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Saxon's Bane
Fergus Sheppard’s world changes forever the day his car crashes near the remote village of Allingley. Traumatised by his near-death experience, he returns to thank the villagers who rescued him, and stays to work at the local stables as he recovers from his injuries. He will discover a gentler pace of life, fall in love ¬ and be targeted for human sacrifice.
Clare Harvey’s life will never be the same either. The young archaeologist’s dream find ¬ the peat-preserved body of a Saxon warrior ¬ is giving her nightmares. She can tell that the warrior had been ritually murdered, and that the partial skeleton lying nearby is that of a young woman. And their tragic story is unfolding in her head every time she goes to sleep.
Fergus discovers that his crash is uncannily linked to the excavation, and that the smiling and beautiful countryside harbours some very dark secrets.
As the pagan festival of Beltane approaches, and Clare’s investigation reveals the full horror of a Dark Age war crime, Fergus and Clare seem destined to share the Saxon couple’s bloody fate.
Clare Harvey’s life will never be the same either. The young archaeologist’s dream find ¬ the peat-preserved body of a Saxon warrior ¬ is giving her nightmares. She can tell that the warrior had been ritually murdered, and that the partial skeleton lying nearby is that of a young woman. And their tragic story is unfolding in her head every time she goes to sleep.
Fergus discovers that his crash is uncannily linked to the excavation, and that the smiling and beautiful countryside harbours some very dark secrets.
As the pagan festival of Beltane approaches, and Clare’s investigation reveals the full horror of a Dark Age war crime, Fergus and Clare seem destined to share the Saxon couple’s bloody fate.
350 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2013
23 people are currently reading
696 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Gudgion
6 books34 followersGeoffrey Gudgion grew up with his nose in a book, often one featuring knights in armour. A turbulent career including the armed forces and business has now settled into full-time writing. Since the publication of Saxon’s Bane and Draca he has gravitated to the fantasy genre and is the author, as G.N. Gudgion, of the Rune Song trilogy.
The first in the Rune Song series, Hammer of Fate, was published on 1 June 2023 by Second Sky, an imprint of Bookoutoure/Hachette. In October 2023 Hammer of Fate was Amazon #1Best Seller for Epic Fantasy, and for Nordic Myth and Legend. Hammer of Fate was followed by Runes of Battle and Blood of Wolves.
Geoff loves to create stories with complex, conflicted characters that a reader can bleed with, cry for, and perhaps fall in love with; stories with a strong historical slant but where women don’t have to be either beautiful damsels or witches. They live in worlds where you can smell the sweat and the sewers, as well as the roses.
He lives in a leafy corner of England, where he’s a keen amateur equestrian and a very bad pianist. He spends much of his time crafting words in a shed, fifty yards and five hundred years from his house.
The first in the Rune Song series, Hammer of Fate, was published on 1 June 2023 by Second Sky, an imprint of Bookoutoure/Hachette. In October 2023 Hammer of Fate was Amazon #1Best Seller for Epic Fantasy, and for Nordic Myth and Legend. Hammer of Fate was followed by Runes of Battle and Blood of Wolves.
Geoff loves to create stories with complex, conflicted characters that a reader can bleed with, cry for, and perhaps fall in love with; stories with a strong historical slant but where women don’t have to be either beautiful damsels or witches. They live in worlds where you can smell the sweat and the sewers, as well as the roses.
He lives in a leafy corner of England, where he’s a keen amateur equestrian and a very bad pianist. He spends much of his time crafting words in a shed, fifty yards and five hundred years from his house.
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November 24, 2015
This is a deliciously subtle horror - and because of that even if horror is not your cup of tea I'd suggest you give it a go.
It is safe to say that I am fascinated by the history of Britain. I know all sorts of obscure trivia. And this book has added to it! Hooray! I absolutely LOVED the historical and archaeological aspects of this story.
The pacing is excellent. The story undulates naturally as the plot unravels. Folklore and tradition play a huge part in this fantastic tale, and this draws you in deeper. You feel a slowly building sense of dread as the story progresses.
But it's not all doom and gloom. In fact, it's far from it. This story is exciting and funny and thought provoking.
The characters are complex. You like some, dislike others, and that's just you getting started. You really get involved. There is passion and anger and religious zeal, but not one bit of it is overbearing. It's all how it's supposed to be.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
It is safe to say that I am fascinated by the history of Britain. I know all sorts of obscure trivia. And this book has added to it! Hooray! I absolutely LOVED the historical and archaeological aspects of this story.
The pacing is excellent. The story undulates naturally as the plot unravels. Folklore and tradition play a huge part in this fantastic tale, and this draws you in deeper. You feel a slowly building sense of dread as the story progresses.
But it's not all doom and gloom. In fact, it's far from it. This story is exciting and funny and thought provoking.
The characters are complex. You like some, dislike others, and that's just you getting started. You really get involved. There is passion and anger and religious zeal, but not one bit of it is overbearing. It's all how it's supposed to be.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
April 24, 2014
Fergus is a passenger in a car with a work colleague and is involved in a serious accident when trying to avoid a stag in the middle of the road. Kate, the driver, dies fairly soon after, and it takes a while for help to arrive, but one of the first people he sees looks unkempt and has a tattoo of a stag in the centre of his forehead. Help arrives soon after and he begins the long process of recovery and recuperation.
That same day Clare, and archaeologist, make the discovery of her career, a Saxon warrior who was the victim of a ritual killing and is next to the remains of a female. The body has been at the bottom of the peat and is in remarkable condition and on the forehead is a tattoo of a stag. As she continues the dig she begins to have nightmares where she is reliving the events that the warrior went through.
Fergus returns to work after a number of months, but cannot settle. He quits after an argument and heads back to the village near the accident to see if he can find out who the tattooed guy was. He meets Ealdin, one of those that found him after the accident, and owner of a riding school, and starts work there whilst still recovering. Also at the riding school is Jake, erstwhile boyfriend of Ealdin, and not a particularly nice piece of work. As Fergus settles into village life, he ends up renting a room next to Clare. She wakes him after a nightmare, and they realise that they have a lot more in common than they first realised.
Jake is dabbling with dark pagan practices and thinks that he called the Saxon warrior. His antics start to get more sinister with the death of a resident, following the sacrifice of a goat at the Blot stone. Clare and Fergus are drawn into his web, as he needs to make a human sacrifice and perform a ritual to bring more power to himself. Ealdin, a sensual earth mother type, fights back with Clare and Fergus against him. The tension builds right up to the may day festival in the village, where Jake seeks to put his plans into effect.
Really enjoyed this tale. It is set in a modern village, but Gudgion has woven in pagan and historical threads, and ramped up the tension to make this edge of the seat material at times. It is not horror as such, but it is occasionally scary stuff.
That same day Clare, and archaeologist, make the discovery of her career, a Saxon warrior who was the victim of a ritual killing and is next to the remains of a female. The body has been at the bottom of the peat and is in remarkable condition and on the forehead is a tattoo of a stag. As she continues the dig she begins to have nightmares where she is reliving the events that the warrior went through.
Fergus returns to work after a number of months, but cannot settle. He quits after an argument and heads back to the village near the accident to see if he can find out who the tattooed guy was. He meets Ealdin, one of those that found him after the accident, and owner of a riding school, and starts work there whilst still recovering. Also at the riding school is Jake, erstwhile boyfriend of Ealdin, and not a particularly nice piece of work. As Fergus settles into village life, he ends up renting a room next to Clare. She wakes him after a nightmare, and they realise that they have a lot more in common than they first realised.
Jake is dabbling with dark pagan practices and thinks that he called the Saxon warrior. His antics start to get more sinister with the death of a resident, following the sacrifice of a goat at the Blot stone. Clare and Fergus are drawn into his web, as he needs to make a human sacrifice and perform a ritual to bring more power to himself. Ealdin, a sensual earth mother type, fights back with Clare and Fergus against him. The tension builds right up to the may day festival in the village, where Jake seeks to put his plans into effect.
Really enjoyed this tale. It is set in a modern village, but Gudgion has woven in pagan and historical threads, and ramped up the tension to make this edge of the seat material at times. It is not horror as such, but it is occasionally scary stuff.
September 20, 2013
I’ll begin with a confession, I’ve been told its good for the soul. I have spent the last week agonising over how to write anything resembling a coherent review of this book. Not, I should stress, because the book is bad, quite the reverse in fact, the book is wonderful. The problem I have had is trying to adequately convey in words the myriad of thoughts and feelings that this particular story has provoked.
The trauma that Fergus experiences are utterly horrific and his life is changed fundamentally by surviving the ordeal he goes through. His journey through rehabilitation and onwards to full recovery is covered in depth and these introspective moments are fascinating. The evolution of his character is suitably profound, from a seemingly satisfied tech salesman to an individual suddenly seeking something far more fulfilling. After the car crash, his old life seems like a bit of a bad joke, the trappings of capitalism no longer have quite the lustre that they had before.
