Rob Reviews - The Scathing (King's Bane Book 3) by CR May

Today Rob reviews The Scathing (Kings Bane Book 3) by C R May, a brilliant story set during the genesis of England. The author is kindly offering a paperback copy for the giveaway. To enter and be in with a chance of winning this excellent book simply comment below or leave a comment on our facebook page. A name will be drawn from the horned helmet of destiny on the 15th August, may your wyrd guide you true!

“That’s all that we can ask of the gods, lord. To give us an ending worthy of a man when the old girls hover over our life thread with their shears.”

Norns - weavers of men's fates - deviantArt (lucreciamortishia)

If you’ve read the previous two books in this excellent King’s Bane series, you’ll now know that Eofer Wonreding has been instrumental in convincing King Eomer Engeltheowing that the future of the English lies not in old Engeln but in the new lands of Anglia in the old Roman province of Britannia. This is where we catch up with the King’s Bane. He and his hearth troop are part of the king’s consolidation of the English settlement, now that  old Engeln has been abandoned in favour of this new land of opportunity. The King’s son, Icel, has a plan to expand into what will become the English Midlands as shown in the rather wonderful map, which, as ever in the King's Bane series, is quite a work of art in itself.

Scathing map by Simon Walpole - reproduced by kind permission of the author.

This is a frontier world, contested between the Welsh kingdoms of Powys, under their king Cynlas Goch, in the west, the kingdom of the peaks to the north ruled by Sawyl Penuchel, and the Anglo-Welsh Lindisware to the north west. Powys is eager to expand its power and territory at the expense of English settlers and the Kingdom of the Peaks. The long established Lindisware should be a natural ally to the English, but harbours doubts over the ability of the English to weather the approaching storm from Powys and fears retaliation, should they openly declare for Anglia.

To the south are Saxons, newly arrived Germanic immigrants like the English. Although they have a shared culture and tongue they have always been rivals and the Saxons are keen to keep on good terms with Powys, offering their services as Mercenaries as the Germanic newcomers have done since Roman times.

Angles - Angus McBride

Recent studies and genetic mapping seems to indicate that there was far more of a racial fusion between the Germanic incomers and the native British than the previously supposed ethnic cleansing. Indeed this is borne out in many English place names that carry show both Brythonic and Germanic roots. The Scathing mirrors this; this isn’t a case of Welsh versus English, the reality is far more fluid and complex than that. This is a world where a warlord (whether he be Briton or Angle) can carve out a kingdom and perhaps found a dynasty.
As a stand alone book this novel offers superb characterisation and in its creation of the dark age world. As book three of the series, it builds upon all that has gone before, as we see the birth of Mercia, what will become the English heartland. Eofer, his hearth troop, and his British allies under Ioan the rustler, will be instrumental in bringing this new kingdom into the world. Robbed of their snacca (ships) by geography, Eofer and his duguth take to horseback to mount weakening raids and reconnoitre deep into disputed territory, while Icel gathers his forces for the decisive clash of arms that must surely fall between him and Cynlas. In the midst of his campaign Eofer receives word from his brother-in-law, Heardred, king of the Geats, requesting help. Adventure overseas beckons but first he must serve his lord, Icel.
As ever the author gently introduces Anglo-Saxon terms into the story, words whose meaning quickly becomes known to the reader. The result is that the reader becomes utterly immersed in this honourable, yet savage, world, where fickle gods are all too real and omens can’t be easily ignored. Now that we are in Britain of course, Mr May introduces a Welsh Brythonic element into the mix.

The result is an absolute treat and a joy to read. We meet the historical figure of Gildas along the way, the British priest famous for his accounts of the time and his dislike of the invader. It just might be that we discover the reason for his animosity within these pages! The wind-ups and drunken banter between warriors is very amusing, proving as ever that people don’t really change. I don’t think I’ll think of beer as just beer ever again, after enjoying Mr May's prose!

The ale was weaving its spell. Soon the father of the gods would enter their minds and the giddinesss would be upon them. Rank and seniority would be forgotten, and Eofer would discover the true feelings of his men.

To my mind The Scathing must surely cement Mr May’s reputation as one of the premier authors of this fascinating period of history. His skill in bringing this time period to life is second to none, being easily on a par, if not arguably superior, to some of his better known contemporaries. Within these pages  you sense the exhilaration and fear of the shield wall, see the world through the claustrophobic eyeholes of the warrior’s grimhelm, smell the metallic tang of spilled blood and taste the thirst quenching ale enjoyed by the victors. In actual fact I would go further; such is the author's skill that when you read this, you begin to think of the world like one of his protagonists; was there meaning in that crow's call? Was there meaning in that distant rumble of thunder?

Sutton Hoo helmet

All too soon Snarly Yowl - Blaecce Shucca - heralds change and brings the tale to its end as threads are cut by the Norns, the old girls overlooking men’s fates. Be warned, unlike some authors, Mr May is fearless and unpredictable in this regard. Yet threads remain in the warp and weft of this series with which to weave another tale; this reader waits expectantly. Brilliant work Mr May!

