A real shame it is to have come to the end of this one. Really enjoyable, really well-written, really satisfying and surely, one that's going to be really hard to beat in the whole Viking saga genre.

And, while reading books on the iPad is very convenient and generally an all-round excellent idea; how fab was it to hold the actual paperback in your hands while reading the story? Almost gives you the impression you're physically a part of the action... Quick, slap me before I start getting over-emotional and start burbling on about the magical and mystical qualities of the feel of the paper and the entoxicating smell of the ink...

Ahem...

It was surprisingly easy to slip back into Raven's world, even though it had been a year or so since I read no.2. But the Viking world Giles Kristian has created, is so enveloping, so effortlessly realised and so 'real', that even though I have read several other Viking-period sagas since the last Raven book, there was never any doubt about where I was, or who Raven and the Wolfpack are. I tried to hold myself back; I tried not to race through it but only partially succeeded. It's hard when a book is so interesting and so action-packed.

And. Maybe finally figured out what this series has had me thinking of.

I know from the book jackets (and, to boast a moment) from what he told me on Twitter (!), that Giles Kristian is part Norwegian. I now live in Denmark. I don't know whether they have put a name to the stoic, self-depreciating, beware of thinking of yourself as being more than you are, feeling, up there in Norway, however, in Denmark it is called 'Janteloven.'

'Janteloven', says you should never think you are better than others, never think you are more than you are - generally keep your head down and do your bit and don't try and claim you're better than anyone else. It is seemingly in-built for modern-day Danes, though not something I suppose that might be readily associated with the good old Vikings. However, reading this book and reflecting on how the whole Raven saga has dealt with the Vikings' relationship with their gods and the control they believe their gods have over their world - the fatalism and the way they expect anyone who sticks their head above the parapet to be struck down at some point or other, certainly did made me think about Janteloven.

As mentioned earlier, Religion - Pagan, Islam and Christian - generally seems to play a large part in this book. There are several savage encounters with the Muslim world, as they journey eastward through Europe and their path takes them via a rapidly declining Rome, to seek their fortunes in Constantinople. But it is the ultimately unwinnable fight against the inward march of Christianity, that is casting a longer and longer shadow over the Vikings' world. The Northmen's own pantheon of benevolent, or malevolent, warrior-gods don't help - seemingly just waiting for the best opportunity to sabotage the Vikings' plans at every turn. Theirs' is a raw, earthy, honest and blood-thirsty faith, superbly represented in Kristian's writing style and the elements he chooses to make up the story. The fight scene descriptions - especially the one-on-one fight scenes - are the best I've ever come across.

So, a thoroughly enjoyable book, an excellent read and a worthy climax to this section of the Raven saga. From the notes Giles Kristian has written at the end of the book, it is clear that he is taking a break from writing about Raven, to do the English Civil War series, but will return to the lands of ice and snow at a later date. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Raven is still young, still hungry for success, silver and all the experiences the Viking world can offer. He's still curious about/dreading what his gods have got planned for his future - and so am I.

(I also want to know how Raven's broken nose gets on). ( )

The best of the Raven trilogy. Viking marauding at its best ( )