Tag: British history

Blog Tour Review: Protector of Mercia – M.J. Porter

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I’ve taken part in the blog tours for every book of the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series so far. When I got the invite to review the newly released fifth book in the series, Protector of Mercia, I jumped at the chance!

If you are new to the series and want to catch up on any of the prior books before this one, you can find my reviews for Son of Mercia, Wolf of Mercia, Warrior of Mercia and Eagle of Mercia using these links.

One last thing before getting into the details of this latest book and my review! A massive thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and to M.J. Porter for giving me the opportunity to read the book as part of the tour!

Now, let’s get stuck in!

 

Protector of Mercia – M.J. Porter

Genre: Historical fiction

Pages: 334

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 05 Sept 2023

Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

 

Goodreads – Protector of Mercia

A deathbed oath leaves the lives of two infants hanging in the balance.

Tamworth AD833 After successfully rescuing her husband from the Island of Sheppey, Icel hears the deathbed confession of Lady Cynehild which leaves him questioning what he knows about his past, as well as his future.

In the unenviable position of being oath sworn to protect their two atheling sons when Lord Coenwulf is punished and banished for his treason against the Mercian ruler, King Wiglaf, Icel is once more torn between his oaths and the secret he knows.

When the two children are kidnapped, Icel, good to his word, and fearing for their safety, pursues their abductors into the dangerous Northern lands, fearing to discover who is behind the audacious attempt on their lives: the queen, the king’s son, or even Lady Ælflæd, a friend to him in the past, but now wed to the king’s son and aunt to the two abandoned children.

Alone in the Northern lands, Icel finds himself facing his worse fears. Can he rescue the children from their captor, or will he fail and lose his life in the process?

 

Purchase link

 

My Thoughts…

 

Plot

Where earlier books in the series centre on Viking invaders and Saxons repelling them, Protector of Mercia turns inward to the internal conflicts between Saxons themselves. I enjoyed the change of focus, as the undercurrents to the previous books got their chance to shine here.

Throughout the narrative, the threat of Viking warriors continues to loom; Saxons continually make preparations. However, the plot is largely a near-solo quest to locate and retrieve two children. They have a claim to the Mercian throne and are kidnapped under dubious circumstances. That’s not to say that we don’t get to see the camaraderie and group battle scenes we have come to know and love throughout the series though!

The conflict may arise from different sources in this book, but the execution of storytelling, tension and intrigue is just as great as every book in the series to date. Protector of Mercia is a compelling read, leaving you wondering how Icel is going to face the next challenge that is invariably around the corner.

 

Setting

Throughout the series we’ve ventured far and wide across the land of the Saxons. Protector of Mercia is no exception… and we get to explore new territory in this narrative. Icel finds himself venturing into new and unfamiliar lands. On his quest to secure the safety of the kidnapped children, he finds himself isolated and endangered at every moment.

The change of setting and circumstances of Icel’s quest keeps us (along with Icel) on our toes. He is not quite floundering, but he is far more unbalanced and unsure of his actions, creating tension and leaving us guessing as to what could happen next.

 

Characters

Icel remains a standout character for me throughout this series and in the genre more widely. He has come a long, long way from the youth who couldn’t bear to pick up a seax, even in his own defence. Yet, for all the personal growth and development over the course of the books, he retains a strong sense of self. He doesn’t relish his duty as a warrior – it is purely his responsibility. He has never lost touch with his penchant for healing and his allies greatly benefit from his skill after leaving a battlefield.

Given the more political nature of Protector of Mercia, we get to explore the natures of other Saxons that make up the background of not just this story but help augment what has already happened to date.

On top of the troubles with inheritance for the Mercian throne, Icel has his own secrets and preoccupations. We know far more about Icel as a character and his history than we did in Son of Mercia. The revelations of his past, and the potential consequences that may have are an overarching storyline spanning across the series. I’m sure we’ll see far more of this in future books, and I can’t wait to see how it all unravels.

