#BlogTour The Burning Sea by Theodore Brun

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour A Burning Sea by Theodore Brun. It's the third book in The Wanderer Chronicles series.'A brilliantly conceived Viking epic set in eighth-century Sweden and medieval Constantinople.'

About the Author
Theodore Brun studied Dark Age archaeology at Cambridge. In 2010, he quit his job as an arbitration lawyer in Hong Kong and cycled 10,000 miles across Asia and Europe to his home in Norfolk. A  Burning Sea is his third novel.

Follow on @theodorebrun on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit theodorebrun.com, Buy A Burning Sea

About the book
Doomed to wander. Destined for glory.
Erlan Aurvandil has turned his back on the past and his native Northern lands, taking a perilous journey to the greatest city in the world, Byzantium. But as his voyage ends, Erlan is brutally  betrayed, captured and enslaved by a powerful Byzantine general.

Meanwhile, Lilla Sviggarsdottír, Queen of Svealand, has lost her husband and with him, her kingdom. Leaving her lands and people behind, Lilla journeys east on a new quest: to find Erlan and raise an army mighty enough to defeat her usurper.

But when she reaches the great city of Byzantium, she discovers a place in turmoil. A dark tide is rising against the Emperor from within his own court. As the shadows darken and whispers of war  begin to strengthen, Erlan's fate becomes intertwined with that of the city. Are they both doomed to fall, or can freedom be won in the blood of battle?

Review
I really wish I could start off this review by slating the bad guys, there are plenty of those, but more specifically the snitches who absolutely deserve stitches. The last few chapters are enough to make anyone want to grab a sword, spear and get involved in the conflict.

As I have mentioned before I love the fact Erlan isn't your typical flawless, brawny, incredibly handsome main character. Instead he is the cripple with a tragic past, someone treated like the underdog and yet underestimated because of this misconception. What the reader knows without a doubt is that although his heart belongs firmly to Lilla, he realises her duty comes before emotions.

Lilla finds herself at the mercy of yet another man, because her gender makes her subject to rules of men she is unable to establish and demand her rights, so she sets out to find the one man she can rely on one hundred percent. Following in his footsteps becomes a treacherous journey.

This is the third book in Brun's epic Viking story, The Wanderer Chronicles, which takes us back to eighth century Scandinavia and the characters end up in Byzantium. That in itself is makes the story one full of descriptive surroundings and historical tidbits that are often lost in the narrative of history as it is retold.

I feel as if Brun is taking it up a notch with every book, really taking the time to hone his craft and eradicate anything that could possibly be seen as a flaw. He is a natural storyteller, who spins multiple characters and storylines in a historical setting with both fictional and factual aspects to the story with such precision and ease. Definitely an author I would highly recommend and always return to.

On a side-note I want to just mention Aska - the character without whom the reader wouldn't always see Erlan for the person he really is, and for being the core driver of so many scenes. Oh, and I hope Brun is busy writing a new book - just saying.

Buy The Burning Sea (The Wanderer Chronicles #3) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Corvus; pub date 3 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of A Sacred Storm by Theodore Brun.

#BlogTour A Sacred Storm by Theodore Brun

I do love a bit of well-written historical fiction, so it is an absolute delight to take part in the BlogTour for A Sacred Storm by Theodore Brun. It's the second part in the fantastic The Wanderer Chronicles by Brun. If you haven't read the first part A Mighty Dawn yet, I highly recommend you do. This series is historical fiction par excellence.

About the Author
Theodore Brun studied Dark Age archaeology at Cambridge, where he graduated with a BA in Archaeology and Anthropology and an MPhil in History.  He also rowed in the Boat Race for the university.  Professionally, Theodore qualified and worked as an arbitration lawyer, in London, Moscow, Paris and finally Hong Kong.  In 2010, he quit his job in Hong Kong and cycled 10,000 miles across the whole of Asia and Europe (crossing 20 countries) to his home in Norfolk. Theodore is a third generation Viking immigrant - his Danish grandfather having settled in England in 1932. He is married and divides his time between London and Norfolk. A Sacred Storm is his second novel.
Follow @theodorebrun @CorvusBooks
Visit theodorebrun.com
Buy A Sacred Storm

About the book
8th Century Sweden: Erlan Aurvandil, a Viking outlander, has pledged his sword to Sviggar Ivarsson, King of the Sveärs, and sworn enemy of the Danish King Harald Wartooth. But Wartooth, hungry for power, is stirring violence in the borderlands. As the fires of this ancient feud are reignited Erlan is bound by honour and oath to stand with King Sviggar.

But, unbeknownst to the old King, his daughter, Princess Lilla, has fallen under Erlan’s spell. As the armies gather Erlan and Lilla must choose between their duty to Sviggar and their love for each other.
Blooded young, betrayed often, Erlan is no stranger to battle. And hidden in the shadows, there are always those determined to bring about the maelstrom of war…

Review
This is the second book in The Wanderer Chronicles series, and although A Sacred Storm can be read as a standalone novel, I would recommend reading the first part A Mighty Dawn. You don't need it to catch up on the story, but you're missing out on one heck of a read.

This book takes place in 8th century Sweden and features Erlan Aurvandil as the somewhat unwitting accidental main character. He is favoured by King Sviggar for saving his daughter, however he is ridiculed and hated in equal measures for being an outsider and a cripple. What is more worrying is the fact he has caught the eye of the queen, a woman who will do anything to get what she wants. A woman with ancient skills and a taste for violence, blood and pain. Saldas is certainly a force to be reckoned with, as she moves her pieces strategically across the board of this game of war.

I liked the fact Erlan isn't your typical vision of brawn, beauty and perfection. He keeps his tragic past to himself, and is used to being the focus of negative attention. The only chinks in his armour are his almost fatherly affection for Kai and his bond with Lilla.

His confusion when it comes to lust, love and physical attraction is right on the money. More in keeping with a young man with a weakness for a pretty woman and pumped up with battle fuelled adrenaline, as opposed to a lovesick puppy.

Be prepared for murders, false accusations, the questioning of allegiances and for oaths to be broken in this fast-paced brutal story. Reading this makes you wonder how any people were left at all in the Scandinavian countries. Talk about bloodthirsty and vicious, but hey it does make for a fantastic story.

This an excellent piece of historical fiction. It is filled with betrayal, intrigue, passion and savage battle scenes. Brun plots with precision, and that meticulous plotting is strengthened by the riveting characters and on point dialogues. It's an outstanding read.

Buy A Sacred Storm at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Kindle pub date 7 June 2018 Hardcover pub date 7 June 2018
Buy A Mighty Dawn (The Wanderer Chronicles #1)