What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bernicia Chronicles #2
The Cross and the Curse
634AD. Anglo-Saxon Britain. A gripping, action-packed historical thriller and second instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell.
Warlords battle across Britain to become the first king of the English.
After a stunning victory against the native Waelisc, Beobrand returns a hero. His valour is rewarded with wealth and land by the king of Northumbria. He retires to his new estate with his bride only to find himself surrounded by enemies old and new.
With treachery and death on all sides, Beobrand fears he will lose all he holds dear.
On a quest for revenge and redemption, he accepts the mantle of lord, leading his men into the darkest of nights and the bloodiest of battles.
PRAISE FOR THE CROSS AND THE CURSE
"A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind. Harffy knows his genre inside out and The Cross and the Curse proves it."
GILES KRISTIAN (Author of God of Vengeance and the Raven series)
"The Cross and the Curse is a terrific novel that strikes just the right balance between fact and fiction, the plausible and the romantic, and it illuminates the Dark Ages like the bolt of lightning in its first few pages: in rare and unexpected ways. Top stuff."
TOBY CLEMENTS (Author of the Kingmaker trilogy)
"The best historical fiction enables the reader to simultaneously live in the here and now and the then and there. Matthew Harffy has this skill in abundance. He is one of the most accomplished and exciting voices in the field today. I love his novels."
MARTIN LAKE (Author of A Love Most Dangerous and The Lost King series)
"Harffy allows the reader to peel back the layers of Dark Age society beyond the implicit violence. His wordage is skilful and beautifully wrought, rather like a perfect damascened sword."
PRUE BATTEN (Author of The Gisborne Saga and The Triptych Chronicle)
"Matthew Harffy has created a gritty, authentic world, home to a hero who shows us the complexity of what it means to be human – the darkness and the delight. The Cross and the Curse is historical fiction at its finest."
STEPHANIE CHURCHILL (Author of The Scribe's Daughter)
Warlords battle across Britain to become the first king of the English.
After a stunning victory against the native Waelisc, Beobrand returns a hero. His valour is rewarded with wealth and land by the king of Northumbria. He retires to his new estate with his bride only to find himself surrounded by enemies old and new.
With treachery and death on all sides, Beobrand fears he will lose all he holds dear.
On a quest for revenge and redemption, he accepts the mantle of lord, leading his men into the darkest of nights and the bloodiest of battles.
PRAISE FOR THE CROSS AND THE CURSE
"A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind. Harffy knows his genre inside out and The Cross and the Curse proves it."
GILES KRISTIAN (Author of God of Vengeance and the Raven series)
"The Cross and the Curse is a terrific novel that strikes just the right balance between fact and fiction, the plausible and the romantic, and it illuminates the Dark Ages like the bolt of lightning in its first few pages: in rare and unexpected ways. Top stuff."
TOBY CLEMENTS (Author of the Kingmaker trilogy)
"The best historical fiction enables the reader to simultaneously live in the here and now and the then and there. Matthew Harffy has this skill in abundance. He is one of the most accomplished and exciting voices in the field today. I love his novels."
MARTIN LAKE (Author of A Love Most Dangerous and The Lost King series)
"Harffy allows the reader to peel back the layers of Dark Age society beyond the implicit violence. His wordage is skilful and beautifully wrought, rather like a perfect damascened sword."
PRUE BATTEN (Author of The Gisborne Saga and The Triptych Chronicle)
"Matthew Harffy has created a gritty, authentic world, home to a hero who shows us the complexity of what it means to be human – the darkness and the delight. The Cross and the Curse is historical fiction at its finest."
STEPHANIE CHURCHILL (Author of The Scribe's Daughter)
429 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2016
About the author
Matthew Harffy
23 books684 followersMatthew Harffy is the author of the action-packed series of historical novels, the Bernicia Chronicles. The ninth in the series, Forest of Foes, is due for publication in December 2022.
Matthew’s 2020 novel, Wolf of Wessex, was his first departure from the seventh century. Taking place a couple of centuries later in the early years of the Viking Age, it tells the tale of ageing warrior, Dunston, as he tries to find a man’s vicious murderers, keep the victim’s orphaned daughter alive and uncover the dark secret that threatens to plunge the kingdom into war. The book was very well received, with The Times calling it “a treat of a book”.
His most recent book, A Night of Flames, is the second in the A Time for Swords series set at the dawn of the Viking Age. It follows the adventures of monk-turned-warrior, Hunlaf, who witnesses the first attack on the monastery of Lindisfarne and feels compelled to pick up a blade and organise the defence against the Norse raiders.
Before becoming a full-time author, Matthew worked in the IT industry, where he spent most of his days writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him! Prior to that, he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator.
Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.
Matthew’s 2020 novel, Wolf of Wessex, was his first departure from the seventh century. Taking place a couple of centuries later in the early years of the Viking Age, it tells the tale of ageing warrior, Dunston, as he tries to find a man’s vicious murderers, keep the victim’s orphaned daughter alive and uncover the dark secret that threatens to plunge the kingdom into war. The book was very well received, with The Times calling it “a treat of a book”.
His most recent book, A Night of Flames, is the second in the A Time for Swords series set at the dawn of the Viking Age. It follows the adventures of monk-turned-warrior, Hunlaf, who witnesses the first attack on the monastery of Lindisfarne and feels compelled to pick up a blade and organise the defence against the Norse raiders.
Before becoming a full-time author, Matthew worked in the IT industry, where he spent most of his days writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him! Prior to that, he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator.
Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
March 19, 2021
This fantastic book is the 2nd instalment of the amazing "Bernicia Chronicles" from the author, Matthew Harffy.
Storytelling has been once again of a top-notch quality, all figures featuring in this wonderful historical tale, whether great historical or delightful fictional, come vividly to life, and the warlike atmosphere of Albion in the Dark Ages comes superbly off the pages.
Right at the inside of the book you'll find two well-drawn maps, one of Albion in AD 634, and one of Northumbria, divided in Bernicia and Deira, with the neighbours in the south, Elmet, in the north, Dal Riata, and in the west, Hibernia.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a list of Place Names with places that will play an important part in this great tale, while at the back you'll notice a very well documented Historical Note where the historical details are wonderfully explained by the author.
The book starts with a prologue which is set in the year AD 619, and in this prologue we encounter Hengist as a young boy, but more importantly there's his mother, Nelda, a kind of witch who will play a devious part and who will cast a spell on Beobrand within the main story.
The main story is set during the years AD 634-635, mainly in Bernicia, where our main protagonist, Beobrand, with his band of followers and especially with his wife, Sunniva, is finding at first happiness and bliss domestically, but when deep sorrow will come into the fray, this last emotion will have a great impact on him and will play a definite role in Beobrand's future actions, while being a man of action on the battlefield but also as a father.
What will follow as a whole is an amazing breathtaking tale, written with verve and passion, about domestic life at Beobrand's new home at Ubbanford, as well as his leadership as thegn of his community and his men, and not to forget his heroics in battles for King Oswald, while at the same time the clergyman Corman will act in a misguided fashion regarding pupils/people and will be sent back to Hii, but also in this world of loyalty, with Acennan, treachery, with Wybert, and bravery with Anhaga, Beobrand must seem to survive, if he wants to find his way towards salvation and glory in his rightful quest for vengeance and honour for all the people he has lost, especially the defiler and abuser of his wife, Sunniva, the very one woman he loved so dearly.
Very much recommended, for this is another fabulous addition to this great series, and that's why I want to call this episode: "A Superb Bernicia Sequel"!
Storytelling has been once again of a top-notch quality, all figures featuring in this wonderful historical tale, whether great historical or delightful fictional, come vividly to life, and the warlike atmosphere of Albion in the Dark Ages comes superbly off the pages.
Right at the inside of the book you'll find two well-drawn maps, one of Albion in AD 634, and one of Northumbria, divided in Bernicia and Deira, with the neighbours in the south, Elmet, in the north, Dal Riata, and in the west, Hibernia.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a list of Place Names with places that will play an important part in this great tale, while at the back you'll notice a very well documented Historical Note where the historical details are wonderfully explained by the author.
