tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46098406384134653072024-03-04T00:28:06.263-08:00Bernicia ChroniclesMatthew Harffy blogs about his Dark Ages historical novelsMatthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-23777063398080873442023-09-23T12:13:00.004-07:002023-09-23T12:13:31.258-07:00Unboxing of A Day of Reckoning<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/nimDrzeOVaI?si=c9AWVIFCHN9Zikv5" frameborder="0"></iframe>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-87514750164082095902023-04-17T07:51:00.008-07:002023-04-18T01:25:40.112-07:00REVIEW: RökFlöte by Jethro Tull<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0y_9-lvgA1ybPge6ZiVl_YuLDXkL35wvylu2HOI3LwFI5DjGP1627Vw5AMDbnWPF5DRsOPUuAIKykW44lfCP4KHif9nhoiJsK8fHFQatZccfhxF8dkDO2YupWfGdEFufdf-NG01ObvvrPiG34RkJNyed-ye2kn-5sQJ8wnXe9fEN6_rnjo_87ydR1A/s1600/Album%20Artwork.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0y_9-lvgA1ybPge6ZiVl_YuLDXkL35wvylu2HOI3LwFI5DjGP1627Vw5AMDbnWPF5DRsOPUuAIKykW44lfCP4KHif9nhoiJsK8fHFQatZccfhxF8dkDO2YupWfGdEFufdf-NG01ObvvrPiG34RkJNyed-ye2kn-5sQJ8wnXe9fEN6_rnjo_87ydR1A/s320/Album%20Artwork.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Release Date: April 21st, 2023</p>Formats available: Ltd. Deluxe 2LP+2CD+Blu-ray Artbook / Ltd. Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook / Special Edition CD Digipak / Gatefold LP & LP-booklet / Digital Album<p></p><p>All songs written and composed by Ian Anderson</p><h2 style="text-align: center;">REVIEW</h2><div><div>There are different types of fans. Those who like a band and have a few albums, perhaps a greatest hits CD, and then there are those who devour everything released by a band, bootlegs, outtakes, demos and all. When it comes to Jethro Tull, I am definitely the former. I consider Thick As A Brick and Aqualung to be two of my favourite records, but I do not own all of the band's albums. I have listened to lots of them, but not all, and I have never seen the band live, though I would love to.</div><div><br /></div><div>But that said, I know enough about the band and the flautist frontman to be overjoyed when I got a chance to get an early copy of their 23rd studio album, RökFlöte, and an invite to interview Ian Anderson for the <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rockpaperswords" target="_blank">Rock, Paper, Swords podcast</a> I co-cost with Steven A. McKay (who is, incidentally one of the aforementioned mega fans who possibly knows more about Tull than Ian Anderson himself!). As we both write about the early medieval and Viking Age, and love rock music in general and Jethro Tull more specifically, life couldn't really be better!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stevenamckay.com/2023/04/17/jethro-tull-rokflote-album-review-vikings/" target="_blank">Read Steven's review of the album.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>I've also recorded a review with Steven of RökFlöte on <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rockpaperswords/episodes/VIKINGS--Jethro-Tull---RkFlte-album-review-e22hs0n/a-a9mdq31" target="_blank">Rock, Paper, Swords</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>LISTEN <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rockpaperswords/episodes/VIKINGS--Jethro-Tull---RkFlte-album-review-e22hs0n/a-a9mdq31" target="_blank">HERE</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rockpaperswords/episodes/VIKINGS--Jethro-Tull---RkFlte-album-review-e22hs0n/a-a9mdq31" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa2GTuOGNZ-8FDAw7aC402U2lA0yAlGD8o6NGC22AwYxoBZfjy7OYg7xyaZp8mXWVMVu9VWlILdkl3hDuCPsxUpMuQRbK0AmKl-kp02c-dcyHsm1qerkw3It2uCsDIOJvpt8B7uxyrpffV_6NKGIpd_-Kf6vIlek5zecgSi-2NqKdznOKgrHQgb_iZg/s320/RPS_ReviewJethroTullRokFlotePoster.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>And make sure you SUBSCRIBE to the podcast so you don't miss the interview with Ian Anderson we have scheduled for a couple of weeks' time!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rockpaperswords" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGDxS8GYR5Iv03HE7YFB552reefZsHPDZukOG1fs2H8tkpjNLfFtHkVxYPTkPyz5zNQFemkhYLg0R_Z_eDQMnsYjoNRd9ju6JkY5OONP4pcEBWl5UWoEPIXT3xCf8ScYObsBI8mqsx_j3lPbUzr_Z53JgaiPp98RxMNYWtu2iZRz_hugdRs0Yl-I3hVw" width="240" /></a></div><br />When I received the link to the tracks, I started to listen with muted expectation. I hadn't listened to much recent Tull and I had heard that Anderson's voice had deteriorated since the band's heyday. But as each track ran into the next with fluid conceptual and sonic harmonies, I realised I was in safe hands.</div><div><br /></div><div>RökFlöte is a concept album. Inspired by Anderson's surname with its Scandinavian roots and his interest in religion and esotericism, in this case the Norse mythos and its gods.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmOumMWxVAE0uqzjJg0owFP68rGGvl50BUXESwYbIA1DJYyTocXPWvh7XfLPwrdVXsX_OhE49_SJQEc9btPD5_FoUbGTjiIInFmsXi-WmVlpuESjpA1xRmfbMesI6LbXnJpi-Y7KNEbhsXwsUSnMkCXqlzWf2sx_Tp2oocy4KZR-Ag55D745yy0GYjg/s4716/Promo%20Pic%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="4716" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmOumMWxVAE0uqzjJg0owFP68rGGvl50BUXESwYbIA1DJYyTocXPWvh7XfLPwrdVXsX_OhE49_SJQEc9btPD5_FoUbGTjiIInFmsXi-WmVlpuESjpA1xRmfbMesI6LbXnJpi-Y7KNEbhsXwsUSnMkCXqlzWf2sx_Tp2oocy4KZR-Ag55D745yy0GYjg/s320/Promo%20Pic%207.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>The 12 songs are based on the characters and roles of some principle gods of the old Norse paganism.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anderson explains: "Each set of lyrics was written in the form of a lyric poem with the first 6 stanzas of either Trochaic Octameter or, arguably, 12 stanzas of Iambic Tetrameter to describe the settings, identities and personalities of the different gods. The final four stanzas of each song except the first and last tracks, are a different personalised interpretation of those subjects in a more contemporary setting."</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it! If it sounds a bit pretentious and over the top, Anderson doesn't care. He just wants to get on with making interesting and thought-provoking music. And I have to say, here he succeeds.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The themes of the songs might be uncomfortable to some more fundamentalist relgious listeners, with their strong links to paganism, but as Anderson says: "I am not here to promote the old Norse religion or, indeed, any religion. My own preference is for the ultimate esotericism of Panentheism. I see no need for imaginary man-made visual representations of God. No need for symbols, idols, icons, relics and the ritual of prayer to an interventionist god. Problem is, it might make for rather a dull rock music album...."</div><div><br /></div><div>The album was originally conceived as an instrumental focusing on Anderson's famous brand of "rock flute" and despite evolving into a more classic style prog rock album with lyrics, the flute is front and foremost throughout, without ever overstaying its welcome.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>The album opens with <b>Voluspo</b>, in which we hear deep breathing (perhaps a supreme being breathing life into the world) and spoken word from the Icelandic actress, singer and musician, Unnur Birna, who reads from the Icelandic Poetic Edda. Here the melodic flute and guitar solos contrast well with the flat, spoken words.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next up is <b>Ginnungagap</b>, which features chugging guitar, more flute, and then a bass-heavy build up. The flighty flute soars with catchy flourishing and motifs. Anderson's voice sits well in the mix. Here he sings with melody, but with some restraint.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KoBAD-TRxYA" width="320" youtube-src-id="KoBAD-TRxYA"></iframe></div><br /><div><b>Allfather </b>is an upbeat affair with almost floral opening bars. This is followed by what seems to be a chanting refrain, a call to the Allfather (Odin, though, surprisingly, he is not mentioned by that name here). The half-spoken lyrics are accentuated by the drumming.</div><div><br /></div><div>The same musical motifs and tune as Allfather start the next song, <b>The Feathered Consort</b>, that moves into a softer sung vocal melody. Time signature changes keep you listening, but this is one of the weaker tracks on the album for me.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dGlrdarIlqyd4IN1um8i4FajR5Fa0JSDqxgvgW1ysxSX4vc3wnRQp0Qs_kzkw_abfrjjMGBT71381rlerJPZyDosALeUQdVdab2OHbyFF53MzpTkn9AO8t7Tf6vUzpmwmh1MMkor9ulVdqOILYHb74W3qG0aO7-OKzs3bpbfdanHd5Whp1hdF2QcEw/s4358/Promo%20Pic%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="4358" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dGlrdarIlqyd4IN1um8i4FajR5Fa0JSDqxgvgW1ysxSX4vc3wnRQp0Qs_kzkw_abfrjjMGBT71381rlerJPZyDosALeUQdVdab2OHbyFF53MzpTkn9AO8t7Tf6vUzpmwmh1MMkor9ulVdqOILYHb74W3qG0aO7-OKzs3bpbfdanHd5Whp1hdF2QcEw/s320/Promo%20Pic%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Hammer On Hammer</b> was released as a single and with reason. It is a strong track and my favourite on the album. After a quick flute intro, Anderson delivers the great opening lines: "Was there a time when I was Jupiter, Ringed like Saturn, with sacred belt? Anvil sweating under blows, Hammer on hammer, cold steel to smelt."</div><div><br /></div><div>The vocal melody is interspersed with guitar, keyboard, and flute responses. The video is interesting too and showcases both the Norse myth aspect, as well as Anderson's modern references to Armageddon and Valdimir Putin. If Anderson's falsetto is a bit forced, the rest of the singing is strong, dropping into speech for emphasis (e.g. “At Ragnarok...”). Joe Parrish-James' guitar work is outstanding here too, with a wonderful double-tracked, harmonised guitar solo. Like a couple of songs on the album, this one does end rather abruptly!