REVIEW: FUGITIVE by Paul Fraser Collard

Fugitive by Paul Fraser Collard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With villains aplenty, and a cast of memorable characters surrounding Jack Lark, Fugitive is a great addition to this fabulous series. From the smog-filled alleys of Victorian London to the arid plains of Abyssinia, Jack, is never far from danger. The battles are loud with cannon-fire and the screams of the dying. The stench of gunpowder and death is heavy in the air, as Collard's wonderful rogue, Jack Lark, rampages through skirmishes and cataclysmic battles, in search of riches, vengeance and, ultimately, his place in the world.

Once again, Paul Fraser Collard proves he is a true master of action adventure.

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The Serpent Sword Team Q&A

On 23rd September 2020, Matthew and The Serpent Sword team did a Facebook Live Q&A. They answered all sorts of questions, from casting and preparation of the Proof of Concept Trailer, to the future of the TV series. Watch the full video here:

Bebbanburg 2020: the lessons I learned from a 7th-century siege

Read the article I wrote for Historia, to find out the unexpected similarities I discovered between the 7th-century siege of Bebbanburg and my life in 2020, whether it’s coping with lockdown or making a television trailer.

http://www.historiamag.com/bebbanburg-2020/

Publication day: FORTRESS OF FURY (and WOLF OF WESSEX paperback)

It is finally publication day for, FORTRESS OF FURY, the seventh book in the Bernicia Chronicles!

Beobrand is besieged in the action-packed instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles set in AD 647 Anglo-Saxon Britain.

War hangs heavy in the hot summer air as Penda of Mercia and his allies march into the north. Caught unawares, the Bernician forces are besieged within the great fortress of Bebbanburg.

It falls to Beobrand to mount the defence of the stronghold, but even while the battle rages, old and powerful enemies have mobilised against him, seeking vengeance for past events.

As the Mercian forces tighten their grip and unknown killers close in, Beobrand finds himself in a struggle with conflicting oaths and the dreadful pull of a forbidden love that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear.

With the future of Northumbria in jeopardy, will Beobrand be able to withstand the powers that beset him and find a path to victory against all the odds?

Buy it now in e-book.

The audiobook will be released on 20th August.

The hardback is out in October 2020.

Also out today is the paperback of WOLF OF WESSEX. You can find that in all good bookshops, some supermarkets(!) and online.

Thank you to everyone who has already bought these books. If you enjoyed them, please take a moment to leave a review somewhere online and let your friends and family know! 

Happy reading!

The Serpent Sword Proof-of-Concept Trailer is here!

After months of work, the Proof-of-Concept Trailer is finally live!

Trailer Link: The Serpent Sword Proof-of-Concept Trailer

We hope you love the trailer and that it gives you a flavour of what we would achieve if we had a full budget at our disposal.

We are now pitching the series to producers and distributors, and one of the things that will help us is for this trailer to really get some traction. So, if you would like the full series to become a reality, please share the trailer with all your friends and contacts. The more views, likes and comments, the better.

And make sure you follow The Serpent Sword on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, and keep spreading the word by sharing our posts.

If you want to get something extra back for your support, perhaps Patreon could be for you. On Patreon, you will find lots of exclusive and advance behind-the-scenes photos, videos and info, as well as advance snippets of Matthew Harffy's writing, and insights into what he is currently working on.

Thank you for all your support and we hope you enjoy the trailer!

Author of the Day on Manybooks.net

I was recently featured as Author of the Day on manybooks.net. I talked about the inspiration behind Wolf of Wessex, research, my not-so-secret talents, The Serpent Sword TV series project, and my dog, Blue.

Matthew Harffy - Action-Packed Thriller Set in the Forests of Wessex

Please give us a short introduction to what Wolf of Wessex is about.

Wolf of Wessex, is my first departure from the seventh century, which is the period in which my series, The Bernicia Chronicles, is set. Wolf of Wessex takes place a couple of centuries later in the early years of the Viking Age and follows the tale of an aging warrior, Dunston, as he tries to find a man’s vicious murderers, keep the victim’s orphaned daughter alive and uncover the dark secret that threatens to plunge the kingdom into war. The book has been very well received, with The Times calling it “a treat of a book”.

What inspired you to write about the forests of Wessex AD 838?

I love the outdoors and have been interested for a long time in survival and bushcraft, such as is taught by the likes of Ray Mears, who has presented many successful documentaries and written lots of fabulous books on the subject of how people from different cultures live as one with the land, harmoniously harnessing nature to support them. I live in Wiltshire, England, which in the ninth century was part of Wessex, and near my house is one of the remaining parts of the ancient woodland that was known as Selwudu (Selwood, or Sallow Wood). Walking among the trees there, I found my mind transported back to a time when much of the land was covered in woodland, and I began to think what it would have been like to live alone deep in the forest away from the noise and concerns of the world. And so, Dunston was born.

Read the full interview on Manybooks.net

REVIEW: A Burning Sea by Theodore Brun

A Burning Sea by Theodore Brun
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In A Burning Sea, Theodore Brun, effortlessly takes us back to the eighth century, where his richly detailed and believable characters travel from the snow-wrapped mountains of Scandinavia all the way to the greatest city in the world: Byzantium.

Erlan, the single-minded warrior, is in search of redemption, while Lilla, Queen of Svealand, is looking for the man she loves and also a means to reclaim her kingdom from a treacherous usurper. Byzantium is a teeming hive of intrigue and betrayal and both Erlan and Lilla quickly find themselves embroiled in plots and treachery as the city is besieged by an implacable enemy that threatens not only the city, but the future of the very continent. Theodore Brun's writing is filled with nuance and humanity, jeopardy and violence. A Burning Sea is a dark and twisted journey into a distant time, where the only commodity that could not be bought was honour. This is epic historical adventure at its very best.

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