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The Bernicia Chronicles #1
The Serpent Sword
AD 633
Beobrand is a young man with a shadowy past. As an outsider in the kingdom of Bernicia, he is compelled to join his brother, Octa, as a warrior in the household of King Edwin. He must learn to fight with sword and shield to defend the war-ravaged kingdoms of Northumbria.
In a period of great upheaval for Dark Age Britain, all he finds is death and war. Men and women strive to seize control of their destinies in a time of despair, and the land is rife with danger as warlords vie for supremacy and dominion. Amongst the blood and the betrayals, Beobrand learns of his brother's near-certain murder. Inexperienced but ruthless, Beobrand must form his own allegiances and learn to fight as a warrior with sword and shield.
Driven by a desire for vengeance and a relentless pursuit of his enemies, he faces challenges which transform him from a boy to a man who stands strong in the clamour and gore of the shieldwall. As he closes in on his kin's slayer, can Beobrand mete out the retribution he craves without sacrificing his honour... or even his soul?
Beobrand is a young man with a shadowy past. As an outsider in the kingdom of Bernicia, he is compelled to join his brother, Octa, as a warrior in the household of King Edwin. He must learn to fight with sword and shield to defend the war-ravaged kingdoms of Northumbria.
In a period of great upheaval for Dark Age Britain, all he finds is death and war. Men and women strive to seize control of their destinies in a time of despair, and the land is rife with danger as warlords vie for supremacy and dominion. Amongst the blood and the betrayals, Beobrand learns of his brother's near-certain murder. Inexperienced but ruthless, Beobrand must form his own allegiances and learn to fight as a warrior with sword and shield.
Driven by a desire for vengeance and a relentless pursuit of his enemies, he faces challenges which transform him from a boy to a man who stands strong in the clamour and gore of the shieldwall. As he closes in on his kin's slayer, can Beobrand mete out the retribution he craves without sacrificing his honour... or even his soul?
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
1397 people are currently reading
3699 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Harffy
35 books741 followersMatthew Harffy is the author of the action-packed series of historical novels, the Bernicia Chronicles.
Matthew’s 2020 novel, Wolf of Wessex, was his first departure from the seventh century. Taking place a couple of centuries later in the early years of the Viking Age, it tells the tale of ageing warrior, Dunston, as he tries to find a man’s vicious murderers, keep the victim’s orphaned daughter alive and uncover the dark secret that threatens to plunge the kingdom into war. The book was very well received, with The Times calling it “a treat of a book”.
His A Time for Swords series is set at the dawn of the Viking Age. It follows the adventures of monk-turned-warrior, Hunlaf, who witnesses the first attack on the monastery of Lindisfarne and feels compelled to pick up a blade and organise the defence against the Norse raiders.
Before becoming a full-time author, Matthew worked in the IT industry, where he spent most of his days writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him! Prior to that, he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator.
Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.
Matthew’s 2020 novel, Wolf of Wessex, was his first departure from the seventh century. Taking place a couple of centuries later in the early years of the Viking Age, it tells the tale of ageing warrior, Dunston, as he tries to find a man’s vicious murderers, keep the victim’s orphaned daughter alive and uncover the dark secret that threatens to plunge the kingdom into war. The book was very well received, with The Times calling it “a treat of a book”.
His A Time for Swords series is set at the dawn of the Viking Age. It follows the adventures of monk-turned-warrior, Hunlaf, who witnesses the first attack on the monastery of Lindisfarne and feels compelled to pick up a blade and organise the defence against the Norse raiders.
Before becoming a full-time author, Matthew worked in the IT industry, where he spent most of his days writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him! Prior to that, he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator.
Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
March 30, 2015
Matthew Harffy likes to make things hard for himself. Put it this way: if you were writing a debut historical novel would you have your characters fighting around a fortress called...Bebbanburg?!
Haven't we heard of that place before? And in a similar series of books set in a similar time?
Of course we have and it's to Harffy's credit he didn't change the fortress once Bernard Cornwell's massive selling Warlord Chronicles came out as he was working on this.
But, as I sat down to read The Serpent Sword I feared this new writer had bitten off much more than he could chew.
Thankfully I was wrong. Of course there's similarities to BC's work – I think that could be said about much of the best recent historical fiction – but never did I feel like I was reading an inferior version of the Master's writing. The Serpent Sword is so well done that you get into the story and simply enjoy it for what it is.
In terms of the writing, I was hugely impressed by the quality of the line editing. Each sentence is finely crafted, and the book doesn't suffer at all from the constant repetition of words and phrases that plagues so many inexperienced writers. Once or twice I was left feeling a little like the pace had dropped and things could have moved faster and more excitingly, but even then the individual sentences were so finely honed that you didn't want to stop reading.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers or tell you what the book's about – you can read it for yourself and find out. Basically it's a young man coming of age in a dangerous and frightening world, with a little love interest and some very violent scenes, especially those involving the “baddie” (who is quite terrifying, it has to be said). The lead character, Beobrand, is likeable enough that the reader will root for him and the ending is left open for more adventures.
Overall this is a really impressive debut novel that kept me interested from start to finish and, while not quite on a par with Mr. Cornwell, The Serpent Sword is certainly no inferior clone.
Bebbanburg? Isn't that the name of the fortress in Matthew Harffy's book?
4.5 stars out of 5 – Highly Recommended
Haven't we heard of that place before? And in a similar series of books set in a similar time?
Of course we have and it's to Harffy's credit he didn't change the fortress once Bernard Cornwell's massive selling Warlord Chronicles came out as he was working on this.
But, as I sat down to read The Serpent Sword I feared this new writer had bitten off much more than he could chew.
Thankfully I was wrong. Of course there's similarities to BC's work – I think that could be said about much of the best recent historical fiction – but never did I feel like I was reading an inferior version of the Master's writing. The Serpent Sword is so well done that you get into the story and simply enjoy it for what it is.
In terms of the writing, I was hugely impressed by the quality of the line editing. Each sentence is finely crafted, and the book doesn't suffer at all from the constant repetition of words and phrases that plagues so many inexperienced writers. Once or twice I was left feeling a little like the pace had dropped and things could have moved faster and more excitingly, but even then the individual sentences were so finely honed that you didn't want to stop reading.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers or tell you what the book's about – you can read it for yourself and find out. Basically it's a young man coming of age in a dangerous and frightening world, with a little love interest and some very violent scenes, especially those involving the “baddie” (who is quite terrifying, it has to be said). The lead character, Beobrand, is likeable enough that the reader will root for him and the ending is left open for more adventures.
Overall this is a really impressive debut novel that kept me interested from start to finish and, while not quite on a par with Mr. Cornwell, The Serpent Sword is certainly no inferior clone.
Bebbanburg? Isn't that the name of the fortress in Matthew Harffy's book?
4.5 stars out of 5 – Highly Recommended
July 18, 2022
A thoroughly entertaining and vivid introduction to a series full of great characters, fantastic action, political intrigue and immersive worldbuilding.
After thoroughly enjoying The Wolf of Wessex, I was ready to dive into the introduction to The Bernicia Chronicles, The Serpent Sword.
I really enjoyed meeting the young Beobrand as he sets out on a journey initially to find his brother, which will change his life irrevocably. He is a great central character who takes the role to drive a story with a wide range of strengths.
“The sword is like a serpent. You can try to tame it, but it is venomous and will often bite the hand that holds it.”
We are thrust into Dark Ages England - before Uhtred if you are a fan of Bernard Cornwell - which at this time is a land of warring factions with fractious and fickle alliances and treaties, where a number of lords seek to take the land for their own.
Through Beobrand we are swept up in a number of small and large conflicts that throw us into immersive action, plot twists. with tales of vengeance, and those of bravery and cowardice. The Serpentt Sword is a flexible book that explores a number of themes and emotions, showing all aspects of life at this time.
A great introduction to a historical fiction series!
4.25 STARS
After thoroughly enjoying The Wolf of Wessex, I was ready to dive into the introduction to The Bernicia Chronicles, The Serpent Sword.
I really enjoyed meeting the young Beobrand as he sets out on a journey initially to find his brother, which will change his life irrevocably. He is a great central character who takes the role to drive a story with a wide range of strengths.
“The sword is like a serpent. You can try to tame it, but it is venomous and will often bite the hand that holds it.”
We are thrust into Dark Ages England - before Uhtred if you are a fan of Bernard Cornwell - which at this time is a land of warring factions with fractious and fickle alliances and treaties, where a number of lords seek to take the land for their own.
Through Beobrand we are swept up in a number of small and large conflicts that throw us into immersive action, plot twists. with tales of vengeance, and those of bravery and cowardice. The Serpentt Sword is a flexible book that explores a number of themes and emotions, showing all aspects of life at this time.
A great introduction to a historical fiction series!
4.25 STARS
March 6, 2021
This amazing book is the 1st volume of the "Bernicia Chronicles" from the author, Matthew Harffy.
Storytelling is of a top-notch quality, all characters, whether they are real great historical or fantastic fictional, are believable and lifelike and they come vividly to life within this wonderful historical adventure, and the atmosphere of Albion in the Dark Ages comes splendidly off the pages.
Right at the inside of the book you'll find two well-drawn maps of Albion in AD 633, and of Northumbria, divided in Bernicia, Deira and Elmet, with their neighbours in the west, Hibernia, and north, Dal Riata.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a short passage by the Venerable Bede in Latin and English, as well as Place Names with places that will play an important part in this tremendous tale.
At the back of the book you'll notice a superbly documented Historical Note, where the historical details concerning this terrific story are wonderfully explained by the author.
The book is set during the years AD 633-634, in Bernicia, where our protagonist Beobrand has arrived by ship from Cantware in an effort to find and unite himself with his brother Octa, only to hear that his brother is already dead, and later to find out that his brother has been murdered by Beobrand's deadly foe, Hengist.
What follows overall is a tremendous historical tale about the Kings of Bernicia and their fates and deaths, one due to war, King Edwin, and one due to treachery, King Eanfrith, and in this environment of hostility and war Beobrand must find a way to become a worthy warrior of Bernicia, but it also an environment where his love and devotion for his woman Sunniva will grow, where camaraderie between him and the warriors of Bernicia, especially Acennan and the bard Leofwine will also mean everything to him, and finally where desperate battles will have to be fought against the forces of King Cadwallon of Gwynedd and against his foe Hengist, before he and his fellow warriors are safely within the walls of the mighty fortress of Bebbanburg, to fight another day for the new king of Bernicia, Oswald.