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OfTwLaaXwqo" width="320" youtube-src-id="OfTwLaaXwqo"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Wolf Unchained</b> starts with a plaintive howl, then moves quickly into a great rock song. Power chords, dancing flute, light keyboards, and driving drum beat, all push the song along. Well-sung vocals (at times awash with reverb) sit well atop David Goodier's toe-tapping bass line and Scott Hammond's drums. The flute solo soars briefly, then intertwines with the guitar. I particularly liked the alusion to modern dogs, “dreaming of a wilder past” wanting to disembowel the postman’s corpse!</div><div><br /></div><div>As the strains of the wolf's howl fade away, we hear the slower, more melodic acoustic guitar and flute of the intro to <b>The Perfect One</b>, before the distorted guitars and drums kick in. This track has fewer dynamics than the other songs, and is quite forgettable… I would probably rate this as the weakest song on the album.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily, the next number is <b>Trickster (And The Mistletoe)</b>. This gets off to a flying start with staccato flute riffing off drums and guitar. This up tempo sing feels very “folky”, and I think I detected echoes of Songs from the Wood. The syncopated rhythms and classic-sounding folk melody could be part of a medieval song. It builds into a great guitar and flute battle.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next up is <b>Cornucopia</b> with its pastoral flute and acoustic guitar. The lyrical melodies speak of fruit and flowers. This is the perfect composition for the song title and it is easy to imagine trees heavy with juicy fruit on a summer evening.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Navigators</b> tackles the seafaring Norse and modern sailors. Thrusting guitar and bass lines mirror the flute. The vocals are punchy and tuneful. The guitar, bass and flute lines blend well as trilling keyboard accents fly up and down like surf on the wind.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HUTtSU_6y1c" width="320" youtube-src-id="HUTtSU_6y1c"></iframe></div><br /><div><b>Guardian's Watch</b> begins like a song from another time, the 17th century perhaps. Flute and what sounds like a harpsichord. This quickly gives way to guitars, bass and drums with keyboard stabs converting effortlessly into a solid heavy rocker.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last song is <b>Ithavoll</b>, in which we return to Unnur Birna speaking words of the Icelandic sagas.</div><div>The flute almost sounds like a bird call at the beginning. Stabs of guitar and bass take over, then the keyboards and drums come in, before overdriven guitar picks up the mournful refrain. Some of the complex keyboard here reminded me of early Marillion. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the end Anderson delivers breathless vocals that feel slightly forced and strained, the fact they don't rhyme or really seem to fit with the music doesn't help and somehow makes them less potent too. This leads to a slightly flat ending to what is a powerful record for the most part. We end as we began, with deep breaths… of creation? Or exertion from all that flute playing? Who knows?</div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion:</h3><div>I really enjoyed this album. The flute is very prominent in all songs (which, is apt for the title), but it is never too much. There are moments reminiscent of classic Tull, while still sounding modern. In many places the guitar, flute and bass mirror each other, but there are many intricate flute and guitar interwoven solos. The whole album has a cohesive sound and feels part of a single entity. RökFlöte is a strong, assured concept album that will satisfy Tull fans. </div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Band members:</h4><p>Ian Anderson - Flute, vocals </p><p>David Goodier - Bass guitar</p><p>John O’Hara - Piano, Keyboards and Accordion</p><p>Scott Hammond - Drums</p><p>Joe Parrish-James - Guitars, mandolin</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">RökFlöte Tracklist:</h4><p>1. Voluspo - 00:03:42</p><p>2. Ginnungagap - 00:03:48</p><p>3. Allfather - 00:02:44</p><p>4. The Feathered Consort - 00:03:37</p><p>5. Hammer On Hammer - 00:03:09</p><p>6. Wolf Unchained - 00:04:58</p><p>7. The Perfect One - 00:03:49</p><p>8. Trickster (And The Mistletoe) - 00:03:00</p><p>9. Cornucopia - 00:03:51</p><p>10. The Navigators - 00:04:26</p><p>11. Guardian's Watch - 00:03:28</p><p>12. Ithavoll - 00:03:53</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">JETHRO TULL ONLINE:</h4><p><a href="http://jethrotull.com/">http://jethrotull.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/officialjethrotull/">https://www.facebook.com/officialjethrotull/</a></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/jethrotull">https://twitter.com/jethrotull</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/tullmanagement">https://www.youtube.com/user/tullmanagement</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jethrotull_/">https://www.instagram.com/jethrotull_/</a></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-82004257393414337072023-02-14T02:59:00.002-08:002023-02-14T02:59:22.368-08:00REVIEW: Usurper (The Wulfbury Chronicles Book 1) by P. W. Finch<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/107938419-usurper" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Usurper: an epic medieval adventure (The Wulfbury Chronicles Book 1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675952216l/107938419._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/107938419-usurper">Usurper: an epic medieval adventure</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/27796050.P_W_Finch">P. W. Finch</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5345521825">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Usurper is an action-packed, coming-of-age, adventure set against the upheaval and battles of 1066. Finch gives us Cerdic, a troubled hero thrown into the maelstrom of events outside of his control, and we follow him breathlessly as he deals with brutal Vikings, familial rivalries, unrequited love, invading Normans and more!
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-55250809075703142792022-07-16T05:24:00.000-07:002022-07-16T05:24:02.339-07:00Rock, Paper, Swords! The Historical Action and Adventure PodcastMatthew co-hosts <a href="https://anchor.fm/rockpaperswords">Rock, Paper, Swords! The historical action and adventure podcast</a> with fellow bestselling author, <a href="https://stevenamckay.com/">Steven A. McKay</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Have a listen, and if you like it, please subscribe to the podcast on whatever app you use to listen (Spotify, Google, Amazon, Stitcher, etc.)<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="102px" scrolling="no" src="https://anchor.fm/rockpaperswords/embed/episodes/Episode-2---Historical-weapons-and----food-e1k5jco" width="400px"></iframe></p></div>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-49573875426973673332022-07-16T05:18:00.000-07:002022-07-16T05:18:01.630-07:00REVIEW: JASON (Blades of Bronze #2) by Mark Knowles<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61197912-jason" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Jason (Blades of Bronze #2)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1653957729l/61197912._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61197912-jason">Jason</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17286934.Mark_Knowles">Mark Knowles</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4851037529">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A richly detailed and bold reimagining of one of the greatest heroic myths ever told. Mark Knowles's depth of knowledge and passion for the ancient Greek world shine through on every page. With powerful prose and gripping action, the Blades of Bronze series glitters like the Golden Fleece itself.
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-46957423800180272882022-06-21T02:32:00.003-07:002022-06-21T02:32:29.941-07:00REVIEW: Oath Bound (The Wolf of Kings series) by Richard Cullen<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58450099-oath-bound" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Oath Bound: A gripping historical adventure set in 1066" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624924430l/58450099._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58450099-oath-bound">Oath Bound: A gripping historical adventure set in 1066</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21624447.Richard_Cullen">Richard Cullen</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4797062998">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Richard Cullen's writing is as sharp as the blade wielded by Styrkar, the series' protagonist, who cuts a bloody swathe through his Norman enemies on his quest for vengeance. The books are fast-paced and packed with breathless action. Styrkar is a great heroic creation, and the Wolf of Kings series places Cullen in the top tier of historical action and adventure authors.
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-79461177939501278592022-06-21T02:30:00.001-07:002022-06-21T02:30:06.739-07:00REVIEW: The Guild of Salt and The King's Messenger by Robin Isard<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61285373-the-guild-of-salt-and-the-the-king-s-messenger" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Guild of Salt and the The King’s Messenger (Guild of Salt, #1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1655165271l/61285373._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61285373-the-guild-of-salt-and-the-the-king-s-messenger">The Guild of Salt and the The King’s Messenger</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22480709.Robin_Isard">Robin Isard</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4797066387">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Robin Isard plunges us into a 12th century England riven with revolt and strife, where neighbours are suspected traitors and nobody can be trusted. With empathy and verve, Isard tells the tale of unlikely companions thrown together in a dangerous time of mistrust and violence. The Guild of Salt and the King's Messenger is a rollicking tale of high adventure, self-discovery, survival against the odds, and the forging of lifelong friendships.
