Kindly note: This series is very much meant to be read in order. If you haven't yet read the previous books of this series, this review may contain spoilers about how they turn out.
In the wake of the first battles with Völsung, Sköll gains new insight into what drives the traditional enemy of the Vargr. Enough to see a way that an all-out war costing thousands, if not millions, of lives can be avoided. But can he convince his followers, not to mention the Cubi, Sleipnir, and humans, to trust an enemy they've fought for thousands of years? His leadership, as well as the alphas of all, will be put to the test.
This action-packed seventh book of The Vargr series is full of confrontations as well as outright battles as Sköll fights to unify all races in pursuit of the same common goal. In between, there are still many discussions about how to achieve a lasting peace. Part of the answer seems to be in uncovering the forgotten history of the many races.
Sköll / Matt continues to be a fascinating character. He effectively has three personalities warring within him: human, Vargr, and Völsung. One of the themes in this book is the struggle to find a balance between those three influences. The conflict between these three is very convincingly portrayed.
The demands on him are such that Matt / Sköll's mates often seem to get short-changed. Sköll's alpha mate, Hati, can't be ignored, but the two get very little time together to strengthen their bond. The boyfriend of Matt's human side, Rasmus, seems to get even less attention, even though the need is still there. It's all part of finding the right balance for Matt.
“Shaded Ember” is available from Smashwords and Amazon.