Category Archives: Book Reviews

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

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!!

The Sun Shard by Rob Bayliss – Review

1 Reply

Title – The Sun Shard (Flint and Steel, Fire and Shadow. Book 1)
Author – Rob Bayliss
Genre – Historical Fantasy
Length – 443 Pages
Publication – June 2013
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Once, men and neanderthals shared the Summerlands between the Cheama Sea to the South and the Hailthorn Mountains in the North. But from across the seas the Empire came, borne on huge clockwork driven ships, their black powder alchemy proved stronger than flint axes, steel swords and naked courage. The old ways were seemingly lost, as the new Fire God blazed brightly; the tribes subdued, the Flint Folk exiled beyond the Hailthorns.
Seven generations later the Empire prepares for war with a ruthless and cruel enemy to the South. To fuel their war machine, the Empire demands levies of men and taxes from its northern provinces during the summer muster. One such levy is a young Gewichas warrior, Tuan Blackstone. Called to the banners, he faces a harsh future under the iron discipline of his Commander, but a brighter destiny is revealed to him that unites the cause of the peoples of the Summerlands in magic that predates the Empire’s alchemy.
But behind the light of his destiny long shadows grow, war and treachery have come to the Summerlands.But who will survive to see the dawn of a new Britannia, and who will fall to feed the ravens?

Review

We follow Tuan in world of magic, swords, guns and large beasts that taps into our own history. It’s a harsh world where men fight wars and women are can be used solely to please a man.

The whole idea of a Sun Shard was intriguing, the flint folk chosen by the shards to protect and use the power, suppressed and beating, waiting for the one to come to lead them back into the Summerlands.

Rob paints a very interesting world indeed with lots of colourful characters to enjoy, my favourites being Bronic (his back story was brilliant, really enjoyed seeing the big man’s motivations), and Kaziviere (The way Rob made my feelings about this character change during the book was brilliant).

Bronic has to be my favourite though; the back story coupled with his red rage gave him something the others in the book just didn’t have in my eyes. I’ve high hopes he will get more page time in the next book. I would love to see the way he communicates with Tuan become a vital part in the plot somehow.

So you’re wondering why only a 4 star.. well if I’m honest in parts I just felt things happened too fast..Tuan gets passed the sun shard and after the visions that accompany it his meaning in life changes in an instant and it would have been nice to see him have come to terms with the responsibility left at his feet a bit more. I also felt as Tuan holds the sun shard he would be the most pivotal character but he doesn’t develop much throughout the book for me..

The major plus point for this book is however another book is planned..We will hopefully see Tuan develop further. Rob has given us such a lush plot with so much potential that I’ll definitely be adding the next book to my TBR pile.

In conclusion Rob Bayliss brings us a brilliant historical fantasy book with so much going on, and that has so much potential that you really should read it. I can see this becoming a very good series of books indeed and I look forward to seeing how the plot progresses.

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

The Malykant Mysteries Compendium: Books 1 – 4 by Charlotte E. English – Review

2 Replies

Title – The Malykant Mysteries Compendium: Books 1 – 4
Author – Charlotte E. English
Genre – Fantasy
Length – 330 Pages
Publication – Feb 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Konrad Savast is the Malykant: foremost and most secret servant of the God of Death. His job? To track down the foulest of murderers and bring them to The Malykt’s Justice. No mercy. No quarter.

The Rostikov Legacy: When Konrad discovers the body of a wealthy society hostess lying in the cold, mist-shrouded reaches of the Bone Forest, the pressure is on to find her killer. Can he catch the killer without revealing himself as the Malykant?

The Ivanov Diamond: When three people turn up dead, their immortal souls missing, Konrad’s got a strange case on his hands. And it’s clear that it’s got something to do with the theft of a great and valuable diamond from one of Ekamet’s wealthiest citizens…

Myrrolen’s Ghost Circus: When a corpse turns up in the middle of Myrrolena’s famed circus, Konrad must uncover the weird truth behind the mysterious travelling show—and without falling foul of its enigmatic Ringmistress, Myrrolena herself.

Ghostspeaker: When a wealthy young woman takes her own life, Konrad is sent to investigate. Was it suicide, or murder? Or… both? To discover the truth, Konrad must navigate the combined perils of society gossip, an unregistered Ghostspeaker and a host of unquiet spirits.

Review

This compendium is made up of 4 short stories which have previous been released separately. I really enjoy collections like this as it not only offers value for money but also gives you more to read. I love a good short story but they always leave me wanting more.. a selection like this is perfect to keep you happy if you’re like me.

So these tales focus on the life of Konrad Savast. Savast has two sides to him, first being the wealthy and respectable citizen the second being the Malykant who basically deals out justice for those who have been murdered.

The idea for the Malykant really intrigued me, this dark avenger fighting for those who can’t. The added fantasy twists to the underlying tale of vengeance make for a very engrossing read.