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-36207838160138140102022-04-30T10:16:00.000-07:002022-04-30T10:16:00.765-07:00REVIEW: The Bloodless Boy by Robert J. Lloyd<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57071863-the-bloodless-boy" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Bloodless Boy (Harry Hunt Adventures #1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629118162l/57071863._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57071863-the-bloodless-boy">The Bloodless Boy</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7834646.Robert_J_Lloyd">Robert J. Lloyd</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4698115161">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Set against the backdrop of a convincing portrayal of a wintry Restoration London, young Harry Hunt throws himself body and mind into solving the gruesome murders of young boys, which might be linked to a plot against the king himself. Lloyd's lyrical prose and believable dialogue drags the reader into the grimy streets of seventeenth century London, where danger lurks in every alleyway. A fantastic crime caper.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/15334055-matthew-harffy">View all my reviews</a>
Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-35526163235578421042022-04-11T03:54:00.005-07:002022-04-11T03:54:47.960-07:00Typical early medieval terrain<p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A walk with Blue uncovers an area of marshland near a river that would be just the sort of terrain all over Britain in the early medieval period (aka Dark Ages).</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T2ev2gP6d-A" width="320" youtube-src-id="T2ev2gP6d-A"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-90504108159450137232022-04-05T03:13:00.006-07:002022-04-05T03:13:57.414-07:00Is The Power of the Dog a Western?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LM_H4H2mgiU" width="320" youtube-src-id="LM_H4H2mgiU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-18313684044687040232022-03-16T08:30:00.003-07:002022-03-16T08:30:48.039-07:00Interview with Suffolk Libraries<p>On 11th March 2022, I chatted with Lisa Brennan, a librarian from Suffolk Libraries, about my writing and my books. Watch the full interview here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1fQtKFyDRDU" width="320" youtube-src-id="1fQtKFyDRDU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-38680512075478617882022-03-14T04:07:00.000-07:002022-03-14T04:07:39.672-07:00INTERVIEW: Peter Gibbons, author of the Viking Blood and Blade Saga <p><b>In the last year I've seen a new writer surge onto the action and adventure historical fiction scene, like a dragon-prowed longship cresting a wave on the Whale Road! Peter Gibbons published his first novel, <i>Viking Blood and Blade</i> in September 2021 and now, only six months later, he has just published the third in the series, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09RX2CBQC" target="_blank">Axes for Valhalla</a></i>.</b></p><p><b>So, who is this new kid on the block (or Viking in the wic)? To find out, I invited him onto the blog to answer my questions.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPzNeJrFEaM4TRkcLfxN2hnJ80skj-4Ofle73lIOOFBJEZM5rscgyA8iJMAEBNmEDu-EbfMlPC-sGV_7yxG9B5hYN-N6eXIue4YJGdBrChC64ZBVA91x5YAhchVTVDvp7SBbiddAnsJjxcNBoGbEminJfD0Pll_A6urBN0jaSyv0iccdC1_0WyszEGgw=s675" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPzNeJrFEaM4TRkcLfxN2hnJ80skj-4Ofle73lIOOFBJEZM5rscgyA8iJMAEBNmEDu-EbfMlPC-sGV_7yxG9B5hYN-N6eXIue4YJGdBrChC64ZBVA91x5YAhchVTVDvp7SBbiddAnsJjxcNBoGbEminJfD0Pll_A6urBN0jaSyv0iccdC1_0WyszEGgw=s320" width="213" /></a></div><p><b>First tell us about your latest novel, <i>Axes for Valhalla</i>.</b></p><p><i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09RX2CBQC" target="_blank">Axes for Valhalla</a></i> is the third book in the <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LYL5BDD?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn" target="_blank">Viking Blood and Blade Saga</a></i>. It's much more brutal than the first two books in the series, in that Hundr and his crew are faced by a merciless and implacable enemy. The scale of the book is also greater than the first two instalments, it’s set across Frankia and Ireland and is set seven years after <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09LYKCNQ4" target="_blank">The Wrath of Ivar</a></i>, which was the second book in the series. A haunting voice from his past comes to Hundr seeking help, in what becomes his most dangerous adventure yet. A big part of the book is also set in Viking Age Dublin, which is very personal to me, having lived in Ireland for many years now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgq-nzfkZ-wt52swX012gsVG7m6EFVeKa1ZOIuGJKNxpebZ6vJ9xqdWtucVVSNUO4-u_fNCrS99CtdxI462bsELqNIldNce00Zgmwz_jQWIveObwnnPzr1eoDZ3giwF3Kz-64F906uQHPgQmWA3Lt4-vSQkbW1WMdRq64V_8FVv3clVC4B46rvqNdQ-Ag=s4500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4500" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgq-nzfkZ-wt52swX012gsVG7m6EFVeKa1ZOIuGJKNxpebZ6vJ9xqdWtucVVSNUO4-u_fNCrS99CtdxI462bsELqNIldNce00Zgmwz_jQWIveObwnnPzr1eoDZ3giwF3Kz-64F906uQHPgQmWA3Lt4-vSQkbW1WMdRq64V_8FVv3clVC4B46rvqNdQ-Ag=s320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><b>How many books have you got planned for the <i>Viking Blood and Blade Saga</i> (great title, by the way!)?</b></p><p>I don't really have a firm number of books planned for the series, I'll see where the story takes Hundr and his crew. So far, they have survived the Great Heathen Army’s invasion of Saxon Britain, and met iconic Viking figures like Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Ironside, and Haesten. That particular period of the Viking age was filled with war, as the Norse made their mark not only in Britain, but east in what is now Russia, and south past Spain as far as Constantinople. So there are lots of adventures for the characters to seek out yet, but they are dropping like flies at the moment, so hopefully they survive to experience the rest of that exciting world…</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDmWhM16btklacTkYJuHY4kov6xS5N5Q9j6PaRoX6X1TBeWjOrylNOywalCjsQvn-aM27PIydFRd8Pz5PIZftIJFhRJ_X5jwhyX3EMOsi-6yUB4ZIdoCrhQn9IA8-Cq3TDL60ctfz63mVL83BT_I3WgtnCMbr6Y4j6mDa3gy2cWN1bEWZGKU8FnmwB4A=s4500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4500" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDmWhM16btklacTkYJuHY4kov6xS5N5Q9j6PaRoX6X1TBeWjOrylNOywalCjsQvn-aM27PIydFRd8Pz5PIZftIJFhRJ_X5jwhyX3EMOsi-6yUB4ZIdoCrhQn9IA8-Cq3TDL60ctfz63mVL83BT_I3WgtnCMbr6Y4j6mDa3gy2cWN1bEWZGKU8FnmwB4A=s320" width="213" /></a></div><p><b>Where did you get the inspiration for the series?</b></p><p>I have always been inspired by the Viking Age, from being a kid watching the Vikings movie with Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis (although it’s not very historically accurate!), to reading Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Series. Also, I have lived in Dublin and Kildare in Ireland for the last 15 years, and Viking Age Dublin is still very tangible in the city. I travelled to Copenhagen to see the Viking Museum there, and the Viking Ship Museum just outside the city is amazing. The largest Viking Age warship in the museum was actually built in Glendalough in Ireland. That visit was really the catalyst to write the books, the history there is almost palpable.</p><p><b>Have you always wanted to write?</b></p><p>Yes, always. I am a ferocious reader of Historical Fiction, Fantasy, and Historical non-fiction books. Since I was a kid I have made up stories, but never had the courage to finish them off and show them to the world. It’s a strange thing to bring your passion to the notice of others, and have them read it. There is an element of fear and vulnerability in that process, but also exhilaration and validation to see that people enjoy what you have crafted.</p><p><b>What has been the biggest surprise for you since starting to write?</b></p><p>When I published <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09BMGYLBY" target="_blank">Viking Blood and Blade</a></i>, it was the fulfilment of an ambition to write, so to see that people actually liked the books was amazing, and humbling. But the biggest surprise is the engagement I have seen, particularly with readers. The reviews people leave are great, but it's amazing when someone has read and enjoyed one of the books, and takes the time to send an email or a social media message. It really makes all the hard work worthwhile, and is a great motivator.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUKB6CxSsmuz12AlbKQu1JWK8rkrtQecAia0r0CLjIyu2-IgYRj6DUIUs7y3x2hLmk11o8tvcR5E5UNkvFzq3iCDNPAINBomEKxk2wE1d_tLnF49Z_NQxiUehxTMa3SlukHAX9DEDJKceNQAcbwJQ_iOD4EQTrMAvMcS-r4cfxFrqri4WBm9I02UB-OQ=s4500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4500" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUKB6CxSsmuz12AlbKQu1JWK8rkrtQecAia0r0CLjIyu2-IgYRj6DUIUs7y3x2hLmk11o8tvcR5E5UNkvFzq3iCDNPAINBomEKxk2wE1d_tLnF49Z_NQxiUehxTMa3SlukHAX9DEDJKceNQAcbwJQ_iOD4EQTrMAvMcS-r4cfxFrqri4WBm9I02UB-OQ=s320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><b>One of the most popular pieces of writing advice is “write what you know” – what do you think about that?</b></p><p>I think that's OK in terms of how characters interact and human nature, which we all experience every day. But, what I love to read are books that take me into a different world, whether it's the Viking Age, the Roman Age, Ancient Sparta, or Middle Earth. So, my real enjoyment in writing is in creating a world and exploring it. I don't think anyone alive today knows the fear and brutality of the shield wall, or how it feels to trade blows with a heavily armed enemy who is a foot away from you swinging an axe at your head! Where “write what you know” applies I think, is in the human stories, or the relationships which take place in our fictional worlds.</p><p><b>Your output is impressive (three novels in six months!). What is your writing process?</b></p><p>I write very early every morning, and stick to a word count target. I also plan my novels and try to be as efficient with my time as possible. I spend a lot of time planning the story before I actually begin to write it, which then makes the process quite smooth.</p><p><b>What writer or book has had the biggest influence on your work?