From David Dawes:

Some of those twists I laugh over some I call him names
    Jump In Jay. Jay gets the story rolling right away & as in his other books he tosses in more than a few twists.
    Some of those twists I laugh at. Over some I call him names (in good nature, of course!).
    There is war and intrigue & back story.
    It was not the war you were expecting I think.
    A Good Read I will put it on my shelf and read it again later.
    I have now read everything except his new look at Dracula.
    Thank you Jay

Give yourself a nice stretch of time to read this, because you won't want to put it down.
    Intrigue, betrayal, joy, wit, warfare - it's all here, woven into a strong story.
    Fair disclaimer: I know the author and spoke with him often while he was writing Viking Daughter. I'd expected that to be a bit of a problem. Would I be able to immerse myself in the story, or would I hear Jay's voice throughout the book? I needn't have worried. I was drawn into Havi's world, learning about her new home and new dangers through her eyes. I felt all of her despair, her fury, her ...
    Well, I don't want to spoil it for you. You'll need to read the book, won't you?

"Jump In Jay" - He does not waste around starting his stories
    I am thinking of Calling Mr. Palmer "Jump In Jay". He does not waste around starting his stories. The Old joke about James Michener: "If you want the story, not history, turn to page 127".
    This does not apply. I empathized with many of the characters and their plights. Jay took us back and encouraged us to look forward. It was interesting and challenging looking with modern eyes and at the same time thinking in the times of the story. Fighting with swords and laws, its a toss up which was more difficult. As always there are twists and conundrums that may have you grumbling, "OOH, come on, come on, just......" (almost put a spoiler there).
    A good read. I suggest you load the dishwasher first so some house work gets done.
    Here is to Strong Women!
    Thank you Jay, I am ready for the next one.

Viking Daughter - a well written novel set in the Viking ages in south Sweden.
    Personal disclaimer first: I know the author in real life.
    Jay Palmer, in his usual way, writes an excellent account of life. In this case, in and around a south Sweden castle during the days of the Viking. Woven through the life of a woman from the time of her marriage and all that meant. We follow Havi through her life as mistress of the leading clan of the Skane.
    I wasn't at all sure that I would like this story, written by a man, in the 21st century, but I should have known that Jay would keep me from thinking about the author. Soon enough I was just reading about Havi and her friends and enemies, her politics and learning, her ability to sit as mistress and share in the hard work of castle life.
    Bravo, Jay

A great gift for a young adult reader!
    I enjoyed Viking Daughter and definitely recommend it. It's a believable story with interesting characters, and best of all, an enormous amount of excellent background research. I've abandoned much historical fiction because the fiction too far outweighed the period.
    Jay Palmer's characters keep you wanting to know what happens next, and he manages to convey the taut, barely contained violence without being gratuitously bloody. The societal and legal challenges met by the main character reflect the reality of the times.
    Viking Daughter is a good read for adults, but would also be a great gift for a young adult reader. The strong female protagonist is attractive and gutsy, and makes you glad to have been part of her journey.

Five Stars!
    I really felt like I was there at the castle. I hated all the villains and loved all the others. The legal research is astounding. I was sorry to come to the end of the story, I would recommend this book to anyone not only those interested in the Vikings. I am looking forward to the next books in this series.

Real Vikings!
    This is a well researched historical novel that takes you deep into an alien age and never veers from the stark realities of its time. Forget ALL the novels you have ever read set in this time period. This book brings the age to life, both in setting and psychology through the eyes of a courageous woman of the Viking age.
Having waded through any number of "historical" novels that really were more historical stories told through a modern lens, this book is refreshingly authentic. Havi is a genuine heroine.

She does things that puts her in terrible danger and other things that make her beloved by ...
    A very fast moving and emotional book. I was hooked from the first page, as Havi is told what her future will be. As she learns to be clan Mistress, she finds some enemies that are obvious, and uncovers some not so obvious. She does things that puts her in terrible danger and other things that make her beloved by her people. Her life is rocky and full of unknowns, but she still manages to fulfill parts of her dream of laws to benefit women. Will she get her own hearts true love at the end? Read it and find out!