The crash and the archaeological dig seem linked, and it’s up to Fergus and archaeologist Clare, to discover the truth. Just what is going on with the residents of Allingley and how do events in the present day connect with what has happened centuries past?
I’ve always liked the idea that places can retain echoes of past events. Call it whatever you want, a ghost, a presence, a shadow, it doesn’t matter. The suggestion that something gets left behind is an intriguing one. Couple this with the notion that certain individuals, particularly those who have survived a traumatic event/been close to death, are more in-tune with these places and you have the building blocks of an absorbing mystery.
The fantastical elements in this novel are actually quite subtle and are handled with a very delicate touch. Some of the characters are utterly dismissive of the weird things that are going on while others embrace them entirely. I rather like this approach, as I’m sure different readers will almost certainly take different interpretations from the events that unfold. It’s always interesting to read a novel that has that kind of ambiguous quality. This is the sort of fiction that when you finish you want to talk to other readers about.
Not unsurprisingly, the scenes set in the Saxon era are often violent and dark. The writing certainly doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to describing in visceral detail how warriors die in the heat of battle. Based on the evidence of these chapters alone, I’d love to read an entire historical novel written by Gudgion. I’d imagine it would be brutally evocative stuff.
The only, very minor, issue I had was with the villain in the modern chapters of the novel. All the other characters felt rounded and realistic but the villain came across as little under developed. Fergus and Clare are so well observed I think it would have been nice to have had that same level of insight into the motivations of their nemesis. I just got the impression that there was more going on behind this character’s actions that were never fully explored.
Geoffrey Gudgion’s dark fantasy is a melting pot of many ideas. Elements from comparative theology, folklore, horror and historical fiction all blend together to form a compelling narrative. This novel pleasantly surprised me, it’s far more contemplative and thoughtful than I expected. This is an impressively solid debut from an author I’ll be looking out for again in the future.
The trauma that Fergus experiences are utterly horrific and his life is changed fundamentally by surviving the ordeal he goes through. His journey through rehabilitation and onwards to full recovery is covered in depth and these introspective moments are fascinating. The evolution of his character is suitably profound, from a seemingly satisfied tech salesman to an individual suddenly seeking something far more fulfilling. After the car crash, his old life seems like a bit of a bad joke, the trappings of capitalism no longer have quite the lustre that they had before.
The crash and the archaeological dig seem linked, and it’s up to Fergus and archaeologist Clare, to discover the truth. Just what is going on with the residents of Allingley and how do events in the present day connect with what has happened centuries past?
I’ve always liked the idea that places can retain echoes of past events. Call it whatever you want, a ghost, a presence, a shadow, it doesn’t matter. The suggestion that something gets left behind is an intriguing one. Couple this with the notion that certain individuals, particularly those who have survived a traumatic event/been close to death, are more in-tune with these places and you have the building blocks of an absorbing mystery.
The fantastical elements in this novel are actually quite subtle and are handled with a very delicate touch. Some of the characters are utterly dismissive of the weird things that are going on while others embrace them entirely. I rather like this approach, as I’m sure different readers will almost certainly take different interpretations from the events that unfold. It’s always interesting to read a novel that has that kind of ambiguous quality. This is the sort of fiction that when you finish you want to talk to other readers about.
Not unsurprisingly, the scenes set in the Saxon era are often violent and dark. The writing certainly doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to describing in visceral detail how warriors die in the heat of battle. Based on the evidence of these chapters alone, I’d love to read an entire historical novel written by Gudgion. I’d imagine it would be brutally evocative stuff.
The only, very minor, issue I had was with the villain in the modern chapters of the novel. All the other characters felt rounded and realistic but the villain came across as little under developed. Fergus and Clare are so well observed I think it would have been nice to have had that same level of insight into the motivations of their nemesis. I just got the impression that there was more going on behind this character’s actions that were never fully explored.
Geoffrey Gudgion’s dark fantasy is a melting pot of many ideas. Elements from comparative theology, folklore, horror and historical fiction all blend together to form a compelling narrative. This novel pleasantly surprised me, it’s far more contemplative and thoughtful than I expected. This is an impressively solid debut from an author I’ll be looking out for again in the future.
September 6, 2013
By the dark waters of a quiet millpond lying in the heart of a rural English village, a pair of workers unearth an ancient injustice. Geoffrey Gudgion has skillfully woven the intricate interconnections showing how the power disturbed in this peat bog, ripples outwards -- forever altering the lives of an injured businessman from the city, an academic archaeologist, a local horse trainer, a local pub owner and the rest of the village residents. Saxon’s Bane is a surprising, very enjoyable book containing an evolving mystery, gently revealed lessons for its readers, memorable characters and a strong sense of place.
Gudgion’s nuanced view of the peaceful countryside taught me that beneath the veneer of normalcy in this post-card village, lurks hidden currents and whispered secrets. Not all of them are mere gossip, either. Saxon’s Bane tells how a heart-wrenching curse wrung out of painful loss can live on for more than a thousand years. When several events coincide, a powerful force for retribution is unleashed. Its actions remain hidden, working along unnoticed pathways until too much damage has been done to be contained.
The characters, each a complete study in confronting disbelief, injury and betrayal, are affected in personal, private ways. Some share their emotional burdens as their reality begins to dissolve while others fall into madness and evil. Some turn to their village priest while some turn to an even older faith. They all remain highly accessible throughout and reminded me of people I’ve known and worked with. This made reading Saxon’s Bane not just an adventure, but also a troubling and often funny look at how we see our world of beliefs, our chosen lives and our relationships with each other. I recommend this book for anyone who appreciates how the past still exists in the present. I’ll be on the lookout for new work by this engaging author.
Gudgion’s nuanced view of the peaceful countryside taught me that beneath the veneer of normalcy in this post-card village, lurks hidden currents and whispered secrets. Not all of them are mere gossip, either. Saxon’s Bane tells how a heart-wrenching curse wrung out of painful loss can live on for more than a thousand years. When several events coincide, a powerful force for retribution is unleashed. Its actions remain hidden, working along unnoticed pathways until too much damage has been done to be contained.
The characters, each a complete study in confronting disbelief, injury and betrayal, are affected in personal, private ways. Some share their emotional burdens as their reality begins to dissolve while others fall into madness and evil. Some turn to their village priest while some turn to an even older faith. They all remain highly accessible throughout and reminded me of people I’ve known and worked with. This made reading Saxon’s Bane not just an adventure, but also a troubling and often funny look at how we see our world of beliefs, our chosen lives and our relationships with each other. I recommend this book for anyone who appreciates how the past still exists in the present. I’ll be on the lookout for new work by this engaging author.
November 8, 2014
3,5 stars
http://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/2...
The summary for this book had me intrigued. I immediately imagined a sort of reincarnation story and since I’m a history nut, some old crime from the time of the Saxon’s coming to haunt people today made me eager to read ‘Saxon’s Bane’. Now, it wasn’t fully what I expected, it’s a lot more complex than that, the emotions in this book go a lot deeper and the focus is very much on the characters and their psychological viewpoint.
So let’s start there: the characters. The story begins with main character Fergus’ car crash, a very gripping and realistic scene that really grabbed me and shows the author’s talent right from the very start. Fergus has a hard time after the accident, emotionally as well as physically. He hasn’t been able to talk about it or work through it. Somehow he thinks going back to the town where it happened and thanking the people that saved him will help him along this process. In Allingley he meets a scala of people, one of them being Eadlin, a woman he feels physically attracted to and who has some kind of special connection to nature. She is also one of the people who found him after the accident. The other one who found him, Jake, currently Eadlin’s boyfriend, first comes across as very arrogant but kind of friendly. There is more to him than meets the eye though.
Also in town is our other main character, Clare, an archeologist who has just found the preserved body of a Saxon warrior. She feels some weird connection to that warrior and slowly gets taken in by his story, reliving it in her nightmares.
Both characters have very different personalities and give their own personal depth to the story. I really liked learning more about them and seeing them progress and growing closer throughout the story. Gudgion is obviously very skilled in writing out interesting characters.
The thing that absolutely won me over in this books, was the writing. I love Geoffrey Gudgion’s writing! It’s beautiful. The way he describes the scenery and his characters’ emotions is stunning. The fact that I was so captivated by the writing style really made this a fast read. I literally breezed through it and though it certainly has some heavy subjects in there, Gudgion managed to write them in such a way that it didn’t slow the story down one bit.
‘Saxon’s Bane’ has all the makings of a really good book: it’s a fast read, the writing is absolutely beautiful, it pulls you into the story immediately, the characters are compelling and realistic and the setting gives it that bit of extra mystery. But personally I wanted a bit more of the Saxon’s history and that supernatural part of the story to come to the foreground. The Saxon is the red thread throughout the story, but I would have liked to see more of him. Though I have to admit that now, at the end, there remains a bit of mystery around the whole Saxon and his connection to Clare and Fergus for the reader to contemplate. A coin with two sides.