</b></p><p>It's hard to pin down one writer or book. As a kid I loved Tolkien, and would read <i>Lord of the Rings</i> once a year for many years. Obviously Bernard Cornwell is the pinnacle of adventure Historical Fiction, and I love the Sharpe series, and the Uhtred books. I do remember being blown away as a teenager reading Arrian’s <i>The Campaigns of Alexander</i>, the detail and descriptions made me feel as though I was actually in those battles and on that campaign.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9i0ZXtkG4XGxrOY79Y5KUpzwqNFscXsGSK-U3X5JyzfrQnjRT0XOFJV0wYX85uAQ8MyztOzO3RB1qNdXmp_cBXliq_8tQNm-K3osEXu7J5rsCJIMkG2dJxRqe5uiAemF8XdCWwhVB-Bl2mfSYfiZHjhXg3H4FtFmrEJ2DieKd9JOGthmX5HcveU3VQg=s4000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9i0ZXtkG4XGxrOY79Y5KUpzwqNFscXsGSK-U3X5JyzfrQnjRT0XOFJV0wYX85uAQ8MyztOzO3RB1qNdXmp_cBXliq_8tQNm-K3osEXu7J5rsCJIMkG2dJxRqe5uiAemF8XdCWwhVB-Bl2mfSYfiZHjhXg3H4FtFmrEJ2DieKd9JOGthmX5HcveU3VQg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b>What advice have you got for aspiring writers?</b></p><p>Just do it. You will never know if you can write unless you try. Self publishing is such a gift for new writers. At worst, you can fulfil your ambition and publish a book that nobody reads, but at best you could find that people actually enjoy your work, and seeing your story unfold on the page before you is an amazing experience.</p><p><b>What is the best book you've read in the last twelve months?</b></p><p>Obviously anything by Matthew Harffy…<b>(Ha! Of course!)</b> but Steven Pressfield’s <i>A Man at Arms</i> was good, and Joe Abercrombie’s latest was a good end to that series. I’m reading the first <i>Mistborn</i> book by Brandon Sanderson at the moment, and the way he creates his fantasy worlds and magic systems is brilliant.</p><p><b>What is the most exciting experience you've had as a result of writing?</b></p><p>Actually just experiencing that people have read and enjoyed what I have written. As a new author, I had all the fears and doubts that everybody does, and to see people not only buying, but enjoying my work is a thrill.</p><p><b>What plans have you got for the future?</b></p><p>To keep writing, and bringing new characters and adventures to life!</p><p><b>And now for the quick-fire questions:</b></p><p><b>Tea or coffee?</b></p><p>Tea, two sugars, lots of milk. I drink too much tea, but it’s the answer to all life’s problems… </p><p><b>Burger or hot dog?</b></p><p>Burger. I have an issue, in that whenever I visit a well known fast food outlet, I cannot purchase a burger without also buying a cheeseburger to go with it.</p><p><b>Villain or hero?</b></p><p>Villain (not sure what that says about me as a person!)</p><p><b>Beer or wine?</b></p><p>Beer, or more specifically, lager.</p><p><b>Movie or TV series?</b></p><p>Movie</p><p><b>Happy ending or tragedy?</b></p><p>Tragedy</p><p><b>In the car, audio-book or music?</b></p><p>Audiobook</p><p><b>Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.</b></p><p>Thanks for inviting me to complete this interview Matthew, also thanks for your support. Hopefully we can bring new readers to each other into the future.</p><p><b>Connect with Peter:</b></p><p>Website: <a href="https://petermgibbons.com/">https://petermgibbons.com/</a></p><p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/petergibbonsauthor">https://www.facebook.com/petergibbonsauthor</a></p><p>Amazon page: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/~/e/B093WPM877">https://www.amazon.co.uk/~/e/B093WPM877</a> </p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-89270915909754178012022-02-20T08:44:00.001-08:002022-02-20T08:46:13.729-08:00INTERVIEW: Alistair Tosh, author of Edge of Empire: Siege<p><b>Today it is my great pleasure to welcome debut novelist, Alistair Tosh, onto the blog. His first novel is <i>Siege</i>, the first in the <i>Edge of Empire</i> series. It is a gripping action adventure story set in the tumultuous Roman Britain of the second century AD. I've been lucky enough to read it and I'm sure we will be seeing a lot more of Alistair in the future.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigWF-lSqivm1DXMwB6anEslZACy7T83OIggBti_hd2KswcnSlEbzymd9jtBu-Zz91Ws_IySWhq6aM1bCwhA0Dad4sNrj5U0pJAGxnPo4c8_mNKj9IqDAoLjl66WiAaGlbphnelvWho_aZ3aYWUD4aRWxm8Ag_qOc6AT2k8YuSMxKx11bcHKQzpP9QkfA=s1024" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigWF-lSqivm1DXMwB6anEslZACy7T83OIggBti_hd2KswcnSlEbzymd9jtBu-Zz91Ws_IySWhq6aM1bCwhA0Dad4sNrj5U0pJAGxnPo4c8_mNKj9IqDAoLjl66WiAaGlbphnelvWho_aZ3aYWUD4aRWxm8Ag_qOc6AT2k8YuSMxKx11bcHKQzpP9QkfA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <b><i>First tell us about your debut novel, Edge of Empire: Siege.</i></b><p></p><p>Siege is an historical adventure set in the wilds of second century northern Britannia. At its heart is the relationship that develops between two men. Lucius Faenius Felix, an inexperienced Roman Tribune, of the patrician class, given command of the First Nervana, an auxiliary cohort. The other is a grizzled, veteran cavalry Prefect and warrior of the Germanic Nervii tribe. Their story will take them through bloody, terror filled battles against the tribes of the north. Lucius’s ordeals will ultimately transform him from callow youth to a battle-hardened war leader with dreams of recovering his lost family lands. Cai, feeling his mortality as his time with the Nervana nears its ending, seeks the love of the beautiful and strong-willed Alyn, widow of his childhood friend. But, as the fearsome Novantae tribe and their allies sweep across the land once more, threatening the province, both men must stand their ground in a final desperate battle that will mean victory for the Nervana or its destruction.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9A7NpTrjbCbXVBtoiAp9pCZ3rogn3y4fKwxc88D8Ko9vqAVGbf_T7Y5rVn23OTXj_bCiDrtg75NCXuFNzGraj7mrOwITUVoIsw3-2Ymfspp8Gv1ghS1MeXXaIFsSSg0wOC_YhGF4dIi7bB8FILSd2A-gUFuKAsYAHTiomoTLeo9sEtQ-JaRyPQUxmGg=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9A7NpTrjbCbXVBtoiAp9pCZ3rogn3y4fKwxc88D8Ko9vqAVGbf_T7Y5rVn23OTXj_bCiDrtg75NCXuFNzGraj7mrOwITUVoIsw3-2Ymfspp8Gv1ghS1MeXXaIFsSSg0wOC_YhGF4dIi7bB8FILSd2A-gUFuKAsYAHTiomoTLeo9sEtQ-JaRyPQUxmGg=s320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><i><b>How many books have you got planned for the Edge of Empire series?</b></i></p><p>So far, there are three planned. The second is well underway and will be published later in 2022. However I have outlined sketches in my mind to take the story on beyond that. Possibly jumping to the next generation of characters who are currently children in the story. But I have also found to my surprise that characters often take on a life of their own and may drive the way events develop. It’s great fun.</p><p><i><b>Where did you get the inspiration for the series? </b></i></p><p>I’ve had bits of the story in my head for years. As a lad growing up in Dumfriesshire I regularly visited Burnswark Iron Age hillfort on my bike. I saw the remains of the two Roman siege forts and the grass-covered mounds of the ballista platforms, called the Three Brethren locally. I wondered what it must have been like for the defenders in what must surely have been a brutal, terror filled, siege. But it was my research into the likely events at Burnswark, and the political backdrop to it, that really highlighted where the story was. </p><p><b><i>What was the biggest surprise for you while writing Siege?</i></b></p><p>I originally envisioned that the battle for Burnswark, the Novantae’s sacred hill in the book, would be the climax to the story. But as I was writing events and characters took on a life of their own and I went in a different direction. Burnswark is now concluded in the book's first act. Weird eh? But, I feel the final battle is even more tense and bloody as a result.</p><p><i><b>One of the most popular pieces of writing advice is “write what you know” – what do you think about that?</b></i></p><p>I think I would rather say, write what you want to read. I enjoy reading a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction. But ultimately my true love is in the Roman and early middle ages historical fiction subgenres. I may, one day, write stories outside of these but it is where I am getting most enjoyment at the moment. Hopefully that shows in my writing.</p><p><b><i>What writer or book has had the biggest influence on your work?</i></b></p><p>That’s a difficult one. I think I have always been drawn to stories with some kind of journey or adventure at their heart. As a lad I didn’t read much other than comic books. But when I joined the Navy there were often long periods of boredom, particularly during night watches at sea. I remember clearly a mate giving me a dog eared copy of The Hobbit during one such watch. I read it cover to cover in no time. So Tolkien was definitely a formative influence. Looking at my own genre, probably someone like Anthony Riches has influenced me to a fair degree. He is the first writer I can remember able to articulate the language of the military and in particular the shorthand banter between comrades. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRYRV7vdjBSmG4bCqSls60KYlWyuenf7zy2iY7DVfXLEZBRQJEe3c5xIesLvIZeSof-GIcmnzZsJY89xsAvisd7xjE3Y3TcDz_v9QAP3hy1iHmOTVPxkYLGJL3Wi_aP-8vPRLtPPCfhnCjm0vRRU5WJG-lUWyAikwnchVgyyi_l8nD7zC7QMoyEZfbyA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1280" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRYRV7vdjBSmG4bCqSls60KYlWyuenf7zy2iY7DVfXLEZBRQJEe3c5xIesLvIZeSof-GIcmnzZsJY89xsAvisd7xjE3Y3TcDz_v9QAP3hy1iHmOTVPxkYLGJL3Wi_aP-8vPRLtPPCfhnCjm0vRRU5WJG-lUWyAikwnchVgyyi_l8nD7zC7QMoyEZfbyA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><i>This is your first book. Congratulations! I know how much work goes into getting published. What advice have you got for aspiring writers?</i></b></p><p>Invest in your writing. Do the creative writing courses. Attend writing conventions and speak with other writers. You may think you can write, and you probably can, but by the gods you can develop considerably as a writer in even a short period of time.</p><p><b><i>What is the best book you've read in the last twelve months?</i></b></p><p>I recently reread <i>Eagle of the Ninth</i> by Rosemary Sutcliff for the umpteenth time, it never gets old. I think the best new book I’ve read is <i>Better Off Dead</i> by Lee Child and Andrew Child, his latest Jack Reacher story. Sometimes you just want to see the baddies have their legs broken before they are brutally killed. </p><p><i><b>What is the most exciting experience you've had as a result of writing?</b></i></p><p>Seeing my new book cover for the first time. It’s a simple but dramatic image that really encapsulates the sense of tension that fills much of the story. I was really blown away by it. </p><p><b><i>How far are you into writing the sequel of Siege? What plans have you got after that?