 

Summary

Protector of Mercia varies slightly from the previous books in the series in terms of focus, but not in terms of enjoyment. I really appreciated the change of setting and conflict, and the worldbuilding we got as a result, but with the nail-biting (at times) tension that keeps us on the edge of our seat.

The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series still has plenty of offer, and I already can’t wait for the next instalment!

 

Author Bio

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/m_j_porter/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MJPorterNews

Shelf Control #67 – 14/07/2023

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It’s the end of the working week, so it can only be time for a Friday feature. This week I’m back with a Shelf Control post. I have the pleasure of featuring a stand-alone historical fiction novel that I’m excited to pick up! I have already read several books by this particular author, all from this best known series which has been televised in recent years.

Before we jump into the details of the book, let’s recap what Shelf Control is all about!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

Fools and Mortals – Bernard Cornwell

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 19 Oct 2017

 

 

Goodreads – Fools and Mortals

 

Lord, what fools these mortals be . . .

In the heart of Elizabethan England, Richard Shakespeare dreams of a glittering career in one of the London playhouses, a world dominated by his older brother, William. But he is a penniless actor, making ends meet through a combination of a beautiful face, petty theft and a silver tongue. As William’s star rises, Richard’s onetime gratitude is souring and he is sorely tempted to abandon family loyalty.

So when a priceless manuscript goes missing, suspicion falls upon Richard, forcing him onto a perilous path through a bawdy and frequently brutal London. Entangled in a high-stakes game of duplicity and betrayal which threatens not only his career and potential fortune, but also the lives of his fellow players, Richard has to call on all he has now learned from the brightest stages and the darkest alleyways of the city. To avoid the gallows, he must play the part of a lifetime . . . .

Showcasing the superb storytelling skill that has won Bernard Cornwell international renown, Fools and Mortals is a richly portrayed tour de force that brings to life a vivid world of intricate stagecraft, fierce competition, and consuming ambition.

 

My Thoughts

I’m interested to see what I make of Bernard Cornwell’s writing given that Fools and Mortals is a completely different setting to The Last Kingdom. I’ve come to really enjoy his writing on that series, having read the first 6 books of that series so far.

I’ve featured Fools and Mortals in a First Lines Friday, and I was drawn in by the introduction. I’ll link that post in case you’re interested to see it!

As a former performing arts student, I’m looking forward to seeing whether I like the setting of the stage and theatre. It’s something I’ve enjoyed in other historical fiction books, so I have all my fingers crossed that I’ll like it!

If I go on to enjoy this book as much as I think I will, then I’ll definitely consider reading some other stand-alones by Bernard Cornwell. Some of his other ones were published quite a bit earlier than Fools and Mortals, but that’s okay! He also has a number of other series I could try!

Thanks for reading my Shelf Control post!

Have you read Fools and Mortals, or any other books by Bernard Cornwell?

 

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Well, I Didn’t Know That! #11

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For today’s Well, I Didn’t Know That! feature, I am sharing a streaming service dedicated to history lovers. I had no idea it existed until I got an offer on a reduced subscription for six months through a professional membership body.

Naturally, as a fan of history, I’ve decided to give it a go – and today’s post is all about making you aware of it!

If you are interested in reading more posts from this mini-series on my blog, here is a link to the original post and an index of the posts I have shared so far!

 

What is History Hit?

The service I’m talking about in today’s post is called History Hit. In reality, it is more than a streaming service… but I’ll talk about more of that below. It also seems to be continually growing, so the features I outline in today’s post could become outdated quickly!

History Hit was set up in order to make history accessible to everybody across modern platforms. And the site does so across a variety of mediums.

Whatever period of history you’re interested in, you can easily find it on the site. Across all of its mediums, different periods of history are segregated by time period accordingly. If you want to read about the ancients, or watch a documentary about the medieval period, they each have their own designated section. Multiple periods of history are covered; from ancient history to 20th century, revolutions and world wars… there is something for everyone!

 

Features

 

Documentaries and Podcasts

Regardless of how or when you like to dabble in history, there is a medium for each occasion. If you enjoy watching documentaries, then there are hundreds available on the subscription service. Again, all of these are broken down by category based on their time period. For example, I recently explored the Ancient section and watched a couple of documentaries on the last days of Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the town in 79 A.D.