I definitely think getting the compendium instead of the separate books is the way to go so you can move from tale to tale with the previous book fresh in your mind. You don’t need to do this but for me It gave something extra to the development of the characters, you can see Savast grow and struggle with his role as the Malykant and you can see his relationship with Nanda expand and motivations come to light in book 4 that tie things together nicely.

Also I really enjoyed Konrad’s companions in justice, Ootapi & Eetapi, their sense of humour fits perfectly with the theme of the book and I just loved them popping up.

I was already a fan of Charlottes before reading this collection and she has definitely kept me happy with this one. It’s beautifully written to help the reader understand the characters and their surroundings. The descriptiveness really did help paint a picture in my head as I was reading

I’ve given the book a 5* but I was left wanting more.. It credit to the author I guess.. Charlotte has managed to make 300+ pages seem like 100.. I got immersed so much I didn’t even see the end I sight. I’m looking forward to reading and review more of her work

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

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

2 Replies

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!

Zeus of Ithome by T.E.Taylor – Review

1 Reply

Title – Zeus of Ithome
Author – T. E. Taylor
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 316 Pages
Publication – Oct 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Three Hundred Years of Slavery. Greece, 373 BC. For three centuries, the Messenian people have been brutally subjugated by their Spartan neighbours and forced to work the land as helot slaves. Diocles, a seventeen-year-old helot, has known no other life but servitude.

After an encounter with Spartan assassins, he is forced to flee, leaving behind his family and his love, Elpis. On Mount Ithome, the ancient sanctuary of the Messenians, he meets Aristomenes, an old rebel who still remembers the proud history of their people and clings to a prophecy that they will one day win back their freedom. A forlorn hope, perhaps.

But elsewhere in Greece, there are others too who believe it is time that the power of Sparta was broken.

Review

Tim Taylor has decided it’s time to shed some light on the Spartans and how ruthless they were to their neighbours and I was hooked from the Preface at the start of the book, now that’s how you grab the reader’s attention!

The book focuses mainly on Diocles a slave who has never known freedom. From the synopsis you can gather he gets in to trouble and ends up on the run. After a chance meeting Aristomenes we see Diocles grow from a boy to a man and he goes through many events before returning home to lead a rebellion.

It’s a very interesting tale with a mix of historical figures and fictional characters. Tim seems very knowledgeable and the historical note at the end of the book adds to the story and helps you draw the line between fact and fiction.

There is an amazing amount of depth to Diocles which grows throughout the book. Yes I felt he grew up too fast but then again in that day an age I guess you would need to grow up fast or you’d end up dead.

I won’t spoil the events for you but I will say that everything worked for me. I felt for Diocles.. I wanted him to fight..save his people and Tim made the story come alive.

All in all this was a brilliant story waiting to be told. Combine this with Tim’s writing style and you have one engrossing read. I don’t often want to read books again but this one will be added to the list.

Any fan of historical fiction as a genre will love this and if like me you’re interested in the history this will excite the taste buds.

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

Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil by Steven A. McKay – Review

2 Replies

Title – Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre – Historical Fiction/Short Stories
Length – 70 Pages
Publication – 13th November 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Holly and ivy decorate the houses while voices are raised in song, but the Christmas cheer is tempered by terror this festive season, as demons haunt a small English village.

Strange thefts; cloven hoof-prints in the snow; a house burned to the ground.

Something evil stalks the icy streets of Brandesburton and former mercenary Tuck must find out what, before it’s too late.

As he sets out to solve the mystery the friar prays his faith will protect him. His faith AND his great quarterstaff, for he knows full well – the Devil makes no deals…

This brand new novella from the best-selling author of the Forest Lord series will delight and entertain historical fiction fans looking to escape the madness of Christmas shopping for a little while. Grab a mince pie, warm some mulled wine, and join Friar Tuck on this snowy adventure!

“…a heart warming tale, wrapping the deep meaning of Christmas in amongst

a clever little mystery…” Parmenion Book Reviews

Includes a foreword by Phil Rose, the legendary Friar Tuck from TV’s Robin of Sherwood.

Review

What a perfectly wonderful Christmas tale. I was very lucky to have the chance to read an advance copy and i can say for certain when this book is released you are in for a treat!

This tale focuses on one of my favourite characters Friar Tuck and some devilish events that have been occurring. As you can imaging the good Friar isn’t go to sit back and let things happen.

I never like to spoil a story by saying too much in my reviews but if you’ve read Steven’s previous books you won’t be disappointed. McKay manages give us a Christmas tale with his own style of writing infused within it so there’s a perfect mix of violence and kindness to warm the heart.

I highly recommend reading this during the festive period as it would fit in perfectly. My advice is grab a bottle of wine or a few beers and sit by the fire and read this from start to finish.

Personally it was good to see Steven writing about the Friar again and i hope we see a few more short tales coming from the author soon. So far both Novella’s McKay has wrote have been great and he’s managed to fit so much into so few pages that you are left wanting more but fulfilled at the same time.

