Category Archives: Book Reviews

BLOG TOUR – Storm of War by Peter Gibbons

Leave a reply

Today is release day for Storm of War by Peter Gibbons, book 2 in The Saxon Warrior Series.

I’m very lucky to be kicking off the blog tour today to celebrate the release!

Here’s the blurb!

The fight for a torn Kingdom rests in the hands of a few brave men…

990AD.

King Aethelred II, who men will one day call The Unready, rules over a land divided by the shadowy spin of his mother Queen Ælfthryth and the sprawling power of the Church.

The Viking Warlord, Olaf Tryggvason smelling the Kingdoms weakness brings the vicious Jomsvikings to the Saxon coastline ravenous for war and plunder.

Together Lord Byrthnoth, Ealdorman of the East Saxons and Beornoth his Saxon Thegn lead a force of oath sworn Viking killers, every bit as brutal and war-skilled as the Norse invaders to protect the Kingdom against enemies both from within, and from the cruel seas. They are pushed to the very limits of their bravery and endurance in a desperate fight for the very existence of the Saxon Kingdom.

In a riveting story of trachery, betrayal, vengeance and war, can Beornoth defeat his enemies and protect the Kingdom from destruction?

Review.

I’m fairly new to the authors work but after reading Warrior and Protector last year I was eagerly awaiting this release and god damn it packs a punch!

King Aethelred is weak, and the Vikings know it. The King’s mother and the bishops have too much say in his rule and even some thought loyal are of Viking blood and wish to see the return to Norse rule.

Lord Byrthnoth and Thegn Beornoth stand in their way! Pillars of Saxon might!

Ah I loved the whole ensemble of characters, but these two just outshine even the brightest star. Byrthnoth is a good and fair lord, strong and wise and leads his men from the front.. he’s not afraid of battle and when the King doesn’t seem to want to stand in the way of the Viking invasion he’s not going to stand by and watch.. he’s a man of action..but his temperament means he’s wise and weighs up his options.. unlike Beornoth.. Beornoth has suffered pain like no one should.. his children murdered by Vikings and his wife left to die, only to survive a broken woman.. He’s fuelled by anger and that anger sees him get into some sticky situations but it’s also what the Saxons need.

The Vikings are brutal.. they have no honour and leave a trail of destruction.. the sight would turn anyone stomach. Beornoth use’s that anger and brings vengeance upon his enemies.

The main issue is the battle is on many fronts, how do they see off this threat with so little men at their disposal?

Without a shadow of doubt this book is one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, the plot, character development, the detail setting the scene … wow. I almost felt I was aboard the Viking ship as Beornoth puts a risky plan into action!

Usually when I read a book one aspect stands out as the thing I loved the most.. not this time..everything is just woven perfectly together, you get depth and raw guttural anger and bloodshed.. there’s real hurt and some of the most brutal scenes I’ve read.. every slice jumping from the page.

In one word to sum up – Mesmerising!

5/5 Stars

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

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 🙂

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: Peter Gibbons Author – Home | Facebook

Twitter: Peter Gibbons Author (@AuthorGibbons) / Twitter

Instagram: Peter Gibbons Author (@petermgibbons) • Instagram photos and videos

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/PeterGibbonsNews

Bookbub profile: Peter Gibbons Books – BookBub

Colony One: A Space Colonization Adventure (The Elderon Chronicles Book 1) by Tarah Benner – REVIEW

Leave a reply

Today I’m reviewing Colony One: A Space Colonization Adventure (The Elderon Chronicles Book 1) by Tarah Benner.

I picked this one up for free on Amazon.. sucked in by one of the daily deal emails I receive. At least I can’t get in trouble from spending too much money on books this month eh? Ha

Here’s the blurb

Colony One is prepared for anything — except the saboteur who’s already on board.
For Jonah Wyatt, the Space Force is his last shot at a military career. After years leading an elite task force, he was discharged from the army and stuck working one menial job after another. Now this disgraced combat specialist is headed to space. He’s tasked with training his own unit aboard Elderon: colony one.
Nobody bothered to tell him it would be a squad of white-hat hackers and intel eggheads who are definitely not Space Force material. One recruit is Maggie Barnes — an undercover reporter who was brought on board as a member of the press corps. Her job is to create fluffy corporate propaganda that paints the colony as a futuristic utopia, but Maggie can’t follow the rules once she gets wind of a story.
When Maggie gets a tip from an unknown source, she realizes Elderon is not at all what it seems. As she gets closer to unraveling the conspiracy, Sergeant Wyatt begins to suspect that there’s a spy on board. The saboteur has been with them all along, and he’s been building an army of his own.

