A Time for Swords

Description

When the Vikings attack, a novice monk's life is changed forever in Matthew Harffy's new historical adventure. Lindisfarne, AD793. There had been portents - famine, whirlwinds, lightning from clear skies, serpents seen flying through the air. But when the raiders came, no one was prepared. They came from the North, their dragon-prowed longships gliding out of the dawn mist as they descended on the kingdom's most sacred site. It is 8th June AD 793, and with the pillage of the monastery on Lindisfarne, the Viking Age has begun. While his fellow monks flee before the Norse onslaught, one young novice stands his ground. He has been taught to turn the other cheek, but faced with the slaughter of his brothers and the pagan desecration of his church, forgiveness is impossible. Hunlaf soon learns that there is a time for faith and prayer... and there is a time for swords. Praise for Matthew Harffy: 'Harffy is a master of the Dark Age thriller... A Time for Swords is a bold opening to yet another enthralling series. It promises to be one heck of a ride' Theodore Brun, author of A Mighty Dawn 'Terrific white-knuckle action, absolutely gripping storytelling... Can't wait for the next one. Highly recommended!' Angus Donald author of Robin Hood and the Caliph's Gold 'The gripping novel evokes the turbulence and violence of the first onslaught of the Vikings. I couldn't put it down!' Christian Cameron author of Hawkwood's Sword 'Nothing less than superb... The tale is fast paced and violence lurks on every page' Historical Novel Society 'Harffy's writing just gets better and better... He is really proving himself the rightful heir to Gemmell's crown' Jemahl Evans, author of The Last Roundhead

Matthew Harffy grew up in Northumberland where the rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline had a huge impact on him. He now lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters. @MatthewHarffy www.matthewharffy.com

A Time for Swords is a bold opening to yet another enthralling series. It promises to be one heck of a ride -- Theodore Brun If you have enjoyed Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and don't know where to look for your next fix - well, you've found it and you will not be disappointed!... Excellent prose, interesting characters, visceral battles and a cracking twist or two prove that Matthew Harffy is an author on the rise. An excellent first tale in what I hope will be an eventful and thrilling series' * Grimdark Magazine * The gripping novel evokes the turbulence and violence of the first onslaught of the Vikings. I couldn't put it down! -- Christian Cameron A riveting great read from cover to cover... An impressively crafted historical novel that will have a very special appeal to fans of the Viking Age, the clash of swords and the medieval struggle of Christianity against the pagan horde from the violent lands of Scandinavia' * MidWest Book Review * If you like your fiction fast-paced and action-packed - filled with brutal and bloody battles - but also with characters with whom you can empathise and root for, then this book will not disappoint. Fans of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories will lap this up * Aspects of History *