Most certainly i will be reading this again on Christmas Eve once the kids are in bed, it’s a lovely story to get you in the mood for festive period

To pre-order head to Amazon

From Afar by Frank Scozzari – Review

The Corpse Role by Keith Nixon – Review

3 Replies

Title – The Corpse Role
Author – Keith Nixon
Genre – Crime Fiction
Length – 182 Pages
Publication – April 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Not everything that gets buried stays buried… sometimes things have a nasty habit of resurfacing…

When the body of a security van driver implicated in an unsolved £1.2 million heist turns up in a shallow grave two years later it’s just the beginning for Detective Inspector Charlotte Granger.

She embarks on an investigation that takes her into dangerous territory – a world of dirty cops, dodgy private investigators, local villains and nosy journalists. Meanwhile events from Granger’s own past are threatening to come back and haunt her…

Review

Ok I’ve read a couple of Keith’s books before, both works of historical fiction so I wondered how well his writing would adapt to the crime fiction genre. As it turns out Keith has an overall talent for writing regardless of the genre.

The Corpse Role is a crime mystery/thriller focused around DI Charlotte Granger who is investigating a murder that has links to the police. As more bodies turn up the pressure is on Granger to solve this mystery and fast!

One of the best bits about this book is how Keith has written it, you go seamlessly from the present to the past and vice versa. It makes an interesting read and gives you a nice backstory that you don’t fully understand until you finish the story.

As I got near the end of the book I felt I had everything worked out and I understood the motives of all the characters in the tale.. then BAM! Keith saves the best till last!

Credit where credits due..i did not see the outcome of the story at all and it was a perfect ending to a super story.

If you’re a fan of the genre this is a must read!

Please keep an eye on my blog as I plan to do an author spotlight post on Keith in the near future. His works have not only entertained me but engaged my mind to a point where I felt fully absorbed in the tale.. sometimes I look forward to reaching to end of a story.. This can’t be said of Keith’s tales..

I know Keith has a number of other novels under his belt and I plan to add a few more to my pile in the coming months

To find out more about The Corpse Role head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

1066: What Fates Impose by G.K. Holloway – Review

The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky – Review

4 Replies

Title – The Bowes Inheritance
Author – Pam Lecky
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 318 Pages (Paperback)
Publication – July 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Historical Romance with a Dash of Rebellion

Dublin 1882: When determined but impoverished Louisa Campbell inherits a large estate in the north of England, from an uncle she didn’t even know existed, it appears to be the answer to her prayers. Her younger sister, Eleanor, is gravely ill, and believing that the country air will benefit her, they decide to take up residence at Bowes Farm, situated on the Cumberland coast.

However, they soon realise that all they have inherited is trouble. Their uncle had managed to alienate almost everyone in the area and worst of all, was suspected of being a Fenian activist. His reputation leaves Louisa and Eleanor battling to gain acceptance in polite society, especially with Nicholas Maxwell, their handsome neighbour and local magistrate. His father was cheated out of the farm during a card game fifteen years before and he is determined to get the property back.

Louisa unearths secrets from their family’s past that threaten their future while the spectre of their mysterious benefactor overshadows everything. When a Fenian bombing campaign comes close to home, Louisa finds herself a chief suspect and must fight to clear her name. She must dig deep to find the courage to solve the mysteries that Bowes Farm holds before their lives are destroyed. And most importantly of all, will she be able to finally trust and love the man who is surely her sworn enemy?

Review

This book tales the tale of Louisa Campbell who suddenly inherits an estate from her uncle who has recently died. Louisa decides to leave Dublin to set up at Bowes after falling in love with it when she visits.

Along the way she meets a love interest, Nicholas Maxwell. There’s no love lost at the beginning of the novel due to the way in which Louisa’s uncle came to own Bowes.

Pam has written a very intriguing & thrilling story with a bit of romance which kept me hooked right from the prologue.

I won’t spoil the story for anyone but there is love, deceit, tragedy & mystery thrown into this tale.

The characters developed well and the story just felt a perfect fit. Nothing in this book felt forced, the tale had a natural progression which made it one of the most interesting books I’ve had the pleasure to read.

I was worried that the story might have contained more romance that I usually like but this book had the prefect mix. I honestly can’t fault Pam’s storytelling and this being her debut novel I was also highly impressed it how well she engaged me with her writing.

If you enjoy historical fiction or historical romance this book would be perfect for you. The best thing about this tale in all honesty is how easily Pam has managed to write a mystery/thriller with a historical romance theme mixed in.. so much so that I can’t help but feel anyone would enjoy this book.. for me it’s a must read and i’ll definitely be looking out for Pam’s next book!

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

David's Book Blurg

Book reviews from a guy up north (UK)

Category Archives: Book Reviews

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

The Sun Shard by Rob Bayliss – Review

The Malykant Mysteries Compendium: Books 1 – 4 by Charlotte E. English – Review

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

Zeus of Ithome by T.E.Taylor – Review

Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil by Steven A. McKay – Review

From Afar by Frank Scozzari – Review

The Corpse Role by Keith Nixon – Review

1066: What Fates Impose by G.K. Holloway – Review

The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky – Review