Tag: Eagle of Mercia Chronicles

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

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When I saw Enemies of Mercia on tour with Rachel’s Random Resources, I signed up immediately! Regular readers will know that I have reviewed prior books in this series as part of blog tours before. If you want to get up to speed with any books from the series so far, here are some links to check those out!

Son of Mercia     Wolf of Mercia     Warrior of Mercia

Eagle of Mercia       Protector of Mercia

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising this latest tour, as well as to M.J. Porter. I’m looking forward to discussing specifics on why I loved this latest instalment… so how about we get stuck in?!

 

Enemies of Mercia – M.J. Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 339

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date:  04 Apr 2024

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Goodreads – Enemies of Mercia

A King’s command. A warrior’s quest for the truth…

Tamworth AD835

Following Icel’s epic rescue of Lord Coenwulf’s children from their almost certain death, King Wiglaf is forced to call upon Icel’s loyal services once more.

Furious that the conspirators behind the audacious move to snatch the children have yet to face justice, he despatches Icel to hunt down the enemy of Mercia and discover who seeks to conspire against the throne.

The dangerous mission will take Icel into the heartland of enemy-held Wessex to Winchester and onto Canterbury. As the web of lies and deceit grows, Icel must battle to discover the truth whilst keeping himself and his allies safe.

But those who conspire against the King have much to lose and will stop at nothing to prevent Icel discovering the truth.

Once more, Icel’s life is endangered as he tries to protect Mercia from her enemies who threaten Mercia’s kingly line.

 

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/EnemiesofMerciasocial

 

My Thoughts

 

Plot

Although the wider Eagle of Mercia series is set during a time of Viking invasion and population in Britain, Enemies of Mercia focuses on internal conflict between Saxon kingdoms. I’ve enjoyed the depth and detail we’ve explored in this series so far – and this sixth instalment builds upon that cleverly. 

Events in Enemies of Mercia follow on almost directly after those of book 5. What I also really enjoyed about this book is how the consequences of those events have shaped both characters and the events that follow. Without giving anything away, it’s something we’ve not seen before in the series, and from a development point of view, I really enjoyed this. More on that later.

The driver of the plot in this instalment is very political. That said, we follow Icel amongst other characters in their quest to find out the truth of a conspiracy to murder heirs to the Mercian throne. This inevitably leads them into all kinds of danger, battle, and desperate chases for their lives. If you enjoy fast-paced and action-driven historical fiction, Enemies of Mercia will not disappoint! I really enjoyed the balance of the underlying motive, together with the actual investigation and elements of danger our protagonist inevitably gets embroiled in. Icel is in more danger than ever as he tries to quash a dangerous plot against fellow Mercians.

 

Setting

Stepping into enemy territory was never going to be a walk in the park. Doing so to try and uncover a conspiracy to murder innocent children, and make it back to Mercia and King Wiglaf with evidence is a challenge. Nevertheless, that is the quest Icel embarks on at the request of his King.

By nature, stepping into hostile territory is fraught with danger. It also incorporates a lot of tension into the narrative, which was a real contributing factor in keeping me reading on…and on, and just another chapter… 

Many of the places we find ourselves in during the narrative should be familiar to readers from previous books, or even from a basic understanding of English geography. Some place names do very slightly from modern day, but they are distinct enough to identify what is happening where. Geography was probably one of my worst subjects at school and I still didn’t have a problem.

 

Characters

Icel undergoes yet more character development in this latest instalment of the series. Without giving away spoilers as to events of the previous book, in Enemies of Mercia Icel suffers physically and with his confidence as a result of those final events. Instead of being the strong warrior who recovers to go charging to the next battle headlong, instead we see a slightly more reserved young man.

It changes the dynamic of the narrative as well. Instead, we see some attempts at avoiding conflict where possible. It’s fair to say he is a bit more of a tactical individual who would rather pick his battles as opposed to have others choose it for him. That’s not to say he always gets his way, because this world wouldn’t be what it was without perpetual infighting.