</i></b></p><p>I’m about a quarter of the way through the first draft of book 2. I hope to have it ready for my editor by early summer. I plan to take a short break after that as we are about to move house and we’ve got a couple of holidays booked in Spain and Portugal that will also enable me to do some final research for book 3. Is that a spoiler?</p><p><i><b>And now for the quick-fire questions:</b></i></p><p><i><b>Tea or coffee?</b></i></p><p>Coffee all day long</p><p><b><i>Burger or hot dog?</i></b></p><p>Burger</p><p><b><i>Villain or hero?</i></b></p><p>Hero. Of course.</p><p><b><i>Beer or wine?</i></b></p><p>Beer</p><p><b><i>Movie or TV series?</i></b></p><p>Movie</p><p><b><i>Happy ending or tragedy?</i></b></p><p>Tragedy</p><p><b><i>In the car, audio-book or music?</i></b></p><p>Music</p><p><b><i>Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Best of luck with the book and your future writing!</i></b></p><p>Thanks, Matthew, for inviting me onto your blog and giving me the chance to talk about my debut novel.</p><p><b><i>Connect with Alistair: </i></b></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alistair.tosh.10">https://www.facebook.com/alistair.tosh.10</a></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/alistair_tosh">https://twitter.com/alistair_tosh</a></p><p><i><b>Buy Siege:</b></i></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SLWHP8T">www.amazon.com/dp/B09SLWHP8T</a></p><p><a href="http://Amazon.co.uk/dp/B09SLWHP8T">http://Amazon.co.uk/dp/B09SLWHP8T</a></p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-33724577912004060872022-02-03T03:42:00.003-08:002022-02-03T03:42:32.825-08:00Interview with archaeologist and runner, Craig Huddart<p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Craig Huddart talks to me about my latest book, my writing and we discuss Craig's crazy charity running challenge - running 4225km in 2022 to raise funds for two amazing charities, the </span></p><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-xoduu5" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap; z-index: 0;"><span class="r-18u37iz" style="-webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: horizontal; flex-direction: row;"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1cvl2hr r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/NEAutismSociety" role="link" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1d9bf0; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: inherit;">@NEAutismSociety</a></span></div><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the </span><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-xoduu5" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap; z-index: 0;"><span class="r-18u37iz" style="-webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: horizontal; flex-direction: row;"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1cvl2hr r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/AlanShearerFndn" role="link" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1d9bf0; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: inherit;">@AlanShearerFndn</a></span></div><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><div><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; 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</span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1419; display: inline; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6CxUHPIY9_Q" width="320" youtube-src-id="6CxUHPIY9_Q"></iframe></div><br />
</span><div><br /></div></div>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-85712862022756320052022-01-13T02:31:00.005-08:002022-01-13T02:31:47.740-08:00REVIEW: COMMANDER by Paul Fraser Collard<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59469625-commander" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Commander (Jack Lark #10)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1635398462l/59469625._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59469625-commander">Commander</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7024929.Paul_Fraser_Collard">Paul Fraser Collard</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4472323027">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
In Commander, the tenth book in the Jack Lark series, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7024929.Paul_Fraser_Collard" title="Paul Fraser Collard" rel="nofollow noopener">Paul Fraser Collard</a>'s melancholy hero faces the challenge of the untamed wilderness of Egypt and the Sudan. As if the heat, vegetation-clogged rivers, savage wildlife and vicious hunters were not obstacles enough, Jack Lark must once again confront something that proves much more difficult to vanquish: the darkness that drives him. The title of the novel could just as easily refer to its author as to its protagonist, for Paul Fraser Collard commands the genre of historical action adventure with as much aplomb as Jack Lark commands his troops.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/15334055-matthew-harffy">View all my reviews</a>
Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-50167350863798605292021-11-25T04:28:00.004-08:002021-11-25T04:28:48.063-08:00Interview with Prue Batten on the release of her new novel, Reliquary<p><i><b>Over the years I have <a href="http://bernicia-chronicles.blogspot.com/2015/09/author-interview-prue-batten.html" target="_blank">interviewed Tasmanian author, Prue Batten</a>, she has written <a href="http://bernicia-chronicles.blogspot.com/2016/12/what-prue-batten-learnt-whilst-writing.html" target="_blank">guest blog posts</a> for me, and I have reviewed some of her novels, such as <a href="http://bernicia-chronicles.blogspot.com/2016/03/review-tobias-by-prue-batten.html" target="_blank">Tobias</a>. It is safe to say I am a fan, so it should be no surprise that when I heard that her latest medieval novel, <a href="https://getbook.at/Reliquary" target="_blank">Reliquary</a>, had been published, I jumped at the chance to invite her once again to my humble blog.</b></i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dElx9pkPTPKuHkDQO1osJnHSkA3NaJ3YstJ2-MMjrI-hftJBMm8Fe3ltTis_p1VT9i1QTXzQI41ltqe-hHLY9XO9AKYdqHOhO4NHOKobErdtC_PSQiS4SA_BONwg6gOn5U5GzwGrcKOC/s640/PrueBatten_ProfilePic-1-640x640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dElx9pkPTPKuHkDQO1osJnHSkA3NaJ3YstJ2-MMjrI-hftJBMm8Fe3ltTis_p1VT9i1QTXzQI41ltqe-hHLY9XO9AKYdqHOhO4NHOKobErdtC_PSQiS4SA_BONwg6gOn5U5GzwGrcKOC/s320/PrueBatten_ProfilePic-1-640x640.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><b>Welcome back, Prue. First thing's first, please tell us about your latest book, <a href="https://getbook.at/Reliquary" target="_blank">Reliquary</a>.</b></i><p></p><p>An elevator pitch perhaps? </p><p><i>1196 France</i></p><p><i>A small Benedictine convent</i></p><p><i>The world’s most desired and sanctified relic</i></p><p><i>The Knights Templar want it</i></p><p><i>A nun and a crusader have it</i></p><p><i>Lives lost</i></p><p><i>Faith tested</i></p><p><i>Revenge exacted</i></p><p><i><b>Where did you get the inspiration for the Peregrinus Trilogy?</b></i></p><p>My books are usually inspired in some way by a nugget from research for previous novels. In the Peregrinus Series, there is a pattern – people making pilgrimages, visiting relics, finding hope or redemption, some even finding damnation.</p><p>Relics were perceived as a ticket to Heaven for many in the Middle Ages and as I researched, it became inevitable that the merchant house of Gisborne ben Simon would trade in relics, a seriously cut-throat business. The Peregrinus (Latin for traveller or pilgrim) Series was born.</p><p><b><i>How does the trilogy fit in with your other books? Are they related or linked?</i></b></p><p>They are all linked by the 12th century trading house of Gisborne ben Simon which is featured in all of my backlist. Those who work for the house are an eclectic bunch of strong personalities with vivid backgrounds. Each story is a standalone, held in its place by the fact that the characters are all comrades-in-arms and this camaraderie is like a web, binding them to each other. There is very little that is light-hearted in the novels, because trade in the Middle Ages (and at any other time) was venal, and murder frequent. The old adage of First Come, First Served, could have been a 12th century mantra for a successful mercantile endeavour.</p><p>In the case of Reliquary, Christendom’s greatest relic is the centrepiece of the novel.</p><p>In Oak Gall and Gold, an illuminator monk is the ‘peregrinus’ and a lost manuscript the focus.</p><p>As for the unknown, untitled Book Three, who knows?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTX6RG5aRW-fIw-i36_eeY8fp7B5GasjlEZvLDOR29JctLcb2zm0AQhA60mdyccg_JuaFrRlsl6BWrhh5YCW_tuxXFUKEoU9JtH5RLwfMIHsuNUE3U2MhMj8tTTAsG1GmrcJwXCrnfwg9x/s2048/Reliquary+Instagram+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTX6RG5aRW-fIw-i36_eeY8fp7B5GasjlEZvLDOR29JctLcb2zm0AQhA60mdyccg_JuaFrRlsl6BWrhh5YCW_tuxXFUKEoU9JtH5RLwfMIHsuNUE3U2MhMj8tTTAsG1GmrcJwXCrnfwg9x/s320/Reliquary+Instagram+Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><i><b>What was the biggest surprise for you while writing Reliquary?</b></i></p><p>That a Bride of Christ might kill to save herself.</p><p><i><b>Like all of your books, Reliquary is set on the other side of the world to where you live. I have recently moved some of my novels out of Britain and taken the characters to mainland Europe. Due to COVID, it has been impossible to travel to those places, and I yearn to be able to visit the places I have written about. How do you research the locations so far from where you live?</b></i></p><p>As I have mentioned to you before, I would have to be a millionaire to travel repeatedly (9 books) from far-removed Tasmania to the settings for my stories. However, I have travelled through Europe and the UK and filled journals with sensory detail. </p><p>That travelling was prompted by my lecturer in medieval studies when I did my degree many years ago. He had a way of talking about the philosophical side of the Middle Ages that was electrifying for me.</p><p>In addition, I’ve been very fortunate over the years in England, Istanbul, France and now Germany, to have very qualified friends who are happy to research on my behalf, even a friend who ran a charter yacht service through the Med and Adriatic and so his watery observations of winds, tides and coastlines have been perfect.