Review

So Colony One follows two main characters, Jonah and Maggie.

Jonah is ex-military, he’s clearly got baggage from his time serving and is definitely not happy with his life at the moment so when offered the chance to join Space Force he jumps at it.. what’s he got to loose.

We also meet Maggie, a reporter who is slowly being side-lined by artificial intelligence.. no one needs real reporters or news any longer.. the only thing they want is trash.,, but Maggie is the real deal.. she’s worth more than this so when she is offered the chance to join an expedition to Elderon, a space colony it doesn’t take long for her to decide.

While on Elderon Maggie can’t but help let her reporter instincts kick in. Something isnt right.. there’s a lot of military personnel…Space Force…. why.. where’s the danger?

Soon she has her way in.. a fake identity.. Maggie ends up under the command of Jonah and tensions grow between them in more way than one… but who is helping her.. it’s not exactly easy to get the documentation in place that they have.. what’s their motivation?

While in training things heat up and I really loved how the author showed each recruits development.. or lack of ha. As time passes and it’s clear the recruits aren’t cut out for this we we learn of a new device that may lead to recruits learning the skills needed faster.. but is it too good to be true.. it’s kind of a freaky piece of technology…abruptly we are forced to forget about this bit of kit as a cyberattack hits.. the bots that people depend on have turned on humans.. but it is an isolated incident and how did the hackers get into such sophisticated systems.. something isnt right here.. but what.

What I enjoyed about the book was the nice mixture of plot and character development. I’ve seen some negative reviews simply because this book doesn’t have an ending.. it’s book 1 in a series and I’ll forgive some as the book as been out since 2018 but to me the book set things up perfectly for a series..that cliff hanger ended was the perfect setup and hooked me.. I’ve already bought the next book in the series to see what happens next.

The pace and development of the plot was good and there’s a clear direction but I would have just loved to have seen a few more scenes between Maggie and Jonah to really build on their development. Saying that I think the author did a great job of the inner monologue.. to help you understand where the characters were at emotionally and knowing there’s more for me to read leaves me in little doubt I’ll see the development I love between characters.

Flow wise this book was super-fast and fun, the style of writing makes it very easy to follow, mix in an intriguing plot and for me it’s a strong 4 star book.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

Legionary: The Emperor’s Shield by Gordon Doherty – REVIEW

2 Replies

Today is release day for Legionary: The Emperor’s Shield, Book 9 in the Legionary by the awesome Gordon Doherty.

I’m very lucky to have received an ARC to allow me to help celebrate the release but rest assured my bank balance was still hit today with a charge… too right I had the book pre-ordered!!

The release of this instalment is even more important to me than you can imagine. After losing my dad last year I jumped at the chance to donate to charity and have my dads name added to the book, immortalised forever.

Here’s the blurb

Easier to split the sky, than part a soldier from his blade.

386 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire faces a trident of threats. The Gothic truce grows unstable. The standoff with Persia escalates. And the ambitions of the usurper on the Western throne grow dangerously unchecked.

Pavo, a broken veteran of the legions, cares for none of these things. His life is one of pastoral seclusion on his Thracian farm. A life of love, of peace. His wife and young son are his world. Still, every so often, things seen and done in his old life haunt him, like a cold and unwelcome breeze. But that is all they are, echoes of the past…

…until the past rises, like a shade, to rip his world and the Roman Empire apart.

Review

Oh Pavo, it feels like an eternity since we’ve seen you. After Pavo’s last adventure I had worried it was the last we would see of him.. that last battle left him with some serious wounds that mean he’s fought his last… or maybe not?

The Empire is on the brink of war again… the Goths have amassed and the Emperor want’s Pavo’s help.. he was instrumental in the last war with the Goths so hiss knowledge is invaluable.

The issue is he’s a shell of the man he was, weak and unable to help out on his farm for more than an hour or two..

But there’s one man who can help him, Frugilo! This is the first time we’ve met the man but instantly you are alert.. this man holds his cards tight to his chest but he knows what he’s doing and he’s a shining star of this instalment. He manages to give back to Pavo a little of what he thought lost… when you learn the truth about the man.. it’s an battle to control your emotions.

