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The Norsewomen #2

The Falcon Queen

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Ninth-century Norway, the island of Tromøy. Åsa has won back her father’s kingdom, but can she hold it? The evil shapeshifter Hrolf lurks in the hinterlands, plotting revenge. The powerful Danes threaten from across the Skagerrak Sea, demanding marriage in exchange for peace, while her only ally, Olaf, presses his own suit. Though she loves Olaf, Åsa refuses to sacrifice her position and her people’s welfare to become any man’s property. Then, across the snow-clad mountains comes Ragnhild, a runaway shield-maiden, seeking glory and gold. She seems to be the answer to Åsa’s prayers, but Ragnhild’s past catches up with her, bringing treachery and war. "Ms Wittenberg sweeps us back to 9th-century Norway, to a time of legend and magic. This is a time of shapeshifters and heroic deeds, a time where the strongest rules. While Åsa may not always be physically the strongest, she is a force to be reckoned with—especially when she has her back to the wall and must fight to defend those she holds dear." --Discovering Diamonds Review "Wittenberg has done a fantastic job of melding intrigue and supernatural powers the Vikings actually believed in to carry her story from exciting opening to satisfying end..." --D.P. Hathaway "She takes the myth and turns it into drama, sorrow and grief is around each corner, yet Asa is still a working parent and loving mother. Terrific story line!" --Amazon Customer

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 10, 2020

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About the author

Johanna Wittenberg

10 books131 followers
Like her Viking forebears, Johanna Wittenberg has sailed to the far reaches of the world. She lives on a fjord in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, whom she met on a ship bound for Antarctica.

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free short story, Mistress of Magic, the origin story of the sorceress Heid.

https://johannawittenberg.com/free-sh...

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5 stars
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425 (34%)
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133 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Lorraine.
1,161 reviews87 followers
January 9, 2023
Tromoy, Agder, Norway. September, AD 820. Johanna Wittenberg’s The Falcon Queen (The Norse Women Book 2) first line is “The horns blared three times, the signal for attack by sea.” What a way to be awakened! Asa, soon to be Queen Asa, grabs her weapons, steps into her warrior clothing, collects her shield and helmet, and heads to the bower’s (women’s) hall. Heid, her sorcerer, right behind her. Though difficult to imagine, the author writes about a real woman who as daughter of a murdered king, becomes the queen of her father’s kingdom. She is responsible for her people and their stores of food that will get them through the winter. It is truly a life and death battle. These people must have been incredibly driven as each day they might go to Valhöll (Odin’s hall/corpse hall).
I find it fascinating how people lived in 820 AD. Farming, making ale, weaving material to be used for clothes among other items, training to fight both male and female, and the belief in their gods-such as Odin, Thor, Freyja, and Ran, made it possible for them to succeed. Their belief in Heid, their sorcerer, and her apprentices added their fighting and helped them heal if injured. Enter: Ragnhild, a shield maiden, who assists Asa in training recruits, but also brings trouble as Ragnhild tries to avoid a Christian wedding to a Irish king. Strong women and men, traditions that may shock us today, but a intriguing and frightening culture this reader finds captivating! 4.5 stars.
Profile Image for Jennifer Walker.
Author 12 books486 followers
April 8, 2024
A fabulous continuation of the story of Asa, the Falcon Queen who defends her kingdom from rival Viking clans and powerful enemies. Full of shapeshifting magic and incredible world building, this novel is sure to please lovers of Viking lore!
Profile Image for ☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣.
2,541 reviews19.2k followers
March 24, 2021
Q:
Crossing the high mountain pass, she rejoiced under the vivid blue sky. Her problems lay in the valley far behind. She was on top of the world, and she was free. (c)
Q:
“I’ve never seen anyone get her out of her seat like that. Thor help the old man,” whispered Åsa. (c) Actually, she has. Her father.
Q:
“You can’t marry him. Neither one of you is strong enough. The Danes would slaughter you both.”
“I know,” said Åsa, fighting the tightness in her chest.
“And even if that were not the case, you should think carefully about giving your power to a man.” (c)
Q:
“Unhappiness seems to be the choice of the young.” (c)
Q:
“You look to be Norse born, yet you say you are a Christ-follower. How ever did such a misfortune befall you?” (c) Ouch! Ugh...
Q:
“The gods will be furious,” Heid warned.
“The gods will be tolerant,” Åsa replied. “It’s you who are furious. (c)
Profile Image for Helen Hollick.
Author 59 books526 followers
March 17, 2021
Äsa Haraldsdotter has achieved her goals: she has avenged her father and brother (by murdering her husband who, in his turn, murdered her father and brother) and claimed the throne of Tromöy (Agder), the hereditary kingdom of her family. It is not a big kingdom. In fact, it is very small, and Åsa lacks both men and weapons to properly defend her kingdom against the advances of the Danes. Except that she has two secret weapons: the young shieldmaidens who join her cause and the support of Olav, her former step-son and lover.