</p><p>But I also think we authors today are extremely lucky to have the web. There is NOTHING one can’t find via Google Maps, YouTube, forums and the many published research papers in various fields. </p><p>I have been fortunate with <i>Reliquary</i>. Whilst my much-respected friend and researcher in France passed away last year (he is responsible for finding the little convent of Esteil in <i>Reliquary </i>as well as massive input into a large proportion of my backlist. I miss our repartee and academic connection), I have videos, notes, stills and experiences filed away. </p><p>I would like to note that the reality of the settings of my novels has never been questioned and it’s humbling to receive many plaudits similar to the ones below: </p><p><i>‘writes in 3D and surround sound…’</i></p><p><i>‘…vivid and believable…’</i></p><p><i>‘…an intricate tale highlighted by the details of that vast city and the life within it.’</i></p><p><i>‘The mixture of cultures in the eastern Mediterranean of the period was… realistic and handled with superb understatement.’</i></p><p><i>‘You feel you are in the cities that were described.’ </i></p><p>Travel for authors may never ever be what it was. Pandemics make sure of that. I live on a healthy island which is part of an island continent and so the nation was able to ‘control’ the ingress of a certain amount of the pandemic. In addition, my own state government will always put the people’s safety ahead of everything, so I can’t guarantee 100% freedom to travel and get home – even into the future. With that in mind, I think Covid has given writers the chance to work in a different way and to build settings with unique effort and creativity rather than just showing and telling. </p><p>But to be honest, I don’t stress about the ‘need’ to travel. I just read and write.</p><p>If I had to choose one location that I have never visited and which is written about solely from the research and five senses of my researchers, it is 12th century Constantinople, of which, sadly, there is very little left thanks to the Fourth Crusade and the Ottoman Invasion.</p><p>If I was able to choose others? The outer Scottish Isles, Scandinavia and Lindisfarne.</p><p><i><b>I interviewed you several years ago. What has changed for you as a writer since then? What is better? What is worse?</b></i></p><p>Firstly, the flooding of the indie marketplace with vast amounts of appalling writing which has damped down the reputation of so many good writers.</p><p>Secondly, Time is not on my side. I’m now seventy and have a 3 year old grandson and many things I want to accomplish. That means writing must take its place, whereas before, I did nothing much but…</p><p>I’m fortunate that I can write with little to no pressure. My portfolio is increased at my own speed and with the kind support of my readers. I live my writing life without expectation and with the desire to publish for those readers to the best of my abilities.</p><p><b><i>What has had the biggest influence on your work in the last five years?</i></b></p><p>I think I write better because life’s experiences, good and bad, continue to make a very deep mark. It’s something age delivers – a kind of soul-deep wisdom which younger folk may not yet have experienced. I think I write even more emotively. If I didn’t, I would be disappointed. And I think by writing at my own pace, I have the opportunity to hone the craft to better and better heights.</p><p><b><i>What do you enjoy most about being a writer?</i></b></p><p>Words and language – they are the most perfect things in the world. I saw the word ‘ethereal’ the other day and I took it, held it in my palm for just a moment and thought ‘What a beautiful word.’ Sometimes it can be that simple.</p><p><b><i>What is the best book you've read in the last twelve months?</i></b></p><p>Amor Towles' <i>A Gentleman in Moscow</i>. Such beautifully parsed, elegant writing and an engaging saga.</p><p><b><i>What is next for you? The sequel to Reliquary? What plans after that?</i></b></p><p>Yes, Book Two, <i>Oak Gall and Gold</i> (working title) is a third of the way and I am guessing that at some point, a nugget will drop in my lap from the current research which will provide Book Three. I don’t stress about it. What will be will be.</p><p>After that? There’s a fantasy of nearly 40,000 words waiting to be finished and a colonial history novel waiting to be started and… </p><p>But therein lies a whisper of that word – ‘Time’. ‘Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how it will be spent.’ Carl Sandberg.</p><p><b><i>Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.</i></b></p><p>Thank you, Matthew.</p><p><b><i>Connect with Prue:</i></b></p><p><a href="https://www.pruebatten.com">https://www.pruebatten.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/Prue.Batten.writer">www.facebook.com/Prue.Batten.writer</a></p><p><a href="http://www.pinterest.dk/pruebatten">www.pinterest.dk/pruebatten</a></p><p><a href="http://www.instagram.com/pruebatten/">www.instagram.com/pruebatten/</a></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-45063975076193040302021-10-14T23:30:00.012-07:002021-10-14T23:30:00.175-07:00Interview with C. F. Barrington<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Today it is my great pleasure to welcome <a href="https://www.cfbarrington.com/" target="_blank">C.F. Barrington</a> to the blog. Barrington's first novel, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-Mile-C-F-Barrington/dp/1800246412" target="_blank">The Wolf Mile</a></i> was published earlier in the year and I loved it. Read my mini review <a href="http://bernicia-chronicles.blogspot.com/2021/04/mini-review-wolf-mile-by-cf-barrington.html" target="_blank">here</a>. It was the first exciting outing into what is set to an epic series of novels about The Pantheon, an underground game that sees sword-wielding warriors clash on the streets of modern-day cities all over the world. Book two of the series, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1800246420?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tpbk_1&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">The Blood Isles</a></i>, is out now, so it seemed like the perfect time to invite C.F. Barrington in for a chat.</p></div><p>C.F. Barrington has worked in organisations as varied as the RSPB, Oxford University and the National Trust. When his role as Head of Communications at Edinburgh Zoo meant a third year of fielding endless media enquiries about the possible birth of a baby panda, he finally retreated to a quiet desk beside the sea and discovered the inspiration for the Pantheon saga. </p><p>Raised in Hertfordshire and educated at Oxford, he now divides his time between running over the hills of the Lake District and dog walking on the beaches of Fife.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohaEsePvCggIGBIeDVno73eD1sQC5GVUOo8FESRtc2CyEBrPZqtAoOmdmUtRFNlvstnG5pouM5cQh8Th2MF5-T805q8wiSAVOCGY8xbH26kDYCYM4aBUYaBogf99tD6XngJJ4exRuJl5t/s1024/WhatsApp+Image+2021-08-05+at+17.31.15.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="894" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohaEsePvCggIGBIeDVno73eD1sQC5GVUOo8FESRtc2CyEBrPZqtAoOmdmUtRFNlvstnG5pouM5cQh8Th2MF5-T805q8wiSAVOCGY8xbH26kDYCYM4aBUYaBogf99tD6XngJJ4exRuJl5t/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-08-05+at+17.31.15.jpeg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Please tell us about your Pantheon series.</b></p><p>The Pantheon series charts the rise of Tyler Maitland and Lana Cameron as they are plucked from their normal lives to become players in The Pantheon, an underground game bankrolled by the world’s wealthy elite and watched online by thousands. Warriors from seven ancient civilisations are trained, sworn to allegiance, then pitted against each other in battles across five major cities while being filmed in real time. </p><p>The first installment – <i>The Wolf Mile</i> – sees the protagonists recruited into the Viking Valhalla Horde and their battles amongst the claustrophobic alleys of Edinburgh. The series is a modern thriller, but it mixes elements of historical fiction, as well as a sweeping romance, which takes the protagonists from friends, to sworn enemies and finally to lovers.</p><p><b>What inspired you to base <i>The Wolf Mile</i> in Edinburgh?</b></p><p>The story is first and foremost inspired by a sense of place. Apart from a sojourn into the forests of the Highlands, the book’s action all takes place in the closes, tunnels and rooftops which flow from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Indeed, it was Edinburgh’s Old Town which really allowed the story to manifest. The dark, malevolent history of the Old Town and its stunning architecture and rumours of tunnels and secret passages, set my mind ticking. I am sure that the whole concept of The Pantheon could not have come together if it had not been for my life in and around Edinburgh.</p><p>The story was also prompted by two other factors: Firstly, I had always wanted to take my love of historical fiction and coax it into a modern thriller – without going down the well-trodden route of some sort of time-travel. Secondly, after a career spent in major gift fundraising for charities and universities, I had communicated with many very wealthy individuals and I got to wondering what makes someone excited when they can buy everything? As the book asks….. Imagine riches beyond your wildest dreams. What would you do with them? Travel the world? Buy a yacht? Now times it by ten. A hundred. We’re talking mega-wealth - the kind that buys governments, shapes economies, enervates security forces and makes a mockery of justice systems. NOW what would you do with it? Less certain?</p><p>In ancient times, the wealthy of Rome spent their money and energies on forsaking human life in the gladiatorial stadia – and that’s where the concept of The Pantheon grew from in my head.</p><p><b>Please tell us a bit about book two, <i>The Blood Isles</i>.</b></p><p>While <i>The Wolf Mile</i> focuses on the recruitment of the main characters and the challenges thrown at them in the first of the Pantheon’s annual seasons – the Raiding Season, <i>The Blood Isles</i> takes them on to the Blood Season – where the risks become far greater and the action culminates in a full Grand Battle between the Valhalla Vikings and the Titans. As the name suggests, the story shifts from the tight spaces of Old Edinburgh to the bleak expanses of the Outer Hebrides, somewhere lonely enough for two Palatinates to face-off in the ultimate blood struggle.</p><p><b>How many novels are there going to be in the series? Where are they heading next?</b></p><p>There are five books in the Pantheon series, with <i>The Blood Isles</i> launching in October 2021 and Book 3 (<i>The Hastening Storm</i>) coming in spring 2022.