Raider's Promise

Viking Quest #5

by Lois Walfrid Johnson

During her years as a captive of Mikkel, the Viking raider, Briana O'Toole has longed to return to her family and resume her life in Ireland. Yet she has changed. Bree finds herself excited to be on Leif Erikson's ship and be part of the discovery and exploration of new lands. Mikkel's newfound Christian faith has changed him, too. Will he really take Bree home and keep his promise to give her freedom? Mikell has something else on his mind, too, a secret from when he first raided Ireland. Will his faith in God give him the courage to do the right thing? And will Bree and Devin's knowledge of this secret put them in danger? ------------------------- The plot runs smoothly with plenty of twists and surprises to keep readers turning pages. Spiritual themes such as forgiveness, honesty, and trust are clearly and plausibly shown through the characters' actions and words." — Christian Library Journal

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Historical

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kaytlin Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished the series! They weren't that bad just not my cup of tea...close calls that never came to anything, and action lasted less than a chapter just lost me...kept waiting for the moment the book would pick up but, sadly, I didn't feel like that ever happened...
The ending was a bit flat in my opinion...needed more emotion, umph, hugging, soemthing...because it fell flat for me...but these books despite their faults are good. Clean and safe for kids...albeit a tad bit on the slow side.

[Amanda Tero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ties with book three as my favorite in the series. Being the last book, there were still some loose ends that I thought needed to be tied up (like why Mikkel's father pushed him to leave so quickly in book four), but other than that...

I appreciated the characters' growth and maturity. It seemed very solid, even though the storyline wasn't very complex.

Parts of the book seemed to be more of an explorers' tale than follow the thread of plot in previous books, but I found all of the facts so interesting that I didn't mind it.

I called the ending, and yes it did end in the way I predicted and hoped (like, "this has to happen so that this can happen").

There was a little more "romance" compared to the other books, but I appreciated how it was handled. It didn't seem like immature infatuation. Instead, characters prayed about their love interests.

Now, my thoughts as a series...
It is a decidedly Christian series, which I appreciate. The Gospel message is presented in every single book. Sometimes, the Christian lessons the characters learned seemed slightly shallow, but then it is a children's series. It was a little strange how the characters could sense danger, but I didn't find a huge deal was made out of it.

I haven't researched much of the Vikings, but there seemed to have been a lot of research put into this book, and I find that Johnson so tastefully slips in information on lifestyle in that era.

I have now read all of Lois Walfrid Johnson's series. At first, I thought I might not like this one as much as I hoped, but... I think I got hooked. I may even like it better than her other two series for two reasons: less boy/girl stuff and more believable situations for the characters' ages. I borrowed this series and am now thinking that I'll probably get the set for myself some day.

There were some things that, since I'm a writer, didn't slip my notice, such as unfinished threads, tense confusion, and repetitiveness. But, maybe it's because Johnson was my childhood favorite author, these things could easily be forgotten and I just enjoyed the series. :)

[Reese Songbird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read this book it’s always better than the time before. This one is definitely my favorite and I love how the characters have changed and grown over the course of the books

[Georgia Kirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Also one of my favorite books. I think everyone should read this series! 🤩❤️

[Megan Cooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last book of the Viking Quest series, Bree and Devin accompany Mikkel’s expedition in return for Bree’s freedom. The raider’s promise is that he will take her home, but Bree wonders during the course of their trip. After he becomes a Christian, Bree notices changes in Mikkel, but she wonders if they are real. And as Mikkel learns to follow Christ, he learns to forgive, to admit wrong, and to truly care for others, which does include Bree. He also learns what it is to be a real leader, that there is strength in humility. When they return to Ireland, he must prove that he has the strength to do the right thing regarding several people he has wronged, and wonders if there can be hope and forgiveness from Bree’s family. And Bree herself, after being gone so long, finds home not to be what she expected. Is there something she might be missing?

This conclusion to the Viking Quest books wraps up all the loose ends, and weaves truth, trust, honor, fidelity, and romance for a very fitting finale. Your family will love this series!

[Victoria B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The actual story is pretty good, but I felt like my reading was bogged down by all the recaps/summarizations of the previous books. This final book in the series could've been maybe half as long if Johnson had just cut out the cliff notes from each chapter; honestly, none of it felt necessary - no situation/event over the course of the series was so complicated that it warranted constant reminders.

But I liked the overall theme and even though I thought the ending was a tad predictable (Clueless, anyone?), I enjoyed it.

