It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as it's action packed, fast paced and gripping.
Great characters, a vivid and well researched historical background, a solid and gripping plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Another in a great line up of "hero quest" historical fiction that is set in the Northern Hemisphere - particularly Scandinavia - from the 8th -11th centuries. So if you are a fan of Matthew Harffy's "A Time for Swords" and Tim Hodkinson's "Whale Road Chronicles", this this one is for you.

Love the historical context that the author then treats us to at the end - I always like to know - apart from the obvious - where they draw their inspiration from and if based on real life events.

A great start to what promises to be the first in a new action-adventure series

I have read Angus Donald’s books since the first of his Robin Hood series, Outlaw, came out many moons ago. And I absolutely adored his series set around the 1688 Glorious Revolution with unlikely hero Holcroft Blood. But there is always a risk when an author starts a new series; will it live up to previous stories?

Well, with The Last Berserker there is no need to worry. From the first few lines you are reassured that Angus Donald starts as he means to go on; with an action-filled storyline that will take the reader on a breathtaking journey through the turbulent years of the 8th century. It is quite the adventure!

The story derives from the many tales of the berserkers, men who went wild in battle, killing dozens at a time. Angus Donald has created a world in which the berserkers were not just mad men, but legendary fighters who honed their skills through belief, training and discipline. They were heroes who used their unique talents to lead men into battle and deliver victory after victory. Set in the time when the great Charlemagne was waging his campaign of conquest against the German tribes, The Last Berserker tells the story of Bjarki Bloodhand, who joins the fight to defend his homelands.

Angus Donald is very adept at creating unique, interesting protagonists. Holcroft Blood was an autistic officer who had a knack for uncovering spies and a skill in artillery that was unrivalled. Robin Hood was a vicious killer, not the cuddly Robin Hood from legend. And with Bjarki Bloodhand, we have another individual who is not, at first sight, your typical hero. He is a rather dull, awkward boy; quite unassuming in fact. He comes across as naive, a little too trusting and not overly ambitious. He is, however, loyal to ahis friends, a good fighter and as brave as they come. He doesn’t shirk from a fight, but doesn’t necessarily seek it out. And he is incredibly likeable.

Bjarki’s sidekick, for want of a better word, is Tor, a slip of a girl with an attitude that belies her size. A born fighter, she is always looking to prove herself. Tor is a fascinating character who has secrets of her own to hide and ‘issues’ to work through. The two make an unlikely pairing but a firm friendship that helps them through their many trials.

Angus Donald wonderfully recreates the world of 8th century central Europe, from the landscape and the natural borders that separate the various nations, to the contrasting religious beliefs – both Christian and pagan – that lie at the centre of the conflict. A natural storyteller when it comes to warfare, Donald vividly evokes the song of battle, with seax, sword, axe and shield. The frenetic energy of the battle scenes leave the reader breathless and eager for more. The intricacies of the story, with its various twists and turns, some rather surprising, keep the reader on the edge of their seat throughout.

The Last Berserker is a truly enthralling story, not easy to put down – and a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. It is one book that is not to be missed!

Bjarki Bloodhand has been cast out of his home and is on a journey. He and Tor Hildarsdottir are on their way to Irminsul - the tree that links the nine worlds. In this holy place they are tasked to find their animal spirit and become a legendary fighter. A Berserker.
This journey leads them to a battle where they are taken prisoner. They are taken to the court of Karolus - the King of the Franks. He is the man determined to wipe out the pagans and spread the word of Christ.
After a quest to show their loyalty to the King, they realise it’s a trap and have to find a way to escape.
Back amongst their people they must prepare to save their way of life against the most formidable army they have ever faced. In the most epic of battles can our heroes save the day or lose it all?
Angus Donald is a master at creating novels that are fast-paced, heart pumping, sensitive and highly captivating.
This book is a perfect example of why he is at the pinnacle of historical fiction. It is brilliantly researched, intriguingly touching and superbly written. Hopefully this will be an epic series, because I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really like this book, but I feel like there might be people out there who will definitely enjoy it a lot more than I did.