The documentaries available vary in length. The shortest documentary I have seen whilst browsing is just 20 minutes long. In contrast, the second Pompeii documentary I watched was around 55 minutes.

If you aren’t in a position to be able to watch anything, then good news! There are thousands of podcast episodes already available on the site, and they are updated each week with brand-new ones. Earlier this week, I listened to a couple of very different podcasts. The first of those was about Tutankhamun and Ancient Egypt. The second was about one of the most famous buildings in Greece, the Parthenon.

Although I have definitely shown a bias towards ancient history here (it’s a period I enjoy, clearly), there is the variety in time periods I’ve already discussed. I’ve only been using the site for a few days, so I still have plenty to explore myself.

 

Articles & Travel Guides

If you only have a few minutes, then there are plenty of articles on that website that you can access and read instead! As a reader, this is obviously something that will appeal to me. I’m hoping the site will be a good way of gaining an introduction to a topic that I might then go away to find out more about. That may be finding other media on their site about it (such as a podcast or documentary) or by going away and reading something else.

One further avenue they seem to be branching out into is travel. Anybody wanting to go and visit key historic sites as part of their holiday travels can also consult the site in order to get recommendations and expert advice. This is something I haven’t explored, but it’s not something I’ve seen elsewhere either. It’s definitely a unique selling point if this is the sort of holiday you like to plan!

 

How can I access it?

History Hit have their own app that can be downloaded on smart devices. I have the app downloaded on my phone so I could watch documentaries or listen to podcasts on the go. They also have an app that can be downloaded onto newer smart TVs, or through services such as the Amazon fire stick, Chromecast or similar.

They also have their website for articles and the travel guide information.

 

I wanted to feature History Hit in this Well, I Didn’t Know That! post as it has such variety in its media. It touches on reading, but also other media to explore depending on personal preferences or situation. I’ve also enjoyed using the site and plan to continue exploring new time periods, whether that’s watching a documentary at home or listening to a podcast at work. 

I hope I’ve been able to share something new with you in today’s Well, I Didn’t Know That! post.

Had you heard of History Hit? Do you subscribe?

 

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Blog Tour Review: Eagle of Mercia – MJ Porter

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Hello everybody and welcome to today’s blog tour review of Eagle of Mercia by MJ Porter.

Eagle of Mercia is the fourth book in the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. If you are interested in catching up with the earlier books in the series, you can find my reviews of Son of Mercia, Wolf of Mercia and Warrior of Mercia by following each respective link.

I always like to thank the author MJ Porter, Boldwood Books and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising the tour. It is a privilege to take part. Not only that, but I am really excited to be one of the bloggers kicking off this tour… and on publication day no less! So, let’s get into it!

 

Eagle of Mercia – MJ Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 320

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 03 May 2023

Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

 

Goodreads – Eagle of Mercia

A mercy mission in the heart of Wessex is beset with deadly, bloody dangers.

Tamworth AD831

Icel’s profile continues to rise. Lord of Budworth and warrior of Mercia, he’s acknowledged by King Wiglaf and his comrades to keep Mercia safe from the ravages of Wessex, the king-slayer of the East Angles, and the Viking raiders.

But, danger looms. Alongside Spring’s arrival comes the almost certain threat of the Viking raiders return.

When Lord Coenwulf of Kingsholm is apprehended by a Viking and held captive on the Isle of Sheppey in Wessex held Kent, Icel is implored by Lady Cynehild to rescue her husband.

To rescue Lord Coenwulf, Icel and his fellow warriors must risk themselves twice over, for not only must they overpower the Viking raiders, they must also counter the threat of Mercia’s ancient enemy, the kingdom of Wessex as they travel through their lands.

Far from home and threatened on all sides, have Icel and his fellow warriors sworn to carry out an impossible duty?