The book starts with a prologue which is set in the year AD 619, and in this prologue we encounter Hengist as a young boy, but more importantly there's his mother, Nelda, a kind of witch who will play a devious part and who will cast a spell on Beobrand within the main story.
The main story is set during the years AD 634-635, mainly in Bernicia, where our main protagonist, Beobrand, with his band of followers and especially with his wife, Sunniva, is finding at first happiness and bliss domestically, but when deep sorrow will come into the fray, this last emotion will have a great impact on him and will play a definite role in Beobrand's future actions, while being a man of action on the battlefield but also as a father.
What will follow as a whole is an amazing breathtaking tale, written with verve and passion, about domestic life at Beobrand's new home at Ubbanford, as well as his leadership as thegn of his community and his men, and not to forget his heroics in battles for King Oswald, while at the same time the clergyman Corman will act in a misguided fashion regarding pupils/people and will be sent back to Hii, but also in this world of loyalty, with Acennan, treachery, with Wybert, and bravery with Anhaga, Beobrand must seem to survive, if he wants to find his way towards salvation and glory in his rightful quest for vengeance and honour for all the people he has lost, especially the defiler and abuser of his wife, Sunniva, the very one woman he loved so dearly.
Very much recommended, for this is another fabulous addition to this great series, and that's why I want to call this episode: "A Superb Bernicia Sequel"!
March 17, 2023
BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
The Cross and the Curse is the second instalment in the historical fiction series, The Bernicia Chronicles, by Matthew Harffy. I really enjoyed the first of the series, and thought that Beobrand was a great central character to follow. I'm happy to say that this was even better.
Matthew Harffy does a great job giving us immersive action sequences and tension in abundance, but he also makes sure to give us readers the slower moments that are integral to establish characters and investment. There is a great balance of pace that makes this very easy to read from beginning to end in just a few sittings.
Beobrand has proven himself in battle, but many tribulations are to come, and The Cross and the Curse shows us the next trials our long protagonist will be thrown into. With a growing reputation, different challenges will be presented. Beobrand must learn how to lead, whilst still taking the orders of those he serves, as well as look after those around him who he loves. But, there are many types of loyalty. To his lord. To the woman he loves. To his friends. And these loyalties will often drag him in different directions. The questions are, who will he fail, who will he follow, what will the consequences of his actions be, and how will he live with them?
5/5 STARS
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
The Cross and the Curse is the second instalment in the historical fiction series, The Bernicia Chronicles, by Matthew Harffy. I really enjoyed the first of the series, and thought that Beobrand was a great central character to follow. I'm happy to say that this was even better.
Matthew Harffy does a great job giving us immersive action sequences and tension in abundance, but he also makes sure to give us readers the slower moments that are integral to establish characters and investment. There is a great balance of pace that makes this very easy to read from beginning to end in just a few sittings.
Beobrand has proven himself in battle, but many tribulations are to come, and The Cross and the Curse shows us the next trials our long protagonist will be thrown into. With a growing reputation, different challenges will be presented. Beobrand must learn how to lead, whilst still taking the orders of those he serves, as well as look after those around him who he loves. But, there are many types of loyalty. To his lord. To the woman he loves. To his friends. And these loyalties will often drag him in different directions. The questions are, who will he fail, who will he follow, what will the consequences of his actions be, and how will he live with them?
5/5 STARS
October 9, 2020
The middle of the tale drags
After about the first 35% which recounts a battle led by King Oswald and a fight between Beobrand and Picts raiding his new holding, this volume verges on becoming a wordy soap opera with swords. For instance, from about page 219 to page 230 the reader is treated to a seemingly endless account of Beobreand's worries about such things as Sunniva's faithfulness. It is at about 79% that the soap opera sort of ends with the King's call for Beobrand to accompany him to a peace conference. At about 90%, Picts again raid and Beobrand and his warriors attack the Pict's hall.
After about the first 35% which recounts a battle led by King Oswald and a fight between Beobrand and Picts raiding his new holding, this volume verges on becoming a wordy soap opera with swords. For instance, from about page 219 to page 230 the reader is treated to a seemingly endless account of Beobreand's worries about such things as Sunniva's faithfulness. It is at about 79% that the soap opera sort of ends with the King's call for Beobrand to accompany him to a peace conference. At about 90%, Picts again raid and Beobrand and his warriors attack the Pict's hall.
August 24, 2021
Fantastic dark-ages novel, excellent sequel and incredibly enjoyable. This took everything that made The Serpent Sword great and built on it, willing to slow down the pace to establish characters and relationships, a choice by Harffy which pays off with a really satisfying ending. Can't wait to crack on with book 3.
January 22, 2016
The Cross and the Curse is the second book in the Bernicia Chronicles. Matthew Harffy has taken his readers on a voyage back in time to seventh century England, but instead of focusing on the famous historical characters of the period, we follow the life of Beobrand, a “normal” man, whose life and accomplishments would have never been recorded in the history books. I really enjoy this approach in historical fiction.
Matthew Harffy has painted a vivid picture of what life would have probably been like during this period of history. He has not shied away from the darker elements of how people were, are and unfortunately always will be. Bernicia is filled with many good people who want to help those weaker than them, but there are others who impose their will upon and take advantage of the weak. This aspect of the society is reflected in our hero Beobrand. He is a powerful young man who makes some bad decisions, always with the best of intentions. I hope that as the series continues Beobrand will gain some wisdom to go along with his strength (although this may take away from the drama that surrounds his life).
The Cross and the Curse is an intricately constructed story filled with everything that I could want in a book: a hero who is scared and doesn’t always make the best of decisions, a gripping plot that kept me immersed in the story, and fearless subject matter that highlights the dark reality of the past, present and our future.
*4.5 Stars
Matthew Harffy has painted a vivid picture of what life would have probably been like during this period of history. He has not shied away from the darker elements of how people were, are and unfortunately always will be. Bernicia is filled with many good people who want to help those weaker than them, but there are others who impose their will upon and take advantage of the weak. This aspect of the society is reflected in our hero Beobrand. He is a powerful young man who makes some bad decisions, always with the best of intentions. I hope that as the series continues Beobrand will gain some wisdom to go along with his strength (although this may take away from the drama that surrounds his life).
The Cross and the Curse is an intricately constructed story filled with everything that I could want in a book: a hero who is scared and doesn’t always make the best of decisions, a gripping plot that kept me immersed in the story, and fearless subject matter that highlights the dark reality of the past, present and our future.
*4.5 Stars
February 1, 2023
9/10
oh my .. i cried .. what an emotional book/story.
the second book in the Bernicia Chronicles are right back where we left off. Starting with a great battle ... but read and find out for yourselves.
i loved the emotion that was bubbling up inside myself while reading. a rollercoaster at times.
we are back with the Beo and his men. with new friends and new foes - brutal, grim foes. again loved the battle-scenes and there was so much heart between the lines.
oh my .. i cried .. what an emotional book/story.
the second book in the Bernicia Chronicles are right back where we left off. Starting with a great battle ... but read and find out for yourselves.
i loved the emotion that was bubbling up inside myself while reading. a rollercoaster at times.
we are back with the Beo and his men. with new friends and new foes - brutal, grim foes. again loved the battle-scenes and there was so much heart between the lines.
July 14, 2016
Outstanding follow up to the "The Serpent Sword" this 2nd book in the author's Bernicia Chronicles continues the story of Beobrand, a warrior in the retinue of King Oswald set against the backdrop of 7th century Britain. While the book deals with some of the bloody violence prevalent in that time period some wonderful character development sees our hero dealing with some very humane themes like love and betrayal and revenge and redemption. Throw in some questionable decision making and a spot of bad luck makes for a likable, believable character that I'm looking forward to reading more about.
This series will draw some obvious, if a bit unfair, comparisons to Bernard Cornwell's " Warrior Chronicles" but should be judged on it's own merits. You can't argue with it's value either at $3.99 for the kindle or, even better, free to read for kindle unlimited members. Highly recommended.