Highly recommended, especially for lovers of the Bernard Cornwell's Uhtred series, simply because this Beobrand of Bernicia is just as formidable in his cunning, deeds and loyalty to his Kings and Lords, and that's why I like to call this first episode: "A Stunning Beobrand Of Bernicia Opener"!
Storytelling is of a top-notch quality, all characters, whether they are real great historical or fantastic fictional, are believable and lifelike and they come vividly to life within this wonderful historical adventure, and the atmosphere of Albion in the Dark Ages comes splendidly off the pages.
Right at the inside of the book you'll find two well-drawn maps of Albion in AD 633, and of Northumbria, divided in Bernicia, Deira and Elmet, with their neighbours in the west, Hibernia, and north, Dal Riata.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a short passage by the Venerable Bede in Latin and English, as well as Place Names with places that will play an important part in this tremendous tale.
At the back of the book you'll notice a superbly documented Historical Note, where the historical details concerning this terrific story are wonderfully explained by the author.
The book is set during the years AD 633-634, in Bernicia, where our protagonist Beobrand has arrived by ship from Cantware in an effort to find and unite himself with his brother Octa, only to hear that his brother is already dead, and later to find out that his brother has been murdered by Beobrand's deadly foe, Hengist.
What follows overall is a tremendous historical tale about the Kings of Bernicia and their fates and deaths, one due to war, King Edwin, and one due to treachery, King Eanfrith, and in this environment of hostility and war Beobrand must find a way to become a worthy warrior of Bernicia, but it also an environment where his love and devotion for his woman Sunniva will grow, where camaraderie between him and the warriors of Bernicia, especially Acennan and the bard Leofwine will also mean everything to him, and finally where desperate battles will have to be fought against the forces of King Cadwallon of Gwynedd and against his foe Hengist, before he and his fellow warriors are safely within the walls of the mighty fortress of Bebbanburg, to fight another day for the new king of Bernicia, Oswald.
Highly recommended, especially for lovers of the Bernard Cornwell's Uhtred series, simply because this Beobrand of Bernicia is just as formidable in his cunning, deeds and loyalty to his Kings and Lords, and that's why I like to call this first episode: "A Stunning Beobrand Of Bernicia Opener"!
October 5, 2020
Seems well researched
There is a blurb in the description that says something like for fans of Bernard Cornwell. This does a disservice to the author by raising unfulfilled expectations. Though the author himself seems to invite the comparison with some similar plot elements and characters. Even the setting at the beginning is the fortress of Bebbanburg (Bamburgh). Well Harffy is not Bernard Cornwell and a realistic reader should not expect him to be. However, this is good historical fiction which serms well researched. The violence is brutal just as it actually was but perhaps a few of the descriptions, particularly of rape, are a little too detailed for some readers. But if you can read Cornwell without flinching this one should not bother you.
There is a blurb in the description that says something like for fans of Bernard Cornwell. This does a disservice to the author by raising unfulfilled expectations. Though the author himself seems to invite the comparison with some similar plot elements and characters. Even the setting at the beginning is the fortress of Bebbanburg (Bamburgh). Well Harffy is not Bernard Cornwell and a realistic reader should not expect him to be. However, this is good historical fiction which serms well researched. The violence is brutal just as it actually was but perhaps a few of the descriptions, particularly of rape, are a little too detailed for some readers. But if you can read Cornwell without flinching this one should not bother you.
June 30, 2021
Fantastic Book 1 of the Bernicia Chronicles by Matthew Harffy. Like The Last Kingdom, but darker. Combat is great, Beobrand is unique, the world is different enough to feel aside from The Saxon Chronicles and Harffy's writing is full of adrenaline and an urge to read more and more! 5 seax-worthy stars.
January 25, 2022
With Bernard Cornwall’s Uhtred series finished it’s time I got around to this one by Matthew Harffy which has been on the radar for quite a while now.
Set in 633AD it’s a little earlier than the aforementioned series so a diffo time period to learn about the Anglo-Saxons & all the other peoples that inhabited the British Isles at this time. That said, Bebbanburg is mentioned from the start so we’re in Uhtred territory already…..
A prologue starts us of following a murderer who remains veiled to us as he carries out his deed & makes it look like a murder/suicide of a warrior & his lover… A good start.
Next, we are in, as many a good dark ages story seems to venture to, the mead hall! A young Warrior (to be) is our main man, by the name of Beobrand where we quickly learn of his life as it was & why he has come North to Northumbria & why he’s getting drunk. A revelation rocks his world & before you know it he’s in his first shield wall fighting for King Edwin! We’re straight into the action before we’ve really gotten to know anyone expect for Beobrand & his woes. All good so far….
As to the story/plot…… Without giving to much away the rest of his story is about him, a monk he befriends, a band of soldiers/brigands he falls in with, following a path of vengeance, teen angst love, falling in with a new lord & lastly the inevitable big battle finale, but above all an adolescent coming into manhood who jus happens to be an absolute “natural” with a sword & the women too…… It actually starts well as does it end ok but the middle (2/3’s of the book) is jus plain average fair in truth, mind that’s perhaps down to the style, which isn’t for me… talking of which.
As to the style……
The narrative tells us more about what’s happening or what our hero is thinking more oft than not, rather than actual dialogue as we follow Beobrand, resulting in that we learn very little about character traits through any interactions. In fact, I would go as far too say you can go pages without any dialogue, have a stilted or cheesy two sentence dialogue (the love scenes are very cringe fest even for fumbling teenagers) & then its back to the narrative for the rest of the chapter…. Ive said before I likes my dialogue, I NEEDS my dialogue in fact. This gives you zip…… Mind when it does give you more than the obligatory few sentences you wish it hadn’t as it made me fair squirm for the most part & if it didn’t or started to get entertaining they would fall into or drift into a companionable silence…. I have to remark that on quite a few occasions the dialogue did drift of into a “silence”, the characters were not a very talkative lot…..
I also felt the historical detail was on the light to non-existent side, I would have liked more of the actual details of the period, even though knowing full well that this period is oft termed the “dark ages” for a reason & mostly open to interpretation. For reference I found myself visualising clothing, habitats, possession, trades, warcraft, etc from other books I have read from before/after the period, perhaps the author didn’t think he needed to add the detail as others have covered the “Saxon era”, I say wrong, I say perhaps even lazy? A lot of “stuff” was to be assumed by the reader. Is that harsh, dunno, its his first book in the series but ive heard many good things about this series & I guess I was expecting a lot more from it.
On the plus side, which for me are few, we do learn about the rulers of the time, that bit was researched well as was the forging craft of a sword which went into great detail, I mention this as it stood out amongst all the rest of the narrative.
I guess if you jus wanna easy read then this series might fit the bill, it doesn’t tax the noodle much, standard tropes aplenty. Despite getting to the end I couldn't wait to finish this.....
Jus an average 2.5 rounded down to 2 stars as it’s his series debut, nothing to rave about, truth be told the style killed it for me, moving on.
Set in 633AD it’s a little earlier than the aforementioned series so a diffo time period to learn about the Anglo-Saxons & all the other peoples that inhabited the British Isles at this time. That said, Bebbanburg is mentioned from the start so we’re in Uhtred territory already…..
A prologue starts us of following a murderer who remains veiled to us as he carries out his deed & makes it look like a murder/suicide of a warrior & his lover… A good start.
Next, we are in, as many a good dark ages story seems to venture to, the mead hall! A young Warrior (to be) is our main man, by the name of Beobrand where we quickly learn of his life as it was & why he has come North to Northumbria & why he’s getting drunk. A revelation rocks his world & before you know it he’s in his first shield wall fighting for King Edwin! We’re straight into the action before we’ve really gotten to know anyone expect for Beobrand & his woes. All good so far….
As to the story/plot…… Without giving to much away the rest of his story is about him, a monk he befriends, a band of soldiers/brigands he falls in with, following a path of vengeance, teen angst love, falling in with a new lord & lastly the inevitable big battle finale, but above all an adolescent coming into manhood who jus happens to be an absolute “natural” with a sword & the women too…… It actually starts well as does it end ok but the middle (2/3’s of the book) is jus plain average fair in truth, mind that’s perhaps down to the style, which isn’t for me… talking of which.
As to the style……
The narrative tells us more about what’s happening or what our hero is thinking more oft than not, rather than actual dialogue as we follow Beobrand, resulting in that we learn very little about character traits through any interactions. In fact, I would go as far too say you can go pages without any dialogue, have a stilted or cheesy two sentence dialogue (the love scenes are very cringe fest even for fumbling teenagers) & then its back to the narrative for the rest of the chapter…. Ive said before I likes my dialogue, I NEEDS my dialogue in fact. This gives you zip…… Mind when it does give you more than the obligatory few sentences you wish it hadn’t as it made me fair squirm for the most part & if it didn’t or started to get entertaining they would fall into or drift into a companionable silence…. I have to remark that on quite a few occasions the dialogue did drift of into a “silence”, the characters were not a very talkative lot…..
I also felt the historical detail was on the light to non-existent side, I would have liked more of the actual details of the period, even though knowing full well that this period is oft termed the “dark ages” for a reason & mostly open to interpretation. For reference I found myself visualising clothing, habitats, possession, trades, warcraft, etc from other books I have read from before/after the period, perhaps the author didn’t think he needed to add the detail as others have covered the “Saxon era”, I say wrong, I say perhaps even lazy? A lot of “stuff” was to be assumed by the reader. Is that harsh, dunno, its his first book in the series but ive heard many good things about this series & I guess I was expecting a lot more from it.
On the plus side, which for me are few, we do learn about the rulers of the time, that bit was researched well as was the forging craft of a sword which went into great detail, I mention this as it stood out amongst all the rest of the narrative.
I guess if you jus wanna easy read then this series might fit the bill, it doesn’t tax the noodle much, standard tropes aplenty. Despite getting to the end I couldn't wait to finish this.....
Jus an average 2.5 rounded down to 2 stars as it’s his series debut, nothing to rave about, truth be told the style killed it for me, moving on.
August 12, 2018
Rise of the main character from naïve farm boy to warrior. Action-packed. Others may think this a pale reflection of the Cornwell series, but I personally enjoyed it much more.