</p><p>As the series progresses and the characters advance through the ranks, the story opens out to Rome, Budapest, Beijing and Istanbul as each of the rival warrior teams must be faced. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwccxWGONQXJ5w9RoxM5GuFiJ6Vmpw7Ap3Z8Cytry32gIhxBXd7u57XHNU6tbNdFW306wKegKKqUhNeg-AXw9Om_-vJgDuYljYC7FZLE3jF3TqmF4Di1sCErd6bTZihrlSOZTD-J_1HXkG/s2048/The+Blood+Isles.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1302" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwccxWGONQXJ5w9RoxM5GuFiJ6Vmpw7Ap3Z8Cytry32gIhxBXd7u57XHNU6tbNdFW306wKegKKqUhNeg-AXw9Om_-vJgDuYljYC7FZLE3jF3TqmF4Di1sCErd6bTZihrlSOZTD-J_1HXkG/s320/The+Blood+Isles.jpeg" width="203" /></a></div><br /><p><b>There are clearly many references to the past and mythology in the Pantheon Series of books. Have you considered writing historical fiction or high fantasy?</b></p><p>I’ve often considered writing historical fiction. I’m addicted to reading the genre and love authors such as Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith, Giles Kristian and Mr Matthew Harffy himself! <b>(MH: Well, what was he going to say?)</b> I did write a book set during the Third Crusade – <i>Led By A Lion</i> – when I was in my teens and I had lots of encouraging letters from publishers, but my writing needed the benefit of a few more years to mature!</p><p>I’m less into fantasy, apart from classics such as Lord of the Rings, and it’s been somewhat strange to find <i>The Wolf Mile</i> classified as Sci Fi in Waterstones stores! I guess it’s because the events in The Pantheon could never really happen in real life without them being closed down by the security forces, but I’ve never viewed the story as fantasy or sci-fi and there are certainly no dragons or elves or magic!</p><p><b>What do you love (and hate?) about having set the books in the 21st century? </b></p><p>I love the mix of history and modernity in the series. When the characters are fully ensconced in their roles within the Valhalla Palatinate, they could be part of a genuine historic Viking horde. But then the story shifts and they are traipsing the modern streets of Edinburgh or sharing coffees in Jenner’s department store! I really enjoyed being able to bring the buzz and vibe of today’s city into my descriptions.</p><p>Another aspect I love about the 21st century setting is that if my ancient warrior teams have any historical inaccuracies I can get away with them because this is a modern game re-interpreting historical cultures!</p><p>The worst thing about the modern setting is that I’ve had to find plausible reasons why blood battles on the streets of Edinburgh do not bring with them headlines, online notoriety and clampdowns by government and multiple arrests! You’ll have to read <i>The Wolf Mile</i> to discover how I achieved this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iuRduyeHa-rCcdTtJQiL2XEPOr95Hh9YsIZPWRpsjnY1QpfcyCD17XqK7pED5J9DRf4I3bi-mLqdTUg8vRjl7-WVcsrEcIAtAQigup4VdbZIGAm6H51GBDlGge4gNDFqlRda3fnggvDS/s1675/Paperback+-+THE+WOLF+MILE_PBO_spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1675" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iuRduyeHa-rCcdTtJQiL2XEPOr95Hh9YsIZPWRpsjnY1QpfcyCD17XqK7pED5J9DRf4I3bi-mLqdTUg8vRjl7-WVcsrEcIAtAQigup4VdbZIGAm6H51GBDlGge4gNDFqlRda3fnggvDS/s320/Paperback+-+THE+WOLF+MILE_PBO_spread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>What are you working on at the moment? Have you got plans beyond the Pantheon Series?</b></p><p>I’m currently editing Book 3 – <i>The Hastening Storm</i> – and planning the story arc for Book 4. The series is such a twisting, turning adventure with a large cast of characters and a tale which expands geographically, so I’m finding it a complex task to pace and plan the action and to ensure all the loose ends tie up between books!</p><p><b>When did you start writing? Do you write full-time now? What made you take the plunge and write your first book?</b></p><p>I’ve always aspired to be an author – but my actual attempts to make this a reality have been few and far between. I wrote a full-length novel when I was fifteen, set amidst the 3rd Crusade, and I had some encouraging feedback from publishers. Nevertheless, it took me another fifteen years before I wrote my next one, <i>Crestfallen</i>, a thriller set in the Lake District. I was lucky enough to obtain a well-known London agent, but no publishing offer was forthcoming. It’s then taken me another fifteen years to get around to writing <i>The Wolf Mile</i>. </p><p>I currently work three days a week and try to focus on my writing for another three – with a day off to keep the family happy!</p><p><b>What are the best and worst things about being a writer?</b></p><p>Now that my first book is published, the best thing about being a writer is knowing that there are actually real people out there who are enjoying reading my work! It is utterly amazing to be able to spend time dreaming up stories and then see them professionally packaged so that people – strangers(!) – can immerse themselves in the world I’ve created. I count myself as unbelievably privileged to be in this position.</p><p>For me, the worst thing is forcing myself to focus and get the words down. I’m easily distracted by social media and daytime tv! Each morning, faced with a blank screen, it’s so hard to get into the zone. It feels like being a student again and having to write an essay from scratch every single day – and that’s got to be everyone’s worst nightmare!!</p><p><b>What is the best book you've read in the last twelve months?</b></p><p>I adored <i>Shantaram </i>by Gregory David Roberts for the sheer, utter beauty of the language. And I’m currently blown away by <i>Into The Silence</i> by Wade Davis, chronicling the early attempts to map and conquer Everest. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBxFwQ059J5VNX3Hx8ymLtpTUGHeLK3BtNyyw4-xOKyOJro2Si4sjb6475l0WSV6SNMsrNQMQP6pAP0tjang_IDzam6ZBOt0x2sqvayItdlS4CFsgs1e3P-LIK-WltJQHmSuSeYRG9Fat/s1600/IMG-20190723-WA0002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBxFwQ059J5VNX3Hx8ymLtpTUGHeLK3BtNyyw4-xOKyOJro2Si4sjb6475l0WSV6SNMsrNQMQP6pAP0tjang_IDzam6ZBOt0x2sqvayItdlS4CFsgs1e3P-LIK-WltJQHmSuSeYRG9Fat/w300-h400/IMG-20190723-WA0002.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>And now for the quick-fire questions:</b></p><p><b>Tea or coffee?</b></p><p>Tea every time. Proper loose leaf, in a pot with a strainer and warmed milk! Not quite the whole Japanese experience, but nearly!</p><p><b>Burger or hot dog?</b></p><p>Burger if I have to – but not that keen on either. I prefer a curry.</p><p><b>Villain or hero?</b></p><p>It’s got the be the villain. You always want to understand why they’re so bad.</p><p><b>Beer or wine?</b></p><p>Tough one. Probably wine. A glass of Merlot after dinner. But I spend a lot of time in the Lake District and there are some damn good Cumbrian ales.</p><p><b>Movie or TV series?</b></p><p>TV series. If they are good – and I’m often a fan of foreign series – there is so much more opportunity to explore the characters.</p><p><b>Happy ending or tragedy?</b></p><p>I must admit I’m partial to a tragedy. Leave the readers/viewers in tears – though maybe with some light amongst the clouds.</p><p><b>In the car, audio-book or music?</b></p><p>Music. When I’m writing I have only instrumental scores playing, but in the car it’s going to be songs. I like many styles – but according to my partner, they’re all crap!</p><p><b>Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.</b></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Connect with C.F. Barrington</b></h3><p>Website: <a href="http://www.cfbarrington.com">www.cfbarrington.com</a></p><p>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BarringtonCFAuthor">www.facebook.com/BarringtonCFAuthor</a></p><p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/barrington_cf">https://twitter.com/barrington_cf</a></p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cfbarrington_notwriting/">https://www.instagram.com/cfbarrington_notwriting/</a></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-16468239137404526792021-09-08T02:12:00.005-07:002021-09-08T02:12:35.392-07:00Interview on The Reading and Writing Podcast<p>I have listened to <a href="http://readingandwritingpodcast.com/matthew-harffy-interview/" target="_blank">The Reading and Writing Podcast</a> for years, so it is extremely exciting and gratifying for me to be interviewed by Jeff Rutherford about <i>A Time for Swords</i> on his great podcast that has featured some of my favourite writers in the past.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnyWPZTmjcqMNMhfkbviCjGVURiMpKnbhnctNPurt4SV7ADHj7Q5roIjtIolUVU_Ehsf4PEDe6gxa0Kowx9RD3AgrVFxpTf3zBOU4dAVdOwyQ3XF6UnbyzlBhLCgqme12VebeverwYkHa/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="229" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnyWPZTmjcqMNMhfkbviCjGVURiMpKnbhnctNPurt4SV7ADHj7Q5roIjtIolUVU_Ehsf4PEDe6gxa0Kowx9RD3AgrVFxpTf3zBOU4dAVdOwyQ3XF6UnbyzlBhLCgqme12VebeverwYkHa/" width="232" /></a></div><br />Listen here: <a href="http://readingandwritingpodcast.com/matthew-harffy-interview/">http://readingandwritingpodcast.com/matthew-harffy-interview/</a><p></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-60146542880989786662021-09-02T04:26:00.001-07:002021-09-02T04:26:23.617-07:00 The powers at play in FOR LORD AND LAND<p>In the eighth novel of the Bernicia Chronicles series, I not only wanted to continue Beobrand’s story in the seventh century, but also look at some of the powers at play in the early medieval period in Britain. In particular, I wanted to investigate the roles of kinship and inheritance, and how the bonds of blood and marriage could impact on the affairs of both royal dynasties and those of a more lowly station.</p><p>Much of what we know about Anglo-Saxon Britain comes from land grants and wills. We find how land was parcelled up, and what boundaries were used as markers. Things like trees and streams were commonly named as bounding the area of a piece of land. And it might come as a surprise that in a period commonly known as the ‘Dark Ages’, in which men dominated positions of authority, women were able to inherit and own land.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXE8aSVMLZL6goPUcyuqUPPm7mLWsMzlsBeZi0Iqidq_kBkf7UcfZ51XpQZwEkSN6eGelQuvCIuIgRLAUiBOlKx3MOKxkMhKKaUgY6provhVhYMxOYL4Lcy1MJA4jRWDP-wvpQLy3IV4l/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXE8aSVMLZL6goPUcyuqUPPm7mLWsMzlsBeZi0Iqidq_kBkf7UcfZ51XpQZwEkSN6eGelQuvCIuIgRLAUiBOlKx3MOKxkMhKKaUgY6provhVhYMxOYL4Lcy1MJA4jRWDP-wvpQLy3IV4l/" width="240" /></a></div><br />Of course, land can provide lucrative income. Leaders will even start wars over it, sometimes with their own kin. This is the case with Oswiu of Bernicia and his second cousin, Oswine of Deira, who in 651 led their warhosts against each other in a conflict over the southern part of Northumbria.