This series will draw some obvious, if a bit unfair, comparisons to Bernard Cornwell's " Warrior Chronicles" but should be judged on it's own merits. You can't argue with it's value either at $3.99 for the kindle or, even better, free to read for kindle unlimited members. Highly recommended.
December 1, 2015
Readers and authors alike have often speculated, exchanged witty literary parlance, even argued -- for decades, without resolution – over one thing: What makes one piece of writing bad, another great? No one has solved this question, and likely no one ever will. Because writing and the enjoyment of what another has written is very subjective.
I won’t attempt to quantify or explain what makes writing bad. I think this one is fairly obvious and self-evident. Each of us knows at a deep, almost visceral level, when we read bad literature even if we can’t say why. But what makes a piece of writing rise above the mundane? The degrees of the rise can be subtle, and here are three reasons I think Matthew Harffy’s book, The Serpent Sword as well as the second book of his Bernicia Chronicles, The Cross and the Curse, is great writing:
1. Masterful characterization
It’s easy to imagine the stereotype of a warrior from pre-Norman Britain in the days before the Saxon kingdoms were congealed, and before the coming of the Viking invaders. Brutish, primitive, mindless, emotionless… Any writer can draw a caricature of this type of character on the page, but it takes a true wordsmith to weave the magic, and Harffy does this. Instead of a flat figure, he creates in his young Beobrand a multi-dimensional, flesh and blood young man who grows and develops before our eyes. He attains hero status without losing the reader in the unbelievable by still allowing Beobrand to be a man of his time. He is imperfect and flawed, has successes – some through skill and others by falling into them (SPOILER ALERT! I’m thinking of the capture of the Waelsic king Cadwallon). He is true to the integrity and honor code of his day and age, respect for his wyrd, love for his family and duty to his lord and his friends, all while battling a darkness inside that we’re never quite sure if he can overcome.
And it’s this darkness which is key to Beobrand’s success as a character. It causes him to do all kinds of interesting things in the books. Because of it, he wrestles often with feelings over his own worth, of his identity in the world, with his ability to protect those he loves most. This darkness causes him to make bad choices, to slip into a drunkenness (for instance) quite unlike what we’d expect of him, only furthering some of his bad choices.
As a man of his time, he uses his skills in warfare, the ones he learned and honed fighting his internal demons, as a tool; yet we discover that he is the master of the beast of his abilities rather than the mastered. Or is he? It’s this knife-edge on which Beobrand continually walks, and it’s this conflict of character, which propels the plot time and time again.
It’s what endears Beobrand to the reader because it makes us want to cheer for him. He is vulnerable: we see the dark places in his soul and we recognize his humanity. We agonize for him and turn the pages in suspense. He’s not a flat representative of a storybook character. We can see bits of us in him, and we love him for it.
Further to that, it’s not just Beobrand. This same magic is applied to other more short-lived characters. They don’t just appear “on stage” and then disappear again. Their presence lingers in the room like a fragrance, like they live and breathe somewhere else even though we can no longer “see” them.
2. Accurate research
I am not an expert in Anglo Saxon history, so I can’t really say where, if ever, anything in the book goes deviates from the facts. But all of that doesn’t really matter to me necessarily, as a primary importance, if one thing is present: that the author owns up to the places in the story where they have knowingly deviated from the facts. I don’t have a problem with deviation. It’s historical fiction after all. What I do have a problem with are authors who try to pass off historical fiction works as pure, exacting history when they knowingly deviate from the facts or haven’t bothered to do the level of exhausting research necessary to do any piece of history or historical fiction justice. I won’t name names, but this happens. And sadly some of the biggest offenders are fairly high profile authors who sell lots and lots of books.
That Harffy has done his research is obvious. The story and prose is soaked in authenticity and detail in such a way that would not be true if he hadn’t dug into the research. There is also a gritty realism in the story, that while we may not like it, carries the banner of authenticity and adds weight to the story. Harffy wouldn’t be doing his book or future generations any justice if he skimmed over these issues (I’m thinking of sexual violence, battle violence, religious tension, etc.). It may make our modern sensibilities uncomfortable (and rightly so), but Harffy masterfully uses these events to propel Beobrand within the context of his world. The uncomfortable events are necessary evils, and Beobrand engages with and then grows through them. Like an oyster which grows a pearl through the irritation of a grain of sand, so Beobrand and his world gains credibility through the horrors he witnesses and fights with, over, and against.
3. Flawless prose
While some readers complain about too much description, wanting nothing more than to get to the action straightaway, to me the details are something to savor. The details of description are like word paint dotting the landscape. You may not notice the details in a hurried reading, but a careful review lends itself to the piquancy these small touches add, and the result is fuller for it.
Harffy’s word choice and style conjures a mysterious tangibility to otherwise abstract concepts of things like beauty, cold, fear, etc. His cadence feels somehow primitive yet allows the reader to remember that the characters hail from a culture vastly different from our own even if they are our ancestors. Well placed phrases like “You are well come into Ubba’s hall” are period appropriate without bogging down the flow.
It somehow doesn’t seem fair to compare one author’s work to another, yet the comparing allows us to gauge or mark where a novel or piece of writing sits on the literary landscape. Matthew Harffy’s writing stands up on its own without comparison, but for those who need the extra nudge, I would say this: If Harffy and Bernard Cornwell were to have introduced their first novel at the same time, neither of them having ever been discovered, I would say it would have been a toss-up over which author would be selling manuscripts to producers and whose stories would be told on screens in homes across the globe today.
*I received my copy of The Cross and the Curse as an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review. The fact that my review is favorable was not a given, nor was it part of the deal!
I won’t attempt to quantify or explain what makes writing bad. I think this one is fairly obvious and self-evident. Each of us knows at a deep, almost visceral level, when we read bad literature even if we can’t say why. But what makes a piece of writing rise above the mundane? The degrees of the rise can be subtle, and here are three reasons I think Matthew Harffy’s book, The Serpent Sword as well as the second book of his Bernicia Chronicles, The Cross and the Curse, is great writing:
1. Masterful characterization
It’s easy to imagine the stereotype of a warrior from pre-Norman Britain in the days before the Saxon kingdoms were congealed, and before the coming of the Viking invaders. Brutish, primitive, mindless, emotionless… Any writer can draw a caricature of this type of character on the page, but it takes a true wordsmith to weave the magic, and Harffy does this. Instead of a flat figure, he creates in his young Beobrand a multi-dimensional, flesh and blood young man who grows and develops before our eyes. He attains hero status without losing the reader in the unbelievable by still allowing Beobrand to be a man of his time. He is imperfect and flawed, has successes – some through skill and others by falling into them (SPOILER ALERT! I’m thinking of the capture of the Waelsic king Cadwallon). He is true to the integrity and honor code of his day and age, respect for his wyrd, love for his family and duty to his lord and his friends, all while battling a darkness inside that we’re never quite sure if he can overcome.
And it’s this darkness which is key to Beobrand’s success as a character. It causes him to do all kinds of interesting things in the books. Because of it, he wrestles often with feelings over his own worth, of his identity in the world, with his ability to protect those he loves most. This darkness causes him to make bad choices, to slip into a drunkenness (for instance) quite unlike what we’d expect of him, only furthering some of his bad choices.
As a man of his time, he uses his skills in warfare, the ones he learned and honed fighting his internal demons, as a tool; yet we discover that he is the master of the beast of his abilities rather than the mastered. Or is he? It’s this knife-edge on which Beobrand continually walks, and it’s this conflict of character, which propels the plot time and time again.
It’s what endears Beobrand to the reader because it makes us want to cheer for him. He is vulnerable: we see the dark places in his soul and we recognize his humanity. We agonize for him and turn the pages in suspense. He’s not a flat representative of a storybook character. We can see bits of us in him, and we love him for it.
Further to that, it’s not just Beobrand. This same magic is applied to other more short-lived characters. They don’t just appear “on stage” and then disappear again. Their presence lingers in the room like a fragrance, like they live and breathe somewhere else even though we can no longer “see” them.
