In 449 AD in Old Saxony, eighteen-year-old Octa is made shield bearer to his cousin Uhtric in the imminent battle against the Thuringians who are infringing on Saxon lands. But Octa is no warrior, and the so-called honour is forced upon him. As the battle rages, he flees when Uhtric falls to a Thuringian axe. In fear of his father’s wrath, he goes north to Jutland, and sails to Britannia with brothers Hengist and Horsa, whose expedition is at the request of King Vortigern. Octa’s private quest is to find the goddess Brigantia’s sacred shrine and rescue Woden’s spear, but he cannot get to Hadrian’s Wall without help. Forced to explain his real purpose, Hengist sends him north with his best warriors to retrieve the sword for his own purposes. Badulf, a warrior Briton of Vortigern’s court, knows of Octa’s quest and respects his sister Brigid’s prediction that Octa is somehow important and feared by the old gods, although the reason is not clear to her.

The novel is a coming-of-age odyssey steeped in belief in the old gods who were worshipped before adherence to the Christian God took hold in Roman times. But the Romans have left Britannia to its own devices, and the land is split by rivalries of tribal kings. The first half of the novel, slowed initially by Octa protesting a bit too much, does pick up its pace and plot direction. Details of the environment and settings, however, could have been more vividly descriptive. This first book in The First Kingdom Series sheds light on the Dark Age period, when the Britons, abandoned by Rome, needed help to fight the Picts and the Scots (Irish). Thorough historical notes are included.

Octa is young and untested in war. He’s got a bit of swagger about him, especially when he’s given the chance to shine in the shield wall.

Fate has other things in store for Octa and after the death of his cousin, bringing shame on himself and his family he fleas to safety.

As Octa tries to escape his past an old man appears and offers a chance to redeem himself. Woden’s Spear was stolen, and the God wants it back… Could Octa be the one to help?

By chance Octa finds his way to Britannia where the spear is located but Octa doesn’t exactly know where to find it.. but he must if he’s to win back the favour of his family.

Along the way Octa is tested.. he truly believes he’s a coward, self-deprecating..but as the story progresses you see him slowly change as he meets new people along the way, see’s other perspectives.. was it really his fault what happened? Or was he pushed too soon?

We also learn that nothing happens by chance.. Octa was meant to be sent on this journey.. the Gods can be cruel and the decisions he makes could have major consequences… but the chance to get his hands on the spear is too hard not to take!

Historical Fiction is my bread and butter.. I love the genre and Woden’s Spear is a great addition… but it’s so much more than that…Dovovan Cook gives an extra dimension.. it’s the fantasy edge.

A lot of books touch on religions at the time and the turmoil caused but I loved that the author explored this in a different way and came up with a fascinating tale that included the will of the Gods… like the Gods were real and pulling the strings of men they use as puppets…

There’s still some great action scenes but I found myself really enjoying the adventure and didn’t miss the blood and gore.

I loved the character development arc of Octa too.. he grows throughout the tale but only with the help others.. and it’s those characters that really make things interesting. Badulf, Brigid and for me especially Reinald who I thought was the one who finally got through to Octa and made he see things in a different light.

Towards the end we also see development of Octa’s family which I loved, Octa’s father for example is a proud warrior.. when pushed too far what will he do for his family?

I was invested already but when I got about 65% through I was devastated to even need a toilet break as things were starting to get really juicy and it was one of those reads when you really don’t know what will happen next!

A super fun and exhilarating read 5*

I really enjoyed this book... it's been a while since i ve read a nice historical fiction type of book. A great story , keeps you focused right from the beginning. Nice presentation of the era, the cultures, the fights. It's a solid 4,
(it would be a solid 5 if the author didnt keep repeating some words over and over again)

Thanks NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review

Woden's Spear takes us back to the era generally (still) known as the Dark Ages, but as we learn more about the centuries between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of Frankia and Anglo-Saxon England, we find more and more novels set in that much-overlooked era. This is one of them, the beginning of a fascinating new series.

We are in Old Saxony, where brave warlords wield great power. But not all is well, as the Thuringians lead regular excursion into Saxon territory, as they themselves are pushed westward by eastern marauders.

When Saxon warlord Witta announces an attack on a recce group of Thuringians, he decides that the settlement's younger warriors can see of such a small cohort. Led by his son, Uhtric, and accompanied only by a handful of more experienced warriors, the group will no doubt come away with a great victory, giving the youngsters an important boost in self-confidence.

When young Octa's father, a cousin of their leader Witta, and himself a seasoned warrior, suggest Octa as Uhtric's shield bearer, it causes a stir. The role is usually reserved to experienced fighters, and Octa, though full of the bluster of his youth and training, has not seen any action yet. But Witta and Uhtric agree.

