Book details:
Book Title: Sword Brethren
Series: The Northern Crusader Chronicles
Author: Jon Byrne
Publication Date: 28th November 2024
Publisher: The Book Guild
Pages: 416
Any Triggers: There are several mild profanities, a non-graphic rape scene and several descriptions of battle and death.
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1242. After being wounded in the Battle on the Ice, Richard Fitz Simon becomes a prisoner of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Alexander, intrigued by his captive’s story, instructs his scholar to assist Richard in writing about his life.
Richard’s chronicle begins in 1203, when his training to be a knight is disrupted by treachery. He is forced to flee England for Lübeck, where he begins work for a greedy salt merchant. After an illicit love affair, his new life is thrown into turmoil, and he joins the Livonian Brothers of the Sword as they embark on imposing the will of God on the pagans of the eastern Baltic. Here, he must reconcile with his new life of prayer, danger and duty – despite his own religious doubts, with as many enemies within the fortified commandery as the wilderness outside. However, when their small outpost in Riga is threatened by a large pagan army, Richard is compelled to make a crucial decision and fight like never before.
Detmar’s shout had attracted attention, and I watched Theodoric, still accompanied by the two men, stride the length of the wharf to where Eberhard stood near the gangplank that led to our ship. Eberhard was accompanied by Johann and some of my old comrades, including Makko and Kunz.
‘What appears to be the problem here?’ Theodoric said.
Eberhard pointed at me. ‘The problem is there. Standing on the deck of one of your ships.’
Theodoric turned and gave a theatrical sweep of his arm in our direction. ‘I see only new recruits ready to do God’s work in Livonia. Please explain yourself.’
‘That man,’ Eberhard said, almost apoplectic with rage. He pointed at me again. ‘That young man killed a dear friend of mine and the husband to my daughter. I want to see him dancing on the end of a rope. You must hand him over immediately so that justice can be done.’
‘Must I?’ Theodoric folded his arms across his chest. ‘On whose authority? Why would I hand him over to what looks like nothing more than a group of brigands?’
‘I am one of the most prominent merchants in Lübeck! The vogt is on his way to make the arrest. This man is a murderer. I demand that you hand him and his accomplice over at once. This is not a religious matter.’
‘The boy in question swears that he acted in self-defence. What is more, I believe him. We are about to set sail on God’s work. The Pope himself, when I last saw him a little over three months ago, has declared a remission of sins to those who take the cross. Therefore, as far as the Church is concerned, both boys are innocent.’
I watched the exchange with interest. Johann was staring at me, and I could see he was itching for a fight. I held his gaze. Johann was a good swordsman but I felt no fear. I had killed his master and would happily do the same to him if he wanted. He was nothing but a rat’s turd. Detmar, in contrast, refused to look me in the eye.
‘We are ready to sail now and every moment we waste here could cause the wind to change,’ Theodoric said. ‘And that must not be allowed to happen. If you are unhappy, I suggest you take it up with the Danes or Bishop Albert. He is somewhere in Westphalia preaching God’s message.’ Theodoric said something to his two companions and they prepared to go up the gangplank. As far as Theodoric was concerned the matter was decided.
Eberhard stood red-faced on the quay, while Detmar looked like he was going to be sick.
Kunz appeared confused, as did Makko, although that seemed to be the big Hamburger’s only expression. Johann continued to glare at me and I knew he would do something. He would not let the death of his master and friend go unavenged. And I was right.
He screamed a challenge and drew his sword, elbowing past Theodoric in his haste to get to me. He charged up the gangplank as everyone else looked on in shock.
I drew my sword swiftly to block Johann’s frenzied attack as everyone else scattered out of the way. My arm jarred in pain as I again parried Johann’s next strike, catching his blade with mine and driving him away. Johann responded with a furore of blows that forced me back across the deck. I managed to block each attack without striking back. My enemy finally relented and we circled each other warily.
‘That is Henkel’s sword you have!’ Johann’s scarred face was a rictus of hate. ‘I see you are a thief as well as a murderer!’
‘And you are nothing but a piece of shit!’ I spat back at him.
Above us, I could hear Theodoric shouting but we both ignored him, continuing to circle each other, each looking for an opening or weakness.
Johann swung his sword towards my head, and when I raised my own sword to parry, he changed direction, flicking his weapon back to slash down towards my stomach. But I had learned this feint from Sir Hugh and I was ready, blocking the blow before breaking contact and taking a step back. I grinned at him.
In comparison to Johann, I was young and inexperienced. He had spent twenty years learning the art of swordplay and he was good. But I had one distinct advantage I knew would prove crucial. I was fast. Lightning fast.
And I used that speed now, lunging at my enemy, catching him completely unprepared. He tried to raise his sword to deflect my thrust but he was too slow. My sword pierced Johann in the middle of his unarmoured chest. For a moment he looked at me in shock, before falling backwards to the deck of the ship blood seeping from his wound.
I did not need to look at him again to know he was dead. Around me I heard an audible sucking in of air. Blood pounded through my veins and fury exploded in me. I strode to the gunwale and pointed my sword at Eberhard. ‘Johann is dead. Now he can join his master in hell. Henkel killed your brother in cold blood. But then again, you cared nothing for your brother, did you, Eberhard?’
Eberhard looked at me aghast before breaking eye contact. He turned to Theodoric. ‘He just killed my man. Do you doubt now what he is capable of?’
‘He acted in self-defence before a hundred witnesses, you fool. Your man attacked him and got what he deserved. I shall pray for his soul.’
But I was not finished berating Eberhard. I felt Otto tugging at my arm but I shrugged him off. I had kept all this anger bottled up for the last few months and now was the time to let it all out. ‘You are nothing but a bastard. Your precious friend Henkel was a murderer and a rapist that beat your own daughter until she was blue. Did you never notice, Eberhard? Did you never notice her swollen face or did you choose not to see? Henkel was a piece of rat’s dung and the world is a better place without him.’ I stood with my arms extended, brandishing my bloodied sword high for everyone to see. ‘Here I am, Eberhard! If you want me so badly you whoreson, come and get me… Any of you!’
Of course, no one moved. I felt Otto next to me again and the mist of anger slowly began to clear. Theodoric stepped onto the gangplank followed by his two companions and I finally lowered my sword. Eberhard and my old comrades continued to look on in shock and I saw the two Swordbrothers both had their own weapons drawn. They followed Theodoric up the gangplank.
Otto put his arm around me. ‘It is over, Richard. No one else wants to fight you.’
Jon Byrne, originally from London, now lives with his German family by a lake in Bavaria with stunning views of the Alps. As well as writing, he works as a translator for a local IT company and occasionally as a lumberjack.
He has always been fascinated by history and has studied the Medieval world for over twenty years, building up a comprehensive library of books. In his research, he has travelled to all of the locations mentioned in the book (East Anglia, Bremen, Lübeck, Latvia, etc).
Sword Brethren (formerly Brothers of the Sword) made it to the shortlist of the Yeovil Literary Prize 2022 and the longlist of the prestigious Grindstone International Novel Prize 2022. It is the first book in The Northern Crusader Chronicles.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.jonbyrnewriter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonByrneAuthor
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jon-Byrne/author/B0DJC6PL8D
Tour hosted by: The Coffee Pot Book Club
Hi,
Thanks for posting an excerpt of my debut novel Sword Brethren. All the best.
Regards
Jon Byrne
Thank you for hosting Jon Byrne today, with an enticing excerpt from his gripping new novel, Sword Brethren.
Take care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club