This book isn’t full-blown fantasy or supernatural or anything like that. It is a mixture of all sorts of genres and if I had to put one etiquette on it, I’d say it leans more towards a psychological viewpoint on some extraordinary events. If you like these kind of approaches, I’d definitely recommend ‘Saxon’s Bane’ for you, because it’s an absolute joy to read.
You can read this review and others on my blog: http://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/
http://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/2...
The summary for this book had me intrigued. I immediately imagined a sort of reincarnation story and since I’m a history nut, some old crime from the time of the Saxon’s coming to haunt people today made me eager to read ‘Saxon’s Bane’. Now, it wasn’t fully what I expected, it’s a lot more complex than that, the emotions in this book go a lot deeper and the focus is very much on the characters and their psychological viewpoint.
So let’s start there: the characters. The story begins with main character Fergus’ car crash, a very gripping and realistic scene that really grabbed me and shows the author’s talent right from the very start. Fergus has a hard time after the accident, emotionally as well as physically. He hasn’t been able to talk about it or work through it. Somehow he thinks going back to the town where it happened and thanking the people that saved him will help him along this process. In Allingley he meets a scala of people, one of them being Eadlin, a woman he feels physically attracted to and who has some kind of special connection to nature. She is also one of the people who found him after the accident. The other one who found him, Jake, currently Eadlin’s boyfriend, first comes across as very arrogant but kind of friendly. There is more to him than meets the eye though.
Also in town is our other main character, Clare, an archeologist who has just found the preserved body of a Saxon warrior. She feels some weird connection to that warrior and slowly gets taken in by his story, reliving it in her nightmares.
Both characters have very different personalities and give their own personal depth to the story. I really liked learning more about them and seeing them progress and growing closer throughout the story. Gudgion is obviously very skilled in writing out interesting characters.
The thing that absolutely won me over in this books, was the writing. I love Geoffrey Gudgion’s writing! It’s beautiful. The way he describes the scenery and his characters’ emotions is stunning. The fact that I was so captivated by the writing style really made this a fast read. I literally breezed through it and though it certainly has some heavy subjects in there, Gudgion managed to write them in such a way that it didn’t slow the story down one bit.
‘Saxon’s Bane’ has all the makings of a really good book: it’s a fast read, the writing is absolutely beautiful, it pulls you into the story immediately, the characters are compelling and realistic and the setting gives it that bit of extra mystery. But personally I wanted a bit more of the Saxon’s history and that supernatural part of the story to come to the foreground. The Saxon is the red thread throughout the story, but I would have liked to see more of him. Though I have to admit that now, at the end, there remains a bit of mystery around the whole Saxon and his connection to Clare and Fergus for the reader to contemplate. A coin with two sides.
This book isn’t full-blown fantasy or supernatural or anything like that. It is a mixture of all sorts of genres and if I had to put one etiquette on it, I’d say it leans more towards a psychological viewpoint on some extraordinary events. If you like these kind of approaches, I’d definitely recommend ‘Saxon’s Bane’ for you, because it’s an absolute joy to read.
You can read this review and others on my blog: http://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/
May 7, 2017
Saxon’s Bane is a book about how ancient events influence the present. It can be classified as paranormal, but could also fall under the category of a thriller. The main character of the story, Fergus survives a car crash and feels inexplicably drawn to the site of his accident. Claire, an archaeologist, keeps getting nightmares since the time some ancient Saxon remains were found near the accident site. Include Eadlin, the village ‘wise woman’, Jake, the local jerk, and a few other characters, and you are set for an entertaining story.
The characters are well etched; the book is well written and researched. The author built up momentum wonderfully, ending in an unexpected climax. My one complaint from the book was that it was not scary enough. I would have preferred a more intrusive presence of the past in the present than was shown. A paranormal drama with revenge as theme (too much information here?) has to scare you witless, in my opinion.
Other than that, the story flowed smoothly. The two main women characters are very well drawn, and it is always a pleasure to read about independent, strong women. The author brought up some interesting information about Saxon practices. The entire story, though paranormal, was actually believable.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and will look forward to reading more books by the author. I give 4/5 stars for Saxon’s Bane and would recommend it to anyone desiring a read in this genre.
The characters are well etched; the book is well written and researched. The author built up momentum wonderfully, ending in an unexpected climax. My one complaint from the book was that it was not scary enough. I would have preferred a more intrusive presence of the past in the present than was shown. A paranormal drama with revenge as theme (too much information here?) has to scare you witless, in my opinion.
Other than that, the story flowed smoothly. The two main women characters are very well drawn, and it is always a pleasure to read about independent, strong women. The author brought up some interesting information about Saxon practices. The entire story, though paranormal, was actually believable.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and will look forward to reading more books by the author. I give 4/5 stars for Saxon’s Bane and would recommend it to anyone desiring a read in this genre.
September 3, 2013
Saxon’s Bane is a cracking read. It is easy to get sucked in by the car crash on the effects it has on the hero Fergus; much of the text here rings very true including the women he meets and the horse he makes a bond of trust with. The man's background in business, in the manner of his walking out of it and his need to escape the image of his colleague killed in a car crash gnaw way persistently at the bone of reality.
The parallel story of Clare, the young lady archaeologist, and her discovery of the Saxon in a bog is also fascinating in its own right. She and her story come together very quickly with Fergus’s story ... and then the spooky stuff begins. Whatever the relationship between the archaeologist, the Saxon warrior and his woman Olrun, the Swan Maiden, the past grabs hold of her nightmares and then of her relationship with modern-day Fergus. Geoffrey’s grasp of Saxon history and lore gives him the perfect edge.
Do not be tempted to skip over the detail of Clare’s nightmares, because much of what happens in Saxon times influences directly what happens in modern times. None of the supernatural links appear to be forced. I guess the fact that much of it is in her nightmares makes it more realistic until, that is, the nightmares begin being played out in her real life with Fergus. Then it’s real anyway. Be prepared for a really dangerous ending. Hmm. As I said, a cracking read.
The parallel story of Clare, the young lady archaeologist, and her discovery of the Saxon in a bog is also fascinating in its own right. She and her story come together very quickly with Fergus’s story ... and then the spooky stuff begins. Whatever the relationship between the archaeologist, the Saxon warrior and his woman Olrun, the Swan Maiden, the past grabs hold of her nightmares and then of her relationship with modern-day Fergus. Geoffrey’s grasp of Saxon history and lore gives him the perfect edge.
Do not be tempted to skip over the detail of Clare’s nightmares, because much of what happens in Saxon times influences directly what happens in modern times. None of the supernatural links appear to be forced. I guess the fact that much of it is in her nightmares makes it more realistic until, that is, the nightmares begin being played out in her real life with Fergus. Then it’s real anyway. Be prepared for a really dangerous ending. Hmm. As I said, a cracking read.
September 7, 2013
The accidental clarity. I read this line in an Alice Munro story years ago and it has stayed with me. Something causes you to step back and look at your life, ask yourself why you've ended up in the place you're in, the job you're in, the relationship you're in. A fleeting insight, and you realize how it all might have gone differently.
Here it's a near-death experience that has Fergus wondering if he's losing his mind. Vivid dreams that bring Clare's archeological research uncomfortably to life. An English village that has an eerie history, a kind of shadow reality that surfaces when the body of a Saxon warrior is unearthed in a peat bog, becomes the proving ground for these two: the place where they must face their fears and make things go differently, this time.
Geoffrey Gudgion is a virtual friend. We "met" in an online writer's community and I critiqued several drafts of Saxon's Bane. The final product still took my breath away. Well done, old chap!
Here it's a near-death experience that has Fergus wondering if he's losing his mind. Vivid dreams that bring Clare's archeological research uncomfortably to life. An English village that has an eerie history, a kind of shadow reality that surfaces when the body of a Saxon warrior is unearthed in a peat bog, becomes the proving ground for these two: the place where they must face their fears and make things go differently, this time.
Geoffrey Gudgion is a virtual friend. We "met" in an online writer's community and I critiqued several drafts of Saxon's Bane. The final product still took my breath away. Well done, old chap!
September 28, 2013
Sucks you in from the first page. Believe it or not, the initiating car wreck is told so well, you can smell the spilled gasoline and the stag’s wet fur. After the wreck, Fergus has lots of issues, not least his rehab and the loss of his partner, Kate, but also his developing connection to the town of Allingley. There are good guys and bad guys and an archaeologist, Clare, who dreams her work and worries she might be going crazy because the dreams are so vividly entwined with her waking life. There is also a riding stable and the owner whose connection to place is even deeper than Fergus’ own. When Fergus makes a local enemy and is targeted for human sacrifice, the bad guys use Clare to try and get to him. Lots of history and mythology sprinkled throughout and it’s great fun. Pretty good story when you hit the end and try to turn the page anyway, even though the story ended perfectly. Received free copy for review.
July 22, 2013
Two stars simply because part of the book was well done.