But the Thuringians are fierce, and as battle ensues, Octa freezes in fear. It is a disaster, and soon, he finds himself fleeing from the fearsome attackers.

Aware of having failed his father, and let down his people, Octa goes into hiding. He eventually sneaks into his home, where his mother tells him to go and redeem himself.

Octa heads north into the land of the Jutes, uncertain of where to go and what to do. But when he meets an old man he's spotted at Witta's hall, the man suggests he go in search of Woden's Spear, which the god apparently lost. This quest takes Octa to Britannia, recently abandoned by the Romans.

A chance encounter – and bout of bravery – sees Octa heading across the sea in the company of Hengist and Horsa – the men who led the Jutes and Angles to England.

Will his quest succeed? Well, read the novel!

Woden's Spear is a fast-paced adventure that takes us into distant times. The author provides us with a close-up glimpse at a world we know little about, and we learn about warlords, enemy tribes, and expectations on young men like Octa.

Octa is not a likeable lad. He is over-confident, cocky. His inflated opinion of himself (thanks to his parents) is annoying at times, as he expects things to fall into his hands, and he sulks when that doesn't happen. In some ways, he's a typical teenager, with maybe a hint of a more modern attitude. He did not expect to feel shocked as he did, in battle, and he's keen to avoid trouble where possible.

This doesn't make him weak, from a 21st century POV, but in an era of warlords and warriors, where men constantly fight to defend or expand their territory, it's unusual. However, it makes Octa human. Just a boy. And now, one with a mission.

Arriving in Britannia, we witness an island ravaged by attacks from all sides in the wake of the Roman departure. Briton and Celtic cultures come alive again, but often at odds with each other. It's a fascinating combination of elements that provides a thriving backdrop. And in the middle of this, we have a young man on a doubtful quest.

Woden's Spear is a thrilling tale of coming-of-age, and of massive change and upheaval, both on a personal level and across the isle of Britannia. And whilst I just couldn't warm to Orca, his sheer determination to find redemption, is gripping.

Fans of historical fiction set in lesser known eras will enjoy this novel. It shines a much-needed light into dying days of the Roman Empire, and an emerging new force.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for access to this ARC 📚.

🔥Quick Fire Review🔥

Genre/Themes: ⚔️🌲📜✝️🏰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Tropes: Antihero, Emotional Scars, Rejected as Unworthy, Ancient Settings, All Powerful Artefacts, Redemption, Fight Against an Older Powerful Antagonist, Paying the Price, Prophecies
Positives ✅ : an interesting setting in a less written about time period, a relatable main character
Room for Improvement 🔎 : lacklustre plot, weak characterisation
Rating: 🌕🌕🌗

✍🏻Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑

I don’t consider this book to be an overall picture of this authors talents. The end of this ARC had an excerpt of another of his novels, and I can see the potential there. This novel itself was unfortunately not for me.