I enjoyed seeing Icel reflect on his experiences to date and use them as an opportunity to grow. Whilst he may think himself a lesser man for his predicament, I think it’s a big plus, and shows a level of maturity, that he doesn’t just dive in and consider the consequences later.

Icel is by far one of my favourite characters, not just in this book or series, but in the genre. He is a complex character that has grown considerably in the series to date. I highly doubt that will cease to be true in further books in the series either, which has me asking where he will go next!

 

Narrative Style

Enemies of Mercia, with its conspiracies and unfolding drama, is a fast-paced page turner. I read this book in a handful of settings, purely because once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down again! Action and plot threads unravelling consistently mean that readers will always want to pick up just one more chapter. At least, I did!

The chapters in this book are also a great length to keep readers engaged. They are neither too short, nor so long that we lose interest. This is also great if you do need to pick up and put down the book around other things. It makes the text approachable for readers of any commitment level.

The same can be said for the length of the book. There is plenty of page count to explore a detailed narrative in Enemies of Mercia without becoming too long or overwhelming.

 

Summary

I really enjoyed this sixth instalment to the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles, and I can’t wait to see where future events take us. It is abundantly clear Icel still has a part to play in the fate of Mercia and the other Kingdoms yet to come. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

 

Author Bio

M.J. 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 –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Instagram: MJ Porter (@m_j_porter) • Instagram photos and videos

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

Bookbub profile: MJ Porter Books – BookBub

Sunday Summary – 10th September 2023

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I’m back a little later than usual with my weekly Sunday Summary update. Today I’ve been taking part in a blog tour post, and that’s needed to take priority. So, I’ve deliberately scheduled this post for 11:59pm BST – the last possible moment for this to count as a Sunday Summary and give my review of Protector of Mercia as much headline time on the blog!

In addition to today’s blog tour post, I’ve shared a couple of posts with you throughout the week. I began the week with my Monthly TBR post. I’m picking up quite the range of books once again this month. The unusual thing is that this month’s books have a lower average page count than I’ve been picking up of late!

On Friday, I shared another Friday feature. This week, it was the turn of my Shelf Control feature. In this series, I take a look at upcoming books on my TBR and share why I’m excited to read them. This week’s featured book is a translated historical fiction mystery. I’m excited for this combination!

 

Books Read

 

Wizard and Glass

This week, I’ve had to temporarily set aside Wizard and Glass in order to prioritise a couple of reads for blog tour obligations. I was hoping to pick this up, even just a little over the week. However, that didn’t happen. I’ve read 570 pages over the course of the week to get as far as I have for my blog tours… that’s already a lot! So, this section is a quick update to say there’s no update.

 

Protector of Mercia

As you’ve probably guessed, my first priority of the week was reading Protector of Mercia ready for today’s blog tour post.

Having enjoyed the prior four books in the series so far, I was looking forward to this fifth instalment. Protector of Mercia varies from the series so far in that the internal politics that have so far been the backdrop of the series get to shine. In this book, we get to explore more in the way of character dynamics and relationships between Saxons. There’s also a wider story arc that we have finally got some detail on, and I can’t wait to see how this progresses.

If you want to check out my full review, you can find that post here.

 

The Trail

My next reading priority is The Trail by M.A. Hunter. I am reviewing this book, also for a blog tour, early next week.

As of this Sunday Summary post, I’ve made great headway with the book and I am on the home stretch. With just 30% left and a predicted hour’s reading time left to complete it, I’m hoping to finish the book before turning in tonight. Otherwise, I’ll be spending my lunch hour finishing it tomorrow so I have tomorrow evening to compose my review.

The Trail is a dark, atmospheric small town thriller about a woman who went missing 30 years ago. After remains are found, Nora’s daughter heads out to try and get answers; has her mum finally been found? What happened to her all that time ago? Only, Jess and her prying questions are unwelcome…

I hope you can check in and read my review very soon!

 

Books Discovered

Once again, there are no updates here for you this week. I managed to browse Waterstones this week and come out empty-handed. You must be proud of me!

 

 

Coming Up…

it shouldn’t surprise you that my first blog post of the week is my review of The Trail as part of the blog tour with Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources. My slot on the tour is Tuesday, so that post will be going live early doors.

