Tracy’s review of Immortal Champion 
Part of a cursed Viking crew, Gunnar the Red must toil through eternity as a half-man, half-beast. Only the magic of true love can release him. Though she is betrothed to another, could Lady Eleanor de Neville be his salvation?
Lady Eleanor is only 14 when she is saved from certain death by fire by Gunnar the Red. She is immediately smitten and sees Gunnar as her champion. Though she waits impatiently for his promised return it’s another four years before she lays eyes on him again. Gunnar isn’t planning on staying at Westmorland’s estate but he arrives when there is a tourney going on and decides to enter a game that ends up putting him right back in Eleanor’s presence. Eleanor is once again love-struck but Gunnar is a bit more wary until he see’s the comb that adorns Eleanor’s hair – a woman riding a bull.
You see, Gunnar is part of a Viking crew that was cursed 600 years before. Each man lives half of his day as a man and half as an animal of some sort. For Gunnar that animal is a bull so when he views Eleanor’s comb he is sure that his feelings that are increasing by the day are because of the fact that Eleanor is the woman for him – that one woman who can love him for who he truly is and can break the curse. Even though they want to be together there are roadblocks in their way – the main one being Eleanor’s father and the fact that she was betrothed when she was 14 and not to Gunnar! When Eleanor’s father finds that his daughter might be sharing her body with Gunnar he sends her off to the nunnery until she can be married to her betrothed. and tells Gunnar that she went willingly.
Gunnar, having once been betrayed once by his previous wife, believes the wretched man until one of his friends talks him in to going after her. But alas they are too late and Eleanor is already married. How will the two ever be together with Eleanor married and Gunnar not trusting in her love for him?
Once again Lisa Hendrix has written a great book.The interesting characters and an engaging and realistic story really drew me in and kept me there. The medieval story with the paranormal and magical elements really made for a good read.
Gunnar – like his bull – is incredibly stubborn. The man has little faith that anything good can come to him and trusts few people. Even when he knows he loves Eleanor and he knows she loves him he is still doubtful and distrusting. It got a bit much at times but he was written so well I had to be the one that had faith that he’d stop being such a…such a…man! (They can be frustrating) lol But I also felt so sad for Gunnar and Eleanor as they are constantly pulled apart from each other as the book spans a period of 19 years (including epilogue). It truly was a tale of star-crossed lovers. Luckily this one had a happy ending.
Like the first two book in this series we got the chance to see and visit with other members of the cursed Viking crew and as usual Ms. Hendrix put an extra little twist in the book with one of the Vikings, Ari, and his visions which I loved. She’s always adding something to each story that makes me want to read the next book but not in a way that it’s blatantly set up for the next story and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5
The series:
You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place
This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here
I’ve been thinking of starting this series but I’ve wondered is it one where I could jump in anywhere or should I start with book one?
Thanks!
Hi Donna – I think you can really jump into any of the books and not have to read previous books. It might give you a little more background but they’re each good as standalones as well.
Thanks Tracy, I appreciate the information here!!