THE SERPENT SWORD is out NOW!

It has taken years of effort and sometimes I thought it would never happen, but today, my debut novel, THE SERPENT SWORD, is available worldwide in E-book and paperback.

Buy it from Amazon.

On the way to publication, I garnered some great quotes from fabulously talented authors. I am in their debt. Their comments really helped me to create some buzz around the book.

In the week running up to the launch date, THE SERPENT SWORD has already picked up some glowing reviews from advance copies, with hopefully many more to follow once the book is "in the wild". I am extremely thankful for each review, as it really does make a difference in terms of giving the novel visibility. So thank you, and if you read the book (and why wouldn't you?!), please leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

Reviews of THE SERPENT SWORD:

Hoover Book Rreviews

Parmenion Books

Speesh Reads

Goodreads

Now, I'd better get on with writing book 3 - title announcement soon!

THE SERPENT SWORD - available NOW!

HAPPY EASTER!

I am excited to say I have brought forward the release of THE SERPENT SWORD, as things have taken less time than anticipated to sort out. So, the Kindle book is still available for pre-order, but will now be live on 7th April. If you've pre-ordered already (thanks!), it will download to your Kindle on that date.

If you prefer a physical book, the paperback is already available to purchase on Amazon.

If you haven't ordered it already, what are you waiting for? smile emoticon

getbook.at/TheSerpentSword

For all those who have been following my journey to publication over the last couple of years, thanks for all the supportive messages and positive vibes and help with everything from Anglo-Saxon pronunciations to proof-reading. This is a major step in Beobrand's journey, but there are plenty more to come!

One last thing, if you enjoy the book, please leave a rating and review, even if just a few words, as it is so important in attracting others to give the book a chance.

All the best and happy reading!

Matthew

REVIEW: Personal by Lee Child

Personal by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As someone who has read all of Reacher's adventures to date I would class this book as a classic Reacher romp. It is not the best, nor the worst of Lee Child's works. Interestingly, it was an easier read than some of the more recent books because, for no reason I know of, Child has decided to go back to Reacher's roots and write this one in first person. It works well and I have always pined for the first person perspective of Killing Floor. It gives an immediacy to the story-telling that goes well with the almost total lack of internal dialogue Reacher has. His thoughts, as usual, only really focus on the nuts and bolts of how things work and how to beat his enemies. Is he a psychopath? A sociopath? Perhaps both? When reading these books the most important thing is not to probe too deeply into either the characterisation or the plot. Neither really stand up to hard scrutiny, but Child does tell a ripping yarn full of technology, espionage, violence and wise-cracks.

In this book, Child manages to steer away from some of the tropes that he has resorted to in most of the previous novels, but he has also made some real clangers in terms of cultural details. It's funny that Child is from England, as he has clearly been living so long in the States now that he is not au fait with all the intricacies of English life. I won't go into details here, but there is mention of buying burner phones in London that was blatantly not true to life.

Overall, a page-turning, unputdownable thriller, starring the inimitable Jack Reacher (not Tom Cruise!).

4.5 stars.

View all my reviews

THE SERPENT SWORD - Pre-order now!

BIG NEWS!

THE SERPENT SWORD IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON ALL AMAZON SITES!

The following link should get you to your local Amazon site:

http://getBook.at/TheSerpentSword

It is also available on Goodreads.

At the moment, only the Kindle book is online, but a paperback should be available soon. Watch this space!

REVIEW: The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria by Max Adams

The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria by Max Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Max Adams' book, 'The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria' is a welcome addition to the limited number of books available about 7th century Northumbria. It is well-written and well-researched. My main quibble is the fact that I had hoped to find out a lot more about Oswald, who I was researching for my own writing. The book actually covers the whole century and really only has a handful of chapters dedicated to Oswald specifically, though Adams does make reference to him and his influence in later chapters. However, these references sometimes feel a little forced and oblique, and Adams does seem to have a tendency to make a conclusion via deduction and then state it in a matter of fact way, as if there could be no other interpretation of events. Considering there are very limited primary sources for the period, this approach felt somewhat contrived.

However, these are minor points. All in all the book's style is engaging, and the overall history of the north of Britain in that troubled century is illuminated in the spotlight of modern research and archaeology.

4 stars.

View all my reviews

Potential cover reveal: THE SERPENT SWORD

As I said last month, I have made great progress getting THE SERPENT SWORD ready for publication. Along with the quotes I've got from excellent historical fiction authors, I've also put together a potential cover. I say 'potential', because if my agent sells the novel to a publisher, an in-house designer would create a new cover.

The cover, which I've put together using only free software, features an original photo of authentic war gear by the talented, Matt Bunker, from the living history group Wulfheodenas.

Check out the cover and let me know what you think in the comments.

Review of The Wolf and the Raven by Steven A. McKay

I recently received a review copy of the audio book of Steven A. McKay's second novel, "The Wolf and the Raven" that is now available on Audible.

Story

The blurb on the book is as follows:

In the aftermath of a violent rebellion Robin Hood and his men must fight for survival with an enemy deadlier than any they've faced before... 1322. England is in disarray and Sir Guy of Gisbourne, the king's own bounty hunter, stalks the greenwood, bringing bloody justice to the outlaws and rebels who hide there. When things begin to go horribly wrong self-pity, grief and despair threaten to overwhelm the young wolf's head who will need the support of his friends and family now more than ever.

As with all of McKay's writing it is action-packed, with strong characters fighting for their lives and the survival of their loved ones. Danger and peril lurk around every corner and there is never a dull moment. Robin faces the reality that he is to be a father and is also now the leader of a group of men who are being tracked by the villainous Sir Guy of Gisbourne, a dastardly bounty hunter out to destroy all outlaws.

There are two main parts to the narrative: Robin Hood and his men struggling with Guy of Gisbourne, and the fate of the two charismatic Knights Hospitaller, Sir Richard-at-Lee and his trusted sergeant-at-arms, Stephen. I have to confess I enjoyed the side story of the knights more than that of Robin and his outlaws. I liked Stephen's quest for aid in London and Sir Richard's travails back in Kirklees. However, I was slightly disappointed by the denouement of the knights' tail. It lacked a certain heroic panache that McKay seems to reserve for the protagonist.

It is a dark novel. Important characters are killed, people get badly beaten and injured, and things look bleak for Robin and his cohorts. Robin's enemy is evil in the extreme, and whilst McKay gives Gisbourne a back story to explain his violence, you never really feel sympathy for the bounty hunter.

The Wolf and the Raven is a solid sequel to the great debut Wolf's Head. Whilst it is clearly a transition novel, adding depth to the characters and setting the scene for later adventures, the second act of a longer story, it is an extremely satisfying read that paves the way for the last two books McKay plans in The Forest Lord series.

My verdict?

McKay does it again. Blood-splattered historical adventure from a powerful story-teller.

Narrator

Nick Ellsworth, who has read all of McKay's works to date, reads with a strong sense of authenticity. He has a deep, serious voice that is naturally suited to the gravity of the story. There are a few moments when I was put off by unusual pronunciations of certain words, and I would recommend speeding up the Audible player to 1.25X, which seems to provide the perfect speed of delivery, but all in all Ellsworth gives a solid performance that is worthy of the material.

Experience

Audible is a real doddle to use. No problems at all.

Overall score

4.5 out of 5 stars

Links

The Wolf and the Raven on Amazon.co.uk

The Wolf and the Raven on Audible.co.uk
Steven A. McKay's webpage