As always, remember, you can watch Vikings online via TV Fanatic if you ever miss an episode and need to catch up. The goddess, Fate, must enjoy playing with the mortals. For why else would she choose the most important night of Isla’s life to place her soulmate on her path? On the night she’s to enter the Hunt, a perilous trial to earn her title of warrior, Isla meets her fated mate. Handsome, arrogant, and frustratingly captivating, Kai is everything she could want, but nowhere near what she needs right now. Because he is the king of the enigmatic Deimos…which makes Isla their rightful queen. The Vikings begin climbing the mountain to meet with Princess Kwenthrith's brother and his army. Princess Kwenthrith asks Ragnar to spare her brother. When they are unable to see over a cliff of the mountain, Torstein volunteers to go first to make sure Princess Kwenthrith's brother and his army are there, and dies valiantly. Fighting ensues, Þórunn is severely injured, and eventually, Princess Kwenthrith’s brother surrenders. I'll admit, when I saw all of Prince Burgred troops I was caught off guard. I didn't realize Prince Aethelwulf's men would rain arrows down on them from above. They set the prince up nicely, an he surrendered. I loved when Ragnar slammed his head into Burgred's face. Fimmel's expression was fantastic!

In Kattegat, a fisherman catches two young boys in his nets who have drowned. Siggy is confused about what's going on, since the arrival of the wanderer, and visits the ancient one to discuss Harbard and the dream in which the ancient one was in. The FMC was so badass. Fully grumpy but deep down stressed and anxious and trying to be strong and unbothered. When she said “down boy” I SCREAMED. She’s one of my all time favorites. When Bjorn tends to the grievously wounded Porunn (her face horrifyingly beaten by an English soldier), it’s uncle Rollo who reaches out to the boy, finding a way through Bjorn’s self-involved grieving, drawing on his own relationship with the gods (and perhaps his own experience with massive facial injuries). Rollo’s journey has been an inconsistent one, but his current characterization has taken on an appealing serenity—or as close to serenity as the axe-happy Rollo gets. Here, his advice to his nephew is less about worship, or pragmatism, and more emblematic of Rollo’s resigned understanding of his place in the Norseman’s universe:Apparently I took my sweet time finishing this beast of a book. It wasn’t bad, it was just a lot for me personally. If half of it was cut and reshaped a bit, I think we could still get the same tension and mystery.

Ragnar’s response to Bjorn upon learning that Porunn came raiding while pregnant is worth examining further, but his fury at his son strikes deep at the contradictory heart of the king. There’s a level of paternalism there, sure, but it also speaks both to Ragnar’s lesson on power and sacrifice to Bjorn in the season’s first scene, and his speech to Floki tonight: The angst between these two love interests was what hooked me. The murder mystery kept it going. And the political intrigue.. unreal! The only reason it wasn’t 5 stars for me is how the mate bond shaped Isla and Kai through the story. I think it was a lot of build up for nothing in the first part and I remember thinking, that could have been cut completely and it wouldn’t hurt. But that’s just me. Book Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Shapeshifters, Werewolves, Witches I felt that really detracted from the book and wasn’t consistent with the obstinate, witty and mischievous characters we had been reading about. Definitely could’ve used more relationship development and maybe even a misunderstanding/ separation or two -– which perfect opportunity here because warring nations 😔 but alas it wasn’t to be