Saxon’s Bane starts out well. The anthropology is done well, and the Saxon history is spot on. Some of the history of the Old Ways is well done: The Old Way teaches us that all living things are sacred, that there is a life force in everything and connecting everything. Gudgion speaks of the Christian church, and how they took over, folding the myths and religion into the church to pull the locals into changing to the new religion of Christianity. How so many of the Christian tenants, such as Easter, as timed and based upon the Old Ways in order to fold what they called “pagans” into the New Religion.
I was well pleased to read the first part of what the book covered, and settled in, thinking I would enjoy the book. Then, Gudgion got completely off track, and totally ruined the book for me. From being solid and well versed in both the Old Ways and the New, he suddenly turned to stealing the sacred from the Old Ways, turning to the old saw of Wicca being “evil” and “devil worshiping.” This based upon the Horned God of the Old Way being turned into the “Devil” by the New Religion. Since the church said that the Horned God was the Devil, well then, it must be so, right? OH, how ignorant and how very nauseating.
Gudgion uses superstition and hated to turn the story into simply another ignorant rant against the Old Ways, having a sweet and caring follower of the Old Way say of Esbat: It’s used for a ritual curse” and going downhill from there. His knowledge of the Old Ways is patently ignorant and false, especially as even the most careless of searches clearly delineate the definition of Esbat as being 180 degrees from what the author tries to make it out to be. The word Esbat is of French origin, from s’esbattre, which loosely translates to “frolic joyfully.” In addition to frolicking, this is a time to commune with the gods, give thanks, and enjoy the Cake and Ale Ceremony. In no way is it designed to “devil worship” or perform “ritual curses.” Wiccan is not about that.
Christianity defined Wicca and witchcraft as “evil devil worshiping” as a way to override the Old Ways and place Christianity in it’s stead. Those burned at the stake and otherwise murdered were mostly healers, herbalists and other practitioners of the Old Way, caring for their families, villages and animals. Real Wicca was, and is, all about celebration, healing, honouring the seasons and positive influences. Only those who wish to defy and insult Christianity conduct Black ritual, and those people are NOT true Wiccan – they are basing their whole ritual in the Catholic church and it’s teachings, not in Wicca. Were there ritual sacrifices in the old days? Most assuredly. They were carried out by every religion, from Mayans to Egyptians, Saxons to Christians. What else is the hanging of Jesus on the cross if not a sacrifice?
I can’t decide whether Gudgion had a split in his psychology halfway through the novel, or if he intended to draw in the reader and then pounce with his superstitious nonsense. Or if someone else picked up the book half-way through and finished it themselves – someone with no knowledge and less intellect. Gudgion is “superstitious” in that he indulges in a total lack of research and/or knowledge in his statements, pushing belief of an unfounded psudoreligious doctrine as truth. One character, a sick and twisted individual, turns what should be a time of beauty and thanksgiving into something deviant. That is a sick human, not a sick religion. Any religion may be twisted – see The Spanish Inquisition for example, or the Mayan cutting out of the hearts of slaves.
Overall, I was deeply, deeply disappointed. I truly wanted the book to continue to be wonderful. Instead, I was left with a foul taste in my mouth and a heavy heart.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
Goddess of the moon, queen of the night,
keeper of women’s mysteries, mistress of the tides,
you who are ever changing and yet always constant,
I ask that you guide me with your wisdom,
help me grow with your knowledge,
and hold me in your arms.
The moon is the symbol of the mother,
and she watches over us day and night.
She brings the changing tide, the shifting night,
the flow that changes women’s bodies,
and the passion of lovers to their beloved.
Her wisdom is great and all-knowing,
and we honor her tonight.
Keep your watchful eyes upon us, great mother,
until the cycle returns once more,
and bring us to the next full moon,
in your love and light.
- Drawing Down The Moon
Saxon’s Bane starts out well. The anthropology is done well, and the Saxon history is spot on. Some of the history of the Old Ways is well done: The Old Way teaches us that all living things are sacred, that there is a life force in everything and connecting everything. Gudgion speaks of the Christian church, and how they took over, folding the myths and religion into the church to pull the locals into changing to the new religion of Christianity. How so many of the Christian tenants, such as Easter, as timed and based upon the Old Ways in order to fold what they called “pagans” into the New Religion.
I was well pleased to read the first part of what the book covered, and settled in, thinking I would enjoy the book. Then, Gudgion got completely off track, and totally ruined the book for me. From being solid and well versed in both the Old Ways and the New, he suddenly turned to stealing the sacred from the Old Ways, turning to the old saw of Wicca being “evil” and “devil worshiping.” This based upon the Horned God of the Old Way being turned into the “Devil” by the New Religion. Since the church said that the Horned God was the Devil, well then, it must be so, right? OH, how ignorant and how very nauseating.
Gudgion uses superstition and hated to turn the story into simply another ignorant rant against the Old Ways, having a sweet and caring follower of the Old Way say of Esbat: It’s used for a ritual curse” and going downhill from there. His knowledge of the Old Ways is patently ignorant and false, especially as even the most careless of searches clearly delineate the definition of Esbat as being 180 degrees from what the author tries to make it out to be. The word Esbat is of French origin, from s’esbattre, which loosely translates to “frolic joyfully.” In addition to frolicking, this is a time to commune with the gods, give thanks, and enjoy the Cake and Ale Ceremony. In no way is it designed to “devil worship” or perform “ritual curses.” Wiccan is not about that.
Christianity defined Wicca and witchcraft as “evil devil worshiping” as a way to override the Old Ways and place Christianity in it’s stead. Those burned at the stake and otherwise murdered were mostly healers, herbalists and other practitioners of the Old Way, caring for their families, villages and animals. Real Wicca was, and is, all about celebration, healing, honouring the seasons and positive influences. Only those who wish to defy and insult Christianity conduct Black ritual, and those people are NOT true Wiccan – they are basing their whole ritual in the Catholic church and it’s teachings, not in Wicca. Were there ritual sacrifices in the old days? Most assuredly. They were carried out by every religion, from Mayans to Egyptians, Saxons to Christians. What else is the hanging of Jesus on the cross if not a sacrifice?
I can’t decide whether Gudgion had a split in his psychology halfway through the novel, or if he intended to draw in the reader and then pounce with his superstitious nonsense. Or if someone else picked up the book half-way through and finished it themselves – someone with no knowledge and less intellect. Gudgion is “superstitious” in that he indulges in a total lack of research and/or knowledge in his statements, pushing belief of an unfounded psudoreligious doctrine as truth. One character, a sick and twisted individual, turns what should be a time of beauty and thanksgiving into something deviant. That is a sick human, not a sick religion. Any religion may be twisted – see The Spanish Inquisition for example, or the Mayan cutting out of the hearts of slaves.
Overall, I was deeply, deeply disappointed. I truly wanted the book to continue to be wonderful. Instead, I was left with a foul taste in my mouth and a heavy heart.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
Goddess of the moon, queen of the night,
keeper of women’s mysteries, mistress of the tides,
you who are ever changing and yet always constant,
I ask that you guide me with your wisdom,
help me grow with your knowledge,
and hold me in your arms.
The moon is the symbol of the mother,
and she watches over us day and night.
She brings the changing tide, the shifting night,
the flow that changes women’s bodies,
and the passion of lovers to their beloved.
Her wisdom is great and all-knowing,
and we honor her tonight.
Keep your watchful eyes upon us, great mother,
until the cycle returns once more,
and bring us to the next full moon,
in your love and light.
- Drawing Down The Moon
December 27, 2013
After reading the synopsis for Saxon's Bane, the book immediately piqued my interest and I put it on my books-to-look-out-for-list. Then last November, I had the pleasure of meeting Geoff at WFC. We chatted for a bit and I admired the huge helmet that was on display at the Solaris table during his signing. It was a lovely chat, which made me want to read my review copy for Saxon's Bane even more. It took me a bit longer than I'd planned, but I read the book over Christmas and I'm glad I got to read it before the end of the year so I can include it in my favourite debuts post tomorrow, because it was a wonderful read.
Saxon's Bane is a fantasy with a historical thread woven into it, but there are also heavy overtones of horror. The book has two timelines, one set in the present and one set in Saxon time. The present day story arc is told through two main characters, Fergus and Clare, with Fergus being the one getting more page time. Through his experiences in the narrative Fergus develops from a not-so-likeable salesman to a more mindful, present and peaceful person. I loved the role nature and horses played in Fergus' healing process, both mentally and physically. The descriptions of his PTSD and his memories, or perhaps more accurately his fear of remembering, were harrowing. Also his mantra "Always face the pain" was powerful and made me admire his courage.
Clare is our window onto the past, quite literally. Not only is she the archaeologist excavating the site and studying the Saxon's body, but it's through her dreams that we witness the past. The dream sequences were quite well done and I loved the glimpses of Saxon life we got through them and discovering the Saxon's history by seeing it instead of deducing it from the archaeological evidence. The tale of the Saxon Aegl and his lover Olrun is quite romantic and also somewhat interwoven with myth and magic. Gudgion also cleverly uses Clare's academic background and mannerism to drop in some background information. I found it quite an unobtrusive way of info-dumping. While Clare is lovely and her role in the story pivotal, I never felt like we got to know her as well as we do Fergus—Clare always seems to stay at a distance.