I’ll be back again on Friday with my next Friday feature. This week, I’ll be sharing a First Lines Friday post. I’m in the mood for a challenge along with this post, so here are the rules. For next week’s feature, I need to choose a book I’ve added to the TBR in the last six months. I hope you can join me for that post.

Lastly, I’ll be rounding up the week with another Sunday Summary post. As usual, I’ll be updating you with the books I’ve read over the course of the week, any changes to my TBR, and what’s coming up soon on the blog.

That’s all from me in today’s Sunday Summary. I’m off to continue The Trail. What are you reading?

 

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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

Monthly TBR – September 2023

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Hello fellow reading friends! I hope you’re as excited for my September Monthly TBR as I am!

I usually set myself a challenge every month and that’s no exception here! However, this month the stretch is more achievable. The books I set out on this list come out to around 2500 pages in total. Over the course of the month, that works out at needing to read an average of 83 pages a day. That’s about what I’ve been doing anyway.

I do have a small stretch in that in addition to the books shared on this list, I also need to finish my carryover book from August, Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. That adds an additional 400 pages to the monthly total, and ups the daily page count to 97 pages. As I say, a bit of a stretch, but not unachievable!

This month, I have a fairly even mix of fixed reads to pick up, as well as some that I have some freedom to change if I need to. Let’s get into this monthly TBR and take a look at what’s coming up reading-wise…

 

Fixed Reads

My first reading priorities of September are to pick up and finish two blog tour reads. I’m hoping to have both books finished by the 10th of September (at the latest, the first review is due on the 10th). I’ve already made a healthy start into the first and I won’t be hanging around to start the second.

The deadlines then slacken a little, as the remaining books on my ‘fixed’ reading list come from my monthly TBR pick, and a new feature, a book chosen by my Instagram followers.

 

Protector of Mercia

Protector of Mercia is my current read (Wizard and Glass is still ongoing, although I will be reading it around PoM if I can).

Protector of Mercia is the fifth book in M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia series. I’ve already read and reviewed the first four books on my blog (review of Eagle of Mercia, book four linked here as that contains links to all prior books). Having really enjoyed the unique perspective these offer, I’ve been looking forward to taking part in that over the latest book… which incidentally was published today.

As I’ve already briefly alluded to above, the review deadline for this book is the 10th of September. With just a few days left before that review was due, I am making all haste through this narrative and enjoying every second of it!

 

The Trail

The next book I will be picking up straight after Protector of Mercia is The Trail by M.A. Hunter.

The review deadline for The Trial comes thick and fast after Protector of Mercia, being just two days later. I’m sure you can see why I’ve put down Wizard and Glass for now in favour of these books. I decided to take part in the blog tour for this book based on the sound of the synopsis. I haven’t read anything by this author before, so it will be a new experience for me. having not read a thriller for a little while, I’m looking forward to a change up in genre as well.

 

Twelve Years A Slave

September’s TBR Jar pick works really well with my goal of reading more non-fiction. I happened to pull Twelve Years a Slave from the jar.

I feel like I featured on my blog not that long ago, but in reality, it’s probably longer than I thought. Already, I’ve downloaded a digital copy of this book from my library already, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in! Although I am familiar with the title, and I know that there has been a film based on this true story of the author, I am very ignorant of what actually happens. It’s for that reason that I am looking to pick this book up.

It offers a perspective I have never read before, and provides the educational aspect that I need. I’m a firm believer that we shouldn’t shy away from even the nastiest parts of our history. How can we learn from such things if we try to hide from them?

 

Priest of Bones

The last book on my fixed reads list of this monthly TBR is Priest of Bones by Peter McLean. In order to choose two books from my reading list, from which to poll my followers, I used a random number generator. This month, my followers had the choice of picking either Priest of Bones, or the runner-up, Killing for Company. I would have been happy with either choice, but I’m excited that this particular book won. I am predominantly a fantasy reader, yet I only have one other fantasy on this TBR (excepting Wizard and Glass once again!)

