Category Archives: Historical Fiction

Alvar the Kingmaker by Annie Whitehead – Review

Title – Alvar the Kingmaker
Author – Annie Whitehead
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 329 Pages
Publication – Feb 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

In 10th Century England, nobleman Alvar knows that securing the throne for the young and worthy King Edgar will brand him as an oath-breaker. As a fighting man, he is indispensable to the new sovereign, but his success and power gain him deadly, murderous enemies amongst those who seek favour with the king. Alvar must fight to protect his lands, and his position, and learn the subtle art of politics. He must also, as a man of principle, keep secret his love for the wife of his trusted deputy. Civil war erupts, and Alvar once again finds himself the only man capable of setting a new king upon the throne of England, an act which comes at great personal cost. His career began with a dishonourable deed to help a good king; now he must be loyal to a new king, Aethelred, whom he knows will be weak, and whose supporters have been accused of regicide. Can he bring about peace, reconcile with his enemies, and find personal happiness, whilst all the time doing his duty to his loved ones? And what of the fragile Queen, who not only depends upon him but has fallen in love with him? Aelfhere (Alvar) of Mercia was known to the chroniclers as the “The blast of the mad wind from the Western territories” but also as “The glorious earl.” This is his story.

Review

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since I finished To Be a Queen. While the books are standalone tales I very much recommend reading them both. Annie has a way of writing her female characters which makes these novels stand out for me.

For the main this book follows Alvar as he tries to guide the king as best he can with numerous things getting in his way… mainly the church.

It’s another beautiful piece of work from the author who manages to make the pages cover alive with her descriptions of the surroundings and her way of describing death manages to humble the reader.

One of the things I liked the most about this book is once again Annie has managed to write a love story amongst all this war/hatred and backstabbing. It takes a while for Alvar to get to grips with the political game he’s forced into.

As mentioned I loved the female characters in this book, two stood out Kata & Alfreda.(although there were more). I won’t spoil the story but the author manages to show real strength within these two for different reasons and for me these two made the book what it is.

As far as historical accuracy goes Annie Whitehead takes a great approach, sticks to the facts when possible and uses her imagination where needed. The author handily gives the characters nicknames since most of the real names would be unpronounceable to most of us. I felt this gave the book a better flow as I would have been stuck every time a name popped up. All of these name changes along with any other liberties the author has taken are explained at the end of the book..this shows just how good of an author Annie is, The perfect mix of fact and fiction to showcase her talent.

This book is full to the brim of love & deceit.. it keeps you hooked wondering what else can happen.. Then when events play out your left with a lump in your throat. Real emotion from words set on paper is a wonderful thing.

I only wish we knew more about what happened to Alvar..

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

The Reaper’s Breath by Robert Southworth – Review

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Title – The Reaper’s Breath (The Ripper Legacies Book 1)
Author – Robert Southworth
Genre – Historical Fiction / Alternative History
Length – 242 Pages
Publication – Feb 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Mary Kelly lies dead upon her bed… Her sorrowful eyes still hold captive, the agony of her fate. Anger, and fear walk side by side as the populace of London demand justice for the slain. Is it a single mad man or is there a bloody political game being played out in the grime filled streets of the old City? The authorities are powerless to stop the bloodletting and call for a new kind of law. William Harkness, former officer of the 66th Regiment of Foot will join the hunt. His task is not to bring an insane killer to court, his hands are not tied by the laws of the day.
William Harkness is the killer of killers, the assassin of evil…

Review

Finally we have the new book from Robert Southworth. It feels like I’ve been waiting ages.. but let me tell you the wait has been worth it!

If you’ve read Rob’s previous series focusing on Spartacus you will know he has a talent for making a story based loosely on history. It’s an interesting style of story and If I’m honest before reading this book I wasn’t 100% sure it would work..the whole ripper event are well documented so I just couldn’t see an story to be told.. but credit to the author, he easily manages to take a little bit of history and give it a twist which shows just how good his imagination is.

To be clear for anyone who reads the book.. this isn’t a ripper book as such. It’s based on some of the events and some of the real people are mentioned but this is entirely a book of fiction on which Rob has been able to show his unique style of storytelling. I’ve never read anything like Rob’s book before and I’m so glad I found his work.