Makes you feel like you've gone back in Viking times when women were ...
    Makes you feel like you've gone back in viking times when women were owned and had no rights, and men were snarley characters who loved to fight. Havi is a likeable lady who wants what she wants. She changes her life by making friends and allies and finds her way from child to wife to queen. She's the kind of hero I want to be.

Do you know any children who love to read?
    Do you know any children who love to read? I certainly do! And I am very excited to be gifting this literally magical tale to a favorite niece! I cannot WAIT to hear what SHE thinks of this wonderful story in which dolls come to life! Truly what I think about this book does not count; we need to get it into the hands of children and find out what THEY think of it! I strongly suspect they will Love it as much as I do! There are plenty of little tidbits that grownups will enjoy along the way (being reacquainted with old toys from their own memories) so it would be ideal for a shared reading. I have an example in mind but do not want to spoil the story. After all, what could be more important than reading to and with your children? This is a heart-warming read, sure to inspire the imaginations of children and the young at heart!

Do you love your Teddy Bears?
    Not many children's books can create such thought and introspection. I found myself immersed within the world of living dolls and thoroughly enjoyed meeting characters of my youth. As the story progressed I could not help but imagine the many stuffed animals I've owned and wonder how they are faring in that world, for all our toy animals and dolls are there! I highly recommend this book for both adults and kids!

The story flows easily from the everyday life of a suburban pre-teen through ...
    Jay Palmer has created a charming and engaging story for children, and for the neglected child at the heart of so many adults. The story flows easily from the everyday life of a suburban pre-teen through gritty streets to a world of magic. It's a story of adventure, and of the blossoming of a child into a responsible - but not too serious - adult.

I loved Jeremy Wrecker
    I loved Jeremy Wrecker! I couldn't put it down until the battery was low. I found that reading this book made me feel like I was right there, in with the characters going through their situations. The Author's descriptions got my imagination going. I ended up reading this book several times, because there just seemed to be one more thing I didn't catch on the other go rounds. Great book!

Lesser known form of piracy gets its due!
    While pirate stories are common, wreckers were often a bigger problem for ships in the sailing era. It's interesting reading a book written from the point of view of a wrecker.
Good plotting and well written characters draw you into an unfamiliar setting and take you on an intense journey full of threats, betrayals, and unexpected outcomes. More please!

Fun enough for teens ...!
    Any sailor who has heard tales will tell you there's a special place in hell reserved for wreckers, but leave it to Jay actually make them likable, the whole bloodthirsty family of them. I kept forgetting as I read that the protagonists were anti-heroes. The story moves quickly and is hard to put down, full of action, plotting, deception, and hard lessons learned. Fun enough for teens, smart enough for adults.

Enjoyed learning about the life of pirates!
    Be prepared when you read Jeremy Wrecker, as it's non-stop swash-buckling action from page 1! I couldn't put this book down. Enjoyed learning about the life of pirates. Is there going to be a second book, Jay?

A bold and bracing yarn that will put the wind in your sails!
    Once again our wizard of words has woven his spell and ensnared this reader in his masterful tales! I had No Idea what a "wrecker" was (and I had the silly notion that I knew a little bit about pirates)! I think that Lubbers and Pirates alike are bound to enjoy this voyage through the lives of interesting characters; some you are bound to love (despite their rather violent lives) others you may despise as much as I did, and many will surprise you! This novel is different than any other pirate story I have ever read; for one thing it takes us aloft in the riggings, which pretty much puts the salty spray right into the teeth of the story! And the wrecker life gives a frame of reference that I had never seen. It is a bold and bracing tale! I hope there is more of this yarn!

I felt like I was right there with Jeremy while he grew ...
    Jay Palmer knows how to spin a yarn. The obvious amount of subject research is very impressive. I felt like I was right there with Jeremy while he grew to manhood under very interesting circumstances.