Black Shuck - Arkanimalcentre

C.R. May was born in Bow, East London before his family moved to South Ockendon, Essex. After hearing that Ockendon translated as Wocca's Hill in Saxon, a lifelong passion in history was kindled, which has taken him from Berlin to the site of the battle of Little Big Horn (via Erik the Red's Icelandic hall!). The influx of Germanic adventurers was recorded in the place names around him and, inspired one day, he decided to weave his own stories into this history. You can read and discover more information at his blog and the author may be found at Facebook. 


Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series. Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.

Rob reviews Gods of War by C R May

Gods of War King's Bane Book 2

The author has generously offered a signed copy for the draw. To enter please comment here or on our Facebook page

…Before him the sacrificial stone was slick with gore and rough hands gripped his shoulders, forcing him to his knees in the slime. Up close the English guda looked even more terrifying than they had in the distance. One in particular, tall and slim beneath a circlet of stag horns, his hide clad body a mass of runic charms, stood to one side, his face a mask of undisguised joy.

In Gods of War we catch up with Eorle Eofer and his hearth troop who we became acquainted with in Book 1. When last we spent time in their company the Engles had decided to leave old Engeln for the new lands in Anglia (Britannia), but first honour demands that age old scores are settled in a year of Fire and Steel.

With the threat posed by the Jutes to the north eliminated, an invasion of Danish lands is planned to keep the implacable Danes from interrupting the migration of the Engles. Step forward the fame-bright Eofer, Slayer of the king of Sweden and burner of Heorot, charged by his king to raid the eastern shore of the Danes’ territory to draw off Danish warriors who might counter the English invasion in the west.

Loved by Woden, Eofer may be, but it must be remembered that the All-Father is fickle and has unpleasant surprises up his sleeve for all; whether they are foreign kings, or a favoured Eorle and his loyal hearth troop. After all - Wyrd bið ful aræd – Fate remains wholly inexorable. 

Woden

In Gods of war the wordsmith author delivers, bringing the heroic world of Dark Age Northern Europe to life in his own savage and glorious style; combining incredibly  well researched archaeology and sources with the mythic fantastical to forge a masterpiece of historical fiction. You will be led into Eofer’s world, your own sense of disbelief suspended, where the gods are all too real and life can be short and brutal. Be warned,will need to leave your C21st sense of morality behind for this is a different world where gods demand sacrifice and nations vie with one another in a near constant cycle of raiding and war. You must retain your honour, for honour can offer reward from friend or foe alike.

This a tale of the English, but the English before the land we now call England came to be. A tale set in a cultural tap root from which the Anglosphere grew, itself a branch of what we would now call the Viking world, but once it was our world too; our Midgard, set in the limbs of the World Ash between Hel and Valhall.

The author paints some amazing scenes as he dips into his word-hoard, whether it’s the desperate urgency of battle or awe inspiring descriptions of pagan horror, such as the awesome but grim scene of the Ghost Army; destined to guard the abandoned old lands of Engeln for all time.

The Ghost Army stood before him, the massed ranks braced and ready for battle. At the crest, beneath the white dragon battle flag of Engeln the Ghost King sat astride his mount, the thin spring sunlight shining dully from polished mail and spear point.

The scene takes you by surprise, but when you realise what, or rather who, the Ghost Army is, it horrifies and astounds in equal measure.

Dancing warriors from the Sutton Hoo helmet

The author has modernised many old English words, so the reader soon begins to understand this form of old English and the urge to look at the glossary of terms is soon forgotten, although you will find yourself looking back at the map, which is no bad thing, as it’s a wonderful piece of work in itself.

The King’s Bane series has much scope to extend into the future as the English settle on the shores of Anglia. We know Eofer and his like will not simply be gifted lands to call their own, they will need to fight a fierce enemy for them. Indeed one such enemy is revealed as one whom Eofer once trusted, a thorn that will return to worry Eofer and his hearth troop in the future, no doubt.

Mr May’s work is easily on a par with  authors such as Cornwell and Kristian, who write in a similar literally field, and I sincerely hope he enjoys equal success. His wyrd deserves it; this book deserves it. So I would urge you to embark upon reading this series of books before everybody else does!

So take your place on the oarbenchs of the Hwælspere and brave the mountainous seas and  vicious swords of your enemies with Eofer. I can assure you, that you won’t be disappointed; its stunning, its epic, its just bloody glorious!

C.R. May was born in Bow, East London before his family moved to South Ockendon, Essex. After hearing that Ockendon translated as Wocca's Hill in Saxon, a lifelong passion in history was kindled, which has taken him from Berlin to the site of the battle of Little Big Horn (via Erik the Red's Icelandic hall!). The influx of Germanic adventurers was recorded in the place names around him and, inspired one day, he decided to weave his own stories into this history. You can read and discover more information at his blog and the author may be found at Facebook. 





Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series. Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.