2. Accurate research
I am not an expert in Anglo Saxon history, so I can’t really say where, if ever, anything in the book goes deviates from the facts. But all of that doesn’t really matter to me necessarily, as a primary importance, if one thing is present: that the author owns up to the places in the story where they have knowingly deviated from the facts. I don’t have a problem with deviation. It’s historical fiction after all. What I do have a problem with are authors who try to pass off historical fiction works as pure, exacting history when they knowingly deviate from the facts or haven’t bothered to do the level of exhausting research necessary to do any piece of history or historical fiction justice. I won’t name names, but this happens. And sadly some of the biggest offenders are fairly high profile authors who sell lots and lots of books.
That Harffy has done his research is obvious. The story and prose is soaked in authenticity and detail in such a way that would not be true if he hadn’t dug into the research. There is also a gritty realism in the story, that while we may not like it, carries the banner of authenticity and adds weight to the story. Harffy wouldn’t be doing his book or future generations any justice if he skimmed over these issues (I’m thinking of sexual violence, battle violence, religious tension, etc.). It may make our modern sensibilities uncomfortable (and rightly so), but Harffy masterfully uses these events to propel Beobrand within the context of his world. The uncomfortable events are necessary evils, and Beobrand engages with and then grows through them. Like an oyster which grows a pearl through the irritation of a grain of sand, so Beobrand and his world gains credibility through the horrors he witnesses and fights with, over, and against.
3. Flawless prose
While some readers complain about too much description, wanting nothing more than to get to the action straightaway, to me the details are something to savor. The details of description are like word paint dotting the landscape. You may not notice the details in a hurried reading, but a careful review lends itself to the piquancy these small touches add, and the result is fuller for it.
Harffy’s word choice and style conjures a mysterious tangibility to otherwise abstract concepts of things like beauty, cold, fear, etc. His cadence feels somehow primitive yet allows the reader to remember that the characters hail from a culture vastly different from our own even if they are our ancestors. Well placed phrases like “You are well come into Ubba’s hall” are period appropriate without bogging down the flow.
It somehow doesn’t seem fair to compare one author’s work to another, yet the comparing allows us to gauge or mark where a novel or piece of writing sits on the literary landscape. Matthew Harffy’s writing stands up on its own without comparison, but for those who need the extra nudge, I would say this: If Harffy and Bernard Cornwell were to have introduced their first novel at the same time, neither of them having ever been discovered, I would say it would have been a toss-up over which author would be selling manuscripts to producers and whose stories would be told on screens in homes across the globe today.
*I received my copy of The Cross and the Curse as an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review. The fact that my review is favorable was not a given, nor was it part of the deal!
February 4, 2023
a very good sequel
The first part started out a bit slowly. But the prologue was very interesting as we meet someone’s mother who was a witch. This was a foreshadowing of things to come.
Beobrand had some very good people around him. He became a favorite of the king Oswald and was bequeathed a few things. Life seemed pretty good u til it wasn’t. So the second half really picked up the pace. There were surprises and tragedies.
It was great to see Coenred again. I hope he becomes more a part of Beo’s life. So much of what we knew until now has ended. I assume there will be a new path going forward.
The first part started out a bit slowly. But the prologue was very interesting as we meet someone’s mother who was a witch. This was a foreshadowing of things to come.
Beobrand had some very good people around him. He became a favorite of the king Oswald and was bequeathed a few things. Life seemed pretty good u til it wasn’t. So the second half really picked up the pace. There were surprises and tragedies.
It was great to see Coenred again. I hope he becomes more a part of Beo’s life. So much of what we knew until now has ended. I assume there will be a new path going forward.
December 30, 2015
Is book 3 ready yet? :-) full review soon.
One of the perks of having a growing reputation, a well deserved one for this humble scribbler of book reviews, is obtaining advanced copies of an author's upcoming release. Such was the case here as the author sent me a copy of The Cross and the Curse, the follow up to his excellent debut, The Serpent Sword. Beobrand is now a renowned warrior in the retinue of King Oswald, is married to a beautiful and loving woman; things are looking up...for a while at least. Mr. Harffy has avoided any semblance of a sequel jinx by putting together an intriguing account of what it could have been like when the Cross met the old gods in post Roman Britain. Beobrand, while not a follower of Christ, is oath sworn to a very Christian king while at the same time he has to deal with a witch who has a surprising link to Beobrand and utters a terrible curse upon him. An entertaining story ensues, one with great story-lines and and plenty of Dark Ages treachery and heroics. Add in a bit of inner turmoil and a dash of wavering sanity and you have a page turning tale that leaves you yearning for book three. 5 stars
One of the perks of having a growing reputation, a well deserved one for this humble scribbler of book reviews, is obtaining advanced copies of an author's upcoming release. Such was the case here as the author sent me a copy of The Cross and the Curse, the follow up to his excellent debut, The Serpent Sword. Beobrand is now a renowned warrior in the retinue of King Oswald, is married to a beautiful and loving woman; things are looking up...for a while at least. Mr. Harffy has avoided any semblance of a sequel jinx by putting together an intriguing account of what it could have been like when the Cross met the old gods in post Roman Britain. Beobrand, while not a follower of Christ, is oath sworn to a very Christian king while at the same time he has to deal with a witch who has a surprising link to Beobrand and utters a terrible curse upon him. An entertaining story ensues, one with great story-lines and and plenty of Dark Ages treachery and heroics. Add in a bit of inner turmoil and a dash of wavering sanity and you have a page turning tale that leaves you yearning for book three. 5 stars
April 6, 2020
Another satisfying, action-filled tale of England's Dark Ages featuring Beobrand. He achieves several major milestones in this segment of his story, some victorious and some devastating. As always the battle scenes are well done.
Looks like this character will be coming to the screen before long.
Kindle Unlimited
Looks like this character will be coming to the screen before long.
Kindle Unlimited
March 20, 2016
Where the Dark Ages come to glorious light and life.
Beobrand has returned to Bernicia and Bebbanburg from the first book, The Serpent Sword. As has Oswald, from exile, though he is now calling himself King. Cadwallon King of Gwynedd and the Welsh are soon dealt with and Beobrand’s star is on the rise. As a warrior, he is awesome, as a man, he is head over heels in love. Sunniva has got through his defences in a way no enemy ever could. Beobrand is made a Lord, with land and a retinue and everything should be set fair for a nice quiet existence up north of the great wall (interestingly, Matthew has them knowing nothing of the Romans who built the wall, the roads or the buildings they see around them), in the harshly beautiful Northumbrian countryside. However…call it Wyrd, call it fate, call it bad luck, call it just being called Beobrand - his life doesn’t turn out this way. Bad luck doesn’t so much follow him around, as get there a couple of days before him. However, bad news for Beobrand, is good news for us readers.
If you liked the first one, The Serpent Sword, you’re going to love this one. This is so much better, it hurts. It couldn’t exist without having already gone through the first one, but this is where the real stuff starts. In my humble opinion anyway.
I can't hide that I did have a couple of misgivings about the first one. However, I seem to have been alone in that, as the people who matter - other people - certainly liked it well enough. The reviews I’ve seen, have ranged from positive, to ecstatic. And they’re from people who don’t even know Matthew! Or are his Mum and Dad! The first was good. This is better. It doesn't bear thinking about the third one...
How can I put it? Right from the opening paragraphs, it felt immediately that there were more layers to the characters'... erm, characters. Minor characters are better drawn. More colour. More everything you want there to be more of in your Historical Fiction. I'd put money on large sections of this being written in a rush of enthusiasm and adrenalin. I read it, especially from half way on, that way anyway. I won’t say I had my jaw on the floor at the whole way through like I did for Greg Iles’ epic The Bone Tree, but, you better have something soft on your floor just in case, a couple of times, that’s for sure.