So.. the story. Well this book follows William Harkness, the classic flawed character which every great book needs. William is approached by Inspector Abberline to help when people turn up murdered.. they think there’s more to these murders than they are willing tell the public… they want him to help catch a killer who has avoided the police for over 15 years!

There was some great stand out characters for me, namely Obadiah & Naismith. Obadiah had the aura around him.. like nothing could hurt him.. ever. Naismith.. mysterious Naismith.. he was just an intriguing character from the start.

Let’s get down to the honesty I like to bring to all my reviews… The plot itself seems well planned out.. everything made sense, nothing seemed out of place or had me confused. At one point I was 100% sure I had figured everything out..Then the author throws in some spectacular twists and turns that I just didn’t see coming.

Emily was an interesting character, to be truthful I would have liked to see more scenes between her and William to see the connection develop but what the author gives us didn’t disappoint me..

The biggest enigma in the book for me was Williams’ dad, Sir Simeon Harkness. You don’t know much about him at first only that he and his son have issues. Throughout the book he develops well and the author finally lets you into the family history that has plagued these two men.

In conclusion Rob has brought his unique style to this book, plenty of suspense and twists to keep you gripped and it’s written so well, enough detail to keep your mind activate but not enough to bog you down.

Robert Southworth has delivered another brilliant book which showcases his talent and I’m eager for more

Look out for an interview with the author on my blog in the near future!

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

The Embroiderer by Kathryn Gauci – Review

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Title – The Embroiderer
Author – Kathryn Gauci
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 433 Pages
Publication – Nov 2014
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Set against the mosques and minarets of Asia Minor and the ruins of ancient Athens, ‘The Embroiderer’ is a gripping saga of love and loss, hope and despair, and of the extraordinary courage of women in the face of adversity.

1822: During one of the bloodiest massacres of The Greek War of Independence, a child is born to a woman of legendary beauty in the Byzantine monastery of Nea Moni on the Greek island of Chios. The subsequent decades of bitter struggle between Greeks and Turks simmer to a head when the Greek army invades Turkey in 1919. During this time, Dimitra Lamartine arrives in Smyrna and gains fame and fortune as an embroiderer to the elite of Ottoman society. However it is her grand-daughter, Sophia, who takes the business to great heights only to see their world come crashing down with the outbreak of The Balkan Wars, 1912-13. In 1922, Sophia begins a new life in Athens but the memory of a dire prophecy once told to her grandmother about a girl with flaming red hair begins to haunt her with devastating consequences.

1972: Eleni Stephenson is called to the bedside of her dying aunt in Athens. In a story that rips her world apart, Eleni discovers the chilling truth behind her family’s dark past plunging her into the shadowy world of political intrigue, secret societies and espionage where families and friends are torn apart and where a belief in superstition simmers just below the surface.

Review

I feel very lucky to have been offered the chance to review this book, I absolutely loved it.

For the most part the book focuses around Sophia, who came across as a very powerful character who has to deal with so much pain throughout her life… but there’s so much more to the book. It’s covers multiple generations and sometimes you are left with tit bits of information which light is shed onto later in the book. It made this book a fascinating read to say the least.

I felt a lot of time went into this book, the detail given not only to the characters but also the background..the places visited.. the people..and if I’m honest I loved the underlying family traits of painting and embroidery that were explored.

The major theme that plays out throughout the book is war.. and how it affects Sophia and her family.. and at times it was hard to read..i had my hand over my mouth a few times as some of the events.. it was so tragic.

This book was full of character development and the best part.. it was a natural development rather than forced… my heart ached for Sophia.

3 chapters in to the book I was already looking at rating the book a 4* simply because my brain couldn’t understand everything that was going on. It felt like three stories rolled into one.. I think that’s me.. I over think.. I look 10 chapters ahead wondering where a story will go. The way the author managed to tie everything together and to keep me waiting so long for the information I knew would come brought this up to the 5*. The suspense is what kept me reading even when I was tired..i just had to keep reading

The author also gives you a lot of background info to the wars that are being waged. It was hard to take it all in at times but rest assured this info doesn’t take anything away from the main story if you don’t quite understand it all.

In conclusion this is a wonderfully emotional book, full of heartache and love. The author has put so much into this book it’s hard to do it justice.. Read the book.. you’ll enjoy it

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

The Prospect of This City by Eamonn Martin Griffin – Review

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Title – The Prospect of This City: Being a novel of the Great Fire
Author – Eamonn Martin Griffin
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 309 Pages
Publication – July 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

London, 1666. Agent provocateur Rufus Challis is given a secret mission by the Dutch government; an attack on England’s capital in reprisal for wartime losses suffered that summer. He has a single weekend to put his plan into motion.