 

Purchase Link – Amazon

 

My Thoughts

I say this with each book I have reviewed in the series so far, but my favourite thing about this series is the protagonist Icel. Way back in book one, Icel was a young boy who had been raised in a small village, assisting the local healer. He quailed at the thought of having to raise a weapon… even in his own defence. Throughout the series, he has matured and developed into the warrior of renown he is in Eagle of Mercia. Through the development that has already occurred, we see a very different young man. His fundamental values and beliefs are still there. He doesn’t necessarily enjoy being a warrior, but he is more than capable and steps up to his duty to protect others.

Eagle of Mercia is an action-packed addition to the series. In this book, we are taken off Mercian soil as a group of Wessex warriors attempt to rescue own of their own, Lord Coenwulf. The rescue attempt is already fraught with danger, as the promise of battle with Danish Vikings looms heavy. However, the band also risk discovery and a further fight from Wessex men. As a result, the urgency of the mission and danger element make for a fast-paced narrative, which I liked.

Eagle of Mercia is a perfect size to book for anyone to read. Each book in the series has been approachable so far, and this one is the same. At 320 pages, there is plenty of capacity for all the political intrigue, action and character development to unfold in the narrative. At the same time, it isn’t so chunky that the narrative becomes dense or unapproachable. So much so, I read Eagle of Mercia in just a few days. All in all, the pace of the book and the natural flow of the writing style make this very easy to pick up and devour!

If you enjoy historical fiction set on English soil, or are set around the time Vikings came to Britain, then this book/series won’t disappoint! An example of popular books with a similar setting is Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series. Without a doubt, I strongly recommend this series to fans of Bernard Cornwell’s series. 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s blog tour review. Don’t forget to check out the other posts that form part of the tour over the coming days. If you are interested, I share some details of other bloggers taking part below.

Thanks for reading!

 

Author Bio

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood, Son of Mercia, was published in February 2022.

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Well I Didn’t Know That! #8

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Everybody has money on their minds right now. We are in the depths of a cost of living crisis. However bad things may seem, they are arguably better now than they were in Britain during the 1800s… when you could be thrown in prison on an indefinite charge if you owed money to someone, or many people. That is the topic of today’s Well I Didn’t Know That! post. 

To quickly recap the premise of this feature, the aim is to encourage reading in all ways. Whilst I talk about books a lot, there are plenty of other ways to learn. So far, I’ve featured news articles, websites, periodicals and a podcast. Here is a link back to this introductory post for more information. 

 

Today’s Well I Didn’t Know That! feature post covers an article I read in April 2023’s edition of BBC History magazine. Whilst the topic of the post is about the misery many people suffered as a result of the debtor’s prison, the article also highlights that the British economy could not have thrived without it. If you want to read the article for yourself, it starts on page 36.

 

The British economy in the 1800’s

Much like today, the British economy relied heavily on credit in the 1800s. Rather than big institutions as is more familiar today, it was common to owe money to individual traders. How you were assessed for credit depended on your reputation and standing in society. Bizarrely, factors including attending church went a long way to bolstering your reputation, meaning you are more likely to be given credit. There were no such thing as credit scores based on your actual finances in those days!

However, if you fell afoul of your creditors, they could pay a small fee to arrange your arrest and incarceration in a debtor’s prison.

 

What Was a Debtor’s Prison?

There were many debtor’s prisons throughout Britain during the 18th and 19th century. They were places where individuals were held until such time as their financial matters are resolved (either by family or friends, or by working off the debt themselves).

The kicker in this arrangement is that being committed to the debtor’s prison wasn’t free. It was the responsibility of the imprisoned to pay for their commitment costs, as well as for their eventual release. It was also common for there to be better sides of prison than others. For an additional fee, you could upgrade to the better side, and have access to what we would consider basic items now, such as private space and bedding, in exchange for rent.

Depending on your situation, this could be beneficial or not. If you found yourself in the circumstance of having to work your way out of the debtor’s prison, then your profession may warrant the need for private space to work. If your family also joined you in debtor’s prison (because that was a thing – married women were not responsible for finances and could therefore not be legally imprisoned, yet frequently followed their husbands to stay together).

 

What changed?