Arrrhhhhhh, it's an excitin' tale, matey!
    Another exciting, wild ride of a read from the author of The Vikings! Trilogy - this time on the high seas. The reader is immediately immersed in the chaos that is the life of a wrecker (and if you don't know what a wrecker is, well then, you'll just have to read the book!). And when wreckers collide with dastardly pirates, it gets even more chaotic! It's a tale full of spicy characters and desperate survival. A highly recommended fun read!

A Great Read!
    Once I got started I had to read the entire trilogy straight through! Jay has done a fantastic job of weaving together myriad details into an action story with a very human element.
     These books are good on so many different levels. You want a fun action read? You got it! You want a good story line with good plot twists that you didn't see coming? You got it! You like your characters with real life human qualities and quirks? You got it!
     Are you interested in ancient myths and legends? Jay has tied more of these together into one story than I can count! You want books that make you think and wonder about deeper subjects like religion and prejudices? You got it! You can read these books at any of these levels and enjoy them.
     Now to be fair, by the time I started the 3rd book I felt like I had been on a long roller coaster ride and was ready to get off and rest. I love my roller coasters but sometimes enough is enough. The plot twist at the end was worth every rollicking page.

Great characters and unending action!
    The thing I liked about The VIKINGS! Trilogy was the ensemble of characters Jay has created. I liked how this diverse, ragtag bunch pulled together to overcome all obstacles. And there were many. I kept thinking: "How are they going to get out of this one?" Some of the action sequences were of the breath-taking, edge of your seat, nailbiting, down to the wire variety. Read these books, you'll be glad you did!

A great adventure
    The VIKINGS! Trilogy by Jay Palmer is an exciting adventure story. It is rich in Viking lore and makes the "impossible" somehow seem "real". Jay is an excellent writer and gives the reader a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Intense historical fantasy
    I enjoyed the way DeathQuest started with a kick and kept ramping up in tension and inner-turmoil. The interplay of the characters, how they worked together for their own separate reasons and ended up depending on each other in desperate crazy times gave the plot a human impact. You care about the characters and worry that they aren't going to figure things out fast enough.
    This was an unexpected ride, charging off in unexpected directions. The changing circumstances and unexpected consequences draw you in and keep you turning pages.
    The rich characters are each challenged by their own complex and dangerous situations with social, political, and magical overtones. With war, invasion, and epic revenge thrown into the mix, survival is an on-going struggle for the party, who remain friends although they never seem to agree on anything. This isn't the sort of quest that is likely to end well for all of the main characters, and their struggles make the threats and danger more palpable.
    The ending of the trilogy did not go where I expected it to, and that's for the best; I always enjoy the unexpected journeys more.

A daring juxtaposition
    It's been my privilege to proofread several of Jay's books, and a couple of themes stand out. His stories are first and foremost about *ideas*, and then a well-crafted plot to execute the idea. The ideas may be embodied in the characters, but each character has a distinct personality. The settings vary from Viking age, to modern, to completely fantastical, and the story may be a heart-crushing tragedy or a light-hearted romp, or anything in between.
    On that spectrum, I think of Vikings! as a Grand Adventure, with enough darkness to excite but not to depress; a fast-moving read. The characters each come with their own perspectives on mythology and religion, and then they get to experience those mythologies directly.
    There's only one spoiler I will reveal about the ending (and Jay, feel free to edit this out.) It will definitely get you thinking differently about death.

