Today is my stop on the blog tour for Sword of Vengeance by Peter Gibbons
Here’s the blurb
In the aftermath of the great battle of Maldon, justice is demanded and vengeance will be served!
992AD
King Aethelred’s the Unready’s army has been defeated at the historic Battle of Maldon by Viking invaders led by Olaf Tryggvason and King Sweyn Forkbeard.
The strategic turning point of the battle was when Godric, an East Saxon Thegn, fled the battlefield taking with him the Saxon army, leaving behind his brothers to be massacred in a welter of blood and Norse axe blades.
Saxon warrior Beornoth emerges from the ashes of defeat with his heart aflame with vengeance and when King Aethelred sends for Beornoth with orders to punish those traitors responsible for the crushing defeat, he heeds the king’s call.
With a small band of loyal warriors, Beornoth embarks on an unforgiving journey across the perilous landscape to seek out Godric and exact his bloody revenge. They must fight their way through a world teeming with political intrigue, shifting alliances and the ever-present threat of the Vikings.
Can Beornoth triumph over insurmountable odds in this pulse pounding quest for retributionIf you enjoyed The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell, you’ll love Beornoth’s Quest for Vengeance!
Review
Following the events of book 3 we pick up in the aftermath of the bloody Battle of Maldon.
Beornoth is in a bad way and Brand must do everything he can to keep him alive.
I felt this was a very poignant and pivotal start to the story as Brand must face loss, the battle was brutal and it plays heavy on the mans heart. It’s moving but also shows the characters strength as he battles on despite the hurt he will be feeling. This depth really made the beginning on the book scream out to me and I felt myself re-reading sentences just to really take in the emotion, to give it justice..just beautifully written guttural strength and determination.
Beornoth survives but it’s touch a go really.. you always hoped he would but nothing lasts forever.
God that man deserves a rest but do you think he’s going to get one? No chance.
We see the true politics of war play out.. it’s time to decide if the fight is to continue or do they sacrifice their pride and pay the enemy to leave their shores…There’s always going to be the danger that they will return even if they do leave.
We continue to see the real depth of emotion infused by the author as we see Beornoth and his wife battle their inner demons.. they have to confront the past, his wife’s pain stems from being brutally assaulted and ended with the death of those closest to them.. it’s a wound that runs deep for both of them and Beornoth can’t see any way to seal the hole the loss has created.
The latest battle really does seem to be a pivotal moment in their relationship as retribution plays on both their minds heavily… but Beornoth is honour bound..can he do what’s needed to please all?
To forge for peace or to fight.. there’s no easy choice but what the author did so well was really set the scene.. the characters.. it’s emotive and you can’t help feel for them and it really does make you see how lucky we are… but what would you do if someone murdered your children.. took the light from your wife’s eyes.. it’s a real emotional roller-coaster.
For the gore fans there’s plenty of action to keep the blood pumping for sure but it’s so much more than you’d expect and the author continues to infuse the historical detail with a gripping, gut-wrenching plot as Beornoth sets out to bring the cowards and traitors from the battle to justice. It really puts the time period into perspective and you really feel for the innocents caught up in the mess..
Pace is something I always like to talk about but this time there’s nothing I can say.. I didn’t even notice the chapter length..the details were a blur as I was so engrossed with the plot itself. A pure joy to read.
Boldwood and Peter Gibbons are a match made in heaven.
5/5 Stars.
My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’m buying the book too my book shelve deserves a copy 🙂
Fancy grabbing a copy? – Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/swordofvengeancesocial
Why not follow the tour?
Author Bio –
Peter Gibbons is a financial advisor and author of the highly acclaimed Viking Blood and Blade trilogy. He comes to Boldwood with his new Saxon Warrior series, set around the 900 AD Viking invasion during the reign of King Athelred the Unready. The first title of the new series, Warrior and Protector, will be published in October 2022. He originates from Liverpool and now lives with his family in County Kildare.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petergibbonsauthor
Twitter https://twitter.com/AuthorGibbons
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/petermgibbons/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/PeterGibbonsNews
Bookbub profile: Peter Gibbons Books – BookBub
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