A shift in the way British people worked changed the system irrevocably. Whereas individuals were frequently tradesmen in their own right in the 18th century, there was a shift towards what is called wage labour by the 19th century. To you and me, that’s working for another and being paid as wage to do so… much as many of us do today. This increase in wage labour enabled people to pay cash for their goods rather than depend on credit. As a result, the need for credit dwindled; fewer individuals defaulted and debtor’s prisons fell out of use. In 1869, the law allowing indefinite imprisonment for owing money to another, without trial, was overturned.

 

Debtor’s prisons shattered the lives of many families. Even famous authors such as Charles Dickens had their lives overturned by this scenario. As many as 1 in 25 men were at risk of being thrown in debtor’s prison at some point. The impact of this practice can be seen in works of Charles Dickens literature; in his novel, Little Dorrit, a character is waiting for release from debtor’s prison. In David Copperfield, a character mirrors Charles’s own life in having to leave school to support his family. His father was imprisoned for three months in 1824.

So, that is all for today’s Well I Didn’t Know That! feature post.

Did you know about the existence of debtor’s prisons? 

 

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Shelf Control #58 – 16/12/2022

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Happy Friday and welcome to this week’s Shelf Control post! This week, I’m featuring yet another historical non-fiction novel. This one, however, is a lot closer to home than my previous feature. Before we jump into the details of that, here is a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog. It’s a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies… a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Now, let’s dive into today’s featured book!

 

The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England – Ian Mortimer

 

 

Genre: Non-fiction / History

Pages: 319

Audience: Adult

Publisher: The Bodley Head

Publication Date: 02 Oct 2008

 

Goodreads – The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England

Imagine you could travel back to the fourteenth century. What would you see, and hear, and smell? Where would you stay? What are you going to eat? And how are you going to test to see if you are going down with the plague?

In The Time Traveller’s Guide Ian Mortimer’s radical new approach turns our entire understanding of history upside down. History is not just something to be studied; it is also something to be lived, whether that’s the life of a peasant or a lord. The result is perhaps the most astonishing history book you are ever likely to read; as revolutionary as it is informative, as entertaining as it is startling.

 

My Thoughts

The main reason I want to pick this book up is that my knowledge of British history is shockingly lacking. Considering this is something I should have learned throughout school, I know very little about British history in general. My school curriculum focused on far more world history, rather than local. 

From my understanding, life in Britain back in the 14th century was vastly different compared to today. Whereas it is more common in modern society for couples to marry and start families from the age of 30, most people wouldn’t even make it to the age of 30 in the 14th century. This is just one example of how stark the differences between life then and now are. Clearly, the difference 700 years can make is a massive one!

This is a time period of history that I’m not familiar with. The British history I have studied and read about in my own time generally picks up from the 1500s (the Tudors) onwards. I’m looking forward to stepping back even further and seeing the world from a different and more primitive point of view.

Do you read a lot of books about British history? Does this book appeal to you? If so, why?

 

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Blog Tour Review: Warrior of Mercia – MJ Porter

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Hello everybody and welcome to today’s blog tour review of Warrior of Mercia by M. J. Porter. This is the third book of the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles, and I have had the pleasure I’ve taken part in blog tours for the first two books of the series. If you want to catch up on those before jumping into my review of Warrior of Mercia, you can find links to Son of Mercia and Wolf of Mercia here.

Before I begin my review in earnest, I would like to say thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising the tour. It is the last day of the tour, and there are a number of fabulous bloggers who have contributed as well. I’ll share more details on those below.

Now, let’s find out more about the book!

 

Warrior of Mercia – M. J. Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 316

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 09 Nov 2022

Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

 

Goodreads – Warrior of Mercia

Icel is a lone wolf no more.

Oath sworn to Wiglaf, King of Mercia and acknowledged as a member of Ealdorman Ælfstan’s warrior band, Icel continues to forge his own destiny on the path to becoming the Warrior of Mercia.

With King Ecgberht of Wessex defeated and Londonium back under Mercian control, the Wessex invasion of Mercia is over.