This was probably the most interesting part detail wise for me, Frugilo teaching Pavo to be the man he was again. I really enjoyed the use of a porpax shield to enable Pavo to fight once again for the Empire.. for his family!

Pavo races to the Emperors side and soon notices things aren’t right..there’s a dark force out there.. who wants only to see war… but why?

The issue with the Goths isnt the only trouble..a usurper wishes to see chaos so he may rule the Empire himself.

In these uncertain times the Emperor enlists Pavo to join his small band of elite protectors, he is to be a shield!

I’m never one for spoilers but things move quickly, there’s deception, tension and you really don’t know what will happen next. I’d say the last 30% of the book I demolished in the early hours while the family were fast asleep.. it’s not often I can really say that a book made it impossible for me to put down but The Emperor’s Shield did just that.

It was great to see Pavo back, and it was even sweeter when his old comrades show up including Sura..I love their relationship.. Sura still needs his old friend one last time as he tries to settle into the role previously held by Pavo’s.. big shoes to fill! Pavo need’s these men too.. needs to remember who he was.. what he is still capable of.

The twists in this book really make it special.. I thought I had things worked out.. but no…and it was really lovely to be reminded of those we’ve lost along the way, each have left their mark on Pavo.

A resounding 5 star without a shadow of a doubt.. we may only be in February but I can confidently say I’ve found my book of 2023!

What Doherty managed to do is keep the series fresh and give depth, more life to the characters.. he’s really found the balance between detail and plot to make the book come alive.

I hate to say it.. but I don’t think you’ll find any better storyteller out there! If you disagree, then unfortunately I’m sorry to say you are wrong! Ha

Final thought… this isnt the end.. there’s more to come..I don’t know when or what will happen but I’ll be there ready to immerse myself in Pavo’s next tale..his last journey? Time will tell. Regardless.. Pavo will live with me forever!

My thanks go to the author for allowing me the pleasure of an advance copy of the book.. I’m a lucky boy I know!

Grab a copy today.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

Killer Casting by Simon Maltman – REVIEW

1 Reply

Today I’m reviewing Killer Casting by Simon Maltman.

I stumbled upon Simon on Instagram actually and like I always say, there’s so much choice out there it’s hard to think of which book to read next so why did I pick Simon you may ask…

If you follow my blog you’ll know that my reviews are actually the books I’m buying with my hard earned money and when I noticed Simon post about a reviewer wanting to be paid to review his work I thought I’d balance that out and show him what a good reviewer is ha. No hate on anyone I just love my own style of support.. it’s not a cheap hobby but it’s mine ha

Here’s the blurb

‘A Docu-drama about a murder. And the killer’s in the cast.’

Jessica, an up-and-coming young director is helming her first full documentary.

It focuses on the story of a young girl, murdered fifteen years before in New York.

The girl’s father was convicted and has been in prison ever since.

But he’s innocent.

Joe killed her.

Joe’s killed a lot of people.

When Joe sees the call for amateur actors to join the cast, he has an idea.

Joe gets lots of ideas. That’s how he’s survived this long.

But this time, has he gone too far?

Review

Jessica has the chance of a lifetime.. she’s directing a documentary around the murder of a young girl.. the father convicted for her murder. Little does she or the small crew know he’s innocent and they are about to come face to face with the real killer.

Joe.. ah Joe..he’s a killer who is slowly escalating.. he used to be able to control the urge but now the thrill wears off too fast and the need to kill comes more and more quickly..

Luckily for Joe his fix comes in the form of auditioning for a role in Jessica’s documentary.. the very murder he actually committed.. to Joe there can be nothing sweeter! Especially when he’s able to come face to face with the man he put in jail.

Joe continues to kill throughout but balancing all these versions of himself slowly starts to take it’s toll..and Jessica can sense something is off.. but she has no real idea what..

That is until everything unravels..If you think I’m going to spoil the ending think again ha. Let’s just say the suspense and the twists had me hooked, I loved the characters, even Joe.

Plot wise I loved it, Riveting! The pace quickly builds, short sharp chapters and those last few are dynamite. Joe thought this would be a fun idea.. how wrong he was.. but he’s got away with everything until now.. so can he find a way out of this one too?

For my first foray into the authors work I was really pleased to say the least, pace is spot on, chapter length perfect. Joe’s development is absolutely on point.. after all this is his tale, you even feel his thrill during the kills.. his excitement.. Jessica too steals the show as her development copies Joe’s as you learn more about them both, their lives, feelings, everything you need to make that person feel real.