[ForgetMeNot(Katie Cooley) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of the series. It is the culmination of everything I was promised in the other books. The ending of this series is satisfying and sad to be done, as I've grown so attached to these characters. It is so well done💕

[Rebekah Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good ending to this series. The boys liked the ending and felt satisfied with it, though they did ask if there were more books.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are so talently written. Johnson is very good at giving little sneek peaks at twists, and then revealing them completely at the end! I have enjoyed these books; A lot!

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the strongest book in the series! All the struggles and conflicts of the series rose to a height in this one and were dealt with in very satisfying ways. Some of it was resolved quicker than it needed to be, but it fit the tone of the series. I thought Mikkel's growth was super well done, and I'm glad he was given a lot of time in this one to think about it. His friendship with Devin paired with the "protective brother of love interest" dynamic was particularly compelling.
Even though Mikkel had a slightly more dramatic character arc, I really appreciated Bree's character throughout this series! She went through changes and became a wiser, more complex person while still maintaining her lively nature. She wasn't always perfect, either, which is nice to see.

Finally, I've gotta talk about the romance (mild spoilers ahead, I guess).
While there were hints of romance in earlier books, this one finally sold me on the main couple. It was finally brought front and center, and it had just enough drama for me. I liked seeing how two people who were very much at odds both grew and developed as characters to a point that they just made sense together. The frozen river scene was the part where I officially decided I was invested. I mean, he threw aside the keg containing his riches, which have been a major symbol of his greed throughout the series, saying she was more important! And he was all worried about her, and she was happy in her delirious state that he was there! And he knows her well enough that his first thought upon seeing the ice was to warn Bree that it would be dangerous, since she would likely try to find a baby seal...and then it switches to her point of view and her first thought is to find a baby seal. Perfect. Fangirling over.

Overall, this series was a nice comfort read that had some good messages and some pretty good character dynamics. I can see why it was so loved in my homeschool community.

Final note:
"When at last she could speak, she cried out to the mountains. 'Oh, God, Mikkel is gone! Gone forever!'
Only then did she hear a sound behind her. 'No, I'm not,' Mikkel said. 'I'm still here'" (p. 271).

Kudos to Bree for moving on from this moment as if that's not one of the most embarrassing things that could happen to a person.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.....This was such a great ending to an amazing series! I love the Viking Quest series for its great adventure, love, and its ability to keep you from putting it down. This is one of my most loved series and I am very sad to see it end.
I feel like it could have kept going at least one more book!

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utruleg kjekt å ha muligheten til å lese denne serien om og om igjen! Verkeleg ei flott leseoppleving eg trur eg aldri kjem til å gløyme. Bøkene er skrivne med tanke på yngre lesarar, men dei temaa som bøkene tek opp er like aktuelle uansett kor gammal ein blir.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful finally!

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably my favorite out of the series!

[Katie Kouba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so good! I love this last book the best. Ahh I haven’t read this since probably 6th grade and my heart is happy

[La Tonya Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last book of the Viking Quest series. It was full of adventure of traveling to Greenland with Leif Erickson, son of Erik the Red. They found new lands that Leif named Helluland - Land of Stone Slabs, Vinland, Hop, Current Fjord, and many others. Bree and Devin learned to live through storms on the sea, dense fog in iceland, cold winters in Greenland with little wood, the customs and gods of the Norse people, and to finally arrive back in Ireland. The ending was a feel good and fairy tale that went perfect for the holiday season. Bree and Dev through God's provision received everything they had wished for in his good time.

Quotes:

Now, as Bree looked off to the sea, she felt the wind on her face and knew what to do.

Will I ever truly know peace? Or will the hunting guilt of what I did be with me the rest of my life?

Home is where the heart is.

[Taylor Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such, such a good ending to the series! The book itself had a fabulous ending as well — open, so that I can imagine the characters’ lives living on, but not so open that I still feel curious or worse, unsatisfied. The amount of faith content in this entire series has been so refreshing to read, with more mentions of God than I see in a lot of Christian books, I think. It’s really inspiring as a whole. Especially in this particular book, where so many characters forgive another so readily despite all that’s happened. I did guess at the ending a little, and while part of my guess was wrong, I was still happy to see such a satisfying, happy end. These characters, all of them, deserved it. I do feel like all of these books could have been grouped into one big volume, because each book felt more like a record of events than actual story, yet still with a story woven in there. I don’t know, it was interesting. There are so many unique things in this series that I’ve just never quite read. I also loved the inclusion of real historical figures, and the descriptions of certain recipes, or how they built things, or lived off the land, were a nice addition. It made the story feel more real, and showed an impressive amount of research on the author’s part!