But the Wessex king was never Mercia’s only enemy. An unknown danger lurks in the form of merciless Viking raiders, who set their sights on infiltrating the waterways of the traitorous breakaway kingdom of the East Angles, within touching distance of Mercia’s eastern borders.

Icel must journey to the kingdom of the East Angles and unite against a common enemy to ensure Mercia’s hard-won freedom prevails.

 

Purchase Link – Amazon

 

My Thoughts…

If you enjoy historical fiction novels so full of action that they keep you on the edge of your seat, Warrior of Mercia is for you! With each new chapter, the detailed narrative and political landscape Icel lives in deepens.

Icel has come a long way from the first book in the series, Son of Mercia. By and large, he has kept to his roots and has far more affinity for healing people as opposed to causing harm. However, his character development throughout the series allows him to expand into a more traditional role expected in ninth-century historical fiction novels. England is divided, and invaders from the Norse lands threaten their every way of life. Icel has transitioned from a boy who quails at the idea of harming someone to a young man who will raise his seax willingly to defend his people.

That isn’t the typical plot development you would expect from these kinds of novels. However, it is for this reason that this series really works for me. It offers something different and unique. Icel’s perspective is, at least for me, unseen so far in this historical setting. Whilst comparable to the likes of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles has a tale of its own, and from a fresh pair of eyes.

Warrior of Mercia is a fast-paced read. At just 327 pages, it is very easy to pick up and makes for a quick read. The chapters are also nicely broken out so none are too long. It is a small thing but makes a difference to the reading experience. It makes it easier and more enjoyable. You have the option to pick it up and put it down relatively easily – although, you won’t want to! Even though the page count isn’t too onerous, the quality and quantity of the narrative isn’t compromised. On the contrary, the narrative is full of in-depth battle scenes and political machinations. If these are elements you enjoy in your books, just as I do, then you will be just as thrilled with the book as I am.

I am glad I opted to take part in this blog tour. I had high expectations for the book based on the prior books in the series. Needless to say, Warrior of Mercia did not disappoint! It picks up nicely from events in the previous book. Events from the previous books are nicely summarised and spotted in quite naturally to refresh us as readers. Then, the narrative throws us back in to the tumultuous setting I have come to enjoy.

I hope I have inspired you to take a look at this book based on my review. If you are still unsure, I would like to find out more, there are a number of bloggers who have also taken part in the tour. David kicked off the blog tour with a smashing review. I agree with his view that the descriptions within the book are so immersive that you could be right there with Icel in the thick of it. I also enjoyed Amy‘s review. She correctly points out how well the narrative interweaves historical fact with elements of fiction for an all-round, entertaining read! These are but a couple of examples of contributors to the tour, and I hope you can take some time to check out their posts as well! 

I hope between us we can convince you to pick up Warrior of Murcia, or even the series as a whole if that’s your cup of tea! This book could be read perfectly well as a stand-alone, but I would personally recommend the whole series!

Author Bio

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood Son of Mercia was published in February 2022.

Social Media Links

Twitter https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/m_j_porter/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MJPorterNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

Shelf Control #55 – 21/10/2022

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It’s Friday and that can only mean one thing; it’s time for my Shelf Control post!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog. It’s a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies… a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Today’s book is a historical fiction novel set in one of my favourite periods of history. It is tumultuous and full of strife, but it is a part of history that fascinates many. Myself included. I have already read books on the topic (including The Lady of the Rivers and Songbird), but it is one that I will never get sick of!

Shall we jump into today’s feature?

 

Anne Boleyn: A Novel – Evelyn Anthony

Genre: Historical-fiction

Pages: 320

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Open Road Media Romance

Publication Date: 17 Nov 2015

 

 

Goodreads – Anne Boleyn: A Novel

Set against the intrigue and pageantry of the sixteenth-century English court, Evelyn Anthony’s novel tells the love story of Henry Tudor and Anne Boleyn, who would become his wife, his queen, and the mother of one of Britain’s greatest monarchs.