Beobrand, I wasn’t sure of in the first one, or for the first third of this one. However, when I think back, I can see that Matthew actually develops his character very well indeed throughout the book. As the story progresses, Beobrand grows into being what Matthew wanted of Beobrand. He’s not the same at the end, as he is at the start. Realising that, made me even more sure I would be right about giving it five stars. There are still some unnecessary and given the leap this one has made in quality, unworthy standard Historical Fiction cliched short cuts. They "explore each other's bodies," she "crushes herself to his muscular form," she "kissed him deeply." “Perhaps it is my wyrd to see all those I care for die." You know them. Almost like nervous Hist Fic ticks, or identity cards to the Hist Fic Novel Club. Matthew is clearly better than that. He’s developing his own style and he has made the Dark Ages his own with this book, he doesn’t need those sort of things holding him back. Not when he can do this: “But all the while the women’s eyes held a distant look. Would their men come back? Would they soon be sewing a shroud while others feasted on the food and drink they now prepared?” I’ll stick my house on that being exactly how it was. Absolutely, undeniably superb. I could sometimes wish Beobrand was sometimes a bit more decisive, a bit more 'fuck this for a game of soldiers, let’s go!’ But then, that’s why we’ve got Acennan and his "it’s only a bird” eh? Actually, while Acennan was reasonably prominent in the later stages of TC&TC, I’d absolutely not be against him taking a larger role in future books.
The quality of the writing is also improved over book one. It's a muscular style, no frills, though this is more mature and much less formulaic. There. Are. Still too. Many short. Sentences. Where a few ands and linking words, wouldn’t go amiss. It’s not a Ladybird book (even one of the new ones). But Matthew's getting it to where it should be.
Whilst it and Historical Fiction set in this period - and for the next 500 years or so - in general could do with removing the constant, almost mind-numbing religious stuff, just some times, I liked the undertone of most of this book. The feet-on-the-ground, concentrating on this life not the next, or getting ready for the next, that often stilts books of this ilk. I‘ve mentioned it before, so it’s not new. He’s not anti-religion, just the characters seem more realistic about what is important to them at this time, they seem more practical. This is often voiced by (my new friend) Acennan, but this is about Beobrand; “He was not sure of the power of the Christ, but he believed in this plan.” In general, the feeling is that the people, the Anglo-Saxons, precursors of Vikings (having that in place will help you understand the similarity of a lot of things to those Viking novels you’ve read), believed in gods. Lots of them. When they don't know what happened around them, or why - it must be the will of the gods, or magic. Or both. Even the Romans’ works are ‘magic’ here (see Arthus C Clarke on this point). Think thunder (there’s a lot of thunder here). We know it’s 'the sound caused by lightning, the sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within a bolt of lightning,' so we’re ok with that. The person in the field, in AD634, hadn’t a clue. So, it was just as logical to them, that it was a mighty god throwing his hammer around in anger, as variants in atmospheric pressure is to us. It comes down to, I think, mastering the trick of not writing about Dark Ages Britain, thinking like a 21st Century Briton. Matthew achieves this sympathy for the characters of this era excellently. Another interesting point I thought he was making - as this story is set in the period where Christianity was still the new kid on the block - that the average Anglo-Saxon pagans in the field, had no real animosity towards the new Christianity and new god. That they would have happily allowed him/them to live alongside their gods. The Christians were the insatiable ones, those who couldn’t do unto others as they would be done unto. As now. The old gods are always more practical, more useful. From tales like this, you can see why they came about.
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind, that The Cross and the Curse is Matthew's step up to the big league. Soon, when you tell people you like reading Cornwell, Kristian, Donald and co, you'll be adding Harffy and they'll nod knowingly, either approving of your good taste, or making a note to search out a Harffy or two. I gave the first one 4 stars, this one is better - more consistently better - ergo, 5 stars. For what it is now and for what the series will become in the future.
More world-class reviews on Speesh Reads
Beobrand has returned to Bernicia and Bebbanburg from the first book, The Serpent Sword. As has Oswald, from exile, though he is now calling himself King. Cadwallon King of Gwynedd and the Welsh are soon dealt with and Beobrand’s star is on the rise. As a warrior, he is awesome, as a man, he is head over heels in love. Sunniva has got through his defences in a way no enemy ever could. Beobrand is made a Lord, with land and a retinue and everything should be set fair for a nice quiet existence up north of the great wall (interestingly, Matthew has them knowing nothing of the Romans who built the wall, the roads or the buildings they see around them), in the harshly beautiful Northumbrian countryside. However…call it Wyrd, call it fate, call it bad luck, call it just being called Beobrand - his life doesn’t turn out this way. Bad luck doesn’t so much follow him around, as get there a couple of days before him. However, bad news for Beobrand, is good news for us readers.
If you liked the first one, The Serpent Sword, you’re going to love this one. This is so much better, it hurts. It couldn’t exist without having already gone through the first one, but this is where the real stuff starts. In my humble opinion anyway.
I can't hide that I did have a couple of misgivings about the first one. However, I seem to have been alone in that, as the people who matter - other people - certainly liked it well enough. The reviews I’ve seen, have ranged from positive, to ecstatic. And they’re from people who don’t even know Matthew! Or are his Mum and Dad! The first was good. This is better. It doesn't bear thinking about the third one...
How can I put it? Right from the opening paragraphs, it felt immediately that there were more layers to the characters'... erm, characters. Minor characters are better drawn. More colour. More everything you want there to be more of in your Historical Fiction. I'd put money on large sections of this being written in a rush of enthusiasm and adrenalin. I read it, especially from half way on, that way anyway. I won’t say I had my jaw on the floor at the whole way through like I did for Greg Iles’ epic The Bone Tree, but, you better have something soft on your floor just in case, a couple of times, that’s for sure.
Beobrand, I wasn’t sure of in the first one, or for the first third of this one. However, when I think back, I can see that Matthew actually develops his character very well indeed throughout the book. As the story progresses, Beobrand grows into being what Matthew wanted of Beobrand. He’s not the same at the end, as he is at the start. Realising that, made me even more sure I would be right about giving it five stars. There are still some unnecessary and given the leap this one has made in quality, unworthy standard Historical Fiction cliched short cuts. They "explore each other's bodies," she "crushes herself to his muscular form," she "kissed him deeply." “Perhaps it is my wyrd to see all those I care for die." You know them. Almost like nervous Hist Fic ticks, or identity cards to the Hist Fic Novel Club. Matthew is clearly better than that. He’s developing his own style and he has made the Dark Ages his own with this book, he doesn’t need those sort of things holding him back. Not when he can do this: “But all the while the women’s eyes held a distant look. Would their men come back? Would they soon be sewing a shroud while others feasted on the food and drink they now prepared?” I’ll stick my house on that being exactly how it was. Absolutely, undeniably superb. I could sometimes wish Beobrand was sometimes a bit more decisive, a bit more 'fuck this for a game of soldiers, let’s go!’ But then, that’s why we’ve got Acennan and his "it’s only a bird” eh? Actually, while Acennan was reasonably prominent in the later stages of TC&TC, I’d absolutely not be against him taking a larger role in future books.
The quality of the writing is also improved over book one. It's a muscular style, no frills, though this is more mature and much less formulaic. There. Are. Still too. Many short. Sentences. Where a few ands and linking words, wouldn’t go amiss. It’s not a Ladybird book (even one of the new ones). But Matthew's getting it to where it should be.
Whilst it and Historical Fiction set in this period - and for the next 500 years or so - in general could do with removing the constant, almost mind-numbing religious stuff, just some times, I liked the undertone of most of this book. The feet-on-the-ground, concentrating on this life not the next, or getting ready for the next, that often stilts books of this ilk. I‘ve mentioned it before, so it’s not new. He’s not anti-religion, just the characters seem more realistic about what is important to them at this time, they seem more practical. This is often voiced by (my new friend) Acennan, but this is about Beobrand; “He was not sure of the power of the Christ, but he believed in this plan.” In general, the feeling is that the people, the Anglo-Saxons, precursors of Vikings (having that in place will help you understand the similarity of a lot of things to those Viking novels you’ve read), believed in gods. Lots of them. When they don't know what happened around them, or why - it must be the will of the gods, or magic. Or both. Even the Romans’ works are ‘magic’ here (see Arthus C Clarke on this point). Think thunder (there’s a lot of thunder here). We know it’s 'the sound caused by lightning, the sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within a bolt of lightning,' so we’re ok with that. The person in the field, in AD634, hadn’t a clue. So, it was just as logical to them, that it was a mighty god throwing his hammer around in anger, as variants in atmospheric pressure is to us. It comes down to, I think, mastering the trick of not writing about Dark Ages Britain, thinking like a 21st Century Briton. Matthew achieves this sympathy for the characters of this era excellently. Another interesting point I thought he was making - as this story is set in the period where Christianity was still the new kid on the block - that the average Anglo-Saxon pagans in the field, had no real animosity towards the new Christianity and new god. That they would have happily allowed him/them to live alongside their gods. The Christians were the insatiable ones, those who couldn’t do unto others as they would be done unto. As now. The old gods are always more practical, more useful. From tales like this, you can see why they came about.