I suspect I’ll be reading the runner-up selection next month, as I’m keen to get to that one as well. If you want to have a say in my future polls, be sure to follow me on Instagram ahead of the next vote.

 

Mood Reads

 

A Storm of Swords – part 1

One of the things I set out to do earlier this year was to re-read the A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka A Game of Thrones), ahead of publication of the sixth book in the series. There were rumours that this was going to be towards the end of this year, although I’ve heard very little since.

That works out for me, because I am nowhere near as far along with the re-read as I initially planned. Instead, I’ve been picking up some other great reads, and this has fallen by the wayside a little.

In September, I’m going to be reading the first part of A Storm of Swords only. That’s hefty enough at about 600 pages. This is also the longest book on this monthly TBR… by a long shot! More typically, I would read books closer to an average of 500 pages. This month I’m uncharacteristically less at 357!

 

Lost Solace

The one book I didn’t touch at all in August is Lost Solace by Karl Drinkwater. I’ve read a number of books related to this main series and reviewed them for blog tours in the past. Lost Solace has been on my backlist to read. Since I didn’t get to this book in August, I am making it the highest priority mood read of the month.

 

The Last Thing To Burn

I’ve been a member of a local bookish group on Facebook for a while, and another member recently suggested starting a book club. There’s nothing set in stone as yet. But, I quite like the sound of the book that’s been chosen. So, I’ll read it in case an event (virtual or not) goes ahead.

 

Summary

As if quite often the case nowadays, I have quite the range of books and genres in this list!

Have you read any of the books listed in today’s monthly TBR? Are any of them on your reading list?

 

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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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Sunday Summary – 23rd April 2023

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Good evening and welcome back to another Sunday Summary update from yours truly. It’s been a great week, and I hope you’ve had the same!

I began my blogging week with a Top Ten Tuesday post. This week’s particular theme was a non-bookish freebie. So, I decided to share some of the other hobbies I enjoy other than reading! I hope it helps you get a feel for the kind of person I am and gives you a chance to learn a little bit more about me.

On Friday, I shared another post in my Well, I Didn’t Know That! series. For this week’s post, I decided to take a look at features I am yet to explore on StoryGraph, an alternative to Goodreads. Inevitably, I ended up comparing the two sites a little bit in the post. If, like me, you are a Goodreads veteran and are interested in seeing more about the StoryGraph, check out that post!

 

Books Read

 

Eagle of Mercia

As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I was just one chapter into Eagle of Mercia by M.J. Porter. It was a start, but I hadn’t really gotten that far into the book. That’s not the case now. I managed to read the entirety of Eagle of Mercia this week, and it’s been good to get back into the series.

I really enjoy the perspective of the protagonist in this series. In the three books we have read so far, we have already seen a great deal of character development. That continues throughout Eagle of Mercia, but in a way that feels natural to the storyline.

I also like how the narratives in this series vary quite significantly from each book. It would be quite easy to fall into a trap of similar events, or at least the same structure of narrative. I don’t really find that with these. They are quite action-driven books, but they don’t feel repetitive or like a regurgitation of a previous story.

 

Stolen Focus

Next, I decided to pick up a non-fiction read for a bit of a change. Stolen Focus has been on my TBR for about a year now. I initially heard about it via a podcast, and was shocked at some of the statistics that are discussed in this book. I’m still shocked reading them for myself.

I am a third of the way through this book as of today’s Sunday Summary post. I’m already thinking about some of the ways I can change my behaviour to do what I can for my focus. There was a bit of irony in that I was reading the chapter about the detriment of ‘multitasking’ (called switching in the book) yesterday morning, whilst simultaneously trying to make breakfast.

The one thing I would point out to anybody interested in this book, is that it’s message is that it’s not all about you. Yes, there are small improvements we can all make in order to preserve our focus. However, its key message is that we are in a society full of competitors furiously vying for our attention. If you enjoyed watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix, this book touches on some of the themes explored in that docu-film.

