see if it stopped. The main issue for me is the writing, it fails to convey the important things that are happening in a way that makes it feel like it is happening. It seems like the author also forgot what happened, because although Prince Vortimer was attacked, Vortimer is said to wonder if he made a mistake in attacking. Sometimes characters know things about people they just met. Other things are just convenient, like meeting a warlord just as he is attacked. A lot of Octa's decisions are treated as smart, when they are either pretty basic or actually dumb.
Another issue is the repetitive writing. Not only does Octa have the same internal monologues multiple times as well as the same conversations, but the writing repeats itself. For example, people are constantly said to have "hawk and spat". This gets annoying, especially as this is the main form how the characters express emotions. In general the writing is emotionally flat and needs more descriptions.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Woden‘s Vengeance by Donovan Cook, the book starts on Thanet/Rym island with Octa and the Jutes being locked on the island by Prince Vortimer in a fierce battle until the god of thunder smiled on them and gave the Viking brothers Hengist and Horsa time to prepare a counter attack. Later on in the book Octa we finally get his chance to redeem his dignity but it has to be by him alone taking the life of the man who took his father‘s life. Throughout the book the gods aren’t done playing tricks on poor Octa but through it all those that are loyal to him stay that way and some that aren’t turn out to be allies with those that are. Will Octa ever be thought of as more than a coward can he be like his grandfather and father before him or is every fight he’s fighting a losing battle? there is so much more I want to put in this review but brief summaries are not something I’m capable of just know if you love tails told in the days of ancient England then you will definitely enjoy this book. This book shows us that were much more reasons battles were fought and it’s not just one reason but many. I do want to say in every book I’ve ever read about Hengist and Horsa, horsa is always the meaner brother so I’m starting to believe that must be true it can’t just be a coincidence. I love these books and think Octa is really coming into his own he started out a great character and I can’t wait to see the finale I just love these books and highly recommend them I would start with the first one so you know the whole story but either way it’s still a great ride. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
April 30, 2026
450 AD. Octa and his comrades are trapped on the Isle of Thanet, being constantly attacked by the warriors of Prince Vortimer and King Gwyrangon. Their only respite coming when Thunor sent rain. Hengist and Horsa know that if they don’t win the battle thye won’t have enough supplies to last the winter, so have devised a cunning plan to split King Gwyrangon away from Prince Vortimer. By appearing to send a boat upriver towards the King’s home they hope it will force the King to return to its defence. At the same time, they will send other boats across the seas to bring more warriors to aid them.
Octa is one of those selected for the expedition and, whilst he realises it gives him an opportunity to avenge his father’s death at the hand of Witta, he also knows that it will be difficult to get men to follow him given his nickname of Octa the Coward. He’s also worried that Woden will take the opportunity to reclaim the spear Gungnir from him.
A thoroughly absorbing tale of battles that shows Octa’s growth and maturity as a warrior and his development as a leader. I really enjoy the elements of fantasy woven into the story as Gods meddle with events to bring about their desired outcome.
Thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for an ARC for my honest review.
Octa is one of those selected for the expedition and, whilst he realises it gives him an opportunity to avenge his father’s death at the hand of Witta, he also knows that it will be difficult to get men to follow him given his nickname of Octa the Coward. He’s also worried that Woden will take the opportunity to reclaim the spear Gungnir from him.
A thoroughly absorbing tale of battles that shows Octa’s growth and maturity as a warrior and his development as a leader. I really enjoy the elements of fantasy woven into the story as Gods meddle with events to bring about their desired outcome.
Thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for an ARC for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book 3 of the First Kingdom series. This one really tests Octa as he travels to the land of the Saxons. Prince Vortimer is still trying to defeat the Jutes on Thanet Island. There is the fear that Octa, Aldric and Odalric will not survive the journey. Edge of the seat stuff during the battles as the characters are brought to life and the plans of the God's play out. A fascinating insight into the conditions of the warriors during the battles and the aftermath as they recover. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys there history in this form.
With thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
With thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A strong and action-packed installment in Octa’s story. I really enjoyed seeing his continued growth and his struggle to prove himself.
The battles, shifting alliances, and influence of the gods keep things interesting, and the emotional thread of his quest for redemption adds depth.
Definitely recommend starting from the first book for full context, but this is still a great read on its own!
Thank you NetGaley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and the author for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.
The battles, shifting alliances, and influence of the gods keep things interesting, and the emotional thread of his quest for redemption adds depth.
Definitely recommend starting from the first book for full context, but this is still a great read on its own!
Thank you NetGaley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and the author for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.
April 30, 2026
a slow book
Octa is thinking octa is remembering octa is thinking and remembering
I had to scroll most of the book
Octa is thinking octa is remembering octa is thinking and remembering
I had to scroll most of the book
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews