Category Archives: Historical Fiction

The Serpent Sword (Bernicia Chronicles Book 1) by Matthew Harffy – Review

7 Replies

25208510

Title –  The Serpent Sword (Bernicia Chronicles Book 1)
Author – Matthew Harffy
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length –  347 Pages (Kindle)
Publication – 7th April 2015
My Rating –  5/5 Stars

Synopsis

BRITAIN 633 A.D.

Certain that his brother’s death is murder, young farmhand Beobrand embarks on a quest for revenge in war-torn Northumbria. When he witnesses barbaric acts at the hands of warriors he considers his friends, Beobrand questions his chosen path and vows to bring the men to justice.

Relentless in pursuit of his enemies, Beobrand faces challenges that change him irrevocably. Just as a great sword is forged by beating together rods of iron, so his adversities transform him from a farm boy to a man who stands strong in the clamour and gore of the shieldwall.

As he closes in on his kin’s slayer and the bodies begin to pile up, can Beobrand mete out the vengeance he craves without sacrificing his own honour … or even his soul?

The Serpent Sword is the first novel of the Bernicia Chronicles.

Review

This is the debut novel from Matthew Harffy  and it’s a truly epic one at that. A word to describe this tale would be BRUTAL!

You’re immediately hooked from the prologue where we learn about the death of Octa. We soon learn the main character of the book Beobrand is Octa’s brother.

Having no family left in the world Beobrand swears allegiance to King Edwin to fight in his sheildwall against his enemies. He also learns there might have been more to his brother’s death that he first thought and this sets our hero out on a mission of vengeance.

I won’t give away too much detail but this book is brutal, we read about rape and murder along with a shed load of violence.

Matthew gives great depth to his main character, who we see struggle with his own emotions as he tries to discover what type of person he is. Is he an honourable man?? Read the book.. and find out 🙂

This is honestly the first book I’ve read where I’ve not only not wanted to put it down but at the same time felt like throwing my kindle in the freezer as I couldn’t believe what happened and I didn’t want to read what I thought/knew was going to happen next.

The other day I must have looked like a crazy person  on the bus when I was reading this book and suddenly shouted “No No No”.

Matthew managed to write some brilliant characters. You felt for them. When certain events played out I just couldn’t help hate the writer for what he’s done.. In a good way though ha.

Apart from Beobrand there are a host of characters that stood out to me, namely Dreng, Hengist, Leofwine and mostly Scand.

Who buys paperbacks these days with a kindle being able to store so many titles? I know i don’t especially since space is limited having twin girls around the house but I will definitely be purchasing this for the collection. It’s without a doubt one of the best debut novels I’ve read.

Usually I never read books more than once either but I think this will be the first.. I enjoyed it that much I already want to read it again.

I couldn’t even tell you if there are any errors in this book, I was too engrossed in the story..and that’s how a book should be.

To read more about this book head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rise of the Wolf by Steven A. McKay – Review

1 Reply

rotw-final-final

Title – Rise of the Wolf
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – Expected 31st July/1st August 2015
My Rating – 5/5

Synopsis

Sir Guy of Gisbourne is back!

Bent on vengeance against Robin Hood and with a turncoat new lieutenant in tow, an unlikely new hero must stand up for herself…

YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND – 1323 AD

The greenwood has been quiet and the outlaws have become complacent, but the harsh reality of life is about to hit the companions with brutal, deadly force thanks to their old foe, Prior John de Monte Martini.

From a meeting with King Edward II himself to the sheriff’s tournament with its glittering prize, the final, fatal, showdown fast approaches for the legendary Wolf’s Head.

New friends, shattered loyalties, and a hate-fuelled hunter that threatens to wipe out not only Robin’s companions but his entire family will all play their part in the RISE OF THE WOLF.

Review

This is the third book in the series and i can honestly say the books go from strength to strength. If you’ve not  read my reviews for the first two books have a look here at Wolf’s Head and here for The Wolf and the Raven

A word that springs to mind about this series is “Growth” Not only has each story line improved on the previous one but Steven has managed to grow his characters superbly throughout the series. You can really tell the author has put a lot of time and energy into his work.

In my previous review for The Wolf and the Raven i commented on how i felt some of the characters only played small parts… not in this book. Steven managed to give a lot of the characters the word count they deserved and ended up with a cracking story!

This book draws a line under the fight between Robin and Sir Guy and how the story plays out was brilliant. I even had my mouth open wide as i read as the story was that good i couldn’t believe what i was reading

Again Steven took risks as with the previous book, things happened i didn’t see coming but everything worked and there was a very interesting tale that developed with Robin’s sister that i thought brought something extra to this book. It was nice to have more of a family connection throughout this tale.

If you’ve read my previous reviews you know i’m not one to give away plot details but for me all the events that Steven portrayed fitted so well together i can’t think of anything i didn’t like. I can imagine it would have taken quite some time to plan the events of this book and i don’t think Steven could improve on it one bit, he has made a story that is by far the best I’ve read in a long time.

I’ll definitely be buying these books as a gift for my dad, they are just brilliant and i think anyone who likes Robin Hood or just even enjoys a good tale would love to read them.

My advice.. buy the books.. and keep an eye out for Steven’s next book. I for one can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

The book hasn’t been released yet so keep an eye out on the authors Amazon page

The Eagle’s Shadow by Keith Nixon – Review

1 Reply

22403383

Title – The Eagle’s Shadow
Author – Keith Nixon
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – 8th June 2014
My Rating – 5/5

Synopsis

One man stands against the might of the Roman Empire. His name is Caradoc.

In Rome a new Emperor, Claudius, accedes the throne. But he is politically weak, enemies who would take his place circle and plot. If he is to survive Claudius needs a triumph, one that marks him as a leader of men.

Claudius’s eye turns to the mysterious isle of Britannia, home of the supernatural Druids and brutal, wild-eyed warriors, reputed to fight naked. The place not even Julius Caesar could conquer.

AD43 and a massive invasion force, commanded by Aulus Plautius, lands on a tiny corner of Britannia. Caradoc, King of the country’s most powerful tribe, assembles an army to throw his enemy back over the water and into Gaul.

But divisions are rife and there are those who are secretly working with the Romans for their own benefit. The very future of the country is at risk and only one man can safeguard it…

Review

This book is a fast paced, epic war story and boy did I enjoy it.

First of there is a lot of information in this book but Keith very handily added a section at the beginning of the book to explain the names used within the book since place names have changed over the years along with rivers etc. This was not only useful so I could set the scene but it was also very interesting information

We find ourselves thrust into time when Rome was planning to invade Britain and the author decided to tell his tale from both the Roman and the Britons view point. This gave a great feel to the book and broke up the action perfectly so you kept reading without even noticing the time pass.

Keith has picked a very interesting subject for the book and built on this story with the characters. There are a few I liked a lot.. Fionn & Etain stood out for me.  The action with Fionn had me hooked!

There are a large number of characters in this book; Because of this some don’t get a chance to develop. Once you read the book you can totally understand why though as there so much going on in the book it would be too much to squeeze in and also the story is so strong and violent it’s inevitable some of these characters will die

The author goes into some great detail describing the warfare tactics and clearly has researched well.

I felt the story easily pulled me in and I even found myself shouting in my head “Move, Move” when it came to clashes between the two armies.

One of the most interesting parts of this book for me was the relationships between the tribes in Britain at the time. I won’t spoil the book for you but these relationships coupled with the unified force of the Romans made for an epic tale

From reading the authors historical notes he gives a great insight into some of the characters and the time period and it’s definitely peaked my interest and made me want to read up on this time period.

I’m very pleased to see there is a follow up book and I’m looking forward to reading/reviewing that soon

Conclusion… Do I think this book is worth the 99p asking price currently on Amazon? Hell yes!