Is Historical fantasy too boring?
    I wasn't a big fan of history classes when I was a child, but I loved biography. I realized at some point that biographers told the story of a person's life. History classes, in the endless list of names and dates and events, missed the key to make the subject both interesting and meaningful: the people, the narrative, the story.
     And sometime after I grew up, I discovered historical fiction. Writers like Edith Pargeter and Sharon Kay Penman, with their scrupulous research and meticulous attention to character and narrative, create books that are a joy to read.
     I also love fantasy. It doesn't always get the respect that historical fiction gets, but a fantasy where the author attends carefully not only to narrative and character, but also to world-building and mythopoeia, is, to me, a true prose-poem, and a true delight.
     Now imagine a book where all of the best features of historical fiction are blended with all that is most delightful about fantasy. Where the carefully crafted world isn't created de novo, but is built, one brick, one plank at a time, on a solid foundation of historical research. Where the story seamlessly blends history and the mythologies that were accepted in the historical setting into a high fantasy. Where the characters, while not historical personages, are based on what was real and possible for a person at that time in history.
     With Vikings!, you get all of that, and a fabulous story. There is not much higher praise than that.

Fabulous story!
    I loved the friendships that formed out of unlikely characters. They learned how to get along out of survival, but quickly became best of friends. My favorite character is Eloise, because she's a brat like me, and she values nice dresses. She has a lot of growing up to do, and she does. Through several amazing transformations, I love what she becomes.

Excellent reading
    I had a long list of things to do the other weekend, instead I picked up the first book of the trilogy and did not stop reading until I completed the last book. I did not get anything done that weekend other than having a wonderful time getting lost in reading these excellently written books.
    It is fantastic that the author did the research on the mythology that he wrote about in the story, it made the books that much more enjoyable to read. It is nice to know that I now have another series of books I can read when I feel like reading and don't have anything new to read. I will definitely re-read these books again, but hopefully after I get my to-do list done.

Adventure!
    What I liked best about the books is that each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a different character. It adds another dimension to the stories. Read for yourself and experience the adventure!

Epic historical fantasy
    What a fun book to read. I enjoyed the interplay of cultural and religious perspectives as the companions debate the actions of their leader. If you like the TV series, Vikings, this book is for you. Commonalities between Rothgar Lothbrook and Eric Bjornson include a daring and fearlessness with betrayal and ruthless practicality as key motivations in moving the story along. Interesting characters, good plot, and a fun read.

Great adventure with fantasy and historical fiction!
    This story really pulled me in as the author wove a compelling adventure that at first was one man's quest, though ultimately, became the entire parties' goal.

    I learned alot about Norse mythology. Look forward to reading the second book where the story continues!

Well worth the reading time!
    I found the Vikings Trilogy to be a darkly fascinating read with an almost fanatical attention to the historical details of the actual "viking" age. If you want your historical fiction with seriously accurate history, this is a series for you!

Viking Gold
    DeathQuest is a story that pulls you in to it from the first paragraph and never lets you go. The pictures that the book paints through your mind are vivid and alive making it possible for the reader to relate and feel like they can sail a Dragon Long ship or defeat an army. The book is brain candy, a very easy read and hard to put down. It keeps you wanting to find out what is going to happen to our heroes. I completely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a book to occupy their imagination for a weekend. I can't wait to read the other two in the trilogy.

Mesmerizing!
    DeathQuest is completely engrossing and mesmerizing, pulling the reader into the world of The Vikings! and submerging them in a fast-paced tale of betrayal, bravery, and intrigue. Once started, I could not put it down, and lost all consciousness of the world around me. Jay Palmer is a magical spinner of tales. I can't wait to start the second book in the trilogy: The Mourning Trail. I would recommend this book to anyone to love to be caught up and engrossed in a story full of adventure and daring!

awesome book
    A great read, I could not put it down until I had finished it, can't wait to start the next one.