March 20, 2016
If your knowledge of the history of British Isles stops sometime around at the departure of Rome’s legions and starts again at with the arrival of the Vikings, 'The Serpent Sword' is for you. If you’d like light shone into your own particular historical Dark Ages, with its history brought to full-blooded, exciting, pulse-pounding life, then ‘The Serpent Sword' is definitely for you. This is the historical period when legends, gods and language were brought across the North Sea by the resettlement of the Jutes, the Angles and of course, the Saxons. This is the period when many purely English legends began. This is the period when Beowulf was created (‘A great man who had killed a demon,’ as the book says - I spotted it!), when the Sutton Hoo burial took place and even, I would suggest, where the legend of Robin Hood has its origins.
This is where Matthew Harffy is looking to create his own legend; that of Beobrand and the Kingdom of Bernicia.
Northern Britain, AD633. When ‘Britain,’ was ‘Albion’ and ‘Britons’ were ‘Waelisc’ and ‘England’ was a series of kingdoms and ‘England’ didn’t exist… Exciting times to set a novel in, eh? Most definitely.
‘The Serpent Sword' opens with a murder. In the dead of night, an un-named warrior takes dreadful revenge for wrongs and slights, real and imagined. He slays Octa, his woman, Elda and steals the Serpent Sword. Some while later, Octa’s younger brother Beobrand, arrives from his home in the south looking for his brother, unaware he is already dead. There is no time to mourn and Beobrand has to let any plans for avenging his brother’s death simmer, as almost immediately - almost before the echo of his pledge of loyalty to the king has died away - he finds himself fighting for his - and the kingdom’s - very existence in The Battle of Hatfield Chase. Not that there were signs ‘Battle of Hatfield Chase this way’ of course, but that's what the 'disasterous' battle has come to be known as by us Dark Ages scholars. Those of us who have read Wikipedia, anyway. The ‘Waelisc’ (which meant ‘foreigners’ to the Anglo-Saxons - but who were actually the original peoples of the lands the Anglo-Saxons were originally foreigners in) under Cadwallon, are victors. Northumberland (a much larger area than in modern times) is effectively divided in two, Cadwallon taking control of the southern half, Deira, leaving King Eanfrith to rule the northern Kingdom of Bernicia.
Luckily for young Beobrand - and the continuation of our story - he survives the battle, though he is sorely wounded. He is nursed back to health by a young Monk called Coenred (clearly a character for development in future books) and in a process that involves treachery from warriors thought loyal, unspeakable atrocities and the making of unlikely friendships and mortal enemies alike, is forged into a warrior worthy of this time of legends. One upon whose shoulders the future of both the kingdom and the hopes of his people rest.
The character of Beobrand is of course central to the book - trouble not so much follows him around, as gets there before him. It is his fortunes we follow as a personification of the troubles of the kingdom. I did feel he started a little shakily, for instance; he seemed battle-ready very quickly and gained acceptance as a warrior a little too easily and some of his outbursts and decisions didn’t quite seem justified by what had happened in the story around them. More description of the opposing forces at the first battle would also have been a good idea. Might have helped with the sense of dread he clearly hoped we’d understand Beobrand to have had. Then there’s ‘the battle calm.’ It did seem to be summoned rather quickly for an inexperienced warrior. Almost like Luke summoning The Force. I do generally need more convincing ‘The Battle Calm’ actually exists outside of Historical Fiction novels. It’s been used so often in situations when a warrior needs a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card, it can seem a little cliched. However, as the novel progresses Beobrand seemed to grow into the role of warrior hero and it begins to fit him very well.
I also took a step back and mused if his character development wasn’t just a mirror for the uncertain, stumbling from one crisis to another, death of one, birth pangs of another kingdom? Whether or not Matthew H intended it to be so, that's what I took from it all.
The style at the start I did find a little awkward. There were too many short, choppy sentences that were preventing a decent flow. On reflection, I thought maybe he’s trying the Bernard Cornwell, matter-of-fact, fatalistic style. I wondered if it was because - and clearly I have no experience in these matters, your Honour - the short, choppy sentence style were to convey the tension-causing shortage of breath, quick, darting thoughts that would be how you would be, if you were trying to murder someone? Quite probably. But to work properly, to notice them rather than be irritated by them, they need to be set against longer, perhaps more descriptive passages, otherwise, they lose their power. Feel like notes. That will be expanded upon at a later date. And the style continued into the first section of the book, taking a little of the edge off - for me - the opening first third, where I found myself having to step back (again), to be able to ‘see' the story Matthew was intending to put over. Oh and please, never use ‘all of a sudden.’ Anywhere.
Then. Pow! There’s a dramatic improvement somewhere around the one-quarter mark. Astounding even. A rush of “NOW we’re talking!” as the story, the writing, the whole took wings and flew. Beobrand makes sense, events gell properly and I find myself trying to read whilst gripping both arms of my chair. Not easy when reading on an iPad.
The prose style is strong and clear, sometimes too much so, but then you don’t want to get bogged down in the sodden wastes, wading up to your knees in sludge and cliche of the last Robert Low I read. There are also some interesting, strongly-written, minor characters, many of which are clearly in it for the long run. And of course, ’the love interest.’ She’s a little identikit just now, but from the description of her background, I can well imagine she’ll come more into her own in future books. She might take exception to the clear case of ‘bromance’ going on between Beobrand and Coenred, but then each to his own, I say. There’s also a very interesting point made with reference to the title, one that is not thought about - but then, that’s why I read, and don’t write, books.
So where are we in relation to other writers in similar historical fields just now? Matthew is a new writer and this is his first book. However, the buying public dont know that and won’t cut him any slack because of it. So it has to stand and fall on the merits of what’s on the paper before us. The start did remind me of the beginning of the ‘Hereward’ books by James Wilde. While it isn’t the main man who explodes on the scene here, it is a formative event and our first encounter with The Serpent Sword of the title (though I did think as such more could have been made of that first meeting). The story includes setting at Bebbanburg castle, currently in Northumberland and Bernard Cornwell’s Warrior Chronicles, though some three hundred years earlier. ‘The Serpent Sword’ also mentions the island of ‘Hii’ several times, as does Robert Low in his latest Viking story, ‘Crowbone.’ Though Low calls it ‘Hy’ - we now call it Iona.
'The Bernicia Chronicles,’ of which ‘The Serpent Sword' is just the first instalment, I can see being sucessfully developed much further. It reminds me in that way, of Bernard Cornwell’s ‘Warrior Chronicles.’ Quite apart from the location, however many Cornwell originally planned, success seems to have made it open-ended. I can well see Matthew's 'Bernicia Chronicles' going the same - successful - way. As Matthew sticks, so far as I can see - and read in his Historical Note at the end - pretty close to what we know of the actual historical events and there are many interesting side-references, to Britain, to the beliefs and social situations, that will set you thinking about early Britain and how this fits in with the following Viking era, the possibilities are limitless. We clearly have many more hours of reading pleasure in front of us. And maybe we'll find out who exactly were the 'foreigners' here!
Early misgivings aside, as Beobrand matures physically, mentally and as a character to carry the story, the book improves in every way, becoming a thoroughly satisfying, well-wrought first book from an exciting new talent. Reading surely comes down to enjoyment. It’s something you do because the stories give you enjoyment and pleasure and ‘The Serpent Sword,’ puts huge red ticks in all those boxes. There’s a whole lot more clarity, sense of purpose and not least potential than many others you’ll come up against and ‘The Serpent Sword’ finishes well, ties up ends that needed tying, while leaving enough unresolved to have me already looking forward to part two. Matthew Harffy is clearly one to watch for the future and Beobrand and the Serpent Sword is a legend in the making from a time when legends were made. Get in now, so you too can say "I told you so!”
More world-class reviews on Speesh Reads
This is where Matthew Harffy is looking to create his own legend; that of Beobrand and the Kingdom of Bernicia.
Northern Britain, AD633. When ‘Britain,’ was ‘Albion’ and ‘Britons’ were ‘Waelisc’ and ‘England’ was a series of kingdoms and ‘England’ didn’t exist… Exciting times to set a novel in, eh? Most definitely.
‘The Serpent Sword' opens with a murder. In the dead of night, an un-named warrior takes dreadful revenge for wrongs and slights, real and imagined. He slays Octa, his woman, Elda and steals the Serpent Sword. Some while later, Octa’s younger brother Beobrand, arrives from his home in the south looking for his brother, unaware he is already dead. There is no time to mourn and Beobrand has to let any plans for avenging his brother’s death simmer, as almost immediately - almost before the echo of his pledge of loyalty to the king has died away - he finds himself fighting for his - and the kingdom’s - very existence in The Battle of Hatfield Chase. Not that there were signs ‘Battle of Hatfield Chase this way’ of course, but that's what the 'disasterous' battle has come to be known as by us Dark Ages scholars. Those of us who have read Wikipedia, anyway. The ‘Waelisc’ (which meant ‘foreigners’ to the Anglo-Saxons - but who were actually the original peoples of the lands the Anglo-Saxons were originally foreigners in) under Cadwallon, are victors. Northumberland (a much larger area than in modern times) is effectively divided in two, Cadwallon taking control of the southern half, Deira, leaving King Eanfrith to rule the northern Kingdom of Bernicia.
Luckily for young Beobrand - and the continuation of our story - he survives the battle, though he is sorely wounded. He is nursed back to health by a young Monk called Coenred (clearly a character for development in future books) and in a process that involves treachery from warriors thought loyal, unspeakable atrocities and the making of unlikely friendships and mortal enemies alike, is forged into a warrior worthy of this time of legends. One upon whose shoulders the future of both the kingdom and the hopes of his people rest.
The character of Beobrand is of course central to the book - trouble not so much follows him around, as gets there before him. It is his fortunes we follow as a personification of the troubles of the kingdom. I did feel he started a little shakily, for instance; he seemed battle-ready very quickly and gained acceptance as a warrior a little too easily and some of his outbursts and decisions didn’t quite seem justified by what had happened in the story around them. More description of the opposing forces at the first battle would also have been a good idea. Might have helped with the sense of dread he clearly hoped we’d understand Beobrand to have had. Then there’s ‘the battle calm.’ It did seem to be summoned rather quickly for an inexperienced warrior. Almost like Luke summoning The Force. I do generally need more convincing ‘The Battle Calm’ actually exists outside of Historical Fiction novels. It’s been used so often in situations when a warrior needs a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card, it can seem a little cliched. However, as the novel progresses Beobrand seemed to grow into the role of warrior hero and it begins to fit him very well.