When Tom Farriner, second son to the King’s baker, intercepts an aspect of Challis’s plan, he investigates. Already, a friend’s blood stains the cobbles. Is Tom man enough to bring Challis down? And to what lengths is Challis prepared to go to in order to see the city fall?

A novel for fans of CJ Sansom, Hilary Mantel, and Manda (MC) Scott, The Prospect of This City is a dark historical thriller with a blade concealed in its sleeve

Review

The book focuses on Rufus Challis and Tom Farriner. I’m not going to spoil the plot for anyone but Challis is not a nice man and Tom suspects this pretty early on.

I’m going to tell you straight away why I’ve given this book a 4 star..as I bloody loved the book but I wouldn’t have looked twice at the book if I hadn’t been sent a copy for review. The cover just doesn’t do anything for me. I know not everyone is like me but a cover needs to grab me.. otherwise I wouldn’t turn it over to read what the book is about.

This book for me was a diamond in the rough. I could never have imaged how brilliant the story would turn out to be.

Challis was a brilliant character, I could have read a whole series of books with him in.. his skills, his insight was exceptional. Is it wrong that I found myself liking the bad guy in a book?

Anyhoo, the other character Tom..he’s a bit of a nosy kid but has good intentions. He lives with his father, brother and Alice. There’s a complex family relationship going on throughout this book which added to the plot that develops with Challis led to one of the best tales I’ve read.

This book is full to bursting with detail.. sometimes too much. When the fire starts I found myself rereading bits of text to make sure I understood what the author was conveying.. there was so much to take in to try and place yourself in the fire.

Saying that at times the detail was so good it really did help you imagine what walking the streets would have been like, urine and faeces all around, whores offering their services to mention a few.

For me this was a brilliant historical thriller that I can’t help but feel anyone would enjoy. The plot is exceptional and it would be a great shame if you didn’t read it.

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

To Be a Queen by Annie Whitehead – Review

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Title – To Be a Queen
Author – Annie Whitehead
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 406 Pages
Publication – Nov 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

This is the true story of Aethelflaed, the ‘Lady of the Mercians’, daughter of Alfred the Great. She was the only female leader of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is the tale of one family, two kingdoms and a common enemy. Born into the royal house of Wessex at the height of the Viking wars, she is sent to her aunt in Mercia as a foster-child, only to return home when the Vikings overrun Mercia. In Wessex, she witnesses another Viking attack and this compounds her fear of the enemy. She falls in love with a Mercian lord but is heartbroken to be given as bride to the ruler of Mercia to seal the alliance between the two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. She must learn to subjugate her feelings for her first love, overcome her indifference to her husband and win the hearts of the Mercians who despise her as a foreigner, twice making an attempt on her life. When her husband falls ill and is incapacitated, she has to learn to rule and lead an army in his stead and when he subsequently dies, she must fight to save her adopted Mercia from the Vikings and, ultimately, her own brother.

Review

Where to begin..I really enjoyed this book. It’s a powerful coming of age tale of Aethelflaed or Teasel as she’s referred to in the book.

At first I didn’t like her but after she was wed to Ethelred and she starts to warm to him I found myself warming to her. Although I have to admit Ethelred was my favourite character in the book. He oozed power and respect and I loved reading any scene with these two in.

The tale is set over many years and we see Teasel grow from a little girl into a powerful woman who manages to break down her defences and those of the Mercians to win their loyalty and to fight for their lives and their land.

We see Teasel deal with love & death.. and a lot of it. You could imagine yourself in her position having no choice to marry a man for convenience.. whilst being in love with another. As she grows she has to deal with those she cares about dying around her.. ageing.. fighting and you sometimes feel that she is about to crack.

The book is full of detail, add to this an insightful historical note from the author left me in no doubt this is a 5 star book. I couldn’t have enjoyed it more.

Annie Whitehead manged to make the character of Aethelflaed come alive for me.. I felt for her..i didn’t want to put the book down

I’ve used this word before but indeed the word that springs to mind when I think about this book is Powerful! Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will enjoy this and anyone who loves a female heroine will absolutely fall in love with it. The development of the two main characters was superb.