Ms Wittenberg sweeps us back to 9th-century Norway, to a time of legend and magic. This is a time of shapeshifters and heroic deeds, a time where the strongest rules. While Åsa may not always be physically the strongest, she is a force to be reckoned with—especially when she has her back to the wall and must fight to defend those she holds dear.

While I have no problem believing in the occasional shield maiden – women throughout the ages have often taken up arms in dire times—I find it somewhat improbable that a company of women fighters would have been capable of holding their own in a full-on battle against men. Longer reach, superior strength and much more battle experience would have worked in the male warriors’ favour, no matter the determination and passion of their female opponents.

But Åsa Haraldsdotter is a legend and it is as a legend, a woman bridging the gap between myth and reality, that we must see her—and her companions. Ms Wittenberg has taken the ancient stories and twisted them into a vivid description of the challenges facing a young woman who refuses to conform, making her own way in a world where women were usually restricted to the role of wife, mother—and, in some cases, victim. Åsa is no victim. She rules her own little kingdom, oversees everything from the brewing of ale to the preparation of flax. She fights, she raids, she trades, she worries about her little son.

In summary, Åsa comes alive.

Ms Wittenberg has obviously done her research. It shines through in her description of clothes and interiors but at times the very detailed depictions of everything from harvests to ale-making come at the expense of pace. The Falcon Queen is the second in a series, and at times I felt as if I was missing relevant parts of the back story. I suspect this is one of those books that do better when read as part of the series than as a stand-alone. So start with the first book.

All in all, though, The Falcon Queen gives an interesting insight into life in Scandinavia in the years before there even was a united Norway.

Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
Profile Image for J. Else.
Author 7 books116 followers
January 30, 2021
Norway, 9th century. Asa has won back her home, but her warriors are few, and the spring promises raiding parties led by men who would challenge the new queen’s rule. Hearing of Asa’s success, young Ragnhild runs away from her home to pledge herself as a shield maiden. On her journey, she’s captured by Hrolf, a trained berserker who plans to overthrow the queen. When Asa’s people rescue Ragnhild from Hrolf’s clutches, they unwittingly invite more danger to their land. Ragnhild’s father wants to marry his daughter off for Irish silver and his greed will cause him to join forces with Hrolf. Can Asa’s people find victory against the many threats sailing to their shores?

The second novel in The Norsewomen series brings to life the early reign of Queen Asa and the many challenges of the time. The story of Asa and Olaf, her lover and neighboring ruler, deepens while the author introduces new characters to propel the narrative forward. Asa is now the ruler of her father’s lands and must gather forces to survive the coming raiding season. Because the first half is set during the winter months, the urgency is less intense than book one but by no means less nuanced.

Wittenberg has a comfortable grasp on Viking culture, from practices preparing food for winter, weaponry and warcraft, as well as ship construction and repair. The varied women’s roles and their training as shield maidens are some of my favorite aspects of the series. Additionally, Asa and Hrolf both use magic to inhabit the bodies of animals, adding an enjoyable mystical layer to the story. The characters and time period come alive within Wittenberg’s prose, casting a spell on all who enter the halls of the Norsewomen series.

Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
12 reviews
September 9, 2020
Shield maidens, volva magic and berserkers!

Johanna Wittenberg magically transports her readers back to the 9th century world of the Vikings in The Norse Queen and its sequel The Falcon Queen. I mean who doesn't love a story with Shield Maidens, Volvas, and berserkers? Ms Wittenberg did her homework and it shows. I can't wait for more and I'll have a hard time finding something to read while I wait that will even come close.
Profile Image for pennyg.
813 reviews7 followers
April 18, 2021
Enjoying this Norse Woman series. Queen Asa is back in control of her late fathers Kingdom and is joined by a new female lead, Ragnhild, daughter of King Solvi trying to escape the fate of her father marrying her off to the Irish for money. There are battles, shape shifting and a little romantic drama. Although the author has Queen Asa do some stupid things as a plot devise, which I dislike, all in all an entertaining series and I will most likely pick up the third book to finish the series.
4 reviews
September 10, 2021
Great sequel!