I also took a step back and mused if his character development wasn’t just a mirror for the uncertain, stumbling from one crisis to another, death of one, birth pangs of another kingdom? Whether or not Matthew H intended it to be so, that's what I took from it all.
The style at the start I did find a little awkward. There were too many short, choppy sentences that were preventing a decent flow. On reflection, I thought maybe he’s trying the Bernard Cornwell, matter-of-fact, fatalistic style. I wondered if it was because - and clearly I have no experience in these matters, your Honour - the short, choppy sentence style were to convey the tension-causing shortage of breath, quick, darting thoughts that would be how you would be, if you were trying to murder someone? Quite probably. But to work properly, to notice them rather than be irritated by them, they need to be set against longer, perhaps more descriptive passages, otherwise, they lose their power. Feel like notes. That will be expanded upon at a later date. And the style continued into the first section of the book, taking a little of the edge off - for me - the opening first third, where I found myself having to step back (again), to be able to ‘see' the story Matthew was intending to put over. Oh and please, never use ‘all of a sudden.’ Anywhere.
Then. Pow! There’s a dramatic improvement somewhere around the one-quarter mark. Astounding even. A rush of “NOW we’re talking!” as the story, the writing, the whole took wings and flew. Beobrand makes sense, events gell properly and I find myself trying to read whilst gripping both arms of my chair. Not easy when reading on an iPad.
The prose style is strong and clear, sometimes too much so, but then you don’t want to get bogged down in the sodden wastes, wading up to your knees in sludge and cliche of the last Robert Low I read. There are also some interesting, strongly-written, minor characters, many of which are clearly in it for the long run. And of course, ’the love interest.’ She’s a little identikit just now, but from the description of her background, I can well imagine she’ll come more into her own in future books. She might take exception to the clear case of ‘bromance’ going on between Beobrand and Coenred, but then each to his own, I say. There’s also a very interesting point made with reference to the title, one that is not thought about - but then, that’s why I read, and don’t write, books.
So where are we in relation to other writers in similar historical fields just now? Matthew is a new writer and this is his first book. However, the buying public dont know that and won’t cut him any slack because of it. So it has to stand and fall on the merits of what’s on the paper before us. The start did remind me of the beginning of the ‘Hereward’ books by James Wilde. While it isn’t the main man who explodes on the scene here, it is a formative event and our first encounter with The Serpent Sword of the title (though I did think as such more could have been made of that first meeting). The story includes setting at Bebbanburg castle, currently in Northumberland and Bernard Cornwell’s Warrior Chronicles, though some three hundred years earlier. ‘The Serpent Sword’ also mentions the island of ‘Hii’ several times, as does Robert Low in his latest Viking story, ‘Crowbone.’ Though Low calls it ‘Hy’ - we now call it Iona.
'The Bernicia Chronicles,’ of which ‘The Serpent Sword' is just the first instalment, I can see being sucessfully developed much further. It reminds me in that way, of Bernard Cornwell’s ‘Warrior Chronicles.’ Quite apart from the location, however many Cornwell originally planned, success seems to have made it open-ended. I can well see Matthew's 'Bernicia Chronicles' going the same - successful - way. As Matthew sticks, so far as I can see - and read in his Historical Note at the end - pretty close to what we know of the actual historical events and there are many interesting side-references, to Britain, to the beliefs and social situations, that will set you thinking about early Britain and how this fits in with the following Viking era, the possibilities are limitless. We clearly have many more hours of reading pleasure in front of us. And maybe we'll find out who exactly were the 'foreigners' here!
Early misgivings aside, as Beobrand matures physically, mentally and as a character to carry the story, the book improves in every way, becoming a thoroughly satisfying, well-wrought first book from an exciting new talent. Reading surely comes down to enjoyment. It’s something you do because the stories give you enjoyment and pleasure and ‘The Serpent Sword,’ puts huge red ticks in all those boxes. There’s a whole lot more clarity, sense of purpose and not least potential than many others you’ll come up against and ‘The Serpent Sword’ finishes well, ties up ends that needed tying, while leaving enough unresolved to have me already looking forward to part two. Matthew Harffy is clearly one to watch for the future and Beobrand and the Serpent Sword is a legend in the making from a time when legends were made. Get in now, so you too can say "I told you so!”
More world-class reviews on Speesh Reads
October 2, 2025
What a fantastic opening! Very well done. I just had an absolute blast with this tale and really excited to read more!
Harffy told a simple tale but one that drew me in from the opening! I have no doubt the series will expand in scope as the books go on!
If you are a fan of The Last Kingdom (show & books) as well as the show Vikings give this book & subsequent sequels a shot.
I'm hooked!
Harffy told a simple tale but one that drew me in from the opening! I have no doubt the series will expand in scope as the books go on!
If you are a fan of The Last Kingdom (show & books) as well as the show Vikings give this book & subsequent sequels a shot.
I'm hooked!
May 31, 2015
I was given this book in return for an honest review.
Set in the 7th century, this book looked to be right up my street.The narrative starts with a prologue which draws the reader into the story, getting off to a promising start. The premise of the story is of a young lad who travels north to seek his brother only to find that he is dead - most likely murdered. Beobrand is distraught, but manages to find his way into the warband of King Edwin of Bernicia. Unfortunately, Edwin and most of his army is destroyed but Beobrand survives and is determined to find his brother's killer. This first book in the Bernicia Chronicles is about the rites of passage as our young hero goes from southern country boy to a northern hero who is taught warrior craft by the man who eventually becomes his enemy. along the way, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful girl and also meets and makes many enemies and friends among the people of Bernicia.
Mr Harffy has the beginnings of a fantastic trilogy, he writes well and considering, as he tells me, he has done his own editing, he does a pretty good job of not leaving in errors or typos. However I did pick up some minor issues such as one of the character's wearing a 'ponytail' or 'sported a thick blue wool cloak' and a not so minor issue and a real irritant - he uses the name 'Cathryn' which was not an Anglian name and would not have been in use in England until around 800 years later. His characterisation of his main players were thoughtful and reasonably well fleshed out. The narrative itself gives this series a good kickstart into what is likely to be a very successful one.
The bigger problem for me was head hopping, going from one POV to another in very short spaces was somewhat jarring; trying to figure out whose head I was meant to be in detracted from the story. Head hopping is widely considered a bad technique among most good editors and publishers. Had the author obtained a good professional editor, I feel that this could have been done much better. An example being that in one of the battle scenes, the point of view swept from one warrior to his opponent and back again within a couple of paragraphs, diminishing the drama.
If the book was rewritten with the POV changes made smoother,this would allow Mr Harffy to present his work far more creatively, making way for more story 'showing' rather than telling. Much of the back stories and character perspectives that the author is so eager to portray to us could easily be shown to us by clever use of dialogue and prose. It is a shame as he is restricting himself and he has the makings of a very good writer.
The Bernicia Chronicles promise to be a sweeping epic historical tale that readers are going to be enthralled by and will love. The Serpent Sword has it all, love, betrayal, intrigue and blood and gore a plenty. Mr Harffy is already onto a good start with the intrepid plot and I think he is very courageous to put a book out there set in the stomping grounds of other AngloSaxon Warrior, Uhtred of Bebbanburgh. Move over Mr Cornwell!
Set in the 7th century, this book looked to be right up my street.The narrative starts with a prologue which draws the reader into the story, getting off to a promising start. The premise of the story is of a young lad who travels north to seek his brother only to find that he is dead - most likely murdered. Beobrand is distraught, but manages to find his way into the warband of King Edwin of Bernicia. Unfortunately, Edwin and most of his army is destroyed but Beobrand survives and is determined to find his brother's killer. This first book in the Bernicia Chronicles is about the rites of passage as our young hero goes from southern country boy to a northern hero who is taught warrior craft by the man who eventually becomes his enemy. along the way, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful girl and also meets and makes many enemies and friends among the people of Bernicia.
Mr Harffy has the beginnings of a fantastic trilogy, he writes well and considering, as he tells me, he has done his own editing, he does a pretty good job of not leaving in errors or typos. However I did pick up some minor issues such as one of the character's wearing a 'ponytail' or 'sported a thick blue wool cloak' and a not so minor issue and a real irritant - he uses the name 'Cathryn' which was not an Anglian name and would not have been in use in England until around 800 years later. His characterisation of his main players were thoughtful and reasonably well fleshed out. The narrative itself gives this series a good kickstart into what is likely to be a very successful one.
The bigger problem for me was head hopping, going from one POV to another in very short spaces was somewhat jarring; trying to figure out whose head I was meant to be in detracted from the story. Head hopping is widely considered a bad technique among most good editors and publishers. Had the author obtained a good professional editor, I feel that this could have been done much better. An example being that in one of the battle scenes, the point of view swept from one warrior to his opponent and back again within a couple of paragraphs, diminishing the drama.
If the book was rewritten with the POV changes made smoother,this would allow Mr Harffy to present his work far more creatively, making way for more story 'showing' rather than telling. Much of the back stories and character perspectives that the author is so eager to portray to us could easily be shown to us by clever use of dialogue and prose. It is a shame as he is restricting himself and he has the makings of a very good writer.
The Bernicia Chronicles promise to be a sweeping epic historical tale that readers are going to be enthralled by and will love. The Serpent Sword has it all, love, betrayal, intrigue and blood and gore a plenty. Mr Harffy is already onto a good start with the intrepid plot and I think he is very courageous to put a book out there set in the stomping grounds of other AngloSaxon Warrior, Uhtred of Bebbanburgh. Move over Mr Cornwell!
July 6, 2017
The book's blurb says "perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell," but that isn't going to do this book any favors, because it does not live up to such hype. In fairness to Matthew Harffy, few could live up to Bernard Cornwell anyway. But even without the hype, this book was a bit of a disappointment.
As I am finding with many novels, it's the characterization that is lacking. I did not feel any kind of connection to the protagonists, and I felt the antagonists were very one-dimensional, they didn't seem to have any real motive for their actions, you were just supposed to accept the fact that they were evil and that's that.
The writing quality was good, apart from the fact that there was way more 'telling' than 'showing', which I think contributed to the poor character development. Likewise, the plot would have been better if I'd cared more about the protagonists, or if the antagonists seemed less superficial. As it was, I didn't really care much what happened and wound up skimming the second half.
