Wolf Cry Paperback – 22 Dec. 2014

I love all of Julia Golding’s books, I haven’t come across one that I haven’t liked. Her writing and stories are always so easy and a joy to read. There is no over the top, no unneeded drama. Just the story. Plus an Author’s love for her passion, which shows in her work.I just like how the Author didn’t rush to tell the story. It let you as the reader, just relax and enjoy. There was action straight from the beginning and at the end. The middle let you get to really know all the characters. Let their actions speak volumes about their inner characters. Plus gave you time to connect with them, to either like them or hate them. (Her father? Like seriously he needed punching.)The fighting was done very well, it wasn’t over the top or unrealistic in anyway. The fights weren’t dragged out, I like how the last fight went. It was realistic of a battle, sometimes you just lose your footing. People die and it not scared to show that. (It not gory about it).(Random fact did you know that Julia Golding also writes as Joss Stirling and Eve Edwards. Damn it. I need to check out her other books now.)

Although this book is aimed at young teenagers I was hooked from the start. The characters are so strong and she introduces a side to the Viking's I've never seen before in historical fiction and that is the many feuds they have between each other as individual raiders and leaders, the cost of family blood feuds over generations and also the little known impact Norse raiders had on the natives of Africa and the beginnings of the slave trade in black people.The over all tale is truly captivating and thrilling, you fall in love with the good people and grow to hate the bad ones. The ending is a bit of a shock and to be honest very sad but it is a good climax to the themes of belonging, family love and fate woven throughout.I would definitely recommend it to any young teenager to read to get a good first taste of the life of Vikings without too much gore and violence.

A good adventure story which is located in an unusual geographical setting. I expect many readers will not have heard of the Sami people before reading this book. Having visited Norway, the book brought back a memorable holiday with wild, rugged landscapes.Wolf Cry explores the relationship between various ethnic groups and a stranger from afar who happens to be a black man. He becomes a central character in the plot. After reading the book it should help young people for whom it is intended to think about the stereotyping of races and individuals.The adventure story element moves along at an exciting pace. The book deserves reading to the end with its challenging conclusion.

Arrived quickly and good service, I was very disappointed in the book though, slow and character development not great. Found it hard to get through and quite boring overall

Julia Golding is a competent, even good writer, but that does not compensate for her obvious ignorance about the culture and places she writes about in this book. I cannot recommend this book to anyone.It starts out with a historical note stating that Ohthere's tale (written in Alfred's court) is "the only Viking voice to have come down to us from the Dark Ages," then three pages later she begins quoting from another Viking age source (Egil's saga). And there are many other similar sources. I'm also not sure that the 9th century is part of the "Dark Ages," a useless, outdated and silly phrase in any regard. This is a minor detail in comparison to all the errors and misconceptions this book seems so full of that I gave up after less than 50 pages. Here are a few examples:It's Spring, but the 'bull' reindeer has antlers...nope. Also the Norse are not known for reindeer herding -- cattle and sheep is what they had and ate. You can't manage reindeer herds on a small island with a set residence, herders like the Sami move around. Domestic reindeer are trained to stay around camp with food, but the scenario of a 'bull' (so breeding) reindeer coming back on its own to play nicey with the heroine? Again very unlikely. The Norse in the story live on a small island off the coast of Norway, but have a wolf problem? I really doubt it. They would have killed/controlled such a problem rather easily, even if the sea ice froze in the winter between the mainland and the island and so allowed access by mainland packs. The raiders killed young women and took old ones...again, seems highly unlikely. If they were raiding for slaves, a common past-time, it would have been the reverse. They certainly wouldn't have taken old slave women with them. The African slave in the story is apparently from North Africa, but the description 'blue-black' suggests someone from the equatorial regions. Libyan, Moroccans, etc. don't tend to be that dark or that colour. And neither his treatment nor his character really makes any sense. House slaves (high status) with his behaviour would not be tolerated. The guy would have been in the fields or the galleys. Nor would he ever have been allowed access to weapons. As for Freydis and her father, she wouldn't have been there, especially if he didn't like her. She would have been married out. Whether he likes her or not, the daughter of a Jarl is worth something and he would have used her to cement alliances. Her brother Toki, is just as bad. He's 18 and never been off the island? So unlikely it boggles the mind. More likely he would have been sailing with his father since he was about 10. Households were run mostly by the women with slaves and maybe some free farmers or 'retired' high status men. He certainly wouldn't be considered a 'boy' at that age and his character seems better suited to someone closer to 13. Summer (not spring) is usually the raiding season for various good reasons, not to mention the weather, especially so far north. Ohthere is a rich man with one son and no wife? Again seriously unlikely, especially if he so concerned about having sons to carry on his name. He'd have a wife (high status) and a number of mistresses probably, and more kids, unless he had some problem. The portrayal of the Sami, 'gentle tribesmen,' is just silly, the author seems to know nothing about pastoralists or human nature. And that the pirate group found them so easily is... The pirate ship is also apparently a tardis with a never-ending food supply... I don't know, maybe they sorted that out some way, but I gave up reading it.Instead, try Rosemary Sutcliff's novels which are great, or for older readers, try Tim Severn's Viking trilogy.

Freydis had been left for dead following a raid on her father's viking stronghold.Her brother has been taken prisoner. Her father is bent on revenge and takes her on his quest, gising her Enno, an african Warroir slave, to protect her.As the hunt for her brother becomes more desperate, Freydis and Enno draw closer. But when the battle loomes, the bonds of freindship, obeidience and loyalty will be tested to the limit.I have to give it to Julie golding, I dont think anyone has done the viking- slave romance. Because that's what it is. Its a bit tragic, but it could be a bit funny, and the story line was good. I liked the style, and if you know me or my blog, Julie Golding is the author of my favorite series Cat Royal