This book is a perfect mix of historical detail, love and death to engross any reader.

I was also left thinking about the frailty of life and how things don’t always go the way we would like but that doesn’t mean you give up.. you fight. Not many books leave me with afterthoughts such as this. Credit to the author.. this book had a lot of depth in my view and I loved it.

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

Song at Dawn by Jean Gill – Review

Sons of the Wolf by Paula Lofting – Review

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Title – Sons of the Wolf
Author – Paula Lofting
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 396 Pages (Paperback)
Publication – 2012
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

On bloody fields he fights for his life, but sometimes the enemy is closer to home…

1054, pious King Edward sits on the throne, spending his days hunting, sleeping and praying, leaving the security of his kingdom to his more capable brother-in-law Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex.

Against this backdrop we meet Wulfhere, a Sussex thegn who, as the sun sets over the wild forest of Andredesweald, is returning home victoriously from a great battle in the north. Holding his lands directly from the King, his position demands loyalty to Edward himself, but Wulfhere is duty-bound to also serve Harold, a bond forged within Wulfhere’s family heritage and borne of the ancient Teutonic ideology of honour and loyalty.

Wulfhere is a man with the strength and courage of a bear, a warrior whose loyalty to his lord and king is unquestionable. He is also a man who holds his family dear and would do anything to protect them. So when Harold demands that he wed his daughter to the son of Helghi, his sworn enemy, Wulfhere has to find a way to save his daughter from a life of certain misery in the household of the cruel and resentful Helghi, without comprising his honour and loyalty to his lord, Harold.

On the battlefield, Wulfhere fights for his life but elsewhere the enemy is closer to home, sinister and shadowy and far more dangerous than any war.

Review

So this book follows the life of Wulfhere, a thegn who has a very complicated life. The author has taken the choice the write about a character that little is known about and because of this was able to put a fantastic story together. If you’ve read other tales from the period you will of course have heard of Harold Godwinson and the events that unfolded but because the author decided to focus on a different character for me it brought fresh life into the period and boy what a tale it is!

Love, family, death, war, rivalries and adultery are all packed into this tale.. but it gives you so much more.

Because this story is fiction it meant the author was free to put as much depth into her characters as she liked and it worked. One of the main focuses in the book is a feud with Helghi, Wulfhere’s neighbour. I won’t give the game away but this plays out throughout the book and I sincerely hope the author takes the time to bring us the next part in the series so I can find out what happens next!

For me the book was written well, characters were brilliant and the storyline fitted well. I really couldn’t put my finger on anything I didn’t like. I honestly felt the author must have put a lot of time and energy into the novel and I for one thing it’s great

Wulhere is a very complex character, he has his demons… he’s not perfect… but he clearly wants to be the best he can..he just doesn’t do everything right. Who doesn’t love a flawed man? I know I do.

Paula has a way of writing that managed to capture me instantly. I felt for Wulhere and his family… although I hated the twins! (read the book.. you’ll agree ha ha).

I’m never one for spoilers so I won’t say too much else on the storyline but it worth reading.. Definitely!

This book would be perfect for anyone who likes historical fiction or enjoys reading about the period. It’s fast paced and ticked all the boxes for me.

The book is only currently available on Amazon in paperback format so get a copy if you can. If not may I suggest you contact the author.. let’s get this on Kindle (I think it might have previously been available this way?)

Also if you’ve already read the book please let Paula know.. Without support we won’t get to read book 2!

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads. You can make contact with the author via twitter here.. let her know what you think of the book!

Praetorian: The Price of Treason by S.J.A Turney – Review

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Title – Praetorian: The Price of Treason
Author – S.J.A. Turney
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 342 Pages
Publication – 17th December 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Two years have passed since the emperor’s loyal Praetorian guardsman Gnaeus Marcius Rustius Rufinus foiled Lucilla’s great assassination plot. Plagued by the ghosts of his past, Rufinus has enacted his own form of justice upon the praetorian cavalrymen who murdered the imperial agent Dis two years earlier.

But the Fates will not let Rufinus rest. Rome is beginning to seethe with rumour and conspiracy as Perennis, the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and Cleander, the imperial chamberlain, continue to play their ‘great game.’ With the tide of opinion turning against their commander, Rufinus and his friends embark upon a mission to save the Prefect’s family, only to uncover a plot that runs deep… to the very heart of the empire. Armed with rare and dangerous evidence, Rufinus faces insurmountable odds in an attempt to bring the truth to light. To save his prefect. To save Rome. To save everyone he cares about.

