The Purple Thread

by John Broughton

It is 733 AD and the Abbess of Wimbourne receives a letter destined to change the life of Begiloc forever. The Church wrests the British warrior from his family to protect English missionaries in Germany in particular the faith-driven Leoba, future abbess, counsellor to kings and saint. Events drive Begiloc further from his family and lead to an implacable enmity with the worldly, corrupt Bishop of Rems, Milo, who blinds Begiloc’s closest friend. Thwarted by Leoba in his desire for revenge, she sends Begiloc on a mission to Rome where he meets Pope Gregory III who promotes him for his services to the Church but sends him deeper into pagan lands. On his return, he discovers his family has died of fever. The Purple Thread is the tale of a man’s psychological battle to sustain his faith and morality in the face of temptation and evil inside and outside the Church. He overcomes all obstacles, including Milo, but his relationship with God faces its sternest test with Boniface on the field of the saint’s martyrdom in Frisia in 755.

Genres: Historical Fiction

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2017

About the author

John Broughton was born in Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, studied at the local grammar school and went on to take an honours degree in Medieval and Modern History at the University of Nottingham, where he also studied Archaeology.
John retired in January 2014 and chose the period that fascinates him most – the Anglo-Saxon period – as the setting for his first historical novel. Since then, he has had 28 novels published by Next Chapter Publishing. Most are historical novels, but he also writes murder mysteries, fantasy and sci-fi.

Reviews

[Karrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story, I completed reading this novel today. And it left me stunned with the way it is written. The first thing you will acknowledge when you start your reading is the expression. The vocabulary and the terms used to represent the scenes or the characters were sharp and vivid. For me, it was awesome for others maybe it will make them feel uncomfortable or uneasy to read. The way the author describes the atmosphere, the incidents or the characters will enrich your imagination for the story, the details also were great. The first chapter was attractive and push you to read more. The setup was syncing with the era the novel written in. The plot was smooth and fast. the characterization was great as well. the novel is well edited and almost error free with no spelling or grammar mistakes. The characters name were balanced with the era but they were tough to remember or to spell them sometimes. The show and do not tell technique used many times very nicely. The author previous background in archeology, medieval and modern era was clearly used in the characterization of the characters, environment and the plot. For me, the reading was so pleasant and I recommended reading it to the admirer of the Anglo-Saxon historical fictions.This novel is published by endeavor press limited in 2017.

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[Angela Petch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read set in the Dark Ages and it was like being led by eerie candlelight into another world. The story starts in 732 A.D.
Or was it another world? “What is war if not the utter lack of respect for life?” asks one of the central characters, Brother Robyn. Have we changed so much? Maybe not…there is still violence, deep cruelty and discord, caused by religious differences in today’s troubled planet. And this was in the forefront of my mind as I read John Broughton’s fantastic book. The main character’s spiritual turmoil was very identifiable too – torn between his less ritualistic beliefs and those of the Christian church, to which he is tied.
Begiloc is the main character – a Briton, married to a Saxon, Somerhild (so many difficult to pronounce names). He is a slave to the Saxons and a brave warrior, charged by the Church with various missions during the three parts of the book. The reader is taken on his journey across Europe from Wessex and we learn of brutality and corruption in high places within the Church where girls are kidnapped to be concubines for Bishop Milo’s pleasure. Men are captured too and castrated, to be sent to the Moors as slaves. There was a very descriptive, detailed passage about this that made me wince. We meet robbers along a perilous trek across the hostile Alps, we witness horrible torture, strange witchcraft, devious escapes through camouflage, we travel along a secret tunnel and observe pagan rituals – all set in a carefully and obviously lovingly researched background of that era. I loved the small detail: the parchment makers, the blacksmiths’ tools, the details of food, ale and wine, the clothes and the weapons and dozens of other cameo sketches that brought this world to life.
In the book there is constant dichotomy between the harsh, ritualistic face of the church, which Begiloc struggles against and his beliefs which are rooted in nature. He “admired the purple tinged mountains, waterfalls, lakes, animals, trees and flowers and mused whether they, rather than Man, did not better embody the essence of God.” That struck a chord.
Broughton describes the natural world beautifully and simply: “the stars pulsed like blood in his veins”; “the fresh leaved trees stood tall and close, the morning sunlight dappled through…”; “otters and water voles dived and scampered in outraged flight when the bows ploughed into the silt of the bank…”
But Begiloc is entranced by the beauty and wisdom of Leotha (or Lady Leobgytha), the Abbess who originally entrusted him with the duty of delivering a letter to the Franks, following on a dream she had of a purple thread: “the thread from her mouth is the wise counsel she will speak from the heart.” And something prevents him from abandoning the tasks set by the Church, which he finds hard to fathom. Whether “to bring the Love of Christ or to destroy traditions and culture.” These are all still relevant questions today, in my opinion.
This rich embroidery of a book was an education to me. I had to make notes to keep up to speed with the new, intriguing names and places. There is a useful Glossary at the back, but I was reading on a Kindle. There is much history to take on board and maybe because of this, because it sometimes hampers the narrative, I awarded it 4 stars instead of 5. Maybe I have been harsh… I do think it is an amazing piece of work and the next time I travel anywhere near part of Begiloc’s route (which I do annually from the UK to Italy), maybe I’ll stop and have a coffee in “Rems” aka Rheims where, “in the midst, the cathedral in appearance lurked squat and huge, ready to pounce and gorge on its prey.” And I’ll ponder on how far our world has come since Begiloc’s time.

