"the darkness in her rose to choke the song from her throat, as she recognized the uniforms of the soldiers fighting below. And Vaya knew, as only a mother can know, that her son was here, somewhere beneath her in this theatre of death."
Vaya is a Valkyrie. Immortal daughter of the great god, Odin, she--along with her sisters--presides over the battlefields of mortals, choosing only the bravest, strongest and most honourable of fallen warriors to be taken to the afterlife in Valhalla. For centuries Vaya has ridden with the Valkyries, caught up in the thrill of battle, knowing nothing of the mortal realm but death. Then, one day, the ride brings to her attention a warrior who is fair, strong and brave as the gods, and merciful besides. This warrior so impresses Vaya that she comes through him to know something knew of the mortal condition: human love.
The Last Ride begins in the traditional vein of legends of gods and monsters: bravery and heroism are exalted, gentler traits ignored, and the "larger than life" focus of the gods' point of view renders human life an inconsequential play thing. In Douglas Smith's hands, however, this trope is quickly subverted when his Valkyrie protagonist comes to know not only the lust of gods but a very human love.
Vaya's transformation mirrors perfectly the discrepancy between the dehumanizing side of war which paints battle lines with talk of might, right, heroism and principle, and the very human pain inflicted upon the lives of people caught in war's ravages. At the same time, this story presents a sympathetic portrayal of individuals who must make choices regarding their own involvement in war from within the grey morass which fills the chasm between right and wrong. War story, love story, epic adventure and personal drama, The Last Ride offers no easy answers, but still calls for hope.