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind, that The Cross and the Curse is Matthew's step up to the big league. Soon, when you tell people you like reading Cornwell, Kristian, Donald and co, you'll be adding Harffy and they'll nod knowingly, either approving of your good taste, or making a note to search out a Harffy or two. I gave the first one 4 stars, this one is better - more consistently better - ergo, 5 stars. For what it is now and for what the series will become in the future.
More world-class reviews on Speesh Reads
December 7, 2015
If you’ve read my review of The Serpent Sword you will know I’m a fan of Matthews already, I was blown away by his debut novel.
This is by far the best sequel I’ve read to date, the brutal theme from The Serpent Sword continues and we see our hero Beobrand faced with even more trouble and strife.
I felt for Beobrand, my heart was in my mouth a lot while reading this book. Harffy has no trouble at all kicking a man while he’s down and it made for an excellent read but at times it was heart wrenching.
Harffy does a brilliant job developing the characters we know from the first book while also introducing new characters to the reader. We see Beobrand’s relationship with Sunniva grow and we also see his friendship with Acennan tested at times. All these troubles just make the story feel real. Life isn’t easy and the path our hero is on is clearly has a lot of hurdles for him to jump through.
I thought Beobrand as a character developed well throughout the first book but Harffy manages to bring more depth to him in this novel with the underlying struggle he has with regards to his father and the furiousness he knows lies within himself. The past really does haunt him..and I’m not talking about his father.. I won’t say too much on this.. you need to read it :)
Throughout the book I could feel there was something different about it compared to the first book which I couldn't put my finger on but looking back I feel it’s Beobrand.. he feels much more grown up in this book, the undertone is darker. In the first book I felt most of his troubles were external when in this book in feels internal, like he’s fighting himself. He’s become a very complex and enjoyable character for me.. or maybe I’m reading too much in to things ha ha
One character I was glad to see back was Coenred and in this book he too has his own problems to deal with but you can see he has more strength in him now, a bit of Beobrand seems to have rubbed off on him.
There are other characters I really enjoyed during this book namely, Wybert, Corman & Anhaga. To tell you why would ruin it.. please I implore you.. read it.. you won’t be disappointed.
Harffy did a really good job of making the surroundings come to life, the way he described places made it easy to imagine. The balance between detail and story were spot on for me and the tale that plays out knocked me for six and I was left furiously swiping my kindle screen for more.
In conclusion this book is well worth buying, it’s full of detail and character, love and sorrow, life and death. Harffy clearly knows what a reader wants and gives it to them and he’s paved the way for book 3 which I can’t wait to get my hands on
This is by far the best sequel I’ve read to date, the brutal theme from The Serpent Sword continues and we see our hero Beobrand faced with even more trouble and strife.
I felt for Beobrand, my heart was in my mouth a lot while reading this book. Harffy has no trouble at all kicking a man while he’s down and it made for an excellent read but at times it was heart wrenching.
Harffy does a brilliant job developing the characters we know from the first book while also introducing new characters to the reader. We see Beobrand’s relationship with Sunniva grow and we also see his friendship with Acennan tested at times. All these troubles just make the story feel real. Life isn’t easy and the path our hero is on is clearly has a lot of hurdles for him to jump through.
I thought Beobrand as a character developed well throughout the first book but Harffy manages to bring more depth to him in this novel with the underlying struggle he has with regards to his father and the furiousness he knows lies within himself. The past really does haunt him..and I’m not talking about his father.. I won’t say too much on this.. you need to read it :)
Throughout the book I could feel there was something different about it compared to the first book which I couldn't put my finger on but looking back I feel it’s Beobrand.. he feels much more grown up in this book, the undertone is darker. In the first book I felt most of his troubles were external when in this book in feels internal, like he’s fighting himself. He’s become a very complex and enjoyable character for me.. or maybe I’m reading too much in to things ha ha
One character I was glad to see back was Coenred and in this book he too has his own problems to deal with but you can see he has more strength in him now, a bit of Beobrand seems to have rubbed off on him.
There are other characters I really enjoyed during this book namely, Wybert, Corman & Anhaga. To tell you why would ruin it.. please I implore you.. read it.. you won’t be disappointed.
Harffy did a really good job of making the surroundings come to life, the way he described places made it easy to imagine. The balance between detail and story were spot on for me and the tale that plays out knocked me for six and I was left furiously swiping my kindle screen for more.
In conclusion this book is well worth buying, it’s full of detail and character, love and sorrow, life and death. Harffy clearly knows what a reader wants and gives it to them and he’s paved the way for book 3 which I can’t wait to get my hands on
August 26, 2021
A breath-taking work of fiction set in 634 AD Britain.
After the events mentioned in The Serpent Sword, our hero Beobrand goes to war again, following his new lord: King Oswald of Bernicia. Despite the odds, Beobrand devises a ruse to balance the scales into his favour and the overwhelming army of the Waelisc's people under Cadwallon's rule is defeated. The Waelisc leader is captured by the same Beobrand, an incredible feat that is handsomely rewarded by King Oswald. Beobrand is ascended as King's thegn.
Fortune has found this young hero and life seems to be making it up for all the awful things that Beobrand suffered. But this new life won't be easy. He moves north with Sunniva, reclaims a new home with his trusted company of warriors and made enemies on the way.
There will be more test to his inner values and he must endure the worst of the pains, as his family will be torn. Deppressed he will fall into drinking and self-pity. But redemption is one step away and our hero will find something to cling before hope is gone.
As always for these type of works, this brief summary does not do justice to the plot on this work. A great plot unfolds under the decisitions of our hero, Beobrand, on his new role as a Thegn. He will do some great feats, demonstrates courage and makes mistakes. This read contains a more vivid features of the main character -too human things happen to him.
The rest of the characters are well used and gives the story a perfect sense of meaning. Most of them are crucial to the plot and you will feel it (be warned).
Historically-wise, the author provides an correct setting, playing with the uncertainities of that age (the historical note has no waste!).
So, this a great work of fiction, proud to be counted along many best sellers out there set in Dark Age Britain. But why the 4 of 5 stars? A personal opinion of this book is despite the good plot, the more mature characters and the adequate setting, it is a pesimistic story. On 2/3 of the book I was deppressed (not as Beobrand) with the many awful thing happening to our hero. I expect this to improve on next chapters, but even so this is a good read.
If you are into historical fiction, do yourself a favour and put this book on your next reading adventure.
After the events mentioned in The Serpent Sword, our hero Beobrand goes to war again, following his new lord: King Oswald of Bernicia. Despite the odds, Beobrand devises a ruse to balance the scales into his favour and the overwhelming army of the Waelisc's people under Cadwallon's rule is defeated. The Waelisc leader is captured by the same Beobrand, an incredible feat that is handsomely rewarded by King Oswald. Beobrand is ascended as King's thegn.
Fortune has found this young hero and life seems to be making it up for all the awful things that Beobrand suffered. But this new life won't be easy. He moves north with Sunniva, reclaims a new home with his trusted company of warriors and made enemies on the way.
There will be more test to his inner values and he must endure the worst of the pains, as his family will be torn. Deppressed he will fall into drinking and self-pity. But redemption is one step away and our hero will find something to cling before hope is gone.