Well worth grabbing a copy if you enjoy the genre! Very much enjoyed this one, easy flowing and engaging 5/5 stars!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

BLOG TOUR – King of Kings by MJ Porter

Leave a reply

Today is my stop on the blog tour for King of Kings by MJ Porter!

Here’s the blurb

In the battle for power, there can be only one ruler.

AD925

Athelstan is the king of the English, uniting the petty kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia, the Danish-held Five Boroughs and York following the sudden death of his father, King Edward.

His vision is to unite the realms of the Scots and the Welsh in a peace accord that will protect their borders from the marauding threat of the Norse Vikings.

Whilst seemingly craving peace and demanding loyalty with an imperium over every kingdom, Athelstan could dream of a much bigger prize.

But danger and betrayal surround his best intentions, namely from his overlooked stepbrother, Edwin, who conspires and vies for what he deems is his rightful place as England’s king.

As ever, powerful men who wish to rule do not wish to be ruled, and Constantin of the Scots, Owain of Strathclyde, and Ealdred of Bamburgh plot their revenge against the upstart English king, using any means necessary.

An epic story of kingsmanship that will set in motion the pivotal, bloody Battle of Brunanburh where allies have to be chosen wisely…

Review

King of Kings revolves around the Battle of Brunanburh and the events that lead to this epic battle.

Athelstan is King of the English but not everyone is happy with the uniting of the kingdoms.

The King of the English has designs to grow his kingdom but mostly he’s looking to the future, in the short term he knows peace is the only solution but if we know anything about Kings and Queens of the past is that it’s a treacherous position to hold, not only do you have threats from outside of your kingdom but you have to watch your back too.. family doesn’t mean what it should to some.. and families can be quite complicated at times.

MJ Porter wonderfully weaves the tale with changing perspectives, exploring the motivations and inner thoughts of some of the most powerful and influential people at the time. I found this amazing to read, I know we may not really know someone’s thoughts but the changing perspective really gave life and depth to each of the characters. I particularly loved that I felt the author managed to put some of their own writing style into the tale, little moments when you can tell they had fun writing the scene.. don’t get me wrong.. textbooks are brilliant for facts but sometimes  you need a little something extra to bring events and characters to life and a tale such as this gives you that.. it makes me want to learn more and in particularly keen to learn more about the Welsh Kings. I can’t say I now much about the period but King of Kings gives me exactly what I need, historical fiction that excites.. sparks the desire to learn more.

The book has a large ensemble of characters, and the story covers a wide period, so I’d definitely say give yourself the time to really immerse yourself in the book. The short chapters certainly helped me to retain the information and ensured the flow of the tale went well. It’s a pretty perfect book to get lost in for a few hours.

Overall a really enjoyable read, I particularly liked exploring the different characters and their motivations, each wanting to ensure their safety but at the same time ready to attack if the time is right. It’s all about the build up baby..you are just wanting to see who will step over the line first!

4/5 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

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood Son of Mercia was published in February 2022.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/m_j_porter/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://www.mjporterauthor.com/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

BLOG TOUR – The Flight by Heather J. Fitt

Leave a reply

Today is my turn on the blog tour for The Flight by Heather J. Fitt!

Here’s the blurb

A young mother is trapped with a killer thirty thousand feet up, in this gripping mid-air murder mystery by the author of Open Your Eyes.

On a plane to Barbados, nurse Melissa sits with her young son, Theo. On the same flight, up in first class, are a bride- and groom-to-be, heading for their tropical wedding destination, accompanied by family and friends.

When two members of the wedding party die in mysterious circumstances, it becomes clear that a killer is on board. Trapped in the cabin thousands of feet above the Atlantic, tensions mount as accusations fly—and when little Theo seems to vanish into thin air, this bizarre flight becomes even more turbulent . . .

Will Melissa be able to use her medical knowledge to find her son and bring a cold-blooded killer to justice before it’s too late?

Review

Melissa and her young son Theo have planned a little getaway. You see things haven’t been going well for Melissa she’s a single mother who is trying to relax a little after getting out of a toxic relationship.

Having a little one in tow Melissa is aware the flight might not be an easy ride but little does she know how crazy things will end up.

Once aboard there’s a plea from the cabin crew, a passenger needs assistance. Melissa with her training offers up her help but there’s little she can do. The woman has died!