Review

So we are back with Rufinus.. I’ve been looking forward to this day since I finished the first book and I wasn’t disappointed. Speaking of which click here to read my review of Praetorian – The Great Game

It’s been two years since Rufinus spoilt plans to usurp the emperor and it’s clearly been a hard two years as we see our hero has fallen from grace a little. Rufinus has one thing on his mind.. Revenge…

The book starts strongly with Rufinus out to get one of the cavalrymen who killed the frumentarius Dis in the previous book. The need for vengeance is strong and I can see this becoming a theme throughout the series.. and I like it.

The main focus of this tale though is based on Perennis and Cleander, I won’t spoil what turns out to be a fascinating read but lines are drawn, trust tested to the limits and not everyone will make it out alive that’s for sure.

So you want to know some good things about the book. Firstly Acheron is back.. I love that hound 🙂

We also see a lot of faces from the previous tale turn again which gave a greater depth to the tale, friendships have clearly grown in the two years.. some more than others. It was great to see the return of such characters as Peteos (the young boy who helped Rufinus in the first book)

We also see new characters introduced like Publis who I initially didn’t like but turned out to be the shining star in the book along with Cestius.. a new frumentarius for us to enjoy.

These new and old characters along with the well-researched and interesting plot lead to what I can only say is one hell of a sequel!
Throughout the story it felt I was reading a similar tale as the first book. Not that anything is the same, more that the undertone of urgency is always there. The book builds up until this final explosion of action. Superb!

So you want to know where the 4* rating comes from.. well one person in this book gets overlooked I felt.. Senova the love interest of Rufinus. It’s been two years and he’s hardly spoke to her. After the first book I just expected her to have a bigger part but if you read the story you can see why she doesn’t get much page time.. she just doesn’t fit in with the action. On a good note the ending of the book leaves me in no doubt she will return in book 3 and hopefully we will see more happen between the two of them.

Another excellent book from S.J.A. Turney!

The book is due for release on the 17th December! Go on Pre-order your copy now! – Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Cross and the Curse (Bernicia Chronicles Book 2) by Matthew Harffy – Review

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Title – The Cross and the Curse (Bernicia Chronicles Book 2)
Author – Matthew Harffy
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 397 Pages
Publication – January 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

BRITAIN 634 A.D.
Before The Battle of Hastings.
Before Alfred fought the Danes.
Even before England.

Warlords battled across Britain to become the first King of the English.

When Beobrand’s valour brings about a stunning victory against the native Waelisc, the King of Northumbria rewards him with riches and land. Beobrand wishes for nothing more than to settle on his new estate with his bride. But he soon finds himself beset with enemies old and new. He even fears that the power of a curse has him in its grip, as he begins to lose all he holds dear.

With treachery and death surrounding him, Beobrand confronts his foes with cold iron and bitter fury. On his quest for revenge and redemption, he grudgingly accepts the mantle of lord, leading his men into the darkest of nights and the bloodiest of battles.

The Cross and the Curse is the second novel of the Bernicia Chronicles.

Review

If you’ve read my review of The Serpent Sword you will know I’m a fan of Matthew already, I was blown away by his debut novel. If you want to remind yourself of the review click here

This is by far the best sequel I’ve read to date, the brutal theme from The Serpent Sword continues and we see our hero Beobrand faced with even more trouble and strife.

I felt for Beobrand, my heart was in my mouth a lot while reading this book. Harffy has no trouble at all kicking a man while he’s down and it made for an excellent read but at times it was heart wrenching.

Harffy does a brilliant job developing the characters we know from the first book while also introducing new characters to the reader. We see Beobrand’s relationship with Sunniva grow and we also see his friendship with Acennan tested at times. All these troubles just make the story feel real. Life isn’t easy and the path our hero is on is clearly has a lot of hurdles for him to jump through.