On a lovely midsummer afternoon, Henry Tudor rides to Hever Castle. There, he feasts his eyes on Anne Boleyn, who caught his roving attention at court a few months earlier. Anne is in no mood to receive her king. He has torn from her the one man she loved: Harry Percy, who was forced to marry another. But King Henry VIII is not a man who gives up—the thrill of the chase only excites him more. Yet the woman he desires so passionately is no fool. Educated at the French court, Anne vows that she will not share the fate of her naïve younger sister, Mary, who after bearing Henry a bastard son was cast away and married off to a country squire. No, Anne will settle for nothing less than the crown of England, even if Henry has to break with Rome in order to marry her.

History comes thrillingly alive in a novel that features a teeming canvas of iconic real-life characters: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the enemy Anne vows to destroy; Henry’s first wife, the proud and pious Queen Catherine of Aragon; and Thomas Cromwell, who engineers Anne’s downfall. From the halcyon early days of courtship to her imprisonment in the palace tower for treason, this is a tale of love, ambition, and the tragic destiny of Anne of the Thousand Days.

 

My Thoughts…

Described as the love story of Anne Boleyn and Henry Tudor, this book is set during one of my favourite periods of history.

The infamous Henry VIII and his multitude of wives (and their various fates) leaves plenty for readers to pore through. I enjoy reading about this complex period of history, and I can’t wait to learn more about Anne Boleyn specifically from this book.  From the early days to her tragic end, Anne is a centrepiece in English history. In order to become Henry the eighth’s Queen and second wife, vast political and religious shifts must occur.

Anne Boleyn is often conveyed as an ambitious and conniving individual. She is often demonised as the reason for a lot of the reforms in England during the period, as well as being unable to provide the King with a son. Eventually, this led to her downfall just a few short years after she married Henry.

I’m interested to see if this particular book heralds the same tone, or if we get to see a different take on who she was as a political figure, but also a woman. The synopsis of this book suggests it is more of a romance. Whether this is just a different take on their story, or whether the whole saga is romanticised remains to be seen. 

That is all from me in today’s Shelf Control post! Have you read this book… or any other books on the Tudor period that you would recommend?

 

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First Lines Friday – 16/09/2022

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Hello everyone and welcome to today’s First Lines Friday post!

I’m really excited to share today’s book, as it is written by an author I am already familiar with. However, it is a bit different from another series of his that I have been reading. I also read something similar earlier this year (set in the same time period and featuring the same famous character of the period). I for one I’m really excited to see how I enjoy this book.

Without further preamble, shall we dive into today’s First Lines Friday intro: –

 

I died just after the clock in the passageway struck nine.

There are those who claim that her Majesty, Elizabeth, by the grace of God, Queen of England, France, and of Ireland, will not allow clocks to strike the hour in her palaces. Time is not allowed to pass for her. She has defeated time. But that clock struck. I remember it.

I counted the bells. Nine. Then my killer struck.

And I died.

 

 

 

Fools and Mortals – Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 416

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 19 Oct 2017

 

 

Goodreads – Fools and Mortals

Lord, what fools these mortals be . . .

In the heart of Elizabethan England, Richard Shakespeare dreams of a glittering career in one of the London playhouses, a world dominated by his older brother, William. But he is a penniless actor, making ends meet through a combination of a beautiful face, petty theft and a silver tongue. As William’s star rises, Richard’s onetime gratitude is souring and he is sorely tempted to abandon family loyalty.

So when a priceless manuscript goes missing, suspicion falls upon Richard, forcing him onto a perilous path through a bawdy and frequently brutal London. Entangled in a high-stakes game of duplicity and betrayal which threatens not only his career and potential fortune, but also the lives of his fellow players, Richard has to call on all he has now learned from the brightest stages and the darkest alleyways of the city. To avoid the gallows, he must play the part of a lifetime . . . .

Showcasing the superb storytelling skill that has won Bernard Cornwell international renown, Fools and Mortals is a richly portrayed tour de force that brings to life a vivid world of intricate stagecraft, fierce competition, and consuming ambition.

 

My Thoughts…

Earlier this year I read Twelve Nights by Penny Ingham. This book, as you can probably guess by the title, is influenced by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is a key character in Twelve Nights, and he is also prominent in Fools and Mortals.