As someone that prefers character driven stories to plot driven ones, I found the biggest issue of the novel to be in the characterization: the protagonists are so flat, it feels like they have just one personality trait. This is supposed to be some kind of bildungsroman of sorts, but the main character is exactly the same from start to finish and barely shows any emotions throughout, except for when he’s really angry and goes berserker, but even then he is barely able to remember any of it afterwards. His companion Tor is probably even worse, just a two-dimensional trope-infused shieldmaiden who ends up being pretty useless in anything other than fighting and insulting her “friend”, to which he never once replies except for the one time when he appears to be hurt by her latest harsh remark, at which point the narrator proceeds to excuse her rudeness as a consequence of her having just started her period (like seriously??).

The writing itself is nothing above average, the descriptions are somewhat good, but the dialogue I found cringy on several occasions, it felt forced and flat, even in the midst of the action the lines were so dry and delivered in such a way that I felt nothing at all. I guess that is another thing that really bothered me as I find it really easily to get completely sucked into a story most of the time and this time I just couldn’t feel anything but apathy. Also, speaking of dialogue, a lot of words and phrases were used that are so staggeringly modern as opposed to the eight-century setting that it kept bringing me out of the story.

The plot too was nothing special, following the typical pattern of the orphan who gets saved and sent to “magical school” to help win the war against the big bad guy (some version of Charlemagne). However, it didn't add anything that would make this version stand out, so it was entirely unoriginal and forgettable, not to mention the final plot twist, which aside from being rather predictable, seemed to have been added in for shock value alone.

Overall, it was just really disappointing for me, as I was really looking forward to reading a great Viking story to fill the void left by the end of the TV show.

The first in a new series from Historical master Agnus Donald, The Last Berserker is an incredible book. A coming of age story about two young warriors thrust into the world of norse berserkers, the book tells the tales of Bjarki, who fights against his ability to fight as a berserker, and Tor, who welcomes it.

As usual, the author waves a compelling and gripping tale full of action and bloodlust, alongside powerful scenes of love and loss. The world he has created, which threads between historical reality and Norse myth, manages to feel both real and yet fantastical.

I love everything Angus Donald writes, and this was up there with his best. I cant wait for book 2!

A story about two youths, one who is after the glory and acceptance to the fighter clans, and the other, who has potential but is unsure of his destiny. The author, Angus Donald, has woven an interesting story around Bjarki who must learn to invite a gandr within him to grant him the power to be a berserker. His companion Tor, likewise wants to be part of the elite clan to continue in her fathers tradition. Their journey across the battlefields which takes them to the Frankish court and back has been well crafted with lots of interesting historical tidbits mingled with it.
I sincerely hope to see more of this series, highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley for sharing an advance copy for my honest review

I do love a good historical fiction novel with plenty of action, and "The Last Berserker" definitely falls into that category! The writing is immersive and scenes are described so well you feel like you're there, sinking you right into the lives of the characters (who are constructed brilliantly). The plot is entertaining and has a good flow, making this book quick to read.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

"𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚. 𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣, 𝙬𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙚. 𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙚, 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩; 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙣, 𝘽𝙟𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙞. 𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩."

🐻771AD, Saxony, Northern Europe. Bjarki Bloodhand of Bago and Tor Hildarsdottir of Svearland journeyed towards the First Forest. Their destination is the Irminsul, the One Tree that links the Nine Worlds of the Middle-Realm, where the community of Fyr Skola resides. They teach their students how to summon their gandr, the animal spirit to become the legendary Berserkir/ Rekkr; the frenzied warriors of the north. But becoming a Rekkr is not that simple as Bjarki and Tor had expected and before they could even succeed in obtaining their gandr, the entire Saxony is plunged into turmoil as Karolus, newly crowned King of the Francia who wants to bring all the pagan lands of the North into the light of the Christian Church invaded Saxony. In this dire situation, the Saxon Duke Theodoric seek help from the Fyr Skola to send their legendary warriors in their fight against Francia. But how will Bjarki and Tor fought and survive against the Frankish might without their gandr? Will they ever succeed in becoming a Rekkr or ended up dying in the hands of Karolus?