<p></p><p>Apart from this clash of kings, in <a href="https://getbook.at/ForLordAndLand" target="_blank"><i>FOR LORD AND LAND</i></a> I also describe smaller land disputes and tell the story of how a family, and one strong woman, have to deal with a particularly nasty neighbour.</p><p>Though unable to stand in the shieldwall along with Beobrand and the other warriors, women of the time could exert huge influence on events. In <i><a href="https://getbook.at/ForLordAndLand" target="_blank">FOR LORD AND LAND</a></i>, that influence is felt by King Oswiu, whose queen, Eanflæd, is instrumental in forcing her husband to establish a new monastery. She also becomes a patron of important Christian figures who will shape the future of the church in Britain.</p><p>By the end of the novel, it becomes clear that some things never change. Avarice can always create conflict, and no matter how closely people are related, and irrespective of gender, blood is sometime not enough to protect against greed.</p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRhw0wG2Ca_uNrHgtT0t0NZmIkp7hVg5x19d-90sQa0gK7ThHcXccVMlm1S3kq0g2QGbI5RzKol97pOVxXu1PtNKzQnBBEOS0UA4dRkMMT0TNtjRXRndFVDx-a_c0CrtdqpPg0O2kY7Eq/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRhw0wG2Ca_uNrHgtT0t0NZmIkp7hVg5x19d-90sQa0gK7ThHcXccVMlm1S3kq0g2QGbI5RzKol97pOVxXu1PtNKzQnBBEOS0UA4dRkMMT0TNtjRXRndFVDx-a_c0CrtdqpPg0O2kY7Eq/" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-30646443683048767222021-05-27T03:19:00.000-07:002021-05-27T03:19:18.661-07:00In conversation with Christian Cameron<p><br /></p><p>On 26th May I spoke with acclaimed author, Christian Cameron about <a href="https://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781838932855" target="_blank">A Time for Swords</a>, writing process, research, inspiration, and lots more. We were hosted by <a href="https://www.bookpeople.com/" target="_blank">Book People</a>, the largest independent bookshop in Texas.</p><p>Watch the talk on Book People's Facebook page on the following link:</p><p><a href="https://facebook.com/watch/live/?v=2518648854947990&ref=watch_permalink">https://facebook.com/watch/live/?v=2518648854947990&ref=watch_permalink</a></p><p>Intros start at about 5 minutes in. Christian and I start talking at about 8 minutes in.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5iaOpmCKJqcGPse_io3cpfKvieT3P1r_Kkpr8eCYArt1pr6Utrn9hdil-hEf8rxZ1asyttVvVA-fn7Dr6Mhk0hbNy29gJyZ1oy3dFrflpbf97k_VQwkgLaSnL3NLbpq7XtM7UD1wKGyv/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5iaOpmCKJqcGPse_io3cpfKvieT3P1r_Kkpr8eCYArt1pr6Utrn9hdil-hEf8rxZ1asyttVvVA-fn7Dr6Mhk0hbNy29gJyZ1oy3dFrflpbf97k_VQwkgLaSnL3NLbpq7XtM7UD1wKGyv/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-45590878255691117542021-04-30T03:38:00.003-07:002021-04-30T03:41:46.380-07:00REVIEW: Protector by Conn Iggulden<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56669617-protector" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Protector (Athenian #2)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1617080035l/56669617._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56669617-protector">Protector</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/119121.Conn_Iggulden">Conn Iggulden</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3974250792">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Grit, intrigue, venal villains, honourable heroes and cataclysmic battles to save Greece and the future of democracy. Having conquered Ancient Rome, Mongolian hordes and the Wars of the Roses, with PROTECTOR Conn Iggulden does what he does best and turns the battle of Plataea into a triumph of historical fiction.
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-74358389825117163092021-04-19T08:21:00.001-07:002021-10-12T08:23:09.106-07:00Mini REVIEW: The Wolf Mile by C.F. Barrington<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57136994-the-wolf-mile" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Wolf Mile (The Pantheon #1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616250782l/57136994._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57136994-the-wolf-mile">The Wolf Mile</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21204048.C_F_Barrington">C.F. Barrington</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3953611100">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Modern-day Vikings and Greek hoplites clash on the streets of Edinburgh. Sword fights bring bloody death in the Highlands. Intrigue and treachery abound in a brutal underground game bankrolled by the world's mega-rich. <br /><br />The Wolf Mile is a thrilling ride and a heck of a debut. C.F. Barrington knocks it out of the park.
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-44611706021806438182021-03-04T06:32:00.003-08:002021-03-04T06:32:46.763-08:00Battling with history: how to write fight scenes and battles in historical fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBill7nO8_Xpk4_91ogfYCxasxiXLzUdGwJWC-h9MquyaP-6Bwl1T7A9Kpt0u7pDIPCN4BvlnoSMOUVm1dtZ_VnD6JYF9jgYAtFtcocu-HQ4fxBK6NgVsObQjc_m-WciSXYwmys81seZlf/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBill7nO8_Xpk4_91ogfYCxasxiXLzUdGwJWC-h9MquyaP-6Bwl1T7A9Kpt0u7pDIPCN4BvlnoSMOUVm1dtZ_VnD6JYF9jgYAtFtcocu-HQ4fxBK6NgVsObQjc_m-WciSXYwmys81seZlf/" width="313" /></a></div><br />How do you write a battle scene which engages your readers and drives the story on?<div><br /></div><div>It’s a question many authors of historical fiction fight with. Read my tips and advice in this <a href="http://www.historiamag.com/how-to-write-battle-scenes/" target="_blank">Historia article</a>.</div>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-1892785940676105212021-03-04T06:29:00.001-08:002021-03-04T06:29:07.695-08:00Publication day and a new event!<h1 style="text-align: left;">Publication day!</h1>Today is the UK publication day for the hardback of <a href="https://getbook.at/ATimeForSwords">A Time for Swords</a> and the paperback of <a href="https://getbook.at/FortressOfFury">Fortress of Fury</a>. They are out in the US on 1st May.<div><br /><a href="https://getbook.at/ATimeForSwords"><img height="167" src="https://dim.mcusercontent.com/cs/88c472986503953870b233475/images/74cf1196-cf41-407d-a183-55615aa88360.jpg?w=580&dpr=2" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="https://getbook.at/FortressOfFury"><img height="167" src="https://dim.mcusercontent.com/cs/88c472986503953870b233475/images/ed95fbbd-6707-4b6c-964c-8f095350b539.jpg?w=580&dpr=2" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Events!</h2><a href="https://fb.me/e/hfZ3wV6OX"><img height="180" src="https://dim.mcusercontent.com/cs/88c472986503953870b233475/images/d6e2f77a-0f34-4483-bec0-135b5926cca1.png?w=580&dpr=2" width="320" /></a><br /><br />On 27th March at 9.30pm BST, I will be appearing on a <a href="https://fb.me/e/hfZ3wV6OX">Facebook Live event</a> with fellow historical fiction author, <a href="https://stevenamckay.com/">Steven A. McKay</a>. We will be talking about all manner of things, and will be taking questions too. And it won’t cost you a penny, so come along and join us. It should be fun!<br /><br />I am also appearing at the online <a href="https://wrexhamcarnivalofwords.com/">Wrexham Carnival of Words</a> on Friday 23rd April at 6pm BST, as part of the <a href="https://wrexhamcarnivalofwords.com/historical-fiction-night/">Historical Fiction Night</a>.<br /><br />Tickets are £15 and include all of the online events for the whole festival. A bargain!</div><div><br /><a href="https://wrexhamcarnivalofwords.com/historical-fiction-night/"><img height="320" src="https://dim.mcusercontent.com/cs/88c472986503953870b233475/images/4b04e102-33f8-4bed-94c8-4637f1ad1f2d.png?w=453&dpr=2" width="227" /></a><br /><br />There will be an online launch event for the US publication of A Time for Swords. More details soon.<br /><br />As part of the US launch, there will also be an opportunity to buy a limited signed bookplate edition of A Time for Swords from an independent bookstore.<br />For Lord and Land<br /><br />Don’t forget that the eighth book in the Bernicia Chronicles, <a href="https://getbook.at/ForLordAndLand">For Lord and Land</a>, is now available for pre-order.</div><div><br /><a href="https://getbook.at/ForLordAndLand"><img height="320" src="https://dim.mcusercontent.com/cs/88c472986503953870b233475/images/1a403eb5-79dc-40a1-82bd-cfd00ba4a981.png?w=410&dpr=2" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Stay safe and happy reading!<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="color: black; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="mceSpacing-24" style="padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 24px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table></div>Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609840638413465307.post-67612058144723726132021-02-15T02:07:00.005-08:002021-02-15T02:07:39.600-08:00REVIEW: The Last Berserker by Angus Donald<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56498329-the-last-berserker" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Last Berserker: An action-packed Viking adventure (Fire Born Book 1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609472290l/56498329._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56498329-the-last-berserker">The Last Berserker: An action-packed Viking adventure</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/584064.Angus_Donald">Angus Donald</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3837804026">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
The Last Berserker strikes with the thundering power of Thor's hammer. Angus Donald effortlessly transports us into the blood-soaked kingdoms of early medieval Europe, where the old beliefs battle for survival against the implacable wave of Christianity, and the armies of the greatest leader of the age, Karolus, King of Francia. The tale of young Bjarki Bloodhand, finding his calling as a fabled berserker, is rich with the earthy depth, historical detail, intrigue, violence and adventure that we expect from Donald. But it is the likeable duo at the heart of the novel, Bjarki and Tor, that makes The Last Berserker stand out. Characters are what readers remember, and Donald's masterful creations will live on in the imagination long after the final page.
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Matthew Harffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12994917417232123639noreply@blogger.com0