Which we see when Floki, without Ragnar soliciting his opinion on the subject, expresses his own misgivings in a far more passionate manner, calling Ragnar deluded. Why, he asks, are they fighting for the Christians? But what Ecbert’s men only imply—that the difference in religions makes the two cultures incompatible – Floki calls out directly: “There can be no reconciliation between our gods—the true gods—and the god that they worship.” Thus, he suggests, there is no way to reconcile the followers of those gods. His next statement seems almost ripped from the mouths of modern-day zealots. Religious tolerance is unacceptable. “One or the other must prevail.” And his prophecy that “the triumph of the Christ-God will mean the death and destruction of all of ours” was both historically true and echoes the contemporary fear that underlies intolerance: if a belief system is not fiercely defended, it will be annihilated. I do think that the characters of Isla, Kai, Sebastian, Adrien, and Ameera were really well done. I didn't really care about the others. Ezekiel was clearly suspicious from the beginning, which everyone ignored for way too long into the book. But for the most part, I thought the author did a good job with the characters, romance, tension, and banter. There is some building with a conflict brewing and the empire at risk but I found there were a couple areas I got a little list in (especially when the finale came) but I did find myself in the end. I hope with the second book we get to see more of the world. I initially thought it was high fantasy but there are phones, cars, etc so I am curious to read more descriptions - especially because I have aphantasia so I need detailed descriptions of locations or I get lost. This is a slow burn but there is spice - around the 60% mark. It was well written and I appreciated that it was something earned rather than just handed to readers.

Did King Ecbert just introduce Paris as a challenge to lead the Northmen out of Wessex? It certainly seems like the main players on Vikings have their own little Game of Thrones going on. I'm very curious to see how things between Ragnar, Ecbert and Lagertha play out. Was anyone else turned off watch our heroic shield maiden kiss the English King? Okay so this book was good but I did skim a lot at a certain point because it’s just so much information/thought flow from the main character. The concept is good I’ve always been a fan of the werewolf genre books. It was a LOT of information and investigating which I like but I also feel like it was WAY TOO much at a certain point. This book is way too long for what is at the end. This could’ve been shortened. I have a book series I loved on Wattpad but it went down hill because too much information was added to the point where I was confused about what was happening. I’m hoping the next book is not overwhelming and that it’s better than the first book. This book does leave you on a cliffhanger in my opinion because the entire “investigation” or “conflict” is STILL unresolved at the end of this book. I think This book could’ve been shorter and also left us with a bit more information than what was given at the end.

Horse Profile

What did you think of "Warrior's Fate"? Will you miss Torstein? Is Floki getting on your nerves? Does Harbard posses special powers? How do you feel about Lagertha and King Ecbert? Your turn friends, please hit the comments and share your thoughts with me. high fantasy (one of the only shifter fantasy romance books I’ve ever read with a truly high fantasy setting and sensibility!) Helga, Siggy, and Aslaug help Harbard with his injured hand and lodging while he tells them stories about his travels and the gods.

The faith of some extends to martyrdom. It’s a feature of many religions, even today, that those who die in their defense or according to their rules will reap rewards in the next life. While we see none of the zealotry that tends to be a feature of the former in this episode, the title definitely references the latter. Torstein meets his fate head-on when he all but begs (or as close as a Viking gets to begging) Rollo to drag him to the battlefield so he can die fighting, thus earning his way into Valhalla. His faith (and the content of that faith) is highlighted because his death in the beginning of the battle is in counterpoint to Burgred’s surrender at its end. Of course, while we are intended to see that surrender as cowardly, it also marks out an important difference between the two belief systems: the attitudes of each towards fate and free will. Personally, I enjoyed the mystery/plot more than the romantic push and pull in this case, but I feel a little cheated with the way everything ended. I know there’s a second book in the making, but c’mon. We got the big bombs and then they just got brushed aside in the last few chapters. Through the book I hoped to at least see Isla become the actual Luna and not just.. “oh it’s all mine now, I guess”.. The whole end arc was a little anticlimactic for me. King Ecbert visits the developing Viking settlement as the first harvest is sown and rebuffs criticism from his leading nobles. In Mercia, the Wessex/Viking forces charge at the battle at the Hill of the Ash. In Kattegat, Harbard arrives at the Great Hall and his mysterious aura fascinates Aslaug and Helga but Siggy remains suspicious. There are strange and tragic happenings in Kattegat, and Siggy suspects Harbard is the cause. Permalink: But do not think I offer nothing in return; I tell stories. Stories about my own travels....

Cast of Gye Baek, Warrior’s Fate

Speaking of, while George Blagden’s sly watchfulness as Athelstan remains a fascinating portrait, his ongoing storyline being pursued by Jennie Jacques’ Princess Judith isn’t promising. Although his position as spiritual representative of both worlds marks him out for bigger things this season.