I loved the cast Gudgion surrounds Fergus and Clare with. There is the wise Eadlin, who not only recognises the connection between Fergus and Trooper, but also gives Fergus some grounding in the Old Ways. There is the vicar, John Webster, who is a good and kind man, though perhaps not your typical small-village vicar. Mary Baxter, Fergus' and Clare's landlady and the rest of the church choir and even the unpleasant characters such as Jake Herne and Dick Hagman; they are all quite well-drawn and make the village come alive. In fact, the village of Allingley, and the surrounding countryside, is almost a character in itself. It reflects the peace and the turmoil felt by its inhabitants and formed a gorgeous backdrop for the story.
Gudgion's love of horses comes through quite clearly, but what also echoes through the text is a love of music. It's there in the way emotions and impressions are described – for example, Fergus describes the village as starting out as being an Elgar landscape and with the advent of summer becoming a Vaughan Williams landscape – and of course the large presence of the choir in the book. The description of the music during the Easter service was breath-taking and had me running to Spotify to look up the piece described. Rereading the sequence with the music in the background on made it an even richer experience.
I really loved Saxon's Bane. Gudgion's writing swept me away and had me feeling as if I was walking the bridle paths with Fergus. The narrative was atmospheric, spooky and absolutely convincing. It is a wonderful and powerful debut for Gudgion and one that hasn't had as much coverage as it deserves in my opinion. For my part, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any future work from Gudgion.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Saxon's Bane is a fantasy with a historical thread woven into it, but there are also heavy overtones of horror. The book has two timelines, one set in the present and one set in Saxon time. The present day story arc is told through two main characters, Fergus and Clare, with Fergus being the one getting more page time. Through his experiences in the narrative Fergus develops from a not-so-likeable salesman to a more mindful, present and peaceful person. I loved the role nature and horses played in Fergus' healing process, both mentally and physically. The descriptions of his PTSD and his memories, or perhaps more accurately his fear of remembering, were harrowing. Also his mantra "Always face the pain" was powerful and made me admire his courage.
Clare is our window onto the past, quite literally. Not only is she the archaeologist excavating the site and studying the Saxon's body, but it's through her dreams that we witness the past. The dream sequences were quite well done and I loved the glimpses of Saxon life we got through them and discovering the Saxon's history by seeing it instead of deducing it from the archaeological evidence. The tale of the Saxon Aegl and his lover Olrun is quite romantic and also somewhat interwoven with myth and magic. Gudgion also cleverly uses Clare's academic background and mannerism to drop in some background information. I found it quite an unobtrusive way of info-dumping. While Clare is lovely and her role in the story pivotal, I never felt like we got to know her as well as we do Fergus—Clare always seems to stay at a distance.
I loved the cast Gudgion surrounds Fergus and Clare with. There is the wise Eadlin, who not only recognises the connection between Fergus and Trooper, but also gives Fergus some grounding in the Old Ways. There is the vicar, John Webster, who is a good and kind man, though perhaps not your typical small-village vicar. Mary Baxter, Fergus' and Clare's landlady and the rest of the church choir and even the unpleasant characters such as Jake Herne and Dick Hagman; they are all quite well-drawn and make the village come alive. In fact, the village of Allingley, and the surrounding countryside, is almost a character in itself. It reflects the peace and the turmoil felt by its inhabitants and formed a gorgeous backdrop for the story.
Gudgion's love of horses comes through quite clearly, but what also echoes through the text is a love of music. It's there in the way emotions and impressions are described – for example, Fergus describes the village as starting out as being an Elgar landscape and with the advent of summer becoming a Vaughan Williams landscape – and of course the large presence of the choir in the book. The description of the music during the Easter service was breath-taking and had me running to Spotify to look up the piece described. Rereading the sequence with the music in the background on made it an even richer experience.
I really loved Saxon's Bane. Gudgion's writing swept me away and had me feeling as if I was walking the bridle paths with Fergus. The narrative was atmospheric, spooky and absolutely convincing. It is a wonderful and powerful debut for Gudgion and one that hasn't had as much coverage as it deserves in my opinion. For my part, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any future work from Gudgion.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
April 12, 2014
Really pedestrian 'horror' with minimal character development and a truly ordinary antagonist.
Gudgion's real weakness would appear to be women. Any women. All women. Women with cleavages, and rumps* that get all up in his character's grill so's he can't think none too straight. All I can say, after too many pages of our hero's pained and constantly distracted internal monologues, is that if being a straight man is like this then thank god for my ladybits. Life must be really difficult for someone who spends at least three-quarters of his time being unavoidably distracted by the shape of a woman's backside, and the other quarter trying (and failing spectacularly) not to look down their tops.
I mean, really, this whole book was a massive disappointment. We're given a comparison to The Wicker Man by someone on the front cover, and what we get is Taken3: Taken in an English Village.** I wanted an eerie, supernatural modern ghost story! I didn't want the latest James Patterson 'collaboration' with Terry Deary!
The bad guy here is so pathetically bad: fist-pumping when a good guy dies because of his evil spells, making the 'horned devil' sign every time he does anything, being really sure of himself right up until things go wrong... He's the Emperor Palpatine of the village of Allingley.
The massive generalisations made by some characters are cringe-making. Speaking of the Horned Man, our resident 'Witch-lore-expert-but-I'm-not-Wiccan-OK-we-call-it-the-Old-Way" woman says ponderously, "Christians would call him the devil.'
No qualification, no expansion. No description of fertility festivals or representations of the land and history and mankind. Horned man = Devil. The end. For those following along at home, she's now an authority on pagan figures, simplifying things for the sake of really average storytelling.
And, seriously. The love interest woman gets kidnapped! OF COURSE! IT'S AN ACTION NOVEL! She needs to be rescued! Quickly, dull and flavourless hero! Get to it and rescue the woman you've predictably fallen in love with! She has been having some disturbing dreams recently, and is consequently incapable of protecting herself or any of your interests. But what else would you, a high-powered sales executive having a quarter-life post-car-crash crisis, expect of the fairer, slenderer, blonder sex?
This book is kind of the Hot Fuzz of the book world. Promising of creepy and insidious horror and supernatural events, and delivering nothing but some mildly weird comic violence and a lot of disappointingly normal answers.
*A word he used multiple times throughout this trying tome. Yes. I know.
**Alternative titles: Taken3: Now They're ALL Taken;
Taken3: Taken By A Saxon Ghost Who's Just Trying To Get To Valhalla You Ignorant Peasant;
Taken3: Women Are Really, Really Bad At Self-Preservation, I Mean Have You Seen How Easy It Is To Date Rape Someone?
Taken3: Seriously, Don't Go In That Tree.
Gudgion's real weakness would appear to be women. Any women. All women. Women with cleavages, and rumps* that get all up in his character's grill so's he can't think none too straight. All I can say, after too many pages of our hero's pained and constantly distracted internal monologues, is that if being a straight man is like this then thank god for my ladybits. Life must be really difficult for someone who spends at least three-quarters of his time being unavoidably distracted by the shape of a woman's backside, and the other quarter trying (and failing spectacularly) not to look down their tops.
I mean, really, this whole book was a massive disappointment. We're given a comparison to The Wicker Man by someone on the front cover, and what we get is Taken3: Taken in an English Village.** I wanted an eerie, supernatural modern ghost story! I didn't want the latest James Patterson 'collaboration' with Terry Deary!
The bad guy here is so pathetically bad: fist-pumping when a good guy dies because of his evil spells, making the 'horned devil' sign every time he does anything, being really sure of himself right up until things go wrong... He's the Emperor Palpatine of the village of Allingley.
The massive generalisations made by some characters are cringe-making. Speaking of the Horned Man, our resident 'Witch-lore-expert-but-I'm-not-Wiccan-OK-we-call-it-the-Old-Way" woman says ponderously, "Christians would call him the devil.'
No qualification, no expansion. No description of fertility festivals or representations of the land and history and mankind. Horned man = Devil. The end. For those following along at home, she's now an authority on pagan figures, simplifying things for the sake of really average storytelling.
And, seriously. The love interest woman gets kidnapped! OF COURSE! IT'S AN ACTION NOVEL! She needs to be rescued! Quickly, dull and flavourless hero! Get to it and rescue the woman you've predictably fallen in love with! She has been having some disturbing dreams recently, and is consequently incapable of protecting herself or any of your interests. But what else would you, a high-powered sales executive having a quarter-life post-car-crash crisis, expect of the fairer, slenderer, blonder sex?
This book is kind of the Hot Fuzz of the book world. Promising of creepy and insidious horror and supernatural events, and delivering nothing but some mildly weird comic violence and a lot of disappointingly normal answers.
*A word he used multiple times throughout this trying tome. Yes. I know.