Going back to her son Melissa tries to put events out of her mind but it’s not going to be easy.. another lady suddenly dies. This time something is off…and by taking a closer look at the first deceased it quickly confirms they aren’t just deceased .. they are both victims!

Now there’s a few twists and turns, misdirection to throw you off the scent of the killer but it has to be one of the wedding party yes? But why, where’s the motive?

When the truth is unveiled the pieces fit together but are we sure that’s the end of it??

I very much enjoyed the plot of The Flight but what I found really good was the depth given to the characters as we learnt more about them personally and their motivations. The author really managed to make you feel for Melissa who constantly feels judged by others as a singe parent and we even see some of the comments and looks she receives as she tries to look after her young son alone.

Going back to the plot I thought It was well planned out and flowed well and I really liked how each chapter was brought to us from a different perspective, it honestly kept you guessing as each time you thought you knew who could be the killer the next chapter sort of blew that theory away with their own thoughts and emotions. Those last few twists were real corkers!

Overall a cracking story, top notch character development with an engaging plot.

4/5 stars

To find out more head to Goodread or Amazon.

My thanks go to Heather J. Fitt for having me on the tour and for the ARC to allow me to have my review prepared. I’ve got myself a kindle copy too. No free rides with David’s Book Blurg ha ha

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Heather J. Fitt

Heather was born in Scotland and after moving around Europe with her parents and sister, settled in Hampshire where she met her husband, Stuart.

After leaving the rat-race in 2018, Heather re-trained as an editor and proof-reader and entered the world of publishing. These days she works as a part-time freelancer and a part-time Commissioning Advisor for Bloodhound.

Heather was inspired to start writing her novel by the authors who have become her closest friends. Now the ideas are flowing she has plans to write several more over the coming years.

When she isn’t reading, Heather enjoys spending her time watching sport –­ especially her beloved rugby – and exploring the British countryside with Stuart.

Heather’s debut novel was published by Bloodhound in Summer 2021.

For regular bookish updates, you can follow Heather on Twitter: @HeatherJFitt

BLOG TOUR – Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow

Leave a reply

Today we kick off the blog tour for Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow (book 3 in the Rosie Robson series) by Colin Garrow

Here’s the blurb.

A dead body. A hoard of forged banknotes. A gangster out for blood.

Newcastle, December 1955. Returning home after a weekend away, singer and amateur sleuth Rosie Robson discovers a man lying on a baggage trolley with his throat cut. After the police get involved, an attack on Rosie and her boss prompts Inspector Vic Walton to find a safe house for the pair. But the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of them and Rosie is forced to track down a possible witness to the murder in a bid to learn the truth. Can the canny crooner solve the mystery before a Newcastle gang boss catches up with her? 

Set on Tyneside, Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow is book #3 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries series.

Review

Rosie and her friend return to Newcastle after a weekend away only to discover a body in a baggage trolley. Inspector Vic Walton is soon on the case. The victim had their throat cut..

There’s not a lot of evidence but with Rosie’s help Vic soon has a suspect.. the issue is someone is following Rosie.. and she’s doesn’t know why.

The case heats up as Rosie is followed, accosted and attacked… Rosie seeks shelter among friends only to drag those very individuals into the danger and even a safe house isn’t safe..

How do these people keep finding Roaie? And why do they want her? She doesn’t know anything… or does she?

I’ll admit I haven’t yet read the other books in the series so was worried I may not understand some of the context but I need not have worried. There’s clearly a backstory to some of the characters but the author nicely gives you titbits of information allowing you to understand their motivations and the events that previously played out.

There’s some really good twists to the tale.. I love and hate to say this but I demolished this in 1 day.. it was just an exciting read from the 1st page to last.

As a proud northerner myself I really loved the descriptions of my local area and the detail added, it easily allowed me to envisage Rosie’s journey in my mind and that added an extra dimension to the tale!

Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow ticked all of the boxes for me, there’s mystery, suspense, blood and twists to name but a few prime pieces I look for.. but the main thing I loved about the book was the character depth, their induvial personas and traits, each were fun to read and I felt myself reading each character myself in a different voice, they became real.

Very interesting plot with superb writing. I’ve read a couple of the authors other works and I love his writing style.. maybe it’s a northern thing ha ha.

If you asked me why I haven’t read the previous books in the series I’ll be perfectly honest.. there’s too much choice out there and sometimes you don’t know stories exist.. now I do I’ll be making up for lost time.