 

Books Discovered

Just after I drafted last week’s Sunday Summary post, I read about a book that I’ve decided to add to my reading list. The book is called Sensitive by Jenn Granneman. It doesn’t seem to be that well-read yet, but it was recommended on LinkedIn by somebody I follow.

I am sensitive person. If I do say so myself, I am quite good at picking up on peoples emotions. So much so, being around negative emotions can have a negative impact on me. I want to explore the subject further, and I hope to do so with this book.

I also saw another book in our local The Works store today that caught my eye. If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I enjoy books based around World War II. Unsurprisingly then, I have added The Auschwitz Photographer by Maurizio Onnis (translated by Luca Crippa) to my reading list. Whereas previously I have read fiction based on experiences of those in the camp, the Auschwitz photographer is a non-fiction book.

 

Coming Up…

It’s been a few weeks since I shared a book review with you all. Now that I’m finally done with documenting my thoughts on the Harry Potter series, you can expect to find some variety in my reviews going forward! This week’s review will be for the very first book I read in 2022, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.

On Friday, I’ll be sharing my next Shelf Control post with you. If you are unaware, this is the series in which I feature upcoming books on my reading list that I’m excited to pick up. Naturally, I tell you all about these books in this post, and why I can’t wait to read them. This week’s book is a legal thriller by a big-name author who I’ve yet to read any books by!

Finally, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary post in a week’s time. In that post, I’ll tell you about the books I’ve been reading, and all my other bookish updates.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Sunday Summary!

Have you read any of today’s featured books? What are you reading now?

 

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Sunday Summary – 16th April 2023

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Good evening and welcome back to another Sunday Summary update post. As always, I’m looking forward to sharing all my bookish updates with you in this post! Before we dive into the books I’ve been reading this week, let’s take a quick recap of the blog posts I have shared with you.

I began the week with a discussion post, which I shared on Tuesday. In that post, I share the benefits I have enjoyed by joining an online book club. I also talk about why I think anyone can also benefit from joining a similar group… whether online or in person. 

Next was the turn of my First Lines Friday feature post. For this particular feature, I shared a historical fiction novel sat on my bookshelf and begging to be picked up. A word of warning that it is an introduction from a book set in the Auschwitz-Birkenau, concentration camp during the Second World War. Naturally, it very quickly establishes the way in which those interred were treated (which is to say, abysmally) very early on. If that’s the sort of thing you’re not comfortable with reading, then by all means skip this post. However, if you’re intrigued by books in this setting as I am, there is a link for you to check out that post above!

 

Books Read

 

The Mad Ship

I didn’t appreciate how much of a push I’ve made with this book until I took a look at where my progress was this time last week! As of last week’s Sunday Summary update, I was around 350 pages into this book. That alone is the length of some of the other books on my April TBR all by themselves. However, these books are incredibly chunky. The Mad Ship weighs in at 906 pages… and I finished the remaining 550 odd pages over the course of this week!

I only finished The Mad Ship last night, so it is taking me most of the week to do that. But, that’s crazy progress! It’s a significant page count, but it’s also a very dense storyline. It’s not something you can read that quickly. Well, it’s not something that I can read that quickly. Needless to say, I am both really happy and a little bit amazed that I’ve been able to make such progress and finish this book. Not that it’s been any effort – in fact, it’s been quite the opposite. The narrative got to a point where I really got into it and I’ve wanted to pick it up and see what happens next!

 

Eagle of Mercia

Since I have a couple of books with a similar setting on April’s TBR, I decided to pick the first of these two books next. My logic behind this is that I can separate the two books with another genre in between so I don’t mix them up on my head. I’ve also picked this first one in particular as I have to have this read by the beginning of May to review for the upcoming blog tour. I have only read the first chapter so far, but it is a start.

I’m hoping this will prove an easy and relatively short read in comparison to The Mad Ship. If that proves to be the case, then I may find myself in a similar situation last month. I spent a good deal of time reading A Game of Thrones, but then whipped through several shorter books in the latter half of the month. That may yet happen again this month. 

 

Books Discovered

On the book acquisition front, it has been a quiet week! Well, technically I did have a book turn up on my doorstep earlier this week, but it wasn’t for me so it doesn’t count!

