Combine Viking mythology, the action of the tv series Spartacus, a touch of the absurd, alchemical magic and a healthy dose of humor and you'll come close to having the West of West series by Angus Watson. What can I say? I absolutely loved every second of this crazy journey.

The Land You Never Leave is the second book in the trilogy and the story picks up immediately where book one leaves off. The two tribes have formed an uneasy alliance as they set off across the Ocean of Grass to continue their quest to take Ottar the Moaner to a place called the Meadows. Between our heroes and their ultimate goal are the Badlands, home to the one of the most brutal tribes west of the Water Mother and a collection of terrifying monsters. As if the world wasn't dangerous enough as it was.

Each of the characters that took so long to grow on me in book one all have solidified their places in my heart. Their inner monologues combined with the back and forth banter between them is so much fun. I loved the insights into their motivations and even the one guy who enjoys pointing out phallic shaped rocks was quite funny. All the points of view, and there are a lot of them, are woven together well.

As to the plot, my summary above really doesn't do any justice to just how bizarrely wonderful and quirky the story is. Watson is so creative that after the first hour or so of listening I stopped trying to guess what was coming next and just enjoyed the ride. It was glorious.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Sean Barrett. I love his voice! His narration brings all the characters to life and his comedic timing is perfect. It was a joy to listen to.

I truly cannot express how much I loved this book. Can't wait for book 3! ( )