**Alternative titles: Taken3: Now They're ALL Taken;
Taken3: Taken By A Saxon Ghost Who's Just Trying To Get To Valhalla You Ignorant Peasant;
Taken3: Women Are Really, Really Bad At Self-Preservation, I Mean Have You Seen How Easy It Is To Date Rape Someone?
Taken3: Seriously, Don't Go In That Tree.
May 4, 2014
Fergus Sheppard’s world changes for ever the day his car crashes near the remote village of Allingley. Traumatised by his near-death experience, he returns to thank the villagers who rescued him, and stays to work at the local stables as he recovers from his injuries. He will discover a gentler pace of life, fall in love – and be targeted for human sacrifice.
Clare Harvey’s life will never be the same either. The young archaeologist’s dream find – the peat-preserved body of a Saxon warrior – is giving her nightmares. She can tell that the warrior had been ritually murdered, and that the partial skeleton lying nearby is that of a young woman. And their tragic story is unfolding in her head every time she goes to sleep.
Fergus discovers that his crash is uncannily linked to the excavation, and that the smiling and beautiful countryside harbours some very dark secrets. As the pagan festival of Beltane approaches, and Clare’s investigation reveals the full horror of a Dark Age war crime, Fergus and Clare seem destined to share the Saxon couple’s bloody fate.
Haunting primordial/rural Wickermanesque tale with a wonderful, descriptive narrative.The author has a captivating writing style but did I have a couple of issues with the novel.
The romantic aspects didn't work for me, Fergus and Clare, whilst well drawn individually, didn't convince as a couple. Also I didn't really get what was motivating the villain of the piece.
The dual storyline worked well and the author convincingly invokes the ancient spirits of the English countryside that reminded me of Alan Garner. Good stuff
Clare Harvey’s life will never be the same either. The young archaeologist’s dream find – the peat-preserved body of a Saxon warrior – is giving her nightmares. She can tell that the warrior had been ritually murdered, and that the partial skeleton lying nearby is that of a young woman. And their tragic story is unfolding in her head every time she goes to sleep.
Fergus discovers that his crash is uncannily linked to the excavation, and that the smiling and beautiful countryside harbours some very dark secrets. As the pagan festival of Beltane approaches, and Clare’s investigation reveals the full horror of a Dark Age war crime, Fergus and Clare seem destined to share the Saxon couple’s bloody fate.
Haunting primordial/rural Wickermanesque tale with a wonderful, descriptive narrative.The author has a captivating writing style but did I have a couple of issues with the novel.
The romantic aspects didn't work for me, Fergus and Clare, whilst well drawn individually, didn't convince as a couple. Also I didn't really get what was motivating the villain of the piece.
The dual storyline worked well and the author convincingly invokes the ancient spirits of the English countryside that reminded me of Alan Garner. Good stuff
The landscape swelled as if some vast subterranean body had inhaled, tightening the earth over its curves. The land was female, fecund, as English as nut-brown ale, and rich with birdsong. No hum of equipment, no engine noise, just the dawn chorus and, at the edge of hearing, a sound that might have been singing....
January 22, 2014
This is a psychological thriller with strong characters and a lively plot, but it is also more than that. Geoffrey Gudgion has a gift for describing things – the look or feel of a particular landscape, elements of the natural world, psychological or emotional states – in a way that can sometimes be quite uncanny, as though he’s captured something you’d always felt or known, but had never consciously articulated.
The story is set in the fictional village of Allingley, in the English countryside, and the sense of place is very strong. We come to know the village, and the landscape, through the characters whose stories are interweaved in and around it. The main character, Fergus, jumps off the page from the start. He’s rounded and complex, and elements of his character contradict and push against each other, making him seem all the more real. The characters of Clare and Eadlin are also carefully drawn and interesting.
I like the understated way in which the supernatural aspects of the story are handled, which adds an interesting resonance because we don’t know how much of it is ‘real’ or how much is psychological, deriving from the characters themselves. The author stands back and allows space for that ambiguity, which is, I think, crucial for a good ghost story.
Most of all, I love how he depicts the energy in the landscape, and the idea that it holds layers, physical and emotional, reaching down into the past. We see, played out in the story, its power to change people.
An unusual and rewarding read, which I would thoroughly recommend.
The story is set in the fictional village of Allingley, in the English countryside, and the sense of place is very strong. We come to know the village, and the landscape, through the characters whose stories are interweaved in and around it. The main character, Fergus, jumps off the page from the start. He’s rounded and complex, and elements of his character contradict and push against each other, making him seem all the more real. The characters of Clare and Eadlin are also carefully drawn and interesting.
I like the understated way in which the supernatural aspects of the story are handled, which adds an interesting resonance because we don’t know how much of it is ‘real’ or how much is psychological, deriving from the characters themselves. The author stands back and allows space for that ambiguity, which is, I think, crucial for a good ghost story.
Most of all, I love how he depicts the energy in the landscape, and the idea that it holds layers, physical and emotional, reaching down into the past. We see, played out in the story, its power to change people.
An unusual and rewarding read, which I would thoroughly recommend.
February 19, 2014
A superb debut novel by a master storyteller. It's always so exciting to stumble across new talent and know you've found an author whose novels you will always rush to buy on publication day. Geoffrey Gudgion, I've joined your fast-growing fan club.
"Saxon's Bane" is a story set in a contemporary village, where the extraordinary starts to encroach on the everyday after two happenings in quick succession: the unearthing of a Saxon warrior at an archaeological dig and a nearby car crash that's fatal for the driver and near-fatal for her passenger, the novel's main protagonist, Fergus.
I don't want to give too much away about what ensues, for fear of creating spoilers. The story's main themes are of love, loss, the afterlife, and healing. It's been pigeonholed as fantasy, but it's far broader than that, combining history with mythology with romance with crime with psychology with philosophy. Come to think of it, so do many of the fantasy greats.
Most importantly, it's a very exciting read, of the sneaking-looks-when-you-should-be-working variety. I really cared about three of the central characters and hated the baddie and his cronies (as I was meant to, I'm sure). And I loved the horse, which was also a character most central to Fergus's healing.
So folks, do read this novel. It is so worth it. I am still returning to it in my mind days after reaching the end.
"Saxon's Bane" is a story set in a contemporary village, where the extraordinary starts to encroach on the everyday after two happenings in quick succession: the unearthing of a Saxon warrior at an archaeological dig and a nearby car crash that's fatal for the driver and near-fatal for her passenger, the novel's main protagonist, Fergus.
I don't want to give too much away about what ensues, for fear of creating spoilers. The story's main themes are of love, loss, the afterlife, and healing. It's been pigeonholed as fantasy, but it's far broader than that, combining history with mythology with romance with crime with psychology with philosophy. Come to think of it, so do many of the fantasy greats.
Most importantly, it's a very exciting read, of the sneaking-looks-when-you-should-be-working variety. I really cared about three of the central characters and hated the baddie and his cronies (as I was meant to, I'm sure). And I loved the horse, which was also a character most central to Fergus's healing.
So folks, do read this novel. It is so worth it. I am still returning to it in my mind days after reaching the end.
March 4, 2020
A lovely first novel. Full of grace, suspense, romance and fantasy. Highly recommended.
September 3, 2013
Saxon's Bane
By Geoffrey Gudgion
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
Fergus Sheppard’s world changes forever the day his car crashes near the remote village of Allingley. Traumatised by his near-death experience, he returns to thank the villagers who rescued him, and stays to work at the local stables as he recovers from his injuries. He will discover a gentler pace of life, fall in love ¬ and be targeted for human sacrifice.
Clare Harvey’s life will never be the same either. The young archaeologist’s dream find ¬ the peat-preserved body of a Saxon warrior ¬ is giving her nightmares. She can tell that the warrior had been ritually murdered, and that the partial skeleton lying nearby is that of a young woman. And their tragic story is unfolding in her head every time she goes to sleep.
Fergus discovers that his crash is uncannily linked to the excavation, and that the smiling and beautiful countryside harbours some very dark secrets.
As the pagan festival of Beltane approaches, and Clare’s investigation reveals the full horror of a Dark Age war crime, Fergus and Clare seem destined to share the Saxon couple’s bloody fate.
Review
Geoffrey Gudgion has a real talent for world building and creates characters that are well fleshed out and interesting. Set in picturesque rural England, it's an intriguing, mystical and moving story in which the present reawakens the past, with violent consequences. This is a book that many readers will love, however although I finished it, this was simply not for me as I;m not fond of horror. Stephen King fans would love this book.
3 Stars
By Geoffrey Gudgion
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
Fergus Sheppard’s world changes forever the day his car crashes near the remote village of Allingley. Traumatised by his near-death experience, he returns to thank the villagers who rescued him, and stays to work at the local stables as he recovers from his injuries. He will discover a gentler pace of life, fall in love ¬ and be targeted for human sacrifice.