 

Coming Up…

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is a non-bookish freebie. That means I have free rein on the topic, and I plan to use that post to tell you a little bit more about me. I’m not going to reveal any more than that at the moment in case I decide to change the angle in which I tackle this post. 

On Friday, I plan to share another Well, I Didn’t Know That! post. In a previous post in the series, I took a look at the Goodreads website and talked about some of the lesser explored features. For this post, I am going to be doing a similar take, but this time with StoryGraph. I am relatively new to StoryGraph, so I’m sure there is plenty I am yet to have discovered about the site!

You know the drill by now. My final post of the week will be at the same time, because it’s my Sunday Summary update.

 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Sunday Summary post and have had a fabulous week.

Are you reading anything at the moment? Do you have any book recommendations for me?

 

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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

Blog Tour Review: Wolf of Mercia – MJ Porter

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Happy Friday and welcome to my blog tour review of Wolf of Mercia by MJ Porter!

It has been a little while since I last took part in a blog tour and provided a review as part of that. I’m really excited to jump back in and share my thoughts on Wolf of Mercia with you today. As always, before I get into my thoughts on the book, I like to take the opportunity to say thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising the tour… and thank you to MJ Porter as well!

Wolf of Mercia isn’t the first book I have read by this author. I took part in a blog tour and provided a review of the first book, Son of Mercia, earlier this year. If you want to get up to speed with that first book before jumping into today’s review, you can find a link here!

And now, onto today’s review!

 

Wolf of Mercia – MJ Porter

Goodreads – Son of Mercia

As a lone wolf inside a Wessex stronghold, Icel must ensure his own and Mercia’s triumph.

Icel is becoming a warrior of Mercia, but King Ecgberht of Wessex still holds the Mercian settlement  of Londonia and its valuable mint.

King Wiglaf of Mercia is determined that the last bulwark be reclaimed from his sworn enemy to complete his rehabilitation as Mercia’s rightful ruler.

In the heart of the shield wall, Icel suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the battle and thrust into the retreating enemy stronghold where he must take on the pretence of a Wessex warrior to survive and exact a cunning plan to bring down the Wessex force cowering behind the ancient walls.

His allegiances are tested and the temptation to make new allies is overwhelming but Icel must succeed if he’s ever to see Tamworth again and bring about King Wiglaf’s victory, or will he be forced to join the enemy?

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3tNhWTG

 

My Thoughts…

One of my favourite things about this series is the unique perspective of our protagonist. Icel is a young man in a world full of strife. Thrust into a war he has no desire to take part in, we get to see Icel battle with his own internal conflict and his loyalties in this book. In this kind of time period it’s typical for men like Icel to become warriors. It is the expectation.

However, Icel is a man who likes to heal. Having spent his childhood learning how to mend hurts and treat wounds… he does not enjoy inflicting such on others. This is particularly prevalent in the first book, and I really enjoyed his perspective. What I have also enjoyed through reading Wolf of Mercia is that we get to see a lot of character development that has taken place. Icel still does not relish hurting people, however he has stepped up in his duty to defend his country and he will do what is necessary, even if he doesn’t enjoy it. He has grown up from the cowardly boy he used to be.

Even though he can step up and do his part as a warrior, Icel maintains his authenticity in not wanting to do what he has to do. Although we’ve seen a marked change in him, his core principles have stayed the same. It is a challenging angle to take with a character, but MJ Porter has done this very well. She has enabled this development whilst keeping the character fundamentally the same in terms of his root beliefs and values. As one of the biggest selling points for me for this book and series, I’m really glad this has been done so well!

There is a lot more action in Wolf of Mercia than the first book of the series, and through the perspective of Icel, we are quite literally thrown into the middle of it. From the first battle in a shield wall in the opening chapters to the subterfuge of hiding amongst the enemy, there is never a dull moment. It took our main character completely out of the context we have seen him previously and gave him the opportunity to grow. I feel like events like these can either make or break a character… And it certainly made Icel. he is one of my favourite book characters.