An effortlessly riveting and engaging 5* read!

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 and in addition I’ll be grabbing the first two books in the series 😊

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor. He has also occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin’s published books include the Watson Letters series, the Terry Bell Mysteries and the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in Northeast Scotland.

Social Media Links –

Website (Adults) https://colingarrow.org/

Website (Children) https://colingarrowbooks.com/

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

Twitter https://twitter.com/colingarrow

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/colingarrowthewriter

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/colin-garrow

BLOG TOUR – Bellatrix  by Simon Turney

Leave a reply

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Bellatrix by Simon Turney!!

Simon is a firm favourite on David’s Book Blurg and my aim this year will be to read more of his earlier works but today I’m supper excited to share my views on his latest release.

Here’s the blurb :-


Warrior and combat medic of the Twenty Second Legion, Titus Cervianus, must fight the armies of the fabled Warrior Queen in this blistering new Roman adventure from Simon Turney.

Egypt, 25 BC. Titus Cervianus is no ordinary soldier. And the Twenty Second is no ordinary legion. Formed from the personal guard of a conquered king, the Twenty Second’s ways are strange to soldiers of the Empire – yet the legion has proved itself in the blistering heat of the desert.

Cervianus and his comrades march into the unknown as he and the Twenty Second Legion contend with the armies of the Bellatrix: the Warrior Queen of Kush. The Kushites and the Egyptians are united against the Roman presence in their lands – but there are complex political and military forces at work. Deep in the deserts, Cervianus and his comrades must brace themselves for a furious onslaught as they take on the might of the Bellatrix.

Review

Bellatrix is the second instalment in the Legion XXII series. I’d definitely recommend reading the 1st book if you haven’t already to better understand some of the backstory of Cervianus and the other soldiers, you could probably read it without but having that knowledge really gave me some “Oooo” moments as tasty little reminders are thrown in.

The Twenty Second Legion are now in Egypt, the aim as always, to defeat their enemies, to reaffirm their control. These dark clad warriors have caused many Roman deaths… but do those in charge really know the price they will have to pay to cross the desert?

Firstly, I loved the detail of the legion formation and the different roles, this shows the authors knowledge but also his skill at weaving this information in nicely with the plot, there’s no unnecessary descriptions and detail was added naturally just when I needed it.

The journey is perilous and the Kush warriors make themselves known early.. leaving the legion will little choice…they take the supplies.. especially water… they are too far now to turn back but they don’t have the supplies to make to it their destination either… men are going to die.

The legion also need to contend with the desert itself, I don’t want to spoil it but I really enjoyed one particular section of the story that focused on the sandstorm and the aftermath, beautifully woven and engrossing.

Cervianus is going to have his work cut out for him to keep as many men alive as possible.. with very little supplies.

What I really love about this series is it’s not your typical historical fiction book full of battles and gore… oh yes it certainly has it’s moments but it gives more than that.. it’s one man’s journey to keep these men alive.. a desperate struggle to belong and find his way in life and his biggest battle to fight is his own fear… there’s so much depth and growth to the character.

Bellatrix is far from a slow burner but I loved the page count given to the desert crossing.. it’s still actioned packed but brings some authenticity to the tale..not all men die by the sword afterall.. just getting from A to B can be dangerous for many other reasons and Turney does an excellent job of exploring these, such as the effect of the sun, lack of water and shade, the sand itself.. it’s a masterclass in understanding the weaknesses of the human body to commit to such as task as crossing the desert.

Turney has put everything into this book and more if that’s possible.. it’s got action, blood and gore but it’s also got humanity mixed with real emotion to give you a well round and magnificent tale.

A resounding 5* read that packs in so much more than you could ever imagine..leaving you salivating for more!

Fans of Turney will not be disappointed!

My thanks go to Head of Zeus/Aries Fiction for having me on the blog tour and for allowing me an ARC to aid my review. I had this on pre-order and was more than happy to buy a copy too 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon (Or any good local book retailer)

Why not follow the tour?

About the author


Simon Turney is from Yorkshire and, having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites, fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region. His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Rome, Egypt, Greece and Byzantium. His works include the Marius’ Mules and Praetorian series, the Tales of the Empire and The Damned Emperor series, and the Rise of Emperors books with Gordon Doherty. He lives in North Yorkshire with his family.