Clare Harvey’s life will never be the same either. The young archaeologist’s dream find ¬ the peat-preserved body of a Saxon warrior ¬ is giving her nightmares. She can tell that the warrior had been ritually murdered, and that the partial skeleton lying nearby is that of a young woman. And their tragic story is unfolding in her head every time she goes to sleep.
Fergus discovers that his crash is uncannily linked to the excavation, and that the smiling and beautiful countryside harbours some very dark secrets.
As the pagan festival of Beltane approaches, and Clare’s investigation reveals the full horror of a Dark Age war crime, Fergus and Clare seem destined to share the Saxon couple’s bloody fate.
Review
Geoffrey Gudgion has a real talent for world building and creates characters that are well fleshed out and interesting. Set in picturesque rural England, it's an intriguing, mystical and moving story in which the present reawakens the past, with violent consequences. This is a book that many readers will love, however although I finished it, this was simply not for me as I;m not fond of horror. Stephen King fans would love this book.
3 Stars
August 8, 2013
Saxon's Bane hits all the right notes for me. Set in picturesque rural England, it's an intriguing, mystical and moving story in which the present reawakens the past, with violent consequences. It's well researched and beautifully told, through the eyes of some great characters. Geoffrey Gudgion's prose transports you right into his world and holds you there from the first to last page. I can see, hear and smell the countryside; can feel the healing power of Trooper, the menace from Jake, and Olrun's anguish. There's everything from humour to poignancy to chilling brutality - but nothing feels gratuitous. This is a book I couldn't put down, yet didn't want to finish. The ending was, however, most satisfying. I'd highly recommend it.
October 29, 2013
What I liked: The idea, and the setting. The setting sounded beautiful!
What I didn't like: I was quite confessed during the story, and in the end did not understand the entire part of the Saxon. The dreams did not really help anyone, nor did they effect the story. The Saxon did not play a big part, and I thought at least he would be helping them at some point....but I was disappointed. Some of the characters were interesting, but a lot were pretty forgettable.
To me the Saxon's funeral should of played a bigger part for the end, but it seemed more of an afterthought.
Additional thoughts: : I wish I could of enjoyed this book more.
November 9, 2025
2.5 stars rounded down.
Saxon’s Bane has been on my NetGalley list for an embarrassingly long time. 12 years to be exact. Did the internet really exist 12 years ago? 2013 doesn’t seem that far away. It’s actually the first ARC I had ever received and I had always wanted to do it the justice of being read. So, I would like to apologise to Geoffrey Gudgion, NetGalley and the publishers for being so incredibly tardy.
This review contains minor spoilers.
I’ll be honest, Saxon’s Bane is not what I expected. Maybe it was the title, or the book cover, or the first fifty pages or so, but I expected more Saxons, maybe a little more fantasy or historical fiction. Instead it leans more pastoral, more “slice-of-life” of a small village in England called Allingley, with a sprinkle of the supernatural and historical.
The book opens with the protagonist, a well-to-do city salesman named Fergus, getting into a devastating car wreck with his friend and colleague Kate. Between moments of life and death, Fergus floats in that abyss, he sees a figure that he later describes as a “tramp”. Fergus survives, though mangled and changed, but Kate does not. While all this is happening, we also learn of a dig in the village that uncovers the ancient remains of what seems to be a Saxon. On the team, and seemingly the most knowledgeable member, is Clare, a beautiful archaeologist.
After some recovery, Fergus comes back to the village looking to thank the people that helped him – and perhaps find out why he’s drawn to it – he meets Eadlin, a buxom redhead, a local woman, stable owner and follower of the “Old Ways.” He also meets Jack, her soon-to-be-ex, a brash muscle-head who has ideas that no longer fit into the long-established ecosystem of Allingley between the Old Believers and the Church. Fergus also meets Clare, and some other general assortment of cast from Allingley. Then after attempting to get back to his “real life” in the city and his job, he finds himself drawn back to the village, to Eadlin, to her breasts, her horses, and to the mystery of what he had experienced and seen during the night of his accident. And the drama unfolding in the village itself.
I think Saxon’s Bane struggles with what it wants to be. It begins with supernatural elements, the discovery of the Saxon, with Clare’s odd dreams that look into the past, and the struggle between faiths that dominate Allingley – the Christian, the old, and the new (Satan worshippers?). It continues down this path for about the first half, but then it seems that the Saxon is almost forgotten (apart from appearing in Clare’s occasional dreams) and the novel mostly focuses on horseback riding and Fergus’s interpersonal relationships with Clare, Eadlin and the folks of the village.
Gudgion is not a bad writer. I think he has talent when it comes to moments of action and description. His weaker points are characters. Men are either Fergus – mild-mannered, considerate, “i’m-not-like-other-boys type” – or egotistical and cartoonishly evil. For example, the antagonist of this novel is Jake, a pub-owning gym bro who (allegedly) likes to date-rape women, pump iron and worship Satan just for funzies. I say that because (unless I’m missing something) Jake’s intention and motivations aren���t really made clear. Like many of the other residents of the village, he grew up with the Old Ways, a pagan belief, then moved on to Wicca, which according to Gudgion is “another name for witchcraft” which turns out to be Satan worshipping, which turns out to be just Jake wanting to be a degenerate, have rituals that involve wearing animal masks, partying and having orgies in the forest. He gets a taste of what “Satan” can do when the Saxon reappears, wondering what else he can be given for spilling blood, and all of a sudden Jake goes from a local menace to wannabe murderer. His new targets are Fergus and Clare, people who had known for weeks, and who had “ruined his fun”. All very pedestrian and, honestly, cliche.
The other major downside of the writing are female characters. Unfortunately, Gudgion often falls into the “men writing women” trope, especially in the latter part of the book. There’s a lot of talk of femininity, of “sisterhood,” of breasts seeming to exist outside of a woman’s body and person. Two of the most egregious of these (and in my opinion, kind of funny) moments are both with Clare. When she wakes up from a dream in which she seems to be another woman, Gudgion writes, "Clare lifted a hand to her breast, finding comfort in its familiarity, its reality, in the way it had tightened in the cold air before dawn. She wondered what deep psychological need had made her dream herself into a body where she had felt the weight of her breasts shift as she moved, she who didn’t even bother to wear a bra unless she was running."
As a woman, I cannot say that I ever found the weight of my breasts comforting, nor felt them “tighten in the cold air before dawn.” I can also assume most women do not dream of the weight of their breasts.
In a different section, breasts are described as creatures, "He reached over and cupped her breast. He could hold it entirely within his hand, feeling it nuzzle at his palm like a tiny captive animal, exquisitely delicate and feminine."
AAAAAAA!
Gudgion cannot help but mention breasts and ass as often as he can (again, especially in the latter part of the book and it makes me wonder if the editor just got tired of editing it out). A lot is said about women pressing their breasts together, or him looking at “rumps.”
As compared to the male characters, most women are flat characters that are “feminine,” and buxom, and act as a therapist for the main character, especially Eadlin, the embodiment of voluptuous mother nature. It is not really explained why Eadlin ever dates Jake, the gym bro Satanist, as they seem so different (besides him “being different before”), and it makes me wonder if the plot shifted in ways that Gudgion didn’t expect as he was writing it. It’s how the plot seemed to forget about the mystery of the Saxon about halfway, only to remember him and that his story thread needed to be tied up, and is inserted in some of the very last chapters. In these last chapters the motive of the antagonist is strenuous at best.
I will give grace considering this was Gudgion’s first published book that is now over a decade old. I think it had potential, as did the writing, but I do not see it being worth a read today. Besides some of the history that is inserted here and there, voiced by the sexy archaeologist Clare, there is not a lot that is new or thrilling in the novel. Unfortunately, it could be easily skipped.
I received an ARC of Saxon’s Bane from NetGalley. I want to thank Rebellion and Solaris for providing me with a copy.
Saxon’s Bane has been on my NetGalley list for an embarrassingly long time. 12 years to be exact. Did the internet really exist 12 years ago? 2013 doesn’t seem that far away. It’s actually the first ARC I had ever received and I had always wanted to do it the justice of being read. So, I would like to apologise to Geoffrey Gudgion, NetGalley and the publishers for being so incredibly tardy.
This review contains minor spoilers.
I’ll be honest, Saxon’s Bane is not what I expected. Maybe it was the title, or the book cover, or the first fifty pages or so, but I expected more Saxons, maybe a little more fantasy or historical fiction. Instead it leans more pastoral, more “slice-of-life” of a small village in England called Allingley, with a sprinkle of the supernatural and historical.
The book opens with the protagonist, a well-to-do city salesman named Fergus, getting into a devastating car wreck with his friend and colleague Kate. Between moments of life and death, Fergus floats in that abyss, he sees a figure that he later describes as a “tramp”. Fergus survives, though mangled and changed, but Kate does not. While all this is happening, we also learn of a dig in the village that uncovers the ancient remains of what seems to be a Saxon. On the team, and seemingly the most knowledgeable member, is Clare, a beautiful archaeologist.
