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David McK (3851 KP) rated The Serpent Sword in Books

Jul 7, 2019

The Serpent Sword

Matthew Harffy | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

The first entry in Matthew Harffy's Bernicia Chronicles series, which - I have to say - shares more than a few similarities to Bernard Cornwell's 'Last Kingdom' series in that it is set during Dark Ages Britain, with large parts in and around the fortress of Bebbanburg. Sound at all familiar?

When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.

Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.

Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)

Kudos

Russell Evans (179 KP) rated Enemy of God in Books

Feb 27, 2020

Enemy of God

Bernard Cornwell | 1998 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics

7.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Continues the gripping Warlord Chronicles trilogy (1 more)

Great characters, compelling story.

As with The Winter King, violence can be graphic - but if you've read the first part and it was a negative for you... what are you doing here? (0 more)

See my review for the first book in the trilogy – The Winter King. If you’ve read that, I’m positive that you won’t need much convincing about this part – I will reassure you though – it’s just as good and gripping.
Enemy of God continues to tell the story of Arthur begun in The Winter King, showing Arthur’s efforts to unite the Britons against the Saxon invaders. Derfel’s tale continues and he becomes a champion of Arthur’s, finds love and embarks on a perilous quest to recover an ancient British treasure. There’s a lot of darkness and conspiracy thrown in too.
As a Lord of the Rings fan, this is my next favourite ‘fantasy’ trilogy. If you liked ‘The Vikings’ or ‘The Last Kingdoms’ series on TV, I would highly recommend that you give this trilogy a read – starting with The Winter King.