Follow Simon Turney

Twitter: @SJATurney

Facebook: Simon Turney Author aka SJATurney

Website: https://simonturney.com/

Follow Aries

Twitter: @AriesFiction

Facebook: Aries Fiction

Website: http://www.headofzeus.com

BLOG TOUR – Forest of Foes by Matthew Harffy. #ForestOfFoes

Leave a reply

Today is my turn on the blog tour for Forest of Foes my Matthew Harffy!!!

Forest of Foes is the 9th instalment in The Bernicia Chronicles series and what a cracking read it is!

Here’s the blurb:

AD 652. Beobrand has been ordered to lead a group of pilgrims to the holy city of Rome. Chief among them is Wilfrid, a novice of the church with some surprisingly important connections. Taking only Cynan and some of his best men, Beobrand hopes to make the journey through Frankia quickly and return to Northumbria without delay, though the road is long and perilous.

But where Beobrand treads, menace is never far behind. The lands of the Merovingian kings are rife with intrigue. The queen of Frankia is unpopular and her ambitious schemes, though benevolent, have made her powerful enemies. Soon Wilfrid, and Beobrand, are caught up in sinister plots against the royal house.

After interrupting a brutal ambush in a forest, Beobrand and his trusted gesithas find their lives on the line. Dark forces will stop at nothing to seize control of the Frankish throne, and Beobrand is thrown into a deadly race for survival through foreign lands where he cannot be sure who is friend and who is foe.

The only certainty is that if he is to save his men, thwart the plots, and unmask his enemies, blood will flow.

Review

After the events of the last instalment we see Beobrand is sent on a mission by his Queen. This journeys target is Rome!

Although this will take him far from home his oath is ironclad and he will see Wilfrid safely to his destination. Oh Wilfrid.. this man had my life ha ha.. He has a wandering eye and things very highly of himself.. he’s going to cause some trouble.. you can feel it.

Nothing bad will happen on the journey though will it…Yeh right… it’s not going to go smoothly is it? Ha.

Beobrand and his warriors meet a group of individuals being attacked by wolf’s heads.. but these aren’t your average individuals, and this chance encounter sets Beobrand and his men on a different path that ultimately leads to betrayal & bloodshed….but there may be a chance for retribution.

I really enjoyed the latest instalment, Beobrand is older now, his eyes are not once what they were but he’s still just as deadly, but it was a real joy to see Beobrand share the limelight with his men, and you can really see the connection he’s made with each and everyone of them as they offer up their lives for him… to fight for what’s right.

The author spent a lot of time ensuring the development of Beobrand flowed well throughout the story, he still mourns the loss of his wife, he’s conflicted over his difficult relationship with his son and the shadows of the past walk with him daily…

… but not all of these shadows are in the past…and not all are friends either.

These insights help you envisage Beo, he’s not the young man we first met any longer.. the past has changed him.. is it his fate to survive while others die?

I particularly enjoyed the growth of Cynan, you can really see some of Beobrand in him and he has his own worries too.. he’s rash and impulsive at times.. just like his lord… but god I love him.

The twists in the plot quite honestly had me on tenterhooks.. There’s one moment I won’t spoil but the author sets the tense atmosphere perfectly and you can feel something is about to happen but when the story plays out it’s like a punch to the guts that you didn’t see coming.. it knocks the air out of you it’s that amazingly breath-taking.. and very bloody clever of the author too.. I knew something was brewing but could never have guessed what they had in mind.. wow.

Beobrand and his Black Shields are as powerful as ever as they band together chanting “Death”, the image of these men advancing is enough to scare most foes and those who don’t run will live to regret that choice…but will everyone make it back home.. time will tell.

Forest of Foes is the perfect addition to the series, the plot is strong and the characters have soo much depth and there’s plenty of detail and action just when you need it. It’s quite honestly the only series I feel like I want to start again with so I can enjoy this from the start all over again!

I’m more than eager to see what the author offers the readers next.

A raving 5 stars from me! and a big shout to Head of Zeus and their art team.. Love the cover and the colours 🙂 a massive thank you for having me on the tour. I received an ARC to allow me to have a review ready but I had my pre-order in from day 1!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon (Or any good local bookseller 😊 )

Why not follow the tour?

About the author

Matthew Harffy lived in Northumberland as a child and the area had a great impact on him. The rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline made it easy to imagine the past. Decades later, a documentary about Northumbria’s Golden Age sowed the kernel of an idea for a series of historical fiction novels. The first of them is the action-packed tale of vengeance and coming of age, THE SERPENT SWORD.