I thought Beobrand as a character developed well throughout the first book but Harffy manages to bring more depth to him in this novel with the underlying struggle he has with regards to his father and the furiousness he knows lies within himself. The past really does haunt him..and I’m not talking about his father.. I won’t say too much on this.. you need to read it 🙂

Throughout the book I could feel there was something different about it compared to the first book which I couldn’t put my finger on but looking back I feel it’s Beobrand.. he feels much more grown up in this book, the undertone is darker. In the first book I felt most of his troubles were external when in this book in feels internal, like he’s fighting himself. He’s become a very complex and enjoyable character for me.. or maybe I’m reading too much in to things ha ha

One character I was glad to see back was Coenred and in this book he too has his own problems to deal with but you can see he has more strength in him now, a bit of Beobrand seems to have rubbed off on him.

There are other characters I really enjoyed during this book namely, Wybert, Corman & Anhaga. To tell you why would ruin it.. please I implore you.. read it.. you won’t be disappointed.

Harffy did a really good job of making the surroundings come to life, the way he described places made it easy to imagine. The balance between detail and story were spot on for me and the tale that plays out knocked me for six and I was left furiously swiping my kindle screen for more.

In conclusion this book is well worth buying, it’s full of detail and character, love and sorrow, life and death. Harffy clearly knows what a reader wants and gives it to them and he’s paved the way for book 3 which I can’t wait to get my hands on

Pre-order is available now at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com!!

A Year of Ravens: a novel of Boudica’s Rebellion – Review

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Title – A Year of Ravens: a novel of Boudica’s Rebellion
Authors – E. Knight, Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, Russell Whitfield, SJA Turney , Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Ben Kane (Foreword)
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 483 Pages
Publication – 17^th Nov 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Britannia: land of mist and magic clinging to the western edge of the Roman Empire. A red-haired queen named Boudica led her people in a desperate rebellion against the might of Rome, an epic struggle destined to consume heroes and cowards, young and old, Roman and Briton . . . and these are their stories.

A calculating queen foresees the fires of rebellion in a king’s death.

A neglected slave girl seizes her own courage as Boudica calls for war.

An idealistic tribune finds manhood in a brutal baptism of blood and slaughter.

A death-haunted Druid challenges the gods themselves to ensure victory for his people.

A conflicted young warrior finds himself torn between loyalties to tribe and to Rome.

An old champion struggles for everlasting glory in the final battle against the legions.

A pair of fiery princesses fight to salvage the pieces of their mother’s dream as the ravens circle.

A novel in seven parts, overlapping stories of warriors and peacemakers, queens and slaves, Romans and Britons who cross paths during Boudica’s epic rebellion. But who will survive to see the dawn of a new Britannia, and who will fall to feed the ravens?

Review

I was very lucky to receive an ARC of this book for review purposes.

This book follows the tale of Boudica and her rebellion against Rome and is split into 7 parts which are told by a different authors.

Each story is full of action and crammed full of emotion which you want but the best thing for me was that every story was told from a different characters perspective.

This is the first book I’ve read with this style of storytelling and I loved it, it’s what made it so enjoyable to read.

The way in which the tales are told add to the growth of the characters as throughout the book you see them through someone else’s eyes and I found myself liking people I originally didn’t.

There are some complex characters and relationships in this book and I particularly loved Sorcha & Andecarus. Each of these stood out for me. I also loved anything involving Duro.

In conclusion I felt everything worked well with this book, it was full of action, fast paced and a joy to read. I also felt having so many authors involved and the writing style of the book brought something to my eyes which was unique. I can see my book pile is going to grow after being introduced to some authors I’d previously not heard of.

It’s also made me want to look into some more stories about Boudica, she seems a very strong and complex character who I’ve not read much about. The one thing that really makes a good book for me is when the author leaves a spark with you.. leaves you wanting to find out more.. to read more. This book has certainly done that.

I feel quite privileged to have had the chance to read/review this before its release. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys the genre.

To find out more information head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com. Pre-order is available now!

David's Book Blurg

Book reviews from a guy up north (UK)

Category Archives: Historical Fiction

Alvar the Kingmaker by Annie Whitehead – Review

The Reaper’s Breath by Robert Southworth – Review

The Embroiderer by Kathryn Gauci – Review

The Prospect of This City by Eamonn Martin Griffin – Review

To Be a Queen by Annie Whitehead – Review

Song at Dawn by Jean Gill – Review

Sons of the Wolf by Paula Lofting – Review

Praetorian: The Price of Treason by S.J.A Turney – Review

The Cross and the Curse (Bernicia Chronicles Book 2) by Matthew Harffy – Review

A Year of Ravens: a novel of Boudica’s Rebellion – Review