Oh, geez I loved this book! Thank you @RBmedia and @NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book.
While it is suggested it can be a stand-alone book, it is the third book in a trilogy.
So, I decided to really give this book a fair shake, I purchased the two previous audio books.
I also borrowed e-books from the library for times when I wanted to see how names and words were spelled.

Do yourself a favor and read all three books!
Never have I felt so emotional for inanimate objects to the point of tears.
These characters are so beloved to me.
The writing was perfection to me.
As I finished this audiobook, my eyes were wet, my throat constricted, my gut twisted and my heart full and satisfied.

It always amazes me how I can stumble across a book through #NetGalley and it ends up being a treasured story that will stay with me for a long time.

Narrator=Excellent!

“The Night of the Scourge” – Lars Mytting (translated from Norwegian by Deborah Dawkin)
My thanks to @recordedbooks and @netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
The final book in the Hekne Trilogy, comprised of “The Bell in the Lake” and “The Reindeer Hunters” along with this book (all of which I’ve reviewed), “The Night of the Scourge” finishes the story of the Hekne Weave, the town of Butangen and the modernisation of this part of Norway.
The narrative has now reached the 1930s, with elderly Kai Schweigaard now in possession of the Hekne Weave and pondering on how its prophecy portends to his death and the future of Norway. Astrid Hekne, sharing her grandmother’s name from the first book in the series, has also inherited her rebellious nature, tested when a group of Germans come to the church hunting for one of the Sister Bells, hoping to reunite it with its companion in Dresden. Any refusal becomes impossible once the Nazi invasion commences, and Astrid and Kai both join the resistance in the hopes of protecting their town’s heritage.
The book does a very good job of depicting life at this point in Norwegian history, and Mytting is a master of detail when it comes to life on the land and the myriad ways that the people interact with each other. Every character, no matter how minor, felt real and alive, and the dynamics between the villagers and their histories contributed massively to my enjoyment of this story. I was also enthralled by the atmosphere created, earthy and knotty, and the sense of foreboding that is created at times (not least any mention of Dresden before 1945…).
It’s not perfect, especially as a standalone book. The middle drags on forever with no momentum, and you’re going to have to ignore a fair few plot holes and a bit of melodrama. However, overall it’s an extremely strong historical fiction trilogy, one I’m glad I finished, and one that more people should be reading. Highly recommended.

Lars Mytting’s The Night of the Scourge wraps up his Sister Bells trilogy with a moody mix of WWII resistance and Norwegian folklore. It’s set in Butangen, where Astrid Hekne fights Nazis and Kai Schweigaard, an aging priest, faces a prophecy tied to an old tapestry. The prose is crisp and haunting, blending history with a touch of the uncanny. It drags a bit in the middle, but the payoff—especially that twist with the bells—hits hard. You don’t need the first two books to enjoy it, though I’m tempted to grab them now. 4 stars—solid, atmospheric, and worth a read if you like your history with a shiver.

For not having read the first two in this series, I will immediately be going back to read them! I can only imagine how much harder this book hits. Narrator wasn’t my favorite, but that’s more of a personal preference (I prefer female narrators).

Thank you Netgalley and RBmedia for the copy of the audio book for my honest option.

The Night of the Scourge takes place during WWII over a few generations. This was a good story, but I think it was a bit too long, but it didn't loose the story in the length. The characters were well developed and I really enjoyed the ending. I think the narrator was a perfect choice.

Set in Norway during WWII we enjoy the final book in the Sister Bells trilogy. Kai is the priest at the old stave church in Butangen and is protective of the remaining sister bell and the centuries old tapestry. A strong story through several centuries that is full of depth and mystery.

Extremely well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). This novel has great characters and is well paced, as the story of the sister bells is told through time up to WWII. Some people can be good or bad but a few rise to the occasion when needed. Highly recommended.