Set in 8th century Sweden this book sets Sviggar Ivarsson, king of the Swedes (who are here called Svears), against Harold Wartooth, leader of the Danes. Sviggar wants to promote peace and emphasise trade, but many of those close to him want to fight; Wartooth is focused on conquest, but some of his family see the value in peace and prosperity. As old rivalries escalate, no matter what is done to promote peace, war seems inevitable.

From an historical perspective this book works very well. Brun’s university studies in the Dark Ages and his Danish ancestry serve him well here. He gives us a detailed and authentic insight into daily life in Sweden at this time and also lets us into the psyche of the people. We get a very natural picture of what people did and how they thought. The battle descriptions are very intimate and al the more affecting for that. This is an exciting story with plenty of human interactions to enliven it.

I think a mistake here, and which lost the book a half-star from me, is the introduction of a purely fantasy element. In truth, this is only a minor part of the story and seems to have been included rather half-heartedly. The struggles of life are, I think, enough to carry the story and the inclusion of witches and magical beasts is a distraction. I accept that the spiritual life of these peoples is important, just that the manifestation into reality of some elements is a distraction. ( )

Best Viking [which was a job title actually!] book I've read. Great to read a book about them on their home ground--a novel where they aren't off marauding in England, say. The kernel of the story concerns an 8th century battle between Danes and Swedes [called here Sveärs]--the "sacred storm" of the title--to gain control of the whole area. I hadn't realized this was the second in a series. The author didn't explain to my satisfaction the background and previous actions of the hero and why he and his companion had come to the court of the Sveärish king. A large dollop of fantasy appeared in the person of the villainess. The story just flowed and I couldn't put this book down, although it was close to 700 pp. I would not have picked it up on basis of cover, which I felt one of the UGLIEST I've ever seen. ( )

I am unsure about ‘A sacred storm’ I mostly enjoyed the book, but it didn’t grip me. Initially I was excited to read the book, despite it not being my usual read. The overall plot I think was interesting, and the whole story has the potential for other stories or maybe even a saga. Though I felt the way that characters spoke to each other did not fit into the time the book was set, it was difficult to capture the characters as they would have been. I probably would not recommend this book to a friend, there just seemed to be missing something, and I think perhaps that was character development. The detail for what was happening though I really liked, it helped set the scene and bring the reader into the moment. ( )