Historical Readings & Reviews
As I am finding with many novels, it's the characterization that is lacking. I did not feel any kind of connection to the protagonists, and I felt the antagonists were very one-dimensional, they didn't seem to have any real motive for their actions, you were just supposed to accept the fact that they were evil and that's that.
The writing quality was good, apart from the fact that there was way more 'telling' than 'showing', which I think contributed to the poor character development. Likewise, the plot would have been better if I'd cared more about the protagonists, or if the antagonists seemed less superficial. As it was, I didn't really care much what happened and wound up skimming the second half.
Historical Readings & Reviews
started-but-didn-t-finish
July 16, 201594 pages is enough. Not for me. Probably not fair that I've just read Bernard Cornwell's latest book.
March 30, 2015
In the course of my perusing for books to read I am occasionally offered the chance to read a book prior to it being released. Such was the case with this book, The Serpent Sword by Matthew Harffy. Set in 7th century Britain, a time of unsettled violence where the prowess of warriors and the shield wall determines the fate of kings among the disparate factions that inhabit the island. Angles, Seaxons, Waelisc vie for control and into the mix brought about by the chaos of war is a lawlessness perpetrated by bands of desperate and ruthless outlaws. Beobrand, a young farmer from Cantware(Kent) travels to Northumbria to seek and join his brother, a warrior in the household of King Edwin. Beobrand has lost his mother and sisters to a plague and his father to a mysterious fire and his wish is to become a warrior like his brother. The tale is one of suffered loss and helplessness as Beobrand strives to avenge the murder of his brother and the paths he takes to ease the burdens of his troubled mind.
The author has done a splendid job in crafting a tale that is not only historical but very entertaining as well. He captures the mood of the times in such a fashion that the reader feels the strife and tensions of this brutal time from the ethos of the warrior class to the peasants and craftsmen who struggle to survive the violence and the conflicts of competing religions and peoples. The author also makes you feel what it is like to stand in the shield wall as warriors perform heroic deeds or as they fall in the attempt. It is a stunning debut from Mr. Harffy and I look expectantly for more from him as he continues the story of Beobrand. A two thumbs up recommendation and 5 stars.
A bit about the author.
Matthew Harffy is currently writing a series of novels set in seventh century Northumbria. The first book is The Serpent Sword. The sequel is The Cross and The Curse.
In his day job he is a manager of fifteen technical writers, so spends all day writing and editing, just not the words he’s most interested in! Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. He has co-authored seven published academic articles, ranging in topic from the ecological impact of mining to the construction of a marble pipe organ.
Matthew is outnumbered at home by his wife and their two daughters.
When not writing, or spending time with his family, Matthew sings in a band called Rock Dog.
The author has done a splendid job in crafting a tale that is not only historical but very entertaining as well. He captures the mood of the times in such a fashion that the reader feels the strife and tensions of this brutal time from the ethos of the warrior class to the peasants and craftsmen who struggle to survive the violence and the conflicts of competing religions and peoples. The author also makes you feel what it is like to stand in the shield wall as warriors perform heroic deeds or as they fall in the attempt. It is a stunning debut from Mr. Harffy and I look expectantly for more from him as he continues the story of Beobrand. A two thumbs up recommendation and 5 stars.
A bit about the author.
Matthew Harffy is currently writing a series of novels set in seventh century Northumbria. The first book is The Serpent Sword. The sequel is The Cross and The Curse.
In his day job he is a manager of fifteen technical writers, so spends all day writing and editing, just not the words he’s most interested in! Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. He has co-authored seven published academic articles, ranging in topic from the ecological impact of mining to the construction of a marble pipe organ.
Matthew is outnumbered at home by his wife and their two daughters.
When not writing, or spending time with his family, Matthew sings in a band called Rock Dog.
April 30, 2015
A good general knows when to fight and where to fight. That same rule applies to British Historical (fiction) Novellists. The pond is already quite overcrowded, and quite a few of the same histories are told and retold over and over again. Buying those can be a recipe for disappointment. Matthew Harffy however picked his spot perfectly. Dark ages Bernicia and the Old North- the Henn Ogledd-. I always wanted to read about the Old North, and Matthew Harffy has delivered with verve in his debut album ~the serpent Sword`. The man knows how to write and how spin a good tale. He cleverly weaves his storyline from the basic idea of a young man trying to make his luck and fortune as a sword-warrior in the turbulent times of Old North. Harffy's historical research and sources are sound, and the tale has all the ingredients, carefully dosed and balanced, of a savoury reading dish. All of this results in a gripping and credible warriors tale of Dark Ages Britain.
Of course we have Bernard Cornwell plowing that Dark Ages Britain field as well, but where –to my opinion- his mischievous pagan warlord Uthred of Bebbanburg is losing his impetus rapidly in his last three novels- just to the point where you think.. please die and get this Warlord series over with.. (and dammit he's still not dead! so unfortunately there's still another book to come) Harffy now has put a shining new young buck into that meadow: Beobrand. I think that with Beobrand entering the stage Uthred is old news now.
Need I say that I was very impressed by the Serpent Sword? It’s just out and I am already looking forward to the next one in the series. The Bernicia Chronicles could make for years of reading pleasure. I think Harffy has the skills and the talent for hat.
Of course we have Bernard Cornwell plowing that Dark Ages Britain field as well, but where –to my opinion- his mischievous pagan warlord Uthred of Bebbanburg is losing his impetus rapidly in his last three novels- just to the point where you think.. please die and get this Warlord series over with.. (and dammit he's still not dead! so unfortunately there's still another book to come) Harffy now has put a shining new young buck into that meadow: Beobrand. I think that with Beobrand entering the stage Uthred is old news now.
Need I say that I was very impressed by the Serpent Sword? It’s just out and I am already looking forward to the next one in the series. The Bernicia Chronicles could make for years of reading pleasure. I think Harffy has the skills and the talent for hat.
April 26, 2015
Review
Once again its been one of those occasions where i feel privileged to be asked to read and review a book by a debut author, anytime someone trusts you with something which has been their passion and that has consumed hours, days weeks and months of their life is something you should and i do cherish. At the same time it does not earn you a free pass to a good review.
What does earn you praise is something new, something set in a period where many others have not gone before, when you can couple together plot, great characters, scene setting and action packed fight scenes. This is just what you get with Serpent Sword.
Read the rest of the review here : https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
Once again its been one of those occasions where i feel privileged to be asked to read and review a book by a debut author, anytime someone trusts you with something which has been their passion and that has consumed hours, days weeks and months of their life is something you should and i do cherish. At the same time it does not earn you a free pass to a good review.
What does earn you praise is something new, something set in a period where many others have not gone before, when you can couple together plot, great characters, scene setting and action packed fight scenes. This is just what you get with Serpent Sword.
Read the rest of the review here : https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
August 7, 2016
Like two warriors, we circled each other: wary, watchful, waiting for the other to make the first move. Each of us thought ourselves kings of our realm, alone and unchallenged until, through whisper and word, news came of another claimant to the throne.
The throne was the king of the 7th century and we, writers, working in what we had each thought was a personal playground until we found the other: the interloper, the intruder. The rival.
At least, that's how it was for me. I'd been writing Edwin: High King of Britain for a month or two, all the while congratulating myself on my wit in staking claim to this most transformative yet unrepresented era in history when I learned that one Matthew Harffy was busy writing his own novel, The Serpent Sword, set in the same period. What was worse, Edwin, my King Edwin, was in his book as well.
My first reaction was, naturally, to hope for his complete and utter failure. That this Matthew chap - what was it with the two 'f's, after all? - would prove just another wannabe, telling the world he was a writer before he'd actually written anything of any worth.
But then he went and got himself an agent. Not good. Not good at all - particularly when I didn't have one. All right, I had a publisher - Lion Fiction - but it was surely only a matter of time before his agent got him a publisher and then he'd be the first to put his words into the 7th century and lay claim on Northumbria. Luckily, I was almost finished with Edwin and, what's more, we got a commendation from Bernard Cornwell - yes, that Bernard Cornwell - to go on the cover. Round 1 to me, I thought.
But then The Serpent Sword came out. And while it didn't have Bernard Cornwell extolling it, it had pretty well everyone else. Looked like this Matthew bloke could write. What was worse, he was being nice to me online - he even bought (and read!) Edwin. Now what was I going to do?
Read his book, of course.
But there we hit the hidden fear that gnaws at the heart of every writer. What if we're really not any good? All the good reviews flow off our backs like water, but every 1-star sticks barbs into our souls and refuses to come out.
What if I read Matthew's book and thought it was better than mine?
Then my publisher asked me to read another book set in 7th-century Northumbria, The Abbess of Whitby by Jill Dalladay. While there was some overlap with my work, the focus was clearly different: I could try this.
So I read it and, reading, found myself twisted sideways, like looking at a spoon through a glass of water: everything distorted. Reading about these people - people I had written in my own books - imagined differently was intensely, in fact unpleasantly, distorting. Having finished The Abbess of Whitby, I realised I could not go near another vision of 7th-century Northumbria until I had finished my own exploration of the time.
While Matthew and I had become steadily more acquainted online - chiefly through his unfailing generosity and support - I prevaricated and circled around the great big elephant in our room: the fact that he'd read my book and I hadn't read his. Two more books were written - my Oswald: Return of the King, his The Cross and the Curse - and still I circled away, attempting to repay his generosity with promises to, someday, read Matthew's work.
Then, the day came. I had finished Oswiu: King of Kings. I was finished in the 7th century. Now there was no more hiding. Now, I had to read his book and answer the question: is he better than me?
The answer: yes.
Yes, he is. He is better at doing what he is doing than I could ever be. But, reading The Serpent Sword, I realised that Matthew isn't doing what I am doing: we are writing different worlds set in the same place and time, and exploring different aspects of storytelling and world creation.
Matthew writes of men and battles and blood and war better than pretty well anyone else around - his nearest comparison is, in fact, Bernard Cornwell's Uhtred and a mark of how fine a debut The Serpent Sword is, is the fact that Beobrand doesn't suffer in comparison with Uhtred.
I don't know how he did it, but Matthew seems to have escaped every single one of the usual first novel traps: there's no over exposition, there's no repeating information to the reader, there's no failure to trust his words. Everything is lean and taut and finished: like the titular sword, this story cuts.
My only word of warning to prospective readers is that it's pretty brutal. These were, of course, brutal times, but if you are squeamish about the depiction of violence, this might not be the book for you. But if you enjoy story telling of the highest order, this book is for you.
