I’m currently catching up on the backlog of reviews I have, and sadly this was a dnf for me. I found the writing style too clunky and I was frustrated by the main character’s treatment of women - they were barely good enough to be objects.

It has been a while since I ventured into historical fiction genre as I generally enjoy happier books in this time in my life and the state of the world. However, I do enjoy reading books set in Saxon Britain and this one was no exception. It was a fast read for me and I've quite enjoyed it.

The Warrior with the Pierced Heart by Chris Bishop 320 pgs
EXTREMELY Intense!
This fast-paced character driven medieval historical is set in the day of the Saxons and the Vikings. The writing vividly details this dark and violent time of the gruesome Viking raids and of their decimation or complete annihilation of unfortunate settlements and monasteries they came upon. The accounts of excitement and inciting the grave acts of pillaging, rape, and brutal torture is one you won’t soon forget and what gave Vikings their feared reputations. Some historical based facts of the time were used with author freedom of license filled in the rest. The book’s content is extremely dark and although you see a possible glimmer of hope for a humane act or some goodness to rub off on a character...this isn’t that kind of story. This book can be read as a stand-alone however, it ends with cliffhangers and probably would be better read as a series.

Content Warning: ADULT-dark content, intense and explicit descriptions of battles, numerous methods of torture, killing, and the desecration of bodies. Sexual content including pagan rituals and rape.
If you are sensitive to ANY kind of violence THIS IS NOT YOUR BOOK!

I wont go into detail about the story as i dont want to spoil the book, but i will say that I wouldn't normally read this kind of book but I fancied a change of genre and i can honastly say this surprised me. I enjoyed the story and i felt connected with the characters. Pleaseantly surprised and brilliantly written, a must read for sure.

Thoroughly excellent read. Plot moves along at a suitable pace with plenty of action. Battle scenes are guaranteed to get your blood thumping. This is a nice easy read, perfect for the beach or rainy days.

I always enjoy books that are set in the Saxon Britain era - especially the ones that aren't bogged down in politics and aren't set completely in 'court' or at the King's side. Bishop mixes the two well, there is an understanding of what is happening between the Saxons/Vikings and the deals that have been made, however the book primarily focuses on Matthews journey and what he encounters. This is a very interesting read as Matthew walks into one disaster after another and deals more with the Vikings on the ground, whether they be raiders or just the outcasts who are roaming the country.

This book flies past, the action never stops and there is almost never a moment to breathe - the moment Matthew gets out of one situation he is immediately placed into another one, however this actually doesn't bother me. I do wish there had been a bit more world-building as sometimes everything rolled into one, and Bishop uses less description than most of the books I read. This doesn't draw back from the enjoyment of the book though, I still flew through it in a couple of days.

Thankyou to NetGalley, RedDoor Publishing and Chris Bishop for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Warrior With The Pierced Heart.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and was definitely not left disappointed with reading this book.
I loved the descriptive setting of the story. I felt like I was there experiencing the story alongside the central characters. Mr Bishop made this book come alive. I also felt that the storyline was well thought out and keeps the reader entertained to the very last page.
Definitely well worth a read. I will certainly be reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was eager to get my hands on the second book - and I have to say I am so glad I did as I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

The characters are so good, they interact very well and they are grounded, genuine characters.

There seemed to be a little but more flexibility in this one and it wasn't as historically accurate as the first book but I have to say that this isn't a negative or a criticism, I really think it is needed to carry the story, but it won't be to everyone's cup of tea!

I loved the writing style and the scene setting was great - I love this period so it was always going to be a treat for me to read.

It is a very enjoyable read - 4 stars from me for this one.

This is the second book in the exciting Shadow of the Raven series . This book is everything that the readers will want after the fast paced and exciting adventures in the first book. The book tells the story of Matthew and his struggle for survival after getting grievously injured. We also get a peek into the historical factors and struggles for power in a Saxon England.

The Shadow of the Raven Series (book two, the Warrior with the Pierced Heart)

The hero of the book, Matthew son of Edwulf, a monk turned warrior, travels ahead of King Alfred to Exeter to herald the King’s triumphant return after his victory over the Vikings at the battle of Edington.

Fans of historical fiction, especially about Dark Aged Britain, should enjoy this novel. Chris Bishop has clearly done his research, and the story has been well written, and is certainly a page turner. I read this book in a matter of days, so it clearly kept me interested throughout.. Without wishing to be overtly critical of a new author learning his trade, I personally don’t think it’s quite in the same league as some of his contemporaries who specialise in Dark Aged Britain historical fiction. He is not too far away, and I’m sure with the experience of writing more novels on this subject he will get better and better.

Overall I enjoyed the story, though I don’t think I would ever want to travel anywhere with Matthew, he seems to walk into one disaster after another !

Have you heard the one about a Monk, a Monk turned Warrior and a Jack the lad one had a story of giants, another of St Kevin (not Keegan he left his Saint hood to serve St James),. But I digress and the humour and the action is far better in this book than my attempt you will be pleased to know. For this is a great read, mind bit awkward when the hero gets a arrow to his heart at the start of the book, however fear not it may not be what it seems, but best to read it yourself as i don't want to spoil it for you. There is plenty of action intrigued and twists that had me wanting to keep reading and ignore the alarm clock or call for dinner. Matthew is a late teens 3rd soon if a lesser and brother to a renown Warrior in King Alfred's kingdom of Wessex. The Vikings have been beaten and Matthew our hero is sent on ahead of the King and his army to Exeter but not all goes as planned. Would not make the best novel if it had i guess,a I have really enjoyed this book and hope you do as well.
I have been given a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review.