I really enjoyed the continuing story of Asa, Queen of Tromoy. Expect a lot of swordfighting, all skillfully described. Sometimes in a melee the author loses track of her characters' actions, and the writing gets confused, but never here. Let the sense of magic sweep you into an older point of view about how the world worked, or works. A fine read.
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,502 reviews218 followers
November 4, 2020
The continuing story was pretty good. Asa makes many mistakes but is young. I wish she was a little more ruthless. Olaf was still a little weak to me. I liked the introduction of the new characters.

Entertaining story and I will continue with the next book when it comes out.
Profile Image for Archie.
Author 11 books34 followers
January 2, 2022
I read this as a beta reader and thoroughly enjoyed it.
7 reviews
January 2, 2021
Historically accurate, strong female characters.

Heartfelt and strong writing; with strong female characters. Authentic personalities, battles, daily life, etc. I am learning so much about Viking culture, but do not feel preached at. I cannot wait to read the next book. Thank you to the author for making the women have conviction, a brain, strength, and not simpering sex symbols. Thank you, thank you.
2 reviews
December 12, 2020
Since I had just read the Norse Queen, I was thirsty for more and got it in the Falcon Queen. I love how Johanna did her research, she went to Norway to actually check out where this heritage came from.
It's hard to imagine how a person even starts on researching this much history, I love all things Viking so this was even better than the last. I didn't know what a Shield Maiden was, but I wanted to be one after.

I loved the independence of Asa, she had a responsibility to Tromoy and held to it, no matter what.
Ragnhild was as strong a woman as there could be, so why not join the other strong woman of the land. Though these women were strong, they weren't offensive to others that weren't. They showed us what a woman could do if the mind was set to it. Johanna draws one in and catapults one through chapter after chapter until the end.

I also liked how each chapter had subsets so if I didn't have time to read the entire chapter, I had a place to stop. Can hardly wait for the next book.
41 reviews
December 14, 2020
Girl power!!!

What an engrossing story fiction but with historical facts woven in... their lives were hard by our standards of today but at the same time so fulfilling and enjoying the seasons and how to live according to them
Profile Image for Zanne Raby.
Author 6 books126 followers
May 2, 2022
The Falcon Queen is the second in "The Norsewomen" series. What is interesting to me is that Asa, the protagonist of the book, actually did exist, as did her son Halfdan the Black. There are a lot of intricate details incorporated into the novel that show how deep Ms. Wittenberg's research was, and that unto itself is impressive.

Although I read the book and continue to enjoy the series, there are some aspects that I find unrealistic. For example, how a significant number of young women fight together as warriors against men. A few shieldmaidens would be acceptable, but to have basically platoon or company sized groups of women against hundreds of men is unrealistic, when we're dealing with swords, spears, and shield. Today, the weapons we have are great equalizers (rifles for example do not require you to close with the enemy unless you're very unlucky). There's a good deal of fantasy as well in the book, for instance, when Asa's spirit enters a falcon in order to scope out a situation. I'm not so sure that this adds to a historical novel, as without it, the story would be just as strong. As well, sometimes the very intricate details bog the narrative down.

Asa herself is portrayed as an extremely strong and headstrong woman who knows her mind. But being young, she does not always see where her actions will lead. I like this and it brought Asa to life for me. Several times, her rash actions lead to unwanted outcomes. A good example of this is Asa's interactions with Olaf (her love interest). Not to give it away, but she got what she deserved. We also meet another strong female lead, Ragnhild. Younger than Asa, she is fierce and has lessons to learn as well. No one is perfect here, just as in real life.

Overall, a good read and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series and to learn what life has in store for Asa and Olaf.


43 reviews2 followers
July 24, 2021
Well written, historical fiction

I really enjoyed this book, as I did the first. The author does an amazing job with the plot, setting, and character building, by far best books I have read like this in a very long time. I was immersed in these characters, and....Spoiler alert: I am a little sad that the book doesn't continue with Asa, Olof, & Halfdan. I am okay with the next book being about the characters introduced in book 2, but it would be better as maybe a spin off? But a book 3? Im sure its a great read...and I will read & likely enjoy it, but I want more of an ending for these characters!! Can there be a future book somewhere down the road? I HOPE SO!!! Great books though! Loved them and couldn't put them down!
Profile Image for A. L..
225 reviews3 followers
January 12, 2025
I was glad the author didn’t go the expected route of having two strong women go against each other, but all the same, this felt very much like watching a modern movie with little basis in reality. The warrior woman always wins the fight against the guy who is three times her size because she has more “spunk”? “Heart”? The men start off sexist but quickly come to realize the women are sincere and just as good as they are. Because we’re not still fighting sexism over 1000 years later.