As always for these type of works, this brief summary does not do justice to the plot on this work. A great plot unfolds under the decisitions of our hero, Beobrand, on his new role as a Thegn. He will do some great feats, demonstrates courage and makes mistakes. This read contains a more vivid features of the main character -too human things happen to him.
The rest of the characters are well used and gives the story a perfect sense of meaning. Most of them are crucial to the plot and you will feel it (be warned).
Historically-wise, the author provides an correct setting, playing with the uncertainities of that age (the historical note has no waste!).
So, this a great work of fiction, proud to be counted along many best sellers out there set in Dark Age Britain. But why the 4 of 5 stars? A personal opinion of this book is despite the good plot, the more mature characters and the adequate setting, it is a pesimistic story. On 2/3 of the book I was deppressed (not as Beobrand) with the many awful thing happening to our hero. I expect this to improve on next chapters, but even so this is a good read.
If you are into historical fiction, do yourself a favour and put this book on your next reading adventure.
May 3, 2018
A page turner!
I’ve read two books in this series and it just keeps getting better. Harffy has a distinctive voice and storytelling ability that pulls you along and draws you in. I’m also a sucker for characters like Beobrand who wrestle with themselves as much as with their circumstances, and Harffy does a great job of navigating that struggle. In short, superbly written.
I’ve read two books in this series and it just keeps getting better. Harffy has a distinctive voice and storytelling ability that pulls you along and draws you in. I’m also a sucker for characters like Beobrand who wrestle with themselves as much as with their circumstances, and Harffy does a great job of navigating that struggle. In short, superbly written.
November 30, 2018
This is the third story I've read from Matthew Harffy and I think it is the best I have read so far. I loved the first novel in the Bernicia Chronicles, but the second installment felt even more polished with plenty of natural conflict to propel a fantastic story. I love Matthew's use of language. His novel is set in the early, formative days of Saxon England and he has written a very modern novel in modern language on the subject, but with prose that is highly evocative of the period. To describe the story in any detail is to give spoilers (yes, the turns twist and writhe that quickly) so I will just leave it by saying that I will look forward to reading the next novel in the series, which has been nicely set up with this installment!
December 6, 2021
Any book that starts off with a battle is a good book by my standards. The second instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles, starting directly after The Serpent Sword, The Cross and the Curse starts off with a major battle against the Waelisc, which hooked me right from the start.
Matthew Harffy excels at dropping you into the world and the action. His characters seem like real people, especially Beobrand. In this book, he becomes a much darker character that’s wrestling with both the good and bad fortune that comes his way. One of the things I love most about Beobrand is that the author doesn’t try to make him a standard-issue hero, always doing the right thing, but rather, allows him to develop based on the personality he established in the The Serpent Sword. Beobrand reacts to things the way you would imagine a young man, who’s essentially hit the jackpot due to his ferocity and talent for combat would, with a mixture of arrogance and regret. It’s great to see Beobrand work for his wisdom, wrestling over what to do, how to act and how to lead his men.
The writing is clean and clear, but still evocative. Matthew Harffy is great at creating the feel of a scene or moment with just a few well-placed words.
Matthew Harffy excels at dropping you into the world and the action. His characters seem like real people, especially Beobrand. In this book, he becomes a much darker character that’s wrestling with both the good and bad fortune that comes his way. One of the things I love most about Beobrand is that the author doesn’t try to make him a standard-issue hero, always doing the right thing, but rather, allows him to develop based on the personality he established in the The Serpent Sword. Beobrand reacts to things the way you would imagine a young man, who’s essentially hit the jackpot due to his ferocity and talent for combat would, with a mixture of arrogance and regret. It’s great to see Beobrand work for his wisdom, wrestling over what to do, how to act and how to lead his men.
The writing is clean and clear, but still evocative. Matthew Harffy is great at creating the feel of a scene or moment with just a few well-placed words.
November 23, 2017
This is the second book in the series, and continues on from the events of the previous book.
The introduction was a little strange, and i wondered why it was there. There answer did come in the book.
The story plods along, and parts of the book is 'normal' life at the time. This is a good thing, as a book constantly full of battles would be very dull and boring.
This is a series that i will be keeping my eye on, and wondering how it will continue.
The introduction was a little strange, and i wondered why it was there. There answer did come in the book.
The story plods along, and parts of the book is 'normal' life at the time. This is a good thing, as a book constantly full of battles would be very dull and boring.
This is a series that i will be keeping my eye on, and wondering how it will continue.
August 11, 2019
A tremendous improvement from the first volume. This one gets ya in all the feels!
Read
October 14, 2018Phenomenal. I love Bernard Cornwell's books and I feel like a traitor but these books are keeping me on the edge of my seat and I want to read them forever.
February 23, 2023
I liked how the arc of book 1 finished but at the same time, it was also a good setup for a continuing series. In that same vein, the prologue for this book was an excellent choice for connecting the two books and the book overall functioned well on its own as well as setting up further conflicts for future books again. This system is really satisfying as a reader.
I have to be honest, I DNFed this book the first time I picked it up. The first half was too slow for me after the initial excitement and I just didn’t really care that much about how it would continue. I put the book down for a while to read some others but the continuing conversations on the buddy read channel had me intrigued so eventually I went back to continue it after all. And phew. While it still took a few chapters for me to get invested again, Harffy did really pack a punch in the second half of the book (“the Curse”).
I don’t cry often during fictional books (I’m more of a non-fiction book crier) but he really got me in this one. I cried three times in one day over this book! I don’t think that’s ever happened before! The tragedies in this book just happened one after the other without much breathing room in between. I was exhausted at the end of that night and had to put it down and finish it early the following morning.
Harffy’s writing style feels very straight-forward for the most part, not flowery, yet he still pays attention to the emotions of his characters. Beobrand experiences a wide variety of them in this book and his actions based on those emotions feel very believable even if I don’t always agree with his decisions. I also love the attention to the little details that aren’t really necessary but do give the book a little bit more of a realistic feeling, such as characters complaining about their aching feet during war. It’s a complaint we can easily relate to that makes them feel just that tiny bit more real.
While I’m not entirely sure yet if this series is for me and whether I will read all of its books, I do commend Harffy for being consistent in his narrative choices while also seeing improvements in his writing overall from the first book. This one tugged at my heartstrings much more than the first one as I am a reader that cares much about the level of attention that is directed at the emotions of a book’s characters. While I’m not in a rush to pick up the next book, I do plan on trying the third one eventually before making a decision on whether I will stick with this series or not.
I have to be honest, I DNFed this book the first time I picked it up. The first half was too slow for me after the initial excitement and I just didn’t really care that much about how it would continue. I put the book down for a while to read some others but the continuing conversations on the buddy read channel had me intrigued so eventually I went back to continue it after all. And phew. While it still took a few chapters for me to get invested again, Harffy did really pack a punch in the second half of the book (“the Curse”).
I don’t cry often during fictional books (I’m more of a non-fiction book crier) but he really got me in this one. I cried three times in one day over this book! I don’t think that’s ever happened before! The tragedies in this book just happened one after the other without much breathing room in between. I was exhausted at the end of that night and had to put it down and finish it early the following morning.
Harffy’s writing style feels very straight-forward for the most part, not flowery, yet he still pays attention to the emotions of his characters. Beobrand experiences a wide variety of them in this book and his actions based on those emotions feel very believable even if I don’t always agree with his decisions. I also love the attention to the little details that aren’t really necessary but do give the book a little bit more of a realistic feeling, such as characters complaining about their aching feet during war. It’s a complaint we can easily relate to that makes them feel just that tiny bit more real.
While I’m not entirely sure yet if this series is for me and whether I will read all of its books, I do commend Harffy for being consistent in his narrative choices while also seeing improvements in his writing overall from the first book. This one tugged at my heartstrings much more than the first one as I am a reader that cares much about the level of attention that is directed at the emotions of a book’s characters. While I’m not in a rush to pick up the next book, I do plan on trying the third one eventually before making a decision on whether I will stick with this series or not.