I flew through this book in just a handful of days. The narrative and storyline are so immersive that it is easy to get lost in. It is the kind of book you can lose track of time in. The chapters are just the right length to convey what is going on, without being too lengthy either. It is just the perfect balance to justify telling yourself that it’s okay to read just one more chapter… Just one. But it never is!

On the whole, Wolf of Mercia, compared to the first book of the series Son of Mercia, exceeded my expectations and it is a very easy five star rating from me. This is a fantastic sequel to the series and personally I can’t wait to see what happens next!

 

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 –

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor

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

Blog Tour Review: Son of Mercia – MJ Porter

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Hello everyone and welcome to today’s blog tour review of Son of Mercia by MJ Porter! It has been a few months since I last took part in a blog tour, but I knew I wanted to take part in this one as soon as I saw it! Granted, I missed Rachel’s first email about it, but the day she contacted me in the hopes of signing me up was a happy one for us all! As always, I want to say a massive thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and to the author for organising the tour and giving me the opportunity to take part!

It’s a pleasure to be able to share my thoughts with you today!

 

Son of Mercia – MJ Porter

Goodreads – Son of Mercia

Tamworth, Mercia AD825.

The once-mighty kingdom of Mercia is in perilous danger.

Their King, Beornwulf lies dead and years of bitter in-fighting between the nobles, and cross border wars have left Mercia exposed to her enemies.

King Ecgberht of Wessex senses now is the time for his warriors to strike and exact his long-awaited bloody revenge on Mercia.

King Wiglaf, has claimed his right to rule Mercia, but can he unite a disparate Kingdom against the might of Wessex who are braying for blood and land?

Can King Wiglaf keep the dragons at bay or is Mercia doomed to disappear beneath the wings of the Wessex wyvern?

Can anyone save Mercia from destruction?

Purchase Link – Amazon

 

My Thoughts…

The opening of the novel sets the scene of a turbulent and unstable way of life. Conflict, strife and war are in abundance. Mercia is left, after the death of Beornwulf, to be governed by weak and non battle-seasoned warriors. It does not bode well.

I enjoy how the narrative is shared mostly from the perspective of Icel. In a society where being a warrior or a skilled craftsmen, such as a blacksmith, Icel does not fit in. He detests violence, and instead he feels in himself a calling to heal. It is clear that he does not know something about his past even from the early chapters of the book, as he is frequently scorned by those around him, and not just for shirking his duty to do what’s considered ‘women’s work’. Some of Icel’s background is unveiled to us readers via another perspective in the book, which is a nice touch in helping us understand the circumstances, whilst keeping Icel ignorant.

This tumultuous situation is laid out for the first third of the book, at which point, events come to a point that put young I saw and the rest of Tamworth in danger. This is transformative for Icel. He always retains hatred for violence, but his exposure to danger increases tenfold and forces him to challenge himself in new ways.

I like Icel’s perspective throughout the book because we view the events of the novel through a lens which is not dissimilar to our own. The narrative is set in a time when men are expected to become warriors. Valour, honour, and domination are expected and it is difficult to pull off a narrative from a character of this nature and keep them relatable to the audience. It’s not impossible; I’m a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell‘s The Saxon Stories series (a.k.a. The Last Kingdom), and any fans of those books will really appreciate this book as it offers a similar setting (9th century Britain). It differs in that it focuses on the power struggles within English factions.

If you love history then the world-building in this book is something that you can really get behind. Every care is taken to set the scene of a politically turbulent England. At the same time, this is well-balanced with a wide range of characters that complement the story. There are a lot of characters that come and go throughout the book but I wasn’t confused by this. The author does a fantastic job of reminding us of who is who wherever relevant, which is a great help in following the interwoven storylines!

The pace of the narrative is enjoyable too. There is action and world-building aplenty, so neither is neglected. It makes for a great standalone novel, but if you are as invested as I am after reading it then you will want to follow and continue the series as I do!

 

Author Bio

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. Raised in the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author’s writing destiny was set.

Social Media Links

https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

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

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163404.M_J_Porter

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