[Helen Mccabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Purple Thread begins well. It is April, 733 AD. This interested me as I have studied Anglo-Saxon literature. However, nothing very cheerful seemed to happen in Anglo-Saxon England in literature or otherwise. I wondered what this author would make of it. True to life there is not much to be happy about in this story although it is a good one and the author knows his history well. The hero, freedman Begiloc, a Briton, who has a happy marriage with his Saxon wife and young son, Ealric, is summoned with his friend Meryn to an audience with Abbess Cuniburg of Wimborne Abbey. She is very beautful, but imperious and all her nuns and estate workers are in thrall of her. "Begiloc understood that Meryn , himself and his family were of no importance to the Abbess other as teeth in the cog of a mechanism he did not understand." She orders Begiloc to leave his wife and child in the care of the abbey and go to the Frankish lands where his warrior's arm is needed once more in the service of the Church and the deliverance of the Lady Leobgytha, who is as a daughter to her. She warns him if he does not go then she will make him a slave again. The rest of the novel is about the two men's journey and wanderings on the Continent, which is a rough and very dangerous place. Their adventures are brutal and heart breaking but quite often the novel uses certain incidents to incite the reader to keep on reading this book. Once or twice I decided not to continue, but then I carried on to the end and learned a lot about St Boniface and the wicked Milo, a churchman and also a lecher. The brutalities of living, like the witness of castration for the most simple offence and trying to exist under such orders are to even a seasoned warrior like Begiloc, a great trial and the cruelties that are heaped upon him when he tries to return home are very sad. Finally, this simple man, who has done all that has been asked of him with his unruly Saxon force, who were against him as a Briton but now are trustworthy and whom he now commands, finds himself in the Pope's presence, who to Begiloc's shock, places him in a high position in charge of part of the Pope's forces. As Begiloc rises, he always has hopes to be allowed to go home, but alas that prayer is never answered and he becomes embittered against a stern Church that he still does not understand. The reader will feel sorry for a man who has done all that is required of him, but who has not reaped the real reward he desired, not the goal of Heaven but Wimborne. The author makes it quite clear that to live in an Anglo-Saxon world is not the one that most people would desire. Sometimes, the book is difficult to understand but the story behind it is unusual and the author gives a full explanation of his aims and a glossary at the end. Lovers of historical facts and those who wish to learn about that era on the Continent of Europe will enjoy this story.

[Tony Duxbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Set in the era after the Romans have left Britain and the Saxons are well established,the christian church is becoming the dominant force in the western world. I loved this story of Begiloc, a Briton, who was once a slave and once a warrior. Although a freeman, Begiloc is still subject to the will of the church, although he is not sure if he is a believer or not. Begiloc becomes a victim of its leaders,who order him to serve them, without any thought to his own wishes or desires. The local Abbess chooses him to escort another Abbess to the continent, because of his fighting ability. He has to leave his family behind and what at first is seen as a relatively short trip, spans decades, as the church uses him to defend itself and spread its doctrine. Begiloc tries to become a christian, because of his admiration for some of the leaders. but also has doubts about their methods of conversion and his role in helping the church. I loved the character of Begiloc, who is a simple man and struggles with his thoughts and beliefs as his is battered by the winds of fate. I would recommend this novel to any historical fiction fan.

[Brian Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading books set in the post-Roman, early Anglo-Saxon period and so when I came across this book I decided to buy it. It tells the story of Begiloc, a young Dumnonian freedman and warrior and his friend Meryn, who are ordered to protect a group of Christian missionaries on a journey to Germany. Arriving there they are given other missions, keeping Begiloc from his wife and son left behind in Wimborne. I won't give the rest of the story away, but can say that I really enjoyed. John Broughton has researched well the period and the early history of the Christian Church in Europe and bought a subject to life, that in all honesty I would normally have found boring. The novel is told from Begiloc's point of view and explores the turmoil he feels not only between his Christian beliefs, but the latent pagan beliefs he thought he'd long abandoned. It is also a tale of revenge, Begiloc swearing to kill the powerful enemy who blinds his friend. Well worth reading and a book I can recommend to anyone interested in the period. You won't be disappointed.

[dylan barter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

I love history especially with religious intent . This was well researched and well written . I can't wait to get stuck into book 2

[ARVIND · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read with flawlessly researched prose, insightful narration. It got me hooked soon as i started reading the downloaded sample.

[Calenmarwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man's struggle and experiences with the early Church and religion. Not a particularly easy read, several formatting issues make it difficult to follow at times.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the middle of 700’s and Begolic and his friend are remade slaves to guard the Abbess on her journey to a new position. He has enjoyed his taste of freedom, his marriage, and his son, but as Saxons they have no choice. Their fighting underlings are Franks. An uneasy truce exists as the make their journey. They will meet pagans, heretics, monks, and the most fateful meeting of all, the evil, corrupt Bishop Milo, Bishop of Reims. With church fathers, monks, and others they will journey on to Rome where even the lowly Saxon will meet the Pope. Begolic, however, is consumed with doubts; doubts of his sins, doubts of his faith, and then he hears of the death of his wife and son to a plague. His fellow Saxon and friend falls to the forces of the evil Milo and is blinded. Begolic finds his friends and swears vengeance, but the Church forbids it. When he finally gains his freedom and released from al the fighting protecting, he returns to his friend and his vow. I knew enough history to look up the death of Bishop Milo. Will the author devise a way that the hero will avenge his friend, but remain true to history? A master author takes you back in time and you will discover the answer yourself and the last fighting journey of Begolic.

[Rosemary Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has all the classic elements of an adventure story, danger, heroism, cunning and treachery. The author knows his period well but wears his history lightly. Anglo Saxon times are called the Dark Ages for a reason and we get a real glimpse into this world in the wild lands of Western Europe as the author takes us on a vast journey through a dystopian landscape. Except it is not quite, for there are pockets of goodness and the hero struggles with his own beliefs in a church which often demands too much and lets him down. Begiloc is a hero you can believe in, a man trying to do his best against the odds.