Characterisation:
I love historical fiction but moreso if it is character-driven. This was lacking here. The main character Octa was nearly enough to redeem it for me, but not quite. He is an actual antihero. He is cowardly, not just the once and then magically resolves it after one mistake. No, he proves himself to be a coward multiple times. But I LIKED that. He felt more real to me. He isn’t just born blood-thirsty and able to murder people with no remorse. He throws up, he freezes and then he runs away. Even with what he thought was the best training he could get. His guilt and shame overwhelms him, and his desire to please his family and redeem himself leads him on his quest. Unfortunately though my enjoyment of him ended there. The majority of the characters in this book are all so similar in terms of dialogue that they are difficult to distinguish. I didn’t find any of them particularly likeable nor did I really root for anybody. It didn’t help that Octa’s motive is driven by the death of his relative and best friend, Uhtric, that is essentially caused by Octa’s cowardice. But we only knew Uhtric for a few pages, so not only did I not feel sad about his death I struggled to feel sad for Octa and feel his grief with him because it didn’t feel justified. He was like a stranger to me as a reader. Same for his father Frithowald. We see him as more of an opportunistic narcissist who tries to use Octa, who actually WAS basically a stranger to him, as a pawn to get into his cousin Witta’s good books. But then Octa spends the whole book trying to redeem himself in Frithowald’s eyes. Realistically it’s said many times that Witta raised Octa and saw him as a son. Why wasn’t Octa trying to redeem himself to Witta instead? Get his forgiveness for the death of Witta’s actual son? Who knows. Witta himself is a seemingly self-appointed ruler, a powerful warlord as was Frithowald. He is seriously disliked by surrounding clans, but this doesn’t seem to ever become an issue? He becomes hellbent on revenge after Octa’s act of cowardice which leads to his murder of Frithowald. But again, Witta basically raised Octa. I’d have liked to have seen more complex feelings surrounding all of this rather than him going from a father-like fondness to burning hatred with no conflicting emotions about seeing him dead. Octa’s mother appears briefly before Octa’s journey to send him on his way to prove himself, then returns later when she sets off to find Octa after his father’s murder. She is, again, pretty non-descript and is accompanied by a sworn protector - I forget his name but it began with an O - who fulfills his promise to Frithowald even after death. I got confused between him and several other characters when they were in scenes together because they were so similar. Brigid, King Vortigern and Badulf were by far the most intriguing part of the story. Brigid especially. She is very intelligent and able to scheme, and it’s implied she has the powers of a Seer? But she is seen a handful of times up to the middle of the book and never mentioned again. Such a missed opportunity. Badulf is very well connected between the Britons and the Jutes/Saxons and seems connected to Brigid’s prophecies. But he ‘dies’ and isn’t seen again. I assume this will be explored more in future sequels, but felt anti-climatic in the book itself. The politics King Vortigern has to navigate, and his interactions and fondness for Brigid were really interesting and I’d have much rather read more of that than some of the scenes we got instead. Once in Britannia notable characters are Hengist, Horsa, Eadric and Reinald. Eathric seemed to be just the same as Witta in my head. Eager for power and reputation, but goes from a fondness for Octa to happily wanting to kill him. He was therefore another lacklustre villain for me. He’s accompanied by a few more of Hengist and Horsa’s men, but they all talk and say similar things so I don’t remember their names, just that they are equally mean to Octa. Hengist was one of the most intriguing characters of the entire book. He had an eery confidence and calm. A desire for power but also an uncharacteristic sense of justice. I’d have liked to have seen more of him, but again this didn’t happen. His brother Horsa was just Eadric 2.0. This was why it felt like so many characters were one-dimensional and lacked uniqueness. Reinald was the closest to a likeable character we got. He was unerringly kind, protective and supportive of Octa and well respected by the peers in his fort. But we don’t really learn why, other than his son meeting a similar fate to Octa. He was just… nice. In the background we have the gods Woden and Friga. Turns out they’re having what’s essentially a domestic spat, which has led to the whole plot with the spear. I feel like there could have been some good opportunity for a bit of comedy between those two, especially since they’re gods and none of this even really matters to them.

World-Building:
The story is set in 5th Century Britain and the areas of Germanic tribes including Jutland and Saxony, a decade after the Roman’s desertion of Brittanica. I really enjoyed reading a story set in this era, as the author himself has said there’s not an awful lot of literature about this time. Octa’s main journey is to Hadrian’s Wall, and it was fun to imagine this in its fully built glory as opposed to the ruins we have today. I enjoyed the conflict between the pagan Gods and Goddesses and Christ, especially as we see Woden and Friga themselves feel threatened by Him. I enjoyed reading the feelings of tension and unease in both the Germanic tribes and Britain, with people being unhappy with the appointed leaders and wanting the power for themselves. The regions were all under threat from other tribes, with the Saxons dealing with attacks from the Thuringians and the British dealing with violence from the Picts. The world was what kept me reading, as the history of my native UK fascinates me.

Prose\Plot:
The prose was a little inconsistent to me. There were flashes of a sense of humour, and to be honest I wish there’d been more of it. Too much of the prose felt like a bullet-like list of events, more like a textbook than a fictional story. ‘The Jutes did this and the Saxons did that and the Britons were here while the Picts were there’. There wasn’t enough emotion or immersion in the writing style for me. The main bulk of the plot was a little lacklustre. To begin with I thought it would be action-packed, with Octa’s betrayal and escape and Brigid’s spying on Vortigern and the other Kings. But then it was basically just Octa traversing Britain for half of the book, stopping at the odd village until he got to the Spear. Battles were quite brief, Octa’s small sexual escapade even briefer, and at one point I thought maybe a slow burn romance was going to start with Octa’s mother and her escorting guard. But nope, that didn’t happen. Octa’s retrieval of the spear was interesting, but then his use of it against Eadric was not. It was over very quickly considering Eadric was supposed to be an incredible warrior. I’m not sure how I feel about Woden’s revelation at the end, with it turning out he had put a ‘spell’ on Octa to be a coward to control the way the story panned out. I think I was disappointed, because I liked that Octa had to become brave rather than being born that way. Overall I wouldn’t rush out to read the sequel. BUT I would happily read a different series from the author.

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.