February 26, 2016
In my opinion, this was Harffy's big jump into epic-style historical fiction, and he pulled it off marvelously. While 'The Serpent Sword' was a fun read and set the stage for a strong case of characters, 'The Cross and the Curse' showed clear maturation in writing style and imaginative ability to place a reader effortlessly into Dark Age Britain, yet also demonstrated originality in a field where within other books there's often a strong temptation to move towards certain archetypes and one-dimensional character styles that can make the work unenjoyable. This had none of these problems, and was refreshing in the way that few sequels in a historical fiction series can be. Dialogue was raw and realistic, while various plots wove together in a manner that makes the story gripping yet enjoyably unpredictable.
In comparison with other historical fiction works I've had the pleasure to read, this was a rare spot of true originality. Harffy doesn't make his hero - the equally maturing Beobrand - into some monolithic and infallible character, but instead portrays him as a deeply troubled and imperfect man in a dark time. At times, he's courageous and brave, while in others, he seems stuck in a cycle of uncertainty and violence that he has no choice but to participate in. And wow, if there's a book that shows how chaotic and black the Dark Ages must have been, this takes the cake - the brutality, the sadness, the almost complete lack of security and safety in the midst of constant conflict is woven into the lives of Harffy's characters in a way that seems realistic yet heartbreaking all the same. There's no romanticism here that's all too common in many historical fiction works, but instead a gritty realism of men and women living in a time where little was certain, lifespans were short, violence was common, and struggle and sacrifice were everyday realities.
The Cross and the Curse is an enjoyable book by an emerging voice in historical fiction. It's got an original vision, an immersive atmosphere, and a developed cast of characters that are only becoming more well-rounded as time passes. Even better, this was a world-building book, and sets the stage for more adventures to come. Easy to recommend for those interested in historical fiction, particularly if you want to get a raw feel of what the Dark Ages must have been like.
In comparison with other historical fiction works I've had the pleasure to read, this was a rare spot of true originality. Harffy doesn't make his hero - the equally maturing Beobrand - into some monolithic and infallible character, but instead portrays him as a deeply troubled and imperfect man in a dark time. At times, he's courageous and brave, while in others, he seems stuck in a cycle of uncertainty and violence that he has no choice but to participate in. And wow, if there's a book that shows how chaotic and black the Dark Ages must have been, this takes the cake - the brutality, the sadness, the almost complete lack of security and safety in the midst of constant conflict is woven into the lives of Harffy's characters in a way that seems realistic yet heartbreaking all the same. There's no romanticism here that's all too common in many historical fiction works, but instead a gritty realism of men and women living in a time where little was certain, lifespans were short, violence was common, and struggle and sacrifice were everyday realities.
The Cross and the Curse is an enjoyable book by an emerging voice in historical fiction. It's got an original vision, an immersive atmosphere, and a developed cast of characters that are only becoming more well-rounded as time passes. Even better, this was a world-building book, and sets the stage for more adventures to come. Easy to recommend for those interested in historical fiction, particularly if you want to get a raw feel of what the Dark Ages must have been like.
August 9, 2019
I feel really bad giving this book only one star, but I simply couldn't read it. After struggling through 35% of this, I almost can't believe I gave the first book in this series 4 stars. It's like a completely different book, I guess. I'm not really sure what it was that made this book so terrible for me, but I think it was the focus on war. War battles, at least when reading about them, change very little for several thousand years. Maybe a few of the weapons are different and maybe there are a few interesting tactics employed, but for the most part, war from the first wars with copper and bronze to around 1500 is just a bunch of dudes fighting hand-to-hand with sword-like weapons or spear-like weapons. Maybe there are horses or archers, but the battles still remain mostly unchanged since the invention of metals that could hold an edge. It's just not interesting to read, again, about a bunch of guys with swords hammering on a bunch of other guys with swords. I'm much more interested in the politics behind the wars, and I think I'll need to find another series for that. I've read the word shieldwall enough for one lifetime.
February 8, 2021
Wow!!
Thanks Matthew— I have just discovered your books. I love to read and historical fiction is my favorite genre. Good stories. Great characters. I’ll put you beside Bernard Crowell!!
Thanks Matthew— I have just discovered your books. I love to read and historical fiction is my favorite genre. Good stories. Great characters. I’ll put you beside Bernard Crowell!!
December 21, 2020
I seem to be in the minority about this book. I quite enjoyed the first book in the series, giving it 3 1/2 stars, but I found this one a bit more of a slog. I liked the main character, Beobrand, less and less. His default reaction to most situations seems to be violence. Of course it was a violent time, but the way Beobrand treated people who had showed him nothing but loyalty was often appalling, even if he usually ended up remorseful about his actions.
As others have noted, the publisher's choice to market this series as "perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell" raises expectations that aren't fulfilled. The Bernicia Chronicles do share many similarities with Cornwell's Saxon Stories (a.k.a. The Last Kingdom series), set some 250 years later and featuring some of the same locations. Harffy has clearly done a lot of research, and the time period he is writing about is fascinating. However, his characters lack the depth that makes Cornwell's Uhtred so compelling and so likable even though he, too, leads a life filled with violence.
In my review of the first book in this series, I called Harffy a good writer despite some copy editing errors and prose that occasionally felt flat. This time around, I noticed numerous grammatical errors that bugged me ("I" when it should have been "me", "whom" when it should have been "who", "may" when it should have been "might", etc.). Harffy also seems to have developed a great fondness for sentence fragments that often give paragraphs a choppy feel. Overall, the writing felt more flat this time around, and I would have liked more showing rather than telling.
I remain interested in seeing how Beobrand's story develops, so I'm still planning to read the next book. How I feel about that one will likely determine whether or not I keep going with the rest of the series.
As others have noted, the publisher's choice to market this series as "perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell" raises expectations that aren't fulfilled. The Bernicia Chronicles do share many similarities with Cornwell's Saxon Stories (a.k.a. The Last Kingdom series), set some 250 years later and featuring some of the same locations. Harffy has clearly done a lot of research, and the time period he is writing about is fascinating. However, his characters lack the depth that makes Cornwell's Uhtred so compelling and so likable even though he, too, leads a life filled with violence.
In my review of the first book in this series, I called Harffy a good writer despite some copy editing errors and prose that occasionally felt flat. This time around, I noticed numerous grammatical errors that bugged me ("I" when it should have been "me", "whom" when it should have been "who", "may" when it should have been "might", etc.). Harffy also seems to have developed a great fondness for sentence fragments that often give paragraphs a choppy feel. Overall, the writing felt more flat this time around, and I would have liked more showing rather than telling.
I remain interested in seeing how Beobrand's story develops, so I'm still planning to read the next book. How I feel about that one will likely determine whether or not I keep going with the rest of the series.
January 17, 2021
The second of the Bernicia Chronicles. Breoband, having killed off Hengist, everyone's favourite enemy, at the end of the first book, carries on his heroic, if rather impulsive battles and is duly rewarded by King Oswald. So far so good; however, after that the book becomes rather formulaic I am afraid, great happiness which you know is not going to end well, the usual local enemies and I am afraid I ended up skipping through the book to get to the end. After enjoying the first book I was rather disappointed with this one.
September 9, 2017
If you've read The Serpent Sword then you'll love this one. This book is the tale of the turning point in Beobrand's life, as we see it change radically (for better or for worse, it's for you to decide). In addition to that, it's not just a book about war, swords and death, for you can see love, magic and humour sprinkled in it.
All in all, a truly page-turner!
All in all, a truly page-turner!
April 14, 2017
Great second book in this series, I enjoyed the first book but this is even better. Now Beobrand is established in book one he is really developed as a character with human failings and virtues. I liked the weaving of the plot into what is known of the history of that time as well.
Matthew Harffy is developing an enjoyable to read style of narrative and the plot was well constructed. Looking forward to the next book, which shall be getting soon.
Matthew Harffy is developing an enjoyable to read style of narrative and the plot was well constructed. Looking forward to the next book, which shall be getting soon.
May 20, 2018
Really enjoying this series. The first took me a little while to get into but by the end of this one I'm loving the series and really looking forward to continuing Beobrand's journey.
December 9, 2020
Pretty good historical fiction but im having a hard time not comparing it all to uhtred
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews