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Title: The Hammer and the Cross Author: Harry Harrison Copyright Date: 1993 Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

Plot
What if.. The gods of Asgard challenged Christianity for the future of mankind? "865 A.D. Warring kings rule over the British Isles, but the Church rules over the kings, threatening all who oppose them with damnation. Only the dreaded Vikings of Scandinavia do not fear the priests. Shef, the bastard son of a norse raider and a captive English lady, is torn by divided loyalties and driven by strange visions that seem to come from Odin himself. A smith and warrior, he alone dares to imagine new weapons and tactics with which to carve out a kingdom - and launch an all-out war between..." The Hammer and the Cross
Setting
This story is set in the British Isles during the 9th century. Shortly after the withdraw of the Romans, it has become a land of slaves and nobles trying to make a living on their secluded island. The Church has reeped most of the money from the land and uses their ties to Rome to influence the nobles. Although I did not research the authenticity of the time period, the story reads with a realistic feel and did not require much suspension of disbelief.
Characters
The main character is Shef, destined to lead the religion of the Norse into the British Isles and compete against the champions of Christianity. Ivar, a coldblooded Norse raider that swears to conquer the British Isles and Shef. Brand, a Norse warrior that befriends and supports Shef. Thorvin, a priest of the Way dedicating his life to the guidance of Thor. Hund, a childhood friend that joins the Norse with Shef and becomes an accomplished healer. Godive, Shef's half-sister and the love of his life. There are many characters to keep track of in this book and I belive that is the problem. I felt each character was believable but there is little development given to them.
Overall
This is a very straightforward story. The plot rushes forward with a charge of action. It leaves the reader little time to think about what has happened. Let alone what may happen. It progresses from one battle to the next with little purpose other than to move the story and keep the reader interested. If you are a fan of Norse tales or gripping depictions of battle than this is the book for you. Unfortunately, not every reader is captivated by a war story. If you are one of those people, don't bother picking this up.