The throne was the king of the 7th century and we, writers, working in what we had each thought was a personal playground until we found the other: the interloper, the intruder. The rival.
At least, that's how it was for me. I'd been writing Edwin: High King of Britain for a month or two, all the while congratulating myself on my wit in staking claim to this most transformative yet unrepresented era in history when I learned that one Matthew Harffy was busy writing his own novel, The Serpent Sword, set in the same period. What was worse, Edwin, my King Edwin, was in his book as well.
My first reaction was, naturally, to hope for his complete and utter failure. That this Matthew chap - what was it with the two 'f's, after all? - would prove just another wannabe, telling the world he was a writer before he'd actually written anything of any worth.
But then he went and got himself an agent. Not good. Not good at all - particularly when I didn't have one. All right, I had a publisher - Lion Fiction - but it was surely only a matter of time before his agent got him a publisher and then he'd be the first to put his words into the 7th century and lay claim on Northumbria. Luckily, I was almost finished with Edwin and, what's more, we got a commendation from Bernard Cornwell - yes, that Bernard Cornwell - to go on the cover. Round 1 to me, I thought.
But then The Serpent Sword came out. And while it didn't have Bernard Cornwell extolling it, it had pretty well everyone else. Looked like this Matthew bloke could write. What was worse, he was being nice to me online - he even bought (and read!) Edwin. Now what was I going to do?
Read his book, of course.
But there we hit the hidden fear that gnaws at the heart of every writer. What if we're really not any good? All the good reviews flow off our backs like water, but every 1-star sticks barbs into our souls and refuses to come out.
What if I read Matthew's book and thought it was better than mine?
Then my publisher asked me to read another book set in 7th-century Northumbria, The Abbess of Whitby by Jill Dalladay. While there was some overlap with my work, the focus was clearly different: I could try this.
So I read it and, reading, found myself twisted sideways, like looking at a spoon through a glass of water: everything distorted. Reading about these people - people I had written in my own books - imagined differently was intensely, in fact unpleasantly, distorting. Having finished The Abbess of Whitby, I realised I could not go near another vision of 7th-century Northumbria until I had finished my own exploration of the time.
While Matthew and I had become steadily more acquainted online - chiefly through his unfailing generosity and support - I prevaricated and circled around the great big elephant in our room: the fact that he'd read my book and I hadn't read his. Two more books were written - my Oswald: Return of the King, his The Cross and the Curse - and still I circled away, attempting to repay his generosity with promises to, someday, read Matthew's work.
Then, the day came. I had finished Oswiu: King of Kings. I was finished in the 7th century. Now there was no more hiding. Now, I had to read his book and answer the question: is he better than me?
The answer: yes.
Yes, he is. He is better at doing what he is doing than I could ever be. But, reading The Serpent Sword, I realised that Matthew isn't doing what I am doing: we are writing different worlds set in the same place and time, and exploring different aspects of storytelling and world creation.
Matthew writes of men and battles and blood and war better than pretty well anyone else around - his nearest comparison is, in fact, Bernard Cornwell's Uhtred and a mark of how fine a debut The Serpent Sword is, is the fact that Beobrand doesn't suffer in comparison with Uhtred.
I don't know how he did it, but Matthew seems to have escaped every single one of the usual first novel traps: there's no over exposition, there's no repeating information to the reader, there's no failure to trust his words. Everything is lean and taut and finished: like the titular sword, this story cuts.
My only word of warning to prospective readers is that it's pretty brutal. These were, of course, brutal times, but if you are squeamish about the depiction of violence, this might not be the book for you. But if you enjoy story telling of the highest order, this book is for you.
March 31, 2015
I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I started it with some trepidation as it is not my usual choice of genre and I didn't know quite what to expect from this first time author. There was no need to worry though, as it quickly became apparent that the author clearly knows his craft. He has beautifully captured the transformation of the hero Beobrand from farmer to warrior, with love, loss, and plenty of action along the way. It kept me reading to the early hours of the morning on more than one occasion. Highly recommended.
March 31, 2015
I had an advance copy of this book to read. It's not my usual reading, but is well written, the plot is believable as are the characters. a bit too much violence and gore for me, but if you like realistic fight scenes and all that entails (should that be entrails! ?) and action centering on a young man discovering his own strengths in a flawed world you'll enjoy this book.
Read
January 13, 2017I was very taken with the hero Beobrand, a gifted young warrior who has to find his way forward with no family and no lord to lead him. This is the sort of book that makes you look forward to bedtime!
January 6, 2023
My initial reaction was Bebbanberg, what?! But thankfully Beobrand is a thoroughly different character and the time period is about 220 years earlier. I love getting back into historical fiction again. This book is a good example of that.
These are very dire years when the fractious landholders battle each other constantly for supremacy and more land in their own domain.
You can see how much meticulous research went into the historical details of life, garb, weapons, and homes. As dreary and dark as these times are, I really love reading about it.
Beobrand holds a secret close to his vest as he ventures out on his own once his family has all died. He makes some very loyal friends along the way and really just one enemy. He pursues the murderer of his brother which is in the prologue. It takes a while to determine who this is and once you know, boy, do you want to see him have a grizzly death.
For supporting characters I favored Coenred, Leofwine, Scand, and Acennan. I hope to see some of these relationships flourish and grow.
You must be ready for a very bleak story when you read this one. There’s not a lot to be joyful for here. The small victories are so momentous and carry us through the very rough tragedies.
I think I will enjoy continuing Beobrand’s story.
These are very dire years when the fractious landholders battle each other constantly for supremacy and more land in their own domain.
You can see how much meticulous research went into the historical details of life, garb, weapons, and homes. As dreary and dark as these times are, I really love reading about it.
Beobrand holds a secret close to his vest as he ventures out on his own once his family has all died. He makes some very loyal friends along the way and really just one enemy. He pursues the murderer of his brother which is in the prologue. It takes a while to determine who this is and once you know, boy, do you want to see him have a grizzly death.
For supporting characters I favored Coenred, Leofwine, Scand, and Acennan. I hope to see some of these relationships flourish and grow.
You must be ready for a very bleak story when you read this one. There’s not a lot to be joyful for here. The small victories are so momentous and carry us through the very rough tragedies.
I think I will enjoy continuing Beobrand’s story.
January 7, 2023
First book in the Bernicia Chronicles introduces us to Beobrand. A young man seeking purpose and his brother. On his journey of becoming a warrior, there are hardships, new friends, love, foes and blood. Britain in his dark age is brutal and unforgiving.
This Harffys debut (long time ago) is full of heart, brotherhood, betrayal and brutal battles.
While reading you feel the land and its people captured between the lines. Its like living in these times.
Beobrand is becoming a new favorite character.
This Harffys debut (long time ago) is full of heart, brotherhood, betrayal and brutal battles.
While reading you feel the land and its people captured between the lines. Its like living in these times.
Beobrand is becoming a new favorite character.
January 7, 2023
So our journey with the warrior Beobrand in The Bernicia Chronicles begins.
We See Beobrand go from young inexperienced man dreaming of being a warrior and the glories of battle to a still young but tempered warrior educated in the harsh realities of life in the Dark Ages.
Full of exciting well written battles and despicable villains the author places us in the centre of the action and I raced through the book in just a few sittings.
I am both sad that it took me this long to find this series but also glad that I have now have many entries to read with no waiting bring on book 2.
We See Beobrand go from young inexperienced man dreaming of being a warrior and the glories of battle to a still young but tempered warrior educated in the harsh realities of life in the Dark Ages.
Full of exciting well written battles and despicable villains the author places us in the centre of the action and I raced through the book in just a few sittings.
I am both sad that it took me this long to find this series but also glad that I have now have many entries to read with no waiting bring on book 2.
May 26, 2017
The Serpent Sword is about a young farm boy turned warrior in 7th Century Britain. His family is all dead by the plague (except apparently his father, who is also dead, but not by plague). He goes in search of his older brother in Bebbanburg, who is a revered warrior fighting for the current King, Edwin. When he arrives he discovers it is suspected that his brother Octa, committed suicide. Except Beobrand does not believe this is something his brother would ever do. So he swears an oath to finding Octa's murderer.
I was a little disappointed in this book. I love anything Dark Ages Britain. It was a tumultuous time with many small kings and kingdoms vying for power over others. A new religion was sweeping over the people and it left many confused as to which gods they should worship. Some picked a side and stuck with it. Some seemed to worship both, or worshipped one and gave half credit to the other, just in case. Much later in history you see Viking invaders return with the old gods, and King Alfred forging the path for these minor kingdoms to become England. Eventually.
All of these factors make for fascinating historical fiction. We see many of them at play in The Serpent Sword. I just wish there had been more of it. At it's heart, The Serpent Sword is a personal quest of vengeance from a 17 year old boy who has lost too much in his short life. You see him grow from boy to man, farmer to warrior. There are three big battles in the book. One at the very beginning, where Beobrand fights in his first shield wall. Two at the very end. The middle is more about his quest for vengeance and it was this part of the story that I thought dragged a bit. I wish we had been able to see a little more of what was going on in the wider world.
During the middle portion, Beobrand is following a group of rogue warriors around Bernicia aimlessly through the winter. At times I just wanted to shake him and tell him to go find a king. A lord. Anyone that wasn't camping in the woods with no real purpose. The leader, Hengist, claimed that was where he was going, but later, when Beobrand is back in Engelmynster, Bassus (King Edwin's military commander), shows up and takes him to a new king only a week's journey away. Mind you, this is where Beobrand started from when he began wandering aimlessly. If he was looking for a new lord and there was one only a week away.... Why was he camping out in the woods all winter? Why were any of them? I understand the purpose it served in the overall plot, I just thought there might have been a better method of delivery.
The other critique I have, is this book suffered from too much telling and not enough showing. Everyone seems to notice that Beobrand is a warrior. They claim he suffers anger management issues, and also that he is a killer. Many of these comments are made at a point before Beobrand has really killed anyone. I didn't see any of these qualities present when many of those comments were made. I still disagree that Beobrand should be regarded as a "killer" in the sense that his natural instinct is to kill people. His treatment of Sunniva, his sympathy for Cathryn and Tata, his adoration of and friendship with Coenfred, all speak to a kind, honorable, brave man. Not a "killer". Those are the parts the reader is shown, and they were naturally at odds with the way people spoke about him. Maybe I just misunderstood what was meant by the term, but it didn't sit right with me. The first time it's mentioned that Beobrand has anger management issues, I was literally shocked. Nothing in the book prior to that pointed to a man with anger issues. Sure he was sad. He was angry maybe with Octa's killer. But he wasn't prone to angry outbursts until he met Acennan. I just wish Beobrand's qualities had been allowed to speak for themselves, rather than reminding the reader again and again what the other characters think of him. There's nothing wrong with the character the author showed. In fact, he was quite likable, but the way people kept speaking about him bothered me. Like being a killer was somehow better than being a protector of the meek.
