It’s been a long time since I took part in a blog tour. However, when Rachel emailed me asking for my help in reviewing Woden’s Spear, I couldn’t resist! I love this particular period setting and genre of book. It’s one I’ve read a good deal of, and I am indeed a fan of the likes of Bernard Cornwell. It’s my first read of March and I’ve started the month off well
The recommendation is well suited if you are also a fan of his books. The events pre-date the Viking era Cornwell writes about so well, but the broader setting of rival factions within Britain is familiar.
Before we get into the details of the book and my review though, I always like to say thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and to author Donovan Cook for organising the tour. It’s a pleasure to be a part of it!
Woden’s Spear – Donovan Cook
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 346
Audience: Adult
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Original Publication Date: 05 March 2025
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Goodreads – Woden’s Spear
Banished by those he loved; how far would he go for redemption?
449AD Old Saxony
Octa, the son of a mighty Saxon warlord, stands in the shield wall for the first time, eager to make a name for himself. But instead of the promised battle glory, fear overpowers him and he flees the battle, causing the death of his cousin and bringing shame to his family.
Disowned by his father, and hunted by his own people, Octa is spurred on by his mother’s vision for his future, a promise of greatness to come.
A chance encounter with a wiry traveller offers Octa a chance of redemption with a quest to retrieve a sacred weapon. To do this, Octa must travel to Britannia, a nation abandoned by the Roman Empire and unable to defend itself from its many enemies who smell weakness and riches.
Joining the famous warlords, Hengist and Horsa, Octa travels west to forge his future and redeem his past. He must succeed where others have failed. He must find the lost spear of Woden.
An epic adventure of turmoil, coming of age, and survival set against a time when Britannia was on its knees and fighting for its very existence.
Perfect for the fans of Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy.
Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/WodensSpear
My Thoughts
Plot
Woden’s Spear has a coming-of-age style character arc that has us rooting for the main character, Octa. After disgracing himself in battle, he embarks on a quest to find and retrieve a weapon of the gods. He hopes that succeeding where others before him have failed will redeem his actions. Naturally, no step along the journey is plain sailing…
Folklore and religion have their hand in this story. Regardless of what you believe, the role of the gods and related folklore is relevant to the storyline and setting of the book. I really enjoyed how this played into the narrative, as it adds cultural context and interest to the wider setting.
As can only be expected for a book set in this era, there is a lot of conflict throughout. From large-scale battles to egotistical one-on-one duels, Woden’s Spear is full of action without coming across as too violent either.
Setting
To date, I’ve read a number of books split across Scandinavian and British soil. If you love reading about the Viking era and the in-fighting amongst various tribes and counties across Britain, Woden’s Spear will appeal to you.
Octa ends up travelling to Britain in order to seek out a relic – a weapon that he hopes will redeem his tarnished reputation. If he thought he could get away from in-fighting from his native people, he finds more of the same in Britain. The people of Britain are governed by numerous kings, all competing for land and engaging in regular turf wars.
The setting is hardly ideal for Octa as he tries to avoid conflict and complete his quest. However, it is also the perfect backdrop to step up to the battlefield once again and redeem himself. With conflict around every corner, the book’s setting allows for plenty of action and intrigue to keep readers engaged and on their toes to find out what happens next!
Characters
In books I’ve read in the genre before, I have loved and rooted for characters who start out far from heroic. In the case of Woden’s Spear, Octa is a young man who steps up in his first battle as shield-bearer to a prominent man. When he balks and flees, both his and his family’s reputation is tarnished.
So often, this genre is littered with brave men who face anything that comes at them. I enjoy this honest and realistic character portrayal as it’s one I can sympathise with. Who wouldn’t be terrified at the prospect of others trying to kill you?
Octa undergoes a transformation of character towards the end of this story. As we all probably hope for (and somewhat expect), his past and the repercussions urge him to face his fears. Even still, as he stands in the shield wall once again, he doesn’t relish the role he has to fulfil. He doesn’t enjoy doing what he has to do, but he does so out of a sense of duty. His actions and motives are ones we can get behind and root for him, even against the odds.
Narrative Style
Woden’s Spear is very easy to read. I picked up the book and read it within the course of five or six days at a reasonably casual pace. Personally, I found the length of the book ideal to give each of the characters full scope for their character arts, whilst also not getting bogged down in unnecessary detail.
The short chapters make Woden’s Spear very digestible. If you are the kind of reader who needs to pick up and put down a book around other commitments, this makes Woden’s Spear more approachable.
But I also really liked about this book is that it includes a map and details about the characters and what factions they are from. If you ever need a reminder on who is who or where characters are, this is a really nice touch. Although not featured particularly in the story, I did also like that the Isle of Man was included on that map. We are regularly ignored…
Summary
If you enjoy action-packed historical coming-of-age narratives with likeable and relatable characters, Woden’s Spear is a new release in the genre I can’t recommend enough!
Once again, it’s a privilege to have read Woden’s Spear for the ongoing release blog tour. All views expressed in this review are my own.
Author Bio

Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series and the Charlemagne’s Cross series, both of which combine fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world and are inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology.
Donovan was born in South Africa but raised in England, where his fascination with Medieval History, especially the Vikings and Norse Mythology, took root. In his free time, Donovan loves to read, watch rugby, and go for walks with his wife and their French Bulldog, Joey.
Social Media Links
Facebook: @DonovanCookAuthor
Twitter: @DonovanCook20
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/DonovanCookNews