After some recovery, Fergus comes back to the village looking to thank the people that helped him – and perhaps find out why he’s drawn to it – he meets Eadlin, a buxom redhead, a local woman, stable owner and follower of the “Old Ways.” He also meets Jack, her soon-to-be-ex, a brash muscle-head who has ideas that no longer fit into the long-established ecosystem of Allingley between the Old Believers and the Church. Fergus also meets Clare, and some other general assortment of cast from Allingley. Then after attempting to get back to his “real life” in the city and his job, he finds himself drawn back to the village, to Eadlin, to her breasts, her horses, and to the mystery of what he had experienced and seen during the night of his accident. And the drama unfolding in the village itself.
I think Saxon’s Bane struggles with what it wants to be. It begins with supernatural elements, the discovery of the Saxon, with Clare’s odd dreams that look into the past, and the struggle between faiths that dominate Allingley – the Christian, the old, and the new (Satan worshippers?). It continues down this path for about the first half, but then it seems that the Saxon is almost forgotten (apart from appearing in Clare’s occasional dreams) and the novel mostly focuses on horseback riding and Fergus’s interpersonal relationships with Clare, Eadlin and the folks of the village.
Gudgion is not a bad writer. I think he has talent when it comes to moments of action and description. His weaker points are characters. Men are either Fergus – mild-mannered, considerate, “i’m-not-like-other-boys type” – or egotistical and cartoonishly evil. For example, the antagonist of this novel is Jake, a pub-owning gym bro who (allegedly) likes to date-rape women, pump iron and worship Satan just for funzies. I say that because (unless I’m missing something) Jake’s intention and motivations aren���t really made clear. Like many of the other residents of the village, he grew up with the Old Ways, a pagan belief, then moved on to Wicca, which according to Gudgion is “another name for witchcraft” which turns out to be Satan worshipping, which turns out to be just Jake wanting to be a degenerate, have rituals that involve wearing animal masks, partying and having orgies in the forest. He gets a taste of what “Satan” can do when the Saxon reappears, wondering what else he can be given for spilling blood, and all of a sudden Jake goes from a local menace to wannabe murderer. His new targets are Fergus and Clare, people who had known for weeks, and who had “ruined his fun”. All very pedestrian and, honestly, cliche.
The other major downside of the writing are female characters. Unfortunately, Gudgion often falls into the “men writing women” trope, especially in the latter part of the book. There’s a lot of talk of femininity, of “sisterhood,” of breasts seeming to exist outside of a woman’s body and person. Two of the most egregious of these (and in my opinion, kind of funny) moments are both with Clare. When she wakes up from a dream in which she seems to be another woman, Gudgion writes, "Clare lifted a hand to her breast, finding comfort in its familiarity, its reality, in the way it had tightened in the cold air before dawn. She wondered what deep psychological need had made her dream herself into a body where she had felt the weight of her breasts shift as she moved, she who didn’t even bother to wear a bra unless she was running."
As a woman, I cannot say that I ever found the weight of my breasts comforting, nor felt them “tighten in the cold air before dawn.” I can also assume most women do not dream of the weight of their breasts.
In a different section, breasts are described as creatures, "He reached over and cupped her breast. He could hold it entirely within his hand, feeling it nuzzle at his palm like a tiny captive animal, exquisitely delicate and feminine."
AAAAAAA!
Gudgion cannot help but mention breasts and ass as often as he can (again, especially in the latter part of the book and it makes me wonder if the editor just got tired of editing it out). A lot is said about women pressing their breasts together, or him looking at “rumps.”
As compared to the male characters, most women are flat characters that are “feminine,” and buxom, and act as a therapist for the main character, especially Eadlin, the embodiment of voluptuous mother nature. It is not really explained why Eadlin ever dates Jake, the gym bro Satanist, as they seem so different (besides him “being different before”), and it makes me wonder if the plot shifted in ways that Gudgion didn’t expect as he was writing it. It’s how the plot seemed to forget about the mystery of the Saxon about halfway, only to remember him and that his story thread needed to be tied up, and is inserted in some of the very last chapters. In these last chapters the motive of the antagonist is strenuous at best.
I will give grace considering this was Gudgion’s first published book that is now over a decade old. I think it had potential, as did the writing, but I do not see it being worth a read today. Besides some of the history that is inserted here and there, voiced by the sexy archaeologist Clare, there is not a lot that is new or thrilling in the novel. Unfortunately, it could be easily skipped.
I received an ARC of Saxon’s Bane from NetGalley. I want to thank Rebellion and Solaris for providing me with a copy.
September 22, 2013
This is an intriguing combination that mixes ancient legends and wisdom with a modern adventure/romance. The result is a well-written page turner that leaves you thinking about some serious questions. The author does a fantastic job portraying the physical and emotional struggles of a man involved in, and barely surviving an accident that kills a very good friend. This near-dath experience leaves him more receptive to, and perhaps a conduit for, the world of those who have already died. Good and evil reside on both sides of that curtain. Highly recommended.
January 8, 2014
Loved the vulnerability of the protagonist. Enjoyed the strong female characters. Took pleasure in the puns and the imagery. Enjoyed stepping into small town, rural England. Enjoyed the mythological/historical background. Descriptions like 'morning light sharp enough to cut glass' and 'he parked her words in the mental corner as'...delightful details, nasty bad guys, a great tale written by a man who obviously loves women and has had a fine experience with horses. A page turner. I read on a Kindle..so didn't realize there were so many pages. They flew past.
October 7, 2013
I was expecting a very different book. It's blurbed as a WICKER MAN-esque thriller. It is a thriller, but set very much in the real world. The English village and countryside are substantial enough to rate a as major character in the novel. Supernatural? Only very slightly. This is a thoughtful, meditative ode to England and it's pagan roots. Immensely enjoyable.
December 31, 2014
Saxon's Bane has a brilliant opening and you are sucked straight into the story. It is well written and the characters are likeable (some of them) and believable. Although the middle part is a bit slow because the hero is constantly drawn back into his own personal trauma, the action picks up at the end and there is a thrilling climax to the story. Well worth reading.
November 15, 2013
Strong characters, a creative take on some of the mythology revolving around the early Saxons of Great Britain, and a page-turning plot. Highly recommended. The only tiny issue I could not get a clear picture in my head what the main character, Fergus, looked like.
December 30, 2013
Geoff Gudgion's lush and sensual descriptions alone make this a must read. Add myth, great characters and a bit of suspense sprinkled with magical realism and you get a brilliant book that should be on every book lovers to be read list.
November 21, 2013
I loved this book! A sort of modern Wicker Man meets A Cult meets Gladiator.This book kept my imagination flowing
March 12, 2018
This is one of those stories when the reality of the main characters collide with something all-together unreal.
At the time Fergus is involved in a car accident outside of a small English village, archaeologist Clare is making a discovery of her lifetime. Fergus' return to the village is some sort of catharsis whilst visions of a past life of the Saxon warrior unearthed from the bog plague the dreams of Clare. As Beltane approaches, are Clare and Fergus doomed to relive the fate of the Dark Age couple?
The story immediately reminded me of "The Wicker Man" and "Children of the Corn". It is rich, evocative and descriptive, gripping and harrowing, as Gudgion weaves a tale shrouded in ancient folklore, superstition, dark fantasy and horror. The village of Allingley itself, with its diverse characters, conceals a deep, long hidden animosity - the menace of impending doom hovers in the air like a pall.
The story slowly builds, you are drawn deeper and deeper, until it reaches its apogee and the true horror is revealed.
At the time Fergus is involved in a car accident outside of a small English village, archaeologist Clare is making a discovery of her lifetime. Fergus' return to the village is some sort of catharsis whilst visions of a past life of the Saxon warrior unearthed from the bog plague the dreams of Clare. As Beltane approaches, are Clare and Fergus doomed to relive the fate of the Dark Age couple?
The story immediately reminded me of "The Wicker Man" and "Children of the Corn". It is rich, evocative and descriptive, gripping and harrowing, as Gudgion weaves a tale shrouded in ancient folklore, superstition, dark fantasy and horror. The village of Allingley itself, with its diverse characters, conceals a deep, long hidden animosity - the menace of impending doom hovers in the air like a pall.
The story slowly builds, you are drawn deeper and deeper, until it reaches its apogee and the true horror is revealed.
October 29, 2017
Not for me. Saxon's Bane was intricately descriptive and clearly very well thought out, but I personally struggled with the lack of dialogue as there was far more description. This didn't give me a chance to warm to any of the characters and meant the book was quite dry and laborious to read. The plot was very slow moving. Overall, a very interesting idea but disappointing.
August 22, 2019
Interesting story. Great folk horror elements.
The author kept letting his preoccupation with women's bums get in the way. Every couple of chapters, you could see the next bum-peeping incident coming like a bus on the horizon. It got so repetitive.
The author kept letting his preoccupation with women's bums get in the way. Every couple of chapters, you could see the next bum-peeping incident coming like a bus on the horizon. It got so repetitive.
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