Review: Loki's Deceit by Donovan Cook

Today, I'm delighted to share my review of Loki's Deceit by Donovan Cook. Delve into the distant past in a gripping tale of personal ambitions, religious differences, and political intrigues...

Loki's Deceit is currently on blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. My thanks to the publisher, Boldwood Books, and Rachel for a review copy.

Loki’s Deceit

The Charlemagne's Cross Series

Donovan Cook

I chose Loki's Deceit for review, as I'm fascinated by the era. The interweaving politics between Franks and Danes are really interesting, especially when religion enters the fray. And then there are the intrigues against other rulers...

And I was not to be disappointed. Although I hadn't read the first book in the series (something I'll have to remedy!), I quickly learned about the characters, and what their purposes and motivations were. 

There's young Charles, currently safe at his Dane grandfather Sven's hall in Ribe. The story centres around him, as he has in his possession a cross which the Franks desperately want as individual Frankish kings are struggling to hold their own small kingdoms. 

Then there's Sven, old jarl of Ribe after he'd killed his own brother, Bjarni.  He's not popular with the locals as constant raids threaten their lives and livelihoods.

Then we have Gerold, who appeared in book 1, and who – early on in the novel – learns about Frankish political intrigues, and discovers who Charles’ mother is.

There are other characters, too, who fill the pages, and their stories run parallel. There's Sven's right-hand men, Rollo and Asgar, and Thora – a former shield maiden who teaches Charles, bullied by the other boys for his small stature and disinterest in weapons, how to fight. 

Each has their own ambitions, and they often interweave, but the essence of the story is about Charles and his cross. 

When Sven is challenged by Danish King Horik's ambitious nephew, Guttrom, he must decide whether it will be worth challenging Horik's rule (and thereby likely losing men in battles). And then there's the boy, Charles, to protect...

Loki's Deceit is a gripping tale full of fascinating intrigues. I loved Thora and Rollo – two down-to-earth and fair characters. She is a feisty woman who knows how to survive in a man's world. He is tall, strong, and a solid presence in the story. 

Charles is highly religious, and he struggles at his Pagan grandfather's hall. His calling would be the Church, but here, in Ribe, he's not allowed to practice, and boys make fun of him. He's still a weak character to begin with, but grows slowly as the story progresses. 

Sven is an old warrior, tricked into an alliance with Guttrom. But he's unhappy as it is, so why should he not try get rid of the bane of his life, King Horik! But with scheming Guttrom, would Sven just swap one enemy to another?

The narrative is at times over-descriptive and repetitive, also with a few modernisms, so I skipped a few paragraphs here and there as to not lose the actual thread. A little less explaining (especially early on) would have helped maintain the fast pace that we see throughout much of the novel. The ideological differences between the Danes and the Franks are very well researched, and they certainly enrich the plot. 

Cook brought this often overlooked early medieval conflict cleverly to life, in a riveting tale of how these intrigues would have been spun. The story felt authentic and realistic, and the characters were acting well within their time. A real treat.

Loki's Deceit is a fascinating read for fans of early medieval fiction. 

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Blurb:

A king, old and frail.

A challenger filled with vengeance. A kingdom's fate at stake.

Sven the Boar is Jarl of Ribe once more. He and Charles try to settle into their new lives, but trouble and treachery are never too far away.

Tormented by recent events, Charles struggles to adapt to life amongst the heathens that mock his Christian God and the arrival of a priest from the south only makes things worse.

Meanwhile, Sven is burdened with the responsibilities of being Jarl again and protecting his grandson from those hunting him.

When forced into an alliance with King Horik’s nephew who is raising an army to challenge his uncle for the throne of Denmark, Sven makes an important decision.

As the threat of war becomes real, Sven rides to fight a battle that will change the destiny of Denmark.

But whilst he fights, will Charles remain safe or are other games in play that threaten him?


Buy Link: https://mybook.to/LokisDeceitSocial

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About the Author:

Donovan Cook

Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series which combines fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world, and is inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology



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