Matthew has worked in the IT industry, where he spent all day writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him. Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.

Follow Matthew Harffy

Twitter: @MatthewHarffy

Instagram: @beobrand

Website: matthewharffy.com

Follow Aries

Twitter: @AriesFiction

Facebook: Aries Fiction

Website: http://www.headofzeus.com

The Pedlar’s Promise by Steven A. McKay – REVIEW & COMPETITION!!!

Leave a reply

Today I’m reviewing The Pedlar’s Promise by Steven A. McKay.

This novelette is part of the authors The Forest Lord series and is pegged as an “exciting Forest Lord novelette for Christmas”.. Let’s give it the David’s Book Blurg treatment and find out.

Oh and keep reading.. I may have added a little competition at the end 😊

Here’s the blurb

Medieval England, December

A pedlar has been sent to Wakefield with an unexpected and apparently quite valuable Christmas gift for John Little and his friend Will Scaflock. Unfortunately, the pedlar likes his ale a little too much and somehow gets lost and ends up in the wrong town. With no other work to do, or any strange mysteries to solve for a change, the pair of bored former outlaws decide to ride out and track down their gift. Of course, things don’t quite go as smoothly as hoped and they experience a series of hair-raising adventures on the snowy roads and villages of Yorkshire before their quest finally ends with a surprise…
Will our heroes ever find their quarry? What is the mysterious gift their friend Robert Stafford has sent to them from Brandesburton? And who the hell thought it was a good idea to go riding around northern England in the depths of winter searching for a drunk old pedlar?
Pour yourself a warm glass of wassail and settle in beside the fire to find out!
The Pedlar’s Promise continues the series of short winter stories including Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil, Faces of Darkness, The House in the Marsh, and Sworn To God, and brings some much-needed cheer to the gloomy winter months.

Review

I’m a big fan of the author and it’s sort of become a Christmas tradition to sit down with a new novella from the author at this time of year. McKay hasn’t disappointed and has written a lovely little tale featuring Little John, Will Scarlett and Tuck.

You don’t have to have read any of the other books in this series to read this one, you could easily jump in here as a taster before buying the authors longer works but having read the previous books I think it would just give the characters a little more depth and you’ll chuckle even more, trust me.

So what happens in the story you may ask. Well Tuck has asked a pedlar to bring a gift back to Will and Little John.. but he’s gone missing… To give him his dues the pedlar and Tuck were both drunk at the time. Shock..ha

Now Tuck doesn’t have time to let Will and Little John know what the gift was and knowing Will that won’t sit easy with him.. he doesn’t like the unknown.. and it’s an itch he needs to scratch so he and John set out to find the pedlar!

Chaos ensues..there’s fights.. mud.. and laughs along the way but will they find the pedlar and the gift Tuck sent? And what kind of gift would have been sooo important to send anyway?

What I rally loved about this short read was that true to form it’s a cracking fun read, but you can really tell the author had fun with this one. McKay has reached the stage in the series where he can basically take any path he wants, and it shows just how talented the author is in bringing the reader fresh and fun tales.

The Pedlar’s Promise isnt as dark or mysterious and some of the authors novellas but this one fits perfect for the season, it’s light-hearted and had me smiling the whole way through. I can quite easily see myself sitting with the kids with this one chuckling away.

Another masterful piece of literature. 5*

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

Now on to the important matter. I while ago I meant to run a competition to win a signed book from Steven A. McKay.. and me being the divvy I am… I forgot. Argh. Can I blame the fact my girls are now 8 and driving me nuts?

Anyhoo..to make up for that I’ve made the prize even better so up for grabs is :-

A signed copy of The Druid, book 1 in the Warrior Druid of Britain series!

And also a signed poster from the 3rd book in the series – The Northern Throne. I was very lucky when I requested one for myself ages ago the author accidently sent me two ha ha, so why not give this second one a nice new home?

What do you need to do to win? Well first of let me give the rules.

I like to keep things simple, so I use Rafflecopter and you have a few different chances to earn an entry into the competition. The competition is no way endorsed by anyone other than myself and I’m responsible for sending the prize to the winner. Unfortunately this does mean I can only open this up the UK residents only as I’ll be paying the postage. The competition is open for a week!

I will contact the winner via email to confirm their address and will post the winners name on my social media 🙂

Ready to enter? Click here