I would never have guessed that I would enjoy a book series like this, but I’m so glad I gave it a shot. It was hard to put down and made the time fly swiftly. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age, especially those in middle school interested in Vikings, Ireland, Norway, or just general adventure. Well done to the author for creating such an engaging series!

(Note: I was told before reading this series not to read the back covers of the next books, because they would spoil the story. I didn’t read a single back cover except for the very first one when I started, and now that I’m done and have gone through all the back covers, I think it was a fair warning. They give away the premise of the book more so than normal synopses do, though I also think it was necessary.)

[Jessica Sprecher · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Some spoilers are ahead, be warned.)
Do you like enemies-to-lovers, but have a hard time finding books with that trope that don't have terrible content? Are you a fan of Viking (not the football team) and Irish history? Or do you seek clean books with good Christian teaching and values that is safe to read for the whole family? Then this book series is for you! The story follows Bree O'Toole and spans the five years she is an Irish slave, as well as Devin her brother and Mikkel, the raider who took her captive. The last book is, in my humble opinion, the best of them, for this is the one where Mikkel completes his redemptive arc and fully changes from the arrogant, prideful youngest son of a chieftain to a kind, honorable man worthy of Bree's hand. It is a book that always makes me think after I read it, for it shows that change isn't always bad. I highly recommend this book series, and this one especially.
Content warnings for this book: Attempted murder, almost drowning, slavery, romantic touch, some romantic tension.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending to the series... I've really enjoyed this series. It's definitely more "kid" oriented (plots are simplistic, things are pretty rosy for each of the characters, despite the circumstances ) but this one has the characters much older than the start of the series and they've changed and matured so much and dealing with new emotions. I loved the themes of courage and forgiveness in this whole series but especially in this book. I also loved seeing the drastic life changes of characters that you'd think were so unchangeable and hard-hearted at the beginning of the series. It's amazing to think what Jesus can do in a person's life.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bree and Devin are traveling on a ship with Mikkel and his crew. They are exploring new places. They have lots of adventures. Mikkel has come to be a Christian. Then he sets Bree free, and takes her and Devin back to their home in Ireland. While Mikkel is there, he returns everything he stole from the monastery. He also promises the people that he will do everything in his power to bring back the Irish people who he put into slavery. Mikkel becomes a good man.
This book is awesome! You have got to read it! I could not stop reading it because it was so interesting!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We finished! Oh what a journey Esther and I have been on!!!!!
I had so much fun reading to her and listening to her think about all the "what if's."
She was so cute to watch as she experienced everything that Bree, Devin, and Mikkel went through.
Not only was this book a great story, but it also had christian themes running throughout.
I loved how it could give a child a sense for what true forgiveness looks like!
Would definitely keep this series for a future read allowed.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed about how this one was written; it wasn’t written poorly, but I had hoped for something different. That said, I think it may be better as a middle grade novel as is, so - we’ll take it. I like a bit more romance, but I still got the ending I had been anticipating since the beginning, so thumbs up to that!

[Katie Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids and I have loved this read aloud and the whole series. I was very pleased with the wrap up of the series - the ending was slightly corny and we had a few other things we wanted to see finished out; however I would totally recommend the whole series! (My 10 & 8 yo enjoyed the more than the younger ones)

[Rhnae King · Rating 1 out of 5]

I applaude the author's attempt to tackle the topic of forgiveness - the difficulties and the power. However, the antagonist kidnaps a girl stealing five years of her life and then gets to become the love of her life? Not realisitic and certainly not the message young girls should be given. I will not be recommending this book to any of my students.

[Rebecca Fehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It was AMAZING!!!!!!! I love the story line of the whole series, but the ending was especially great. IT was SOOO satisfying. Again, I LOVED it!!!! IF you want to read this book, I wouldn't recommend looking at the pictures (it'll give stuff away).

[Readerpop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay but why is the enemies to lovers literally never talked about. In my opinion, this is the best enemies to lovers I’ve ever read. And to imagine that I almost didn’t continue this series. IM LITERALLY DEAD

[Shekhinah Santosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with the ending! This series has tiny hints of romance between two characters who aren't in good terms due to certain events. But its clean and most important it shows how God is with you and working through you no matter the situation!!!

[AddyJoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE this entire series!!! It's amazing and the ending nearly made me cry! Great book if you don't love it something's wrong with you!
-Bookworm age 13

[Ron ja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ngl i'm just being nostalgic but it was all v sweet