The character development was excellent, and Beobrand definitely grows. As I stated above, he was likable and he grew on me in the course of the story. Many characters are killed in the course of the story and the author does manage to make you feel for all of them. I won't mention any names because spoilers, but there were a few I was surprisingly sad about.
Additionally, though I felt much of the middle of the book was slowly paced, the ending third was excellent. The battles were exciting and very well written. There was a lot at stake and you were definitely rooting for the characters to pull through. Beobrand puts all his training to good use and he becomes the warrior everyone else has been saying he is.
So my overall feelings on the book are relatively neutral. I might preview the next book in the series and read a few reviews to see what it's about. With the main conflict in this book resolved (Octa's murder) I'm hoping the next book will be more like the last third of this book, where we see Beobrand fighting and earning his stripes as a warrior.
Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was a little disappointed in this book. I love anything Dark Ages Britain. It was a tumultuous time with many small kings and kingdoms vying for power over others. A new religion was sweeping over the people and it left many confused as to which gods they should worship. Some picked a side and stuck with it. Some seemed to worship both, or worshipped one and gave half credit to the other, just in case. Much later in history you see Viking invaders return with the old gods, and King Alfred forging the path for these minor kingdoms to become England. Eventually.
All of these factors make for fascinating historical fiction. We see many of them at play in The Serpent Sword. I just wish there had been more of it. At it's heart, The Serpent Sword is a personal quest of vengeance from a 17 year old boy who has lost too much in his short life. You see him grow from boy to man, farmer to warrior. There are three big battles in the book. One at the very beginning, where Beobrand fights in his first shield wall. Two at the very end. The middle is more about his quest for vengeance and it was this part of the story that I thought dragged a bit. I wish we had been able to see a little more of what was going on in the wider world.
During the middle portion, Beobrand is following a group of rogue warriors around Bernicia aimlessly through the winter. At times I just wanted to shake him and tell him to go find a king. A lord. Anyone that wasn't camping in the woods with no real purpose. The leader, Hengist, claimed that was where he was going, but later, when Beobrand is back in Engelmynster, Bassus (King Edwin's military commander), shows up and takes him to a new king only a week's journey away. Mind you, this is where Beobrand started from when he began wandering aimlessly. If he was looking for a new lord and there was one only a week away.... Why was he camping out in the woods all winter? Why were any of them? I understand the purpose it served in the overall plot, I just thought there might have been a better method of delivery.
The other critique I have, is this book suffered from too much telling and not enough showing. Everyone seems to notice that Beobrand is a warrior. They claim he suffers anger management issues, and also that he is a killer. Many of these comments are made at a point before Beobrand has really killed anyone. I didn't see any of these qualities present when many of those comments were made. I still disagree that Beobrand should be regarded as a "killer" in the sense that his natural instinct is to kill people. His treatment of Sunniva, his sympathy for Cathryn and Tata, his adoration of and friendship with Coenfred, all speak to a kind, honorable, brave man. Not a "killer". Those are the parts the reader is shown, and they were naturally at odds with the way people spoke about him. Maybe I just misunderstood what was meant by the term, but it didn't sit right with me. The first time it's mentioned that Beobrand has anger management issues, I was literally shocked. Nothing in the book prior to that pointed to a man with anger issues. Sure he was sad. He was angry maybe with Octa's killer. But he wasn't prone to angry outbursts until he met Acennan. I just wish Beobrand's qualities had been allowed to speak for themselves, rather than reminding the reader again and again what the other characters think of him. There's nothing wrong with the character the author showed. In fact, he was quite likable, but the way people kept speaking about him bothered me. Like being a killer was somehow better than being a protector of the meek.
The character development was excellent, and Beobrand definitely grows. As I stated above, he was likable and he grew on me in the course of the story. Many characters are killed in the course of the story and the author does manage to make you feel for all of them. I won't mention any names because spoilers, but there were a few I was surprisingly sad about.
Additionally, though I felt much of the middle of the book was slowly paced, the ending third was excellent. The battles were exciting and very well written. There was a lot at stake and you were definitely rooting for the characters to pull through. Beobrand puts all his training to good use and he becomes the warrior everyone else has been saying he is.
So my overall feelings on the book are relatively neutral. I might preview the next book in the series and read a few reviews to see what it's about. With the main conflict in this book resolved (Octa's murder) I'm hoping the next book will be more like the last third of this book, where we see Beobrand fighting and earning his stripes as a warrior.
Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 7, 2015
Any comparison to Bernard Cornwell's popular Saxon series intrigues me, and this book was no exception. I must admit that I picked it up a bit skeptically, wondering how in the world Matthew Harffy would pull it off -- there can only be on Uhtred of Bebbanburg after all, so how would he manage to keep me interested? I needn't have worried.
Just because I like a book doesn't automatically qualify it for 5 stars. But this book -- this book -- kept me coming back, hungry to read more, to find out what was next, and where the characters were going and how they were growing. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it.
Beyond that, Harffy does several things with this book which led me to a 5 star review. First, his characters. Beobrand is young, hot-headed, and he makes so many mistakes. The plot doesn't hold back anything authentic -- there is violence and gore (some of which may be difficult for some readers to handle), but it's what happens to Beobrand that makes it significant to me -- he learns, he wrestles with what happens around him, he thinks about it, suffers through it, and it changes him in ways both good and bad. But it's all authentic, and I found myself cheering him on every step of the way.
Secondly, Harffy doesn't just write to progress the plot. He tells a story in a way that makes it feel like it's happening all around me as I read. Descriptive detail, language use, sentence structure, etc. all are polished throughout, even when a battle is raging. I felt hungry, thirsty, sick, injured, and tired whenever Beobrand was. I could feel the cold water splashing on my face as he washed in the early morning. Harffy writes in a way that invites us into the pages of the book.
I highly recommend this book to HF readers, to Bernard Cornwell fans, and to anyone wanting to learn more about a period of history often overlooked by modern readers. I eagerly await the next book and will be worried about Beobrand until it comes out!
Just because I like a book doesn't automatically qualify it for 5 stars. But this book -- this book -- kept me coming back, hungry to read more, to find out what was next, and where the characters were going and how they were growing. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it.
Beyond that, Harffy does several things with this book which led me to a 5 star review. First, his characters. Beobrand is young, hot-headed, and he makes so many mistakes. The plot doesn't hold back anything authentic -- there is violence and gore (some of which may be difficult for some readers to handle), but it's what happens to Beobrand that makes it significant to me -- he learns, he wrestles with what happens around him, he thinks about it, suffers through it, and it changes him in ways both good and bad. But it's all authentic, and I found myself cheering him on every step of the way.
Secondly, Harffy doesn't just write to progress the plot. He tells a story in a way that makes it feel like it's happening all around me as I read. Descriptive detail, language use, sentence structure, etc. all are polished throughout, even when a battle is raging. I felt hungry, thirsty, sick, injured, and tired whenever Beobrand was. I could feel the cold water splashing on my face as he washed in the early morning. Harffy writes in a way that invites us into the pages of the book.
I highly recommend this book to HF readers, to Bernard Cornwell fans, and to anyone wanting to learn more about a period of history often overlooked by modern readers. I eagerly await the next book and will be worried about Beobrand until it comes out!
January 12, 2025
Here's a high adventure steeped in history, legend and lore, with a coming of age tale, a vengeance quest rolled in. Matthew Harffy writes a fast-paced story that never fails to tell you what you need to know of the times when you need to know it. Homage is paid to the legend of Beowulf and contemporary tales, but Harffy never gets sidetracked from the story of his own character and in his own time. The writer has been favourably compared to genre favourite, Bernard Cornwell, and I'd call this fair, but Harffy's voice is very much his own. I will be returning to the adventures of Beobrand in Bernicia very soon. Highly recommended!
++++++
On January 2025 re-reading: Superb prose enhances this full, fast-paced and highly satisfying adventure. These are the Dark Ages as they must have been with contests of cultures and religion, treachery and warrior codes of honour. A great beginning to a wonderful saga.
++++++
On January 2025 re-reading: Superb prose enhances this full, fast-paced and highly satisfying adventure. These are the Dark Ages as they must have been with contests of cultures and religion, treachery and warrior codes of honour. A great beginning to a wonderful saga.
February 6, 2024
The Serpent Sword is the first book in Matthew Harffy’s ‘The Bernicia Chronicles’ series set in 7th century Anglo-Saxon Britain, the period often referred to as the Dark Ages.
The young Beobrand we encounter at the beginning of the book is a rather tortured soul. He has suffered the loss of most of his family and then discovers he has in fact lost all of his family following the murder of his brother, Octa. His thirst for revenge only fuels his desire to become a warrior. Although he dreams of glory in battle, he’s unprepared for the reality of warfare and the anguish it will bring.
Beobrand makes mistakes, falling in with a band of warriors whose ruthless actions bring about a crisis of conscience. Where is the honour in such deeds? He also witnesses first-hand – and we the reader along with him – the full horror of warfare and the visceral nature of being part of a shieldwall. ‘All along the line men were grunting and shouting abuse. Screams of the injured and dying mingled with the mad laughter of warriors wallowing in the glory of battle. All was accented by the clash and and crash of metal on metal.’
Although possessing the natural instincts of a warrior – and just as importantly, luck – Beobrand has to learn his craft. It’s work that will stand him in good stead as he takes on a formidable opponent. And by the end of the book, there is more at stake than just his honour or even revenge. What does ‘wyrd’ [fate or destiny] have in store for Beobrand? As he is reminded, ‘[…] the way of the sword is not rife with happiness. The sword is like a serpent. You can try to tame it, but it is venomous and will often bite the hand that holds it’. Those who have read subsquent books in the series will know how true this is.