The main character is Richard, William’s brother. Richard is an actor and therefore we find ourselves in a very similar setting to Twelve Nights. I really enjoyed that particular book, so I’m interested to see how Bernard Cornwell Write this kind of narrative in comparison.

It is very different from the series of his I am also reading at the moment – the Saxon stories (aka The Last Kingdom). That is a set of books I am really enjoying, and the character development is strong in those. I’m hoping for much the same in Fools and Mortals. As a standalone book, this will be a great way to try out a narrative in a different time period from Bernard Cornwell. If I go on to enjoy it as much as I expect I will, then it is only natural that I will go on to read the rest of his books… different time periods or not.

From the introduction, we have no idea who the character is. It is a very interesting introduction because straight away, a significant event happens to draw the reader in.

This introduction really captured my attention, and I hope it has captured yours too! Have you read Fools and Mortals? Would you like to based on today’s First Lines Friday post? As always, I would love it if you could let me know in the comments!

 

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First Lines Friday – 24/09/2021

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Welcome to today’s First Lines Friday post!

I’ve gotten back into the habit of sharing one of these posts every couple of weeks, but what makes today’s post a slight exception is that I have set myself a challenge. In today’s post, my challenge is to feature the opening paragraph of a non-fiction novel. I don’t feature non-fiction very often, however that is something I am looking to change very soon. With that in mind I decided to start here and feature a non-fiction novel as part of this series.

 

Sometimes, even when you are a case-hardened professional, you see history differently. I had one such moment when I first visited the Great Hall of the National Archives in Washington. I was faintly shocked by the way in which the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were displayed, like Arks of the Covenant, on a dimly lit altar and between American flags and impossibly upright American marines.

But what really struck me was the presence of a copy of Magna Carta. It was, as it were, in a side chapel. Nevertheless, here it was, this archetypically English document, in the American archival holy of holies.

It was placed there out of the conviction that it was the ancestor, however remote, of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. And its presence set me thinking. Was this assumption correct? Does it help explain current concerns – like Britain’s, or England’s, reluctance to be absorbed in the European Union? Does it mean that there is an Anglo-Saxon way and European way, as the French undoubtedly think? Does the difference derive from the contrast between Roman law and English Common Law? Is it, finally, England versus Rome?

 

Crown and Country – A History of England Through the Monarchy – David Starkey

Goodreads – Crown and Country

An exploration of the British monarchy from the retreat of the Romans up until the modern day. This compendium volume of two earlier books is fully revised and updated.

The monarchy is one of Britain’s longest surviving institutions – as well as one of its most tumultuous and revered. In this masterful book, David Starkey looks at the monarchy as a whole, charting its history from Roman times, to the Wars of the Roses, the chaos of the Civil War, the fall of Charles I and Cromwell’s emergence as Lord Protector – all the way up until the Victorian era when Britain’s monarchs came face-to-face with modernity.

This collection of biographies of Britain’s kings and queens provides an in-depth examination of what the British monarchy has meant, what it means now and what it will continue to mean.

 

My Thoughts…

I will be the first person to hold my hands up and say that my knowledge of the British monarchy is terrible. I could name a few, but could I tell you which order they came in or what order they reigned in? Not really. Aside from the infamous Henry the eighth, I couldn’t even give you an estimate timeline.

British history was rather lacking at school. Yes, we learned vaguely about certain topics, but my later years in the subject, which were studied more seriously, was focused on the world wars, the Cold War and the economic boom and bust of the 1920s and 30s. When I added this book to my TBR it was to rectify this lack of knowledge on my part.

Not only does this fulfil the desire to learn more in general about British history and monarchy, but I also like that this book features biographies from reigning Monarchs. If there was a better book to gain insight of how Britain used to be, then I haven’t met it yet. I’m really excited to pick this one up and give myself the opportunity to learn more about more local history!

I hope you have enjoyed today’s First Lines Friday post! Did you learn about British monarchy at school? How does your knowledge compare?

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