If you enjoy tales involving warfare, blood, guts, tension, betrayal then you will certainly like this book

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

Knight of the Cross By Steven A. McKay – Review

1 Reply

23199523

Title – Knight of the Cross
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 103 Pages
Publication – 19th September 2014
My Rating – 5/5

Synopsis

The Knights Hospitaller battle ancient evil in medieval Rhodes as mysterious disappearances and insane devil-worshippers threaten to turn the entire island into a bloodbath…

When three Hospitallers go missing from a local village outraged Grand Master Foulques de Villaret sends the English knight Sir Richard-at-Lee and his trusted sergeant-at-arms Jacob to discover their fate. Met with resistance from frightened locals and rumours of a blasphemous sect performing unspeakable rites beneath the village Sir Richard must overcome not only the devil-worshippers but the faceless, unstoppable demon that stalks his dreams.

Fans of the best-selling Forest Lord books “Wolf’s Head” and “The Wolf and the Raven” will enjoy this spin-off novella that sees the much-loved English knight up against a foe that threatens not just his life and his sanity, but God himself!

Review

First off this is a novella. For anyone who hasn’t read a novella before it’s less pages than a full story but more pages than a short story.

This tale focuses on Sir Richard, If you’ve read Steven’s first two books Wolf’s Head and The Wolf and the Raven you’ll be familiar with the character.

I definitely think the author did the right thing. As such a strong character Sir Richard deserved his own tale.

Ok, so in this story we see Sir Richard tasked to investigate some strange disappearances of not only villagers but also some Hospitallers.

It’s a very intriguing story which gives a great insight in to Steven as an author as he adds in a touch of fantasy with this book which gives it a great twist after reading his other work.

In all honesty it’s well worth the 99p asking price currently on Amazon, well written and even though it’s only 100 or so pages if felt like a much larger tale. Steven managed brilliantly to fit a story into such a small amount of pages.

I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing the authors next book The Rise of the Wolf and especially looking forward to seeing what direction he takes after this.

I felt the added fantasy to this book made it quite unique compared to everything else I’ve read and it will be interesting to see if Steven will continue down these lines or branch out in to something completely different.

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

Strategos: Rise of the Golden Heart by Gordon Doherty – Review

2 Replies

18070205

Title – Strategos: Rise of the Golden Heart
Author – Gordon Doherty
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Length – 410 Pages (Kindle)
Publication – June 14th 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Stay strong, Haga, for the Golden Heart will rise in the west. At dawn, he will wear the guise of a lion hunter. At noon, he will march to the east as if to conquer the sun itself. At dusk, you will stand with him in the final battle, like an island in the storm . . .

1068 AD: the armies of the Seljuk Sultanate tear at Byzantium’s borders, poised to strike the death blow that will bring all Anatolia under their yoke. Alp Arslan’s armies grow stronger with every passing season, while the beleaguered Byzantine soldiers defend for their lives, the hope in their hearts guttering its last.

This war has been Apion’s mistress for many years, casting a dark shadow across his soul. When the mysterious crone comes to him, she can offer him only a glimmer of light. But at the darkest of moments, the smallest chink of light can be blinding. It will sweep Apion into the heart of the empire, Constantinople, and then onto the arid plains of Syria. It will taunt him with trust, betrayal, intrigue, love and brutal conflict. But, above all, it will offer him hope.

Review

First off have you read the first book in the series?? If not… why?? Head here to read my review of Strategos – Born in the Borderlands

12 years have passed since we last saw Apion.. and by the authors own words they have been 12 bloody years..

The tone of the book is set from the start. Words that come to mind are Dark, Revenge & War

Apion and Nasir are locked in what looks like a never ending war between their opposing armies and from the start of the book you can tell Apion is currently on the losing side.. the borderlands of the empire look set to fall.. the Haga and his loyal men including my favourites from the previous book Sha, Blastares and Procopius stand in the way of the Seljuk army.

After a lot of bloodshed we see Apion summoned to Constantinople where we are introduced to a lot of new characters. The one I found interested me the most was Dederic a fellow solider, his character gains depth throughout the book, I love Apion don’t get me wrong but I absolutely loved Dederic.

The plot of the book surpassed any expectations I had. There’s so much crammed in to the book its crazy but nothing feels rushed or misplaced.

Now Apion along with his men are tasked to head into Syria and take the war to the Seljuks..and Nasir.

I don’t want to give away anything but Gordon manages to bring some conclusion to the whole Apion/Nasir revenge storyline while also leaving you on tenterhooks as to what will happen next. There are some big surprises in store for you lucky readers.

The author clearly knows his stuff, he fills you with so much background information throughout the book  but I never felt bogged down.

If I was to think of anything I didn’t like it would only be that Sha, Blastares and Procopius don’t play as big a part in this book as I would have liked but saying that once you read the story you can tell why.. Gordon weaved such a good tale that these guys needed to take a step back in order to see the story develop.

This is such a good book and I can’t wait to get time to read the 3rd book! I highly recommend to check out Gordon’s work.

Gordon has quickly became a favorite author of mine and i’m excited to see what lies ahead

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

Palatine: The Four Emperors Series: Book I by L.J. Trafford – Review

4 Replies

25649689

Title – Palatine: The Four Emperors Series: Book I
Author – L. J. Trafford
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 428 Pages (Kindle)
Publication – 30th June 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Debauchery. Depravity. Decadence.Just everyday life at the imperial palace.Whilst Emperor Nero plays with his new water organ and a cross-dressing eunuch, his wily secretary Epaphroditus manages affairs of state. But dissent and rebellion are growing across the empire, and Nero is soon to discover playtime is over.Praetorian prefect Nymphidius Sabinus, disgusted by the moral degeneracy, secretly plots the overthrow of Nero’s court. Motivated by the traditional Roman values of valour and nobility, yet blinded by his own righteousness, Sabinus is ignorant of what he has unleashed – The Year of the Four Emperors.Palatine is the first in an enthralling four-book series about the tumultuous ‘Year of the Four Emperors’ which will appeal to fans of Lindsey Davis and George R. R. Martin.

Review

I’m a big fan of historical fiction so when I was offered a review copy of this book I was very excited to say the least.

This book focuses on Emperor Nero and his eventual death after the Praetorian prefect Nymphidius Sabinus decides he’s had enough of his behaviour and gets the Praetorian Guard to desert him and back Galba as Emperor.

The author decided to write this book from a number of different perspectives which made it a very interesting read. I think that’s probably the thing I liked the most about the book.. the characters and the sheer number of them. Best of all, the story didn’t feel rushed/forced and flowed nicely from one person to another

I thought each character was handled well and was given depth as the story went on even though it was subtle.. when you finish the book and look back you can see the time that has been put into each of their stories.

Ok.. so you want me to tell you somethings I didn’t like.. Well…there’s nothing really.

For me this was a well-planned/written book that hooked me in. The way the author managed to fit so many little stories into the main story was brilliant! I particularly enjoyed any conversation involving Philo. His life is so wonderfully complicated. Not to spoil anything I won’t say much but he was by far my favourite person in the book. I’ve been left wanting more.

The good news is there are 3 more books planned and I’m looking forward to Galba arriving on the scene. With my limited knowledge of the man I expect the second book will be as good as the first if not better!

I can’t really comment on historical accuracy as I’m no expert but everything seems to fit with me so I hope anyone who enjoys historical fiction will give this book a read. I wasn’t disappointed and I believe you won’t be either

To view the book in more detail head to Goodreads, Karnac Books, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Wolf and the Raven (The Forest Lord #2) By Steven A. McKay – Review

2 Replies

1

Title – The Wolf and the Raven (The Forest Lord #2)
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Length –  327 Pages (Kindle)
Publication – 7th April 2014
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

In the aftermath of a violent rebellion Robin Hood and his men must fight for survival with an enemy deadlier than any they’ve faced before…

1322. England is in disarray and Sir Guy of Gisbourne, the king’s own bounty hunter, stalks the greenwood, bringing bloody justice to the outlaws and rebels who hide there.
When things begin to go horribly wrong self-pity, grief and despair threaten to overwhelm the young wolf’s head who will need the support of his friends and family now more than ever. But Robin’s friends have troubles of their own and, this time, not all of them will escape with their lives…

Review

First off… have you read the first book in the series? If not, why??? Get it now. Click here to see my review of Wolf’s Head!

Okay so here goes.. book number two.. high hopes after the first instalment. The pressure was on to deliver!!  And boy did this book do that!

So from the synopsis you can gather the revolt didn’t go well. We are thrust straight into the action with Robin and the other rebels fighting against the king’s men. When Robin sees the war is over he orders his men back to the forest.

We see Robin beaten, men killed, imprisonments, executions the works. There is a lot of meat on the bone in this book and it makes it a very good read indeed.

Personally I feel this book is much darker than the first and even though I gave the first book 5* the author raised the standard!

Now I guess you want to know a little about the story.. well honestly if I told you anything I think it would spoil it. There’s so much happens that I want to tell you but you need to read it for yourself.

By far the best thing about the book is the development. The author has clearly developed the characters since the first book. Yes some characters only play small parts in this book but you can’t have everything.

Another thing I really liked about this tale was that things don’t always go Robin’s way. He’s beaten and broken, physically and mentally and there are a few moments you feel Robin may just give up.

The author had me wondering if even Robin would survive to make it to book number 3!

In this book we see the addition of Sir Guy of Gisborne.. turns out he’s more of an evil b*****d than I thought he would be! Wow. Ruthless doesn’t cut it.

We also see a very interesting tale with Sir Richard the Templar knight develop with the action moving from one point of view to another.

I think Steven took some risks with this book, certain characters meet their end and I honestly thought no way would he kill those characters off…. But he did.. and it works. It meant more development of Robin could happen as you can see him struggling with the events that unfold and you see another side to the man.

As a fan of audio books I also listened to this book while reading along. I guess this would be my only comment for the author. I didn’t much like the narrators voice. He didn’t emphasize words enough or put emotion into his voice. Overall I thought he was just too quiet for my liking but saying that, it’s just my opinion. It wouldn’t put me off audio at all… I just wanted more from the narrator.

Overall this book is top notch. The whole setup of the book is well planned to keep the reader engaged and it surpasses all expectations after the first book and I’m looking forward to seeing the direction Steven’s work will take after book 3 is released.

For more reviews or to purchase the book head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Siege (Agent of Rome #1) by Nick Brown – Review

Leave a reply

13225808

Title – The Siege (Agent of Rome #1)
Author – Nick Brown
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 390 Pages (Paperback)
Publication – 19th Jan 2012
My Rating – 5/5 Stars
Synopsis

270 AD. Rome has ruled Syria for more than three centuries but now the weakened empire faces a desperate threat. Queen Zenobia of Palmyra has turned her Roman-trained army against her former masters and the once invincible legions have been crushed. Arabia, Palestine, and Egypt have fallen and now Antioch, Syria’s capital, stands exposed. A young intelligence agent fresh from officer training, Cassius Corbulo is the only ranking Roman officer left in the line of the Palmyran advance. He must take command of the fort of Alauran, the last stronghold still in Roman hands, and hold it until reinforcements arrive. What Cassius finds at Alauran would daunt the most seasoned veteran, let alone a 19 year-old with no experience of war. A mere scattering of divided and demoralized legionaries remain, backed up by some fractious Syrian auxiliaries and a drunken Praetorian Guardsman. With the Palmyrans just days away, Cassius must somehow find the discipline, resourcefulness and courage to organize the garrison, save Alauran and secure Rome’s eastern frontier.

Review

I was kindly gifted a copy of the book for review and I can honestly say I’m so pleased I was!
First off.. just look at the artwork on the cover. Without even reading the outline of the story I was already interested in getting to grips with this one.

The book follows Cassius Corbulo. He’s a member of the imperial security service and thinks he will most likely spend his days sitting behind a desk not really getting his hands dirty.. How wrong he is.
Corbulo is the most senior officer out in the Syrian Desert with the rank equivalent to Centurion. His orders are to head to Alauran a strategic position due to the water and food supplies held within.

Immediately he faces trouble. Not only is he fresh from training and a very young man but he’s part of the ISS.. How on earth will he get these men to follow his orders… simple he doesn’t tell them 🙂

These men are a disorganised bunch since their last Centurion died some time ago and letting them know he actually isn’t a Centurion would just make things worse.

Quickly we are introduced to some characters you know will play a big part in the story. I never like to spoil a story so I’ll leave it for you to read but Corbulo has his work cut out for him getting this bunch of soldiers ready and able.

Corbulo knows relief is on its way but he knows the Palmyrans could turn up at any moment and he needs to get the men prepared.

Now the book focuses a lot on the relationships between the men under Corbulo, it really is the meat of the book for me and it was great. You see the men grow to appreciate the order brought by having Corbulo in charge while still seeing the men as individuals rather than mindless drones. While getting to grips with the men we also hear about the Praetorian Guardsman who doesn’t seem like he’ll be helping with the defence of Alauran anytime soon. If only they could sober him up! Corbulo needs every man to fight!

From here the action switches from Corbulo’s point of the view to the Palmyrans. This broke up the book nicely for me but kept me reading as I needed to find out what happened next..

The Palmyrans are now advancing on Alauran. We see them lead attack after attack against our heros. Both sides suffer loss.. I myself was left with my month left open wide with some of the losses.
There is a lengthy build up to the final battle and for me the ending didn’t disappoint. I had high hopes for the ending and It didn’t play out exactly as I thought but the characters involved were there and that was exactly what I wanted to see.

I wouldn’t change a single thing with this book in all honesty; it was a cracking read and has left me wanting more. As it happens my birthday is this month so I’ve hinted to the family I want at least the next two books in the series  🙂

Everything about the book just worked for me, it was well written and Nick kept me reading even when I needed to go to sleep. The story never got dull in my eyes when it so easily could have. The best thing about this book has to be the characters. I hard story to give a bit of depth but it certainly thought they were brilliant and i’m excited for more from Nick.

Nick has just released book 5 in the series so I have some catching up to do but I’m looking forward to it.

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

Strategos – Born in the Borderlands (Strategos #1) by Gordon Doherty – Review

4 Replies

13234902

Title – Strategos – Born in the Borderlands (Strategos #1)
Author – Gordon Doherty
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Length –  420 Pages (Kindle)
Publication – 12th December 2011
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

When the falcon has flown, the mountain lion will charge from the east, and all Byzantium will quake. Only one man can save the empire . . . the Haga!

1046 AD. The Byzantine Empire teeters on full-blown war with the Seljuk Sultanate. In the borderlands of Eastern Anatolia, a land riven with bloodshed and doubt, young Apion’s life is shattered in one swift and brutal Seljuk night raid. Only the benevolence of Mansur, a Seljuk farmer, offers him a second chance of happiness.

Yet a hunger for revenge burns in Apion’s soul, and he is drawn down a dark path that leads him right into the heart of a conflict that will echo through the ages.

Review

I’m a fan of Gordon already after reading the first three novels in his other series Legionary so I was very pleased when offered the chance to read the first book in the Strategos series.

This book is split into two parts first being Apion’s early life, we slowly find out how he became a slave and earned his scar which haunts him day after day. We see him rescued from this life by Mansur. We see him learn from Mansur and this gives the characters a lot of depth and you feel like a father yourself seeing Apion coming out of his shell forging friendships with Mansur’s daughter Maria and their neighbouring farmer’s son Nasir. The author definitely put a lot of time into the development of the storyline and it pays off.

You can tell straight away Mansur being a Seljuk living in the lands of the empire won’t go down well with some people and you are introduced to the character Bracchus who I took and instant dislike to with his threats. I could tell there was something behind this character as soon as you were introduced to him but I had no idea things would play out the way they did.

The second part of the book focuses on Apion’s life after he joins the armies of the Empire to fight in the inevitable war with the Seljuk. We see him fight against his own body in order to prove himself. After sometime we see Apion become the man he wanted to be, not the runt he felt as a young boy.