🐻The book - 1st in the Fire Born series - is based on the King Karolus/ Charlemagne of Francia's crusade against the neighboring Saxons which is narrated from the POVs of a Saxon boy and girl - Bjarki and Tor. The author is well versed in the history of Saxon and Norse mythology which shows in every chapter. I'm amazed how immaculately he explained and established the concept of Rekkr, the community of Fyr Skola, and its training in the book. There is also a historical note at the end of the book which explains the historicity of the story to the readers.

🐻This is the 1st time I'm reading Angus’ work and I'm glad that I picked up the book. His writing is simple and smooth. The entire story is divided into 3 parts which ended with a plot twist. Part1 deals with Bjarki's life in Fyr Skola; Part2 deals with his struggles and survival in Francia and Part3 deals with the final clash of Saxon and Frankish army at the battle of Dane-Work. I must say his narrative is engaging and the pacing is wonderful, but the best part is the vivid description of the fight scenes, especially the scene where Bjarki obtain his gandr gives me goosebumps.

🐻The characters are well written and developed. Bjarki's innocence and self-doubt while Tor's straightforwardness and insight make it easy to connect with them. If Bjarki is the muscle then Tor is the brain in this story. Other characters like Valtyr-Far-traveller, Ivar Knuttson, Hildar Torfinnsson and Father Livinus are also interesting to read, but they didn't make any significant impact on your mind to remember them later except King Karolus; he is a shrewd cunning manipulator who can work his way just with his sweet talks.

🐻The climax of the book was satisfactory. As the title of the book suggests it offers lots of blood and deaths, but there is also a heartbreaking reunion and some sad goodbyes at the end. I’m happy that all the characters get a proper closure and it also leaves scope for a sequel.

Overall, The Last Berserker was a wonderful read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to reading the next book whenever it is published. I think fans of Matthew Harffy and Bernard Cornwell will absolutely love this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to all the historical fiction lovers.

𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Angus Donald, it's a great read about Bjarki Bloodhand's journey to become a beserker. It isn't just the physical/military training that Bjarki goes though that drives interest in the story, there's also a good bit of detail given to the spiritual aspects of the Beserkers.

As always Angus Donald does a fantastic job of describing battles and war found through out the book, both the large scale battles and smaller skirmishes, I truly feel this is one of his greatest qualities as a write but I did really enjoy the more metaphysical/mystical lore as well.

THE LAST BERSERKER is, technically, a bildungsroman, which is a fancy German literary word to describe a novel where the main character starts out young and then learns things along the way. Here, said main character is learning how to become a berserker, a warrior in medieval Europe who enters into a state of bloodlust on the battlefield, heedless of personal safety. This is not what a modern person would call a stable job, but at the time it probably had a lot of glamour and travel attached to it.

Of course, like any other job, you don't just show up on your first day at the office and start out as a berserker. You have to work your way into it, which is where the bildungsroman aspect of things come in. Our hero, oafish Bjarki Bloodhand from the island of Bago, starts out as an apprentice killing machine, and is spotted by a medieval talent scout, who rescues him from the hangman's rope and whisks him off to a combat academy in the Black Forest.

There is perhaps a little more postmodernism in THE LAST BERSERKER than you might expect, and if you are thinking that maybe there's a little bit of Harry Potter going on, you wouldn't be wrong. (And maybe a little bit of Star Wars, as long as we're being all analytical about it.) Young Bjarki is attached to the Bear Lodge, where he learns both the basics of warfare and the deep mystical lore of the berserker. This requires the apprentice warrior to manifest an animal spirit inside oneself that gets unleashed, to terrifying affect, on the battlefield.

The bildungsroman is a fairly conventional genre, and there is a fairly conventional progression to the events in THE LAST BERSERKER; if you think you've read this one before, you're probably right. What makes THE LAST BERSERKER work isn't necessarily the plot, or the characters, or the historical setting, but the description of the battle scenes. Angus Donald manages to handle both the large-scale and small-scale descriptions of battle. And fortunately, there are enough of those to keep the action going and overcome some of the rough spots in the narrative.

THE LAST BERSERKER has one too many convenient coincidences and flat characters to be truly outstanding, but it delivers on its promise of blood-soaked action.