As long as you go in expecting a light, entertaining “beach-read” that is set in Viking times, you won’t be disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Aloma Arp.
77 reviews1 follower
June 28, 2023
Devotion and heartbreak, soooo good!

Sometimes the leaders had to give away the one thing they most desired. May that be power, lands, warriors and love. The Norse people were fierce fighters who worked and played and fought their way to Valhalla. But they also loved and were loved until death took them. The women were tough and strong minded among tough and strong minded men. Their wars are what tales are made of. Blood and gore but bravery and determination made this a story you will remember and want to continue.
Profile Image for Christine Cazeneuve.
1,472 reviews42 followers
June 3, 2022
Asa Rocks!

This book is even better than the first. Asa continues to grow and lead as Queen but at the same time still has the heart and emotions of a woman. The author had to create her character as little is known about Asa. Johanna makes Asa so relatable that not only would she fit into today's world but she is believable in her own time. Wonderful new characters are introduced in this second book of the series. On to book three!
286 reviews8 followers
June 3, 2022
Loving this series! The second book was even better than the first. These books are incredibly well researched and will teach you a ton about Norse history, mythology, and culture just by tying it into the story as it unfolds.

The writing in the Falcon Queen was especially good—really developed Asa’s character and got me invested in what happens to her and the people of Tromoy. The battle depictions are superb! I do wish, though, that Wittenberg would up the steam factor ;-)
25 reviews14 followers
July 28, 2021
Appropriate sequel to the 1st book, would recommend it to continue Åsa's story. Many of the same characters with new additions & battles. It seems #3 spins off onto new characters introduced in #2 & that's a disappointment, I would like more on the main characters, Åsa, Olaf & Halfdan. They are young & have much before them.
17 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2023
Bloody fight for land and freedim


The characters from the Falcon Queen are well developed, and their lives become more entangled. Asa takes in her new role hesitantly and with self doubts. Wittenberg does a splendid job of detailing life in the Scandinavian countries in the 9th century.

13 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2024
Excellent read

I’m always fascinated by Norse mythology fact and fiction and this book is rife with both. I’ll now follow Joanna Wittenberg for her incredible writing based on her fact learned history of this brutal time period and her imagination and magic that makes her books outstanding. Excellent read.
239 reviews
February 6, 2025
High Adventure

In the memory of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Borough, and all the great adventure writers. This book stands as a true testament to the writing craft. From hopeless battles and the setting for a great quest. The book is so well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It doesn't always turn out the way you want it to.
Profile Image for Dawn.
221 reviews
July 31, 2021
Asa really comes into her own in this book. As queen, she defeats her opponents and has not met her true match. She trains other shield maidens and accepts those different from her with grace and humility. Wittenberg has created a wonderful character.
1,501 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2021
Asta and Olaf

Action, romance, and intrigue. Fierce battles and fierce love. These two love each other but As a feels she has other obligations. Can't wait for the rest of the story.
Profile Image for Emily Kakolewski.
169 reviews5 followers
November 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this series.

I am sad at the ending. I know the next book focuses on another in the story, but I would sure love to know if Asa ends up with her love. Thank you to the author for a wonderful read.
Profile Image for Beth.
874 reviews27 followers
December 4, 2021
The second novel in the Norse Women series, the story of Queen Asa continues. Not as good as the first novel. However WITTENBERG is an excellent storyteller and I enjoyed it very much. On to THE RAIDER BRIDE. #(3)
146 reviews2 followers
March 7, 2022
really good read

I’m am pleasantly surprised with this writer! I am frequently really annoyed by the sex scenes painted vividly by many female writers. I appreciate Ms. Whittenberg allowing me to use my imagination, or not. I will be looking for more of he books.
90 reviews
November 6, 2023
Fascinating story

Being a queen is never easy and a lone queen during turbulent times faces deadly challenges. She must choose duty over love to protect her homeland and her people. But how can she live with the difficult decisions she must make.
6 reviews
February 2, 2024
Great series

I kind of unintentionally stumbled upon this series and am so glad I did. There's love, heart break, war, history. It's also well written with well built characters. Now, on to number three!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

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