A totally captivating read, exciting, complex, detailed, rich. Leaves the reader hungering for more!
    Once upon a time I met a little old lady named Doris who said that her definition of "adventure" was "misfortune viewed in retrospect", which pearl of wisdom certainly applies to the perilous hijinks our companions get up to in "DeathQuest"! Never was there an unlikelier set of folks to go haring off on such a perilous journey! The reader is drawn into the plot of intricate circumstances and questionable decisions that throw our companions together, struggling to get along with each other, combative, yet instinctively cooperating out of sheer terror for their very lives. I have elicited a private confession from the author that, yes, in fact, the leader of this bunch IS a rapscallious scoundrel! The sights and sounds and smells will play in your mind, as the characters unveil themselves to you through the rotating-omnipotence of seeing through each of their eyes, captivating you utterly.
    I'm glad that I had the second book close to hand, as the moment that I had devoured the first book and found our weary band in such dire circumstances, I had to plunge directly into "Book 2, The Mourning Trail"! Halfway through that one, something tells me I will be just as glad that I have "Book 3, Quest For Valhalla" ready at hand!!

All I can say is wow!
    The author certainly did his research and can really write. His ability to weave the story for the reader is remarkable. The story grips you to the point you cannot put the book aside for later! Lots of surprises and worth every penny. You will enjoy it.

Riveting adventure continues in the second Vikings! book!
    I really became emotionally invested in the second Vikings novel. The party is in turmoil and the individual characters' personalities really evolve as they struggle to make sense of the shattered world around them, their place in it, and where to go from there.

    The ending is a real surprise!!

    Look forward to reading the third book.

Outstanding book. A compelling read!
    Wonderful series, vivid characters each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Looking forward to the third book, to see the story continue.

Too good to pass up!
    I have said this about Palmers first book in this trilogy, but...
    I found the Vikings Trilogy to be a darkly fascinating read with an almost fanatical attention to the historical details of the actual "viking" age. If you want your historical fiction with seriously accurate history, this is a series for you!
    Seriously, this is one of the better new reads I have come across in quite a while. Palmer manages to blend in a detailed background knowledge of the Viking Age culture with a fantasy story line without losing the story or sounding like some kind of textbook or lecture. Trust me on this, you will enjoy this series!

A must-read continuation of the exciting adventures of our companions from DeathQuest, with new twists & terrors!
    Having gotten themselves into and out of much peril in the DeathQuest, our courageous and outrageous band of misfits manages to find all sorts of new trouble to get into! Meanwhile, they get to deal with the rather horrendous unforeseen consequences of some of their previous misadventures & various supernatural encounters. (Memo to me: NEVER piss off a Druid!) I would say more, but I cannot, for I must go read Book 3, "Quest for Valhalla"!

Can't put the book down
    The Mourning Trail is an excellent read. It is the kind of book that grabs your attention fully and when you look up the sun has gone down and it is way past your bed time, in fact it is so past your bed time that you realize you are only going to get 4 hours of sleep before you have to go to work the next day type of book. It is a great lead in to the next book Quest for Valhalla.

Best of the Trilogy is saved for last! A great read!
    This is the best of the trilogy. If you did not know the Norse mythos when you started reading this book, you will by the time you finish. There are also some nice personal twists that Jay has put in there for those of us that are in the SCA.... see if you can pick them out! Good job Jay, good job! My favorite read of this year!

It... ends... bummer... is there another one?
    I am unsure whether to be pleased that this trilogy has come to a close, finally getting some closure on the story, or to be upset because it is over! If Palmers next foray in fiction is comparable to these, sign me up NOW!

Book 3 "Quest for Valhalla" is a Must-Have read, to go with the other two in "The Vikings! Trilogy" a non-stop thrill ride!
    I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning the night I finished this book, as there was NO going to sleep until I had finished it! I stopped trying to guess what might happen next in the intricate plot twists about half-way through the previous book! I was a helpless passenger, ON this crazy adventure WITH the companions, holding my breath at times, wanting to shout at them about one folly or another, wishing I had a whole troop of trusty archers, a band of Knights and a whole lot of ancient magic I could bring with me to the fray!
    I anxiously await the next offerings from this talented author!

Fitting end to a great story.
    Lots of surprises and worth every penny. You will enjoy it. Of course, you must have read books 1 & 2 first.

Thanks to each of you! I love your comments!