Apion progresses through the ranks of the army forming friendships with Nepos, Procopius, Sha & Blastares. All of these characters are unique and have their own talents. I loved every single one of them.

I don’t like to give away too much but a lot happens here, friendships are tested. Along the way a number of people are lost and we learn a lot more about Apion’s past.

This book really has been one of my favourite reads. This book is full of action and even more development which I think is essential when writing a series of books, without good character development its hard to keep the reader engaged enough to buy the next installment.

Gordon has a talent of keeping the reader interested, you find yourself getting lost in the story and before you know it your hit with and ending that leaves you gasping for more. As a reader I was hooked and will be purchasing the next book in the series soon as there’s no way I can continue without finding out what happens next.

Keep your eyes peeled; in the near future I’ll be adding Gordon to my Author Spotlight page where I’ll give a brief overview of his other series and why he is one of my favourite authors to date

To find out more about this book head to Goodreads or Amazon UK or Amazon.com where you can purchase it currently at the bargain price of £1.99/$3.08

Wolf’s Head (The Forest Lord #1) By Steven A. McKay – Review

3 Replies

18163202

Title – Wolf’s Head (The Forest Lord #1)
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Length –  329 Pages (Kindle)
Publication – 4th July 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

When a frightened young outlaw joins a gang of violent criminals their names – against a backdrop of death, dishonour, brotherhood, and love – will become legend.

ENGLAND 1321 AD

After viciously assaulting a corrupt but powerful clergyman Robin Hood flees the only home he has ever known in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Becoming a member of a notorious band of outlaws, Hood and his new companions – including John Little and Will Scaflock – hide out in the great forests of Barnsdale, fighting for their very existence as the law hunts them down like animals. When they are betrayed, and their harsh lives become even more unbearable, the band of friends seeks bloody vengeance. Meanwhile, the country is in turmoil, as many of the powerful lords strive to undermine King Edward II’s rule until, inevitably, rebellion becomes a reality and the increasingly deadly yeoman outlaw from Wakefield finds his fate bound up with that of a Hospitaller Knight…

“Wolf’s Head” brings the brutality, injustice and intensity of life in medieval England vividly to life, and marks the beginning of a thrilling new historical fiction series in the style of Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.

Review

So we’ve all heard of Robin Hood yes? Of course we have. As a boy Robin Hood was always one of my favourite characters. This was one of my reasons for buying this book. It also had great reviews and the cover just screamed at me this would be a great read.. and guess what.. it was!

Steven has decided to revamp the whole Robin Hood tale and has moved location to Yorkshire when England was under the reign of Edward II. This makes the book quite refreshing as it’s moved away from the well know tale set in Nottingham. From the authors notes at the end of the book you can see a lot of thought has went into this book and it shows.

The story tells of Hoods early life and the event that leads him to become an outlaw. We see him climb the ranks to eventually lead this band of outlaws.

Along the way we see him deal will conflict not only with the rich people of Yorkshire but also himself and the outlaws where personalities clearly clash

Wolf’s Head is fast paced from the start and very well written. Add to this a great story and you’ve got yourself a book that you just can’t put down!

Even though the setting has changed we still have the heroes we all know and love, Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet & Much

I’m not one for spoilers but the depth of Will’s character is brilliant and the story behind him plays out to perfection. He’s hot headed but damn you can’t help but like his style.

Chapter after chapter you see the tension grow as Steven takes you from one characters journey to another. I especially liked  Sir Richard-at-Lee so I’m excited to read Knight of the Cross which is a novella of Steven’s which I believe has a lot of focus on this character

As the tension grows and grows you can see something is about to happen and the ending of this book won’t disappoint.. If anything you are left screaming for more. The good new there is more 🙂 book 2 is already available and book 3 is on its way.

All in all I can’t fault this book in any way, brilliantly written it engages the reader from the first sentence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m 100% sure you will to!

Find out more here – Goodreads – Amazon UK – Amazon.com