Although Beobrand is a fictional character, real historical figures feature in the book too. However, as the author points out in the Historical Notes, no contemporanous accounts exist although that does provide opportunities for the novelist. As Matthew Harffy observes, ‘The fact that it is a time seen as “through a glass, darkly”, makes it a perfect time to write about’.
The young Beobrand we encounter at the beginning of the book is a rather tortured soul. He has suffered the loss of most of his family and then discovers he has in fact lost all of his family following the murder of his brother, Octa. His thirst for revenge only fuels his desire to become a warrior. Although he dreams of glory in battle, he’s unprepared for the reality of warfare and the anguish it will bring.
Beobrand makes mistakes, falling in with a band of warriors whose ruthless actions bring about a crisis of conscience. Where is the honour in such deeds? He also witnesses first-hand – and we the reader along with him – the full horror of warfare and the visceral nature of being part of a shieldwall. ‘All along the line men were grunting and shouting abuse. Screams of the injured and dying mingled with the mad laughter of warriors wallowing in the glory of battle. All was accented by the clash and and crash of metal on metal.’
Although possessing the natural instincts of a warrior – and just as importantly, luck – Beobrand has to learn his craft. It’s work that will stand him in good stead as he takes on a formidable opponent. And by the end of the book, there is more at stake than just his honour or even revenge. What does ‘wyrd’ [fate or destiny] have in store for Beobrand? As he is reminded, ‘[…] the way of the sword is not rife with happiness. The sword is like a serpent. You can try to tame it, but it is venomous and will often bite the hand that holds it’. Those who have read subsquent books in the series will know how true this is.
Although Beobrand is a fictional character, real historical figures feature in the book too. However, as the author points out in the Historical Notes, no contemporanous accounts exist although that does provide opportunities for the novelist. As Matthew Harffy observes, ‘The fact that it is a time seen as “through a glass, darkly”, makes it a perfect time to write about’.
November 21, 2018
Surprisingly good.
August 5, 2018
Now this is really something special. Set in the Dark Ages of England, Harffy sets himself a challenge to bring across the unerring savagery and desperation of a period in history where very little is known, where life, from what we do know, was barren and grimly cheap, and present it in a way which sparkles and possesses the reader utterly. To write such a riveting story, with one that feels rich with historical detail but not burdened down with too much, takes real skill and appreciation of the subject, which thankfully Harffy has in spades.
Following the adventures of Beobrand, from his first years as an acolyte soldier to when he establishes himself a master warrior, from the get-go we are drawn in by the murder of his brother and Beobrand's (at the beginning) naive desire to find the killer and exact revenge. This naivety is key because you have a real sense of growth of Beobrand throughout the book, not just in terms of his sword arm, but also the confidence in himself, his intelligence, his appreciation of others, the slow embrace as a leader, someone to inspire, to make the right decisions. To one day lead.
Why this novel sets itself apart from many other historical novels (and you could put into a wider genre category) is that Beobrand does make mistakes at the start, does fall in with the 'wrong crowd', does somehow find himself fighting (and a lot worse) alongside the main antagonist and his grim militia of thugs. All this makes his character, and those around him, feel very believable, fallible, and, because of this, it heightens the sense that anyone in the book at any moment is liable to show very human characteristics (in order to fit in or simply survive) and do something unexpected and selfish in order to benefit (or keep their head). As a result, threat and risk hunts everywhere and everyone. No one is safe. Heroes early on are dispatched. Hated villains survive to live another day.
Take this, and fill it with battles, love, allegiances and broken promises, torture and wicked trickery, and you're left with a dazzlingly good story that rattles along at a rate of knots. And the best news is this is the first in a long line of Beobrand books. Saddle up, it's going to be a long and exciting ride!
Highly recommended.
Following the adventures of Beobrand, from his first years as an acolyte soldier to when he establishes himself a master warrior, from the get-go we are drawn in by the murder of his brother and Beobrand's (at the beginning) naive desire to find the killer and exact revenge. This naivety is key because you have a real sense of growth of Beobrand throughout the book, not just in terms of his sword arm, but also the confidence in himself, his intelligence, his appreciation of others, the slow embrace as a leader, someone to inspire, to make the right decisions. To one day lead.
Why this novel sets itself apart from many other historical novels (and you could put into a wider genre category) is that Beobrand does make mistakes at the start, does fall in with the 'wrong crowd', does somehow find himself fighting (and a lot worse) alongside the main antagonist and his grim militia of thugs. All this makes his character, and those around him, feel very believable, fallible, and, because of this, it heightens the sense that anyone in the book at any moment is liable to show very human characteristics (in order to fit in or simply survive) and do something unexpected and selfish in order to benefit (or keep their head). As a result, threat and risk hunts everywhere and everyone. No one is safe. Heroes early on are dispatched. Hated villains survive to live another day.
Take this, and fill it with battles, love, allegiances and broken promises, torture and wicked trickery, and you're left with a dazzlingly good story that rattles along at a rate of knots. And the best news is this is the first in a long line of Beobrand books. Saddle up, it's going to be a long and exciting ride!
Highly recommended.
December 7, 2015
This is the debut novel from Matthew Harffy and it’s a truly epic one at that. A word to describe this tale would be BRUTAL!
You’re immediately hooked from the prologue where we learn about the death of Octa. We soon learn the main character of the book Beobrand is Octa’s brother.
Having no family left in the world Beobrand swears allegiance to King Edwin to fight in his sheildwall against his enemies. He also learns there might have been more to his brother’s death that he first thought and this sets our hero out on a mission of vengeance.
I won’t give away too much detail but this book is brutal, we read about rape and murder along with a shed load of violence.
Matthew gives great depth to his main character, who we see struggle with his own emotions as he tries to discover what type of person he is. Is he an honourable man?? Read the book.. and fine out
This is honestly the first book I’ve read where I’ve not only not wanted to put it down but at the same time felt like throwing my kindle in the freezer as I couldn’t believe what happened and I didn’t want to read what I thought/knew was going to happen next.
I must have looked like a crazy person the other day on the bus when I was reading this book and suddenly shouted “No No No”.
Matthew managed to write some brilliant characters. You felt for them. When certain events played out I just couldn’t help hate the writer for what he’s done.. In a good way though ha.
I won’t spoil it but apart from Beobrand there are a host of characters that stood out to me, namely Dreng, Hengist, Leofwine and mostly Scand.
I don’t buy many paperback books these days as space is limited having twin girls around the house but I will definitely be purchasing this for the collection. It’s without a doubt one of the best debut novels I’ve read.
I don’t usually read books more than once either but I think this will be the first.. I enjoyed it that much I already want to read it again.
I couldn’t even tell you if there are any errors in this book, I was too engrossed in the story..and that’s how a book should be.
You’re immediately hooked from the prologue where we learn about the death of Octa. We soon learn the main character of the book Beobrand is Octa’s brother.
Having no family left in the world Beobrand swears allegiance to King Edwin to fight in his sheildwall against his enemies. He also learns there might have been more to his brother’s death that he first thought and this sets our hero out on a mission of vengeance.
I won’t give away too much detail but this book is brutal, we read about rape and murder along with a shed load of violence.
Matthew gives great depth to his main character, who we see struggle with his own emotions as he tries to discover what type of person he is. Is he an honourable man?? Read the book.. and fine out
This is honestly the first book I’ve read where I’ve not only not wanted to put it down but at the same time felt like throwing my kindle in the freezer as I couldn’t believe what happened and I didn’t want to read what I thought/knew was going to happen next.
I must have looked like a crazy person the other day on the bus when I was reading this book and suddenly shouted “No No No”.
Matthew managed to write some brilliant characters. You felt for them. When certain events played out I just couldn’t help hate the writer for what he’s done.. In a good way though ha.
I won’t spoil it but apart from Beobrand there are a host of characters that stood out to me, namely Dreng, Hengist, Leofwine and mostly Scand.
I don’t buy many paperback books these days as space is limited having twin girls around the house but I will definitely be purchasing this for the collection. It’s without a doubt one of the best debut novels I’ve read.
I don’t usually read books more than once either but I think this will be the first.. I enjoyed it that much I already want to read it again.
I couldn’t even tell you if there are any errors in this book, I was too engrossed in the story..and that’s how a book should be.
August 6, 2015
It is the year 633, our hero, Beobrand has lost his entire family. His dream has always been to become a warrior, so in a drunken stupor, he offers his services to King Edwin. Edwin, feeling sorry for the boy’s losses, accepts.
The Serpent Sword is Beobrand’s coming of age story. He starts off as a young naïve man who wants to be a chivalrous, noble warrior. Like many young men, he falls into the wrong crowd and quickly learns that not all warriors protect the weak. In fact, many are only out for themselves, without loyalty to anyone. This is not who Beobrand wants to be.
Matthew Harffy has put together a fantastic cast of characters. I appreciated Beobrand’s development into manhood, it was a realistic evolution of a character filled with poor judgement and rash decisions. The supporting cast each added important aspects to the story; Coenred was a good, generous soul, he was there for Beobrand when he needed someone the most. Bassus was one of my personal favorites. He represented everything that Beobrand wanted to be. And then there was the villain – brutal, unscrupulous and just damn evil. I loved to hate him. Fair warning, there are some parts of this book that could be triggers for some people. Unfortunately, these things do happen, have happened and really make the reader despise the villain. Reality isn’t always pretty.
The Serpent Sword was a well written book with some great characters. It paints a very vivid picture of a time that was dark and dangerous.
*4 Stars*
The Serpent Sword is Beobrand’s coming of age story. He starts off as a young naïve man who wants to be a chivalrous, noble warrior. Like many young men, he falls into the wrong crowd and quickly learns that not all warriors protect the weak. In fact, many are only out for themselves, without loyalty to anyone. This is not who Beobrand wants to be.
Matthew Harffy has put together a fantastic cast of characters. I appreciated Beobrand’s development into manhood, it was a realistic evolution of a character filled with poor judgement and rash decisions. The supporting cast each added important aspects to the story; Coenred was a good, generous soul, he was there for Beobrand when he needed someone the most. Bassus was one of my personal favorites. He represented everything that Beobrand wanted to be. And then there was the villain – brutal, unscrupulous and just damn evil. I loved to hate him. Fair warning, there are some parts of this book that could be triggers for some people. Unfortunately, these things do happen, have happened and really make the reader despise the villain. Reality isn’t always pretty.
The Serpent Sword was a well written book with some great characters. It paints a very vivid picture of a time that was dark and dangerous.
*4 Stars*
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