Book picks similar to
The Dragon Sword by Griff Hosker


historical-fiction
vikings
historical
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In the Shadow of the Beast (The Saga of Hasting the Avenger Book 2)


C.J. Adrien - 2020
    Some of them were entirely lost…a great chastening is upon them unlike any the ancient Christian world has ever seen.” - Alcuin of York, Letter to Arno King Horic is dead. The oaths that once bonded the Danes and Northmen in the islands of Aquitaine have broken. Hasting's new land is imperiled by fearsome challengers and old foes alike. A rumor from the continent will shatter the brittle veneer of his strength and expose his deepest wound from the past. His greatest trial will not be fought with a sword, ax, or shield, but with his heart. A supposed son of Ragnar Lodbrok, and referred to in the Gesta Normannorum as the Scourge of the Somme and Loire, his life exemplified the qualities of the ideal Viking. Join author and historian C.J. Adrien on an adventure that explores the early life and adventures of the Viking Hasting and his crew.

The Sword Brothers


Peter Darman - 2013
    The battle to convert the natives is savage and unrelenting and into this holy war is thrust Conrad Wolff, a young native of the city of Lübeck whose family has suffered a terrible injustice. Forced to leave his homeland to seek sanctuary in Livonia, Conrad’s fate is soon entwined with that of the Sword Brothers, the order of warrior monks that fights to defend and expand Christendom in the Baltic. But as Conrad begins his training to become a member of the brethren, the enemies of the Bishop of Riga gather and soon Livonia is surrounded and battling for its very existence. Conrad and the order soon find themselves fighting for their lives as the enemies of the Sword Brothers close in on all sides. This, the first volume in the Crusader Chronicles, tells the story of Conrad Wolff and the Baltic Crusade during the first years of the thirteenth century.

Pagan Warrior


M.J. Porter - 2015
    The year is 632 and the great Edwin of Northumbria, bretwalda over England, must battle against an alliance of the old Britons under his foster-brother Cadwallon of Gwynedd, aided by Penda of Mercia, a brutal young war leader gaining in strength and reputation. Who will ally with whom? Who will play false to their Lord? Who will turn their back on their own family? The ebb and flow of battle will once more redraw the lines of the petty kingdoms stretching across the British Isles. There will be a victor and a bloody loser and kings will rise from the ashes of a great battle.

The Last Dying Light


William Havelock - 2020
    Yet famine, war, and an encroaching night leave the Eastern Empire trending towards ruin.Faint hope arises as a new dynasty ascends to the throne of Caesar. Bearing witness to such events is Varus, a young Herulian slave to the aging yet powerful Justin, who unveils a bold plan held by two generations of Romans – to retake the West and reclaim their homeland.Following Justin’s dream, Varus enlists with the Roman Army and discovers the carnage of 6th Century warfare. As a mysterious horde of black-shielded invaders devastates the Empire’s northern provinces, Varus’ unit is called upon to defend under the leadership of Belisarius, one of Justin’s most promising commanders.As Varus prepares for the sacrifices to come, however, he begins to question Justin’s secrets, seeking answers regarding his true identity and place as a pivotal figure in the Empire’s survival.

The Great Pagan Army


Vaughn Heppner - 2010
    They are the Great Pagan Army—the largest array of Vikings ever assembled into one host. No army or city can resist them; no one dares… until a crippled young count finds an old Roman book on tactics. With a handful of desperate knights, Count Odo fortifies the river fortress of Paris and awaits the savage host. Neither he nor the Vikings realize that this will be young Paris’s most brutal siege and of incredibly fateful importance. THE GREAT PAGAN ARMY is the recreation of a historical campaign of brutal savagery. It is a full novel, 113,000 words in length by bestselling author Vaughn Heppner.

On Sackville Street


A. O'Connor - 2016
    Firstly, she scandalises society by refusing to wear the mandatory widow’s weeds. She then sets her sights on marrying Nicholas Fontenoy. But Nicholas is already engaged to Bishop Staffordshire’s daughter, Constance. But is there something darker behind Milandra’s professed love for Nicholas? As Milandra attempts to lure Nicholas away from Constance, a chain of events is set off that leads to bribery, blackmail and murder. 1916 - Milandra Carter, now in her seventies, is one of the wealthiest and most respected women in Dublin. After attending a family reunion at Easter, on arrival back to her mansion on Sackville Street she is confronted by a gunman. Milandra fears he has come to avenge a past grudge. But quickly realises she has been caught up in something much bigger. 1916 - As Dublin explodes with the Easter Rising, Amelia Robinson desperately tries to rescue her grandmother, Milanda, trapped in her house. But the events unfolding on Sackville Street will unravel a decades old mystery, a secret that was to be carried to the grave.

The Viking's Hold (The Viking's Hold, #1)


Jany Vernis - 2014
    But she never thought they would dare to attack her father's stronghold. And that they would succeed...Do you like your history with a pinch of adventure and a zest of romance? Then this book is for you.Set in tenth century England, this story will draw you back to ancient times, where life was uncertain and passions were burning. At the end of the Dark Ages men fought for honor, land and wealth, and did everything with excess. Women struggled through feuds, raids, diseases and famines. Love was rare and precious, hard to find and easy to lose. And worth going to war for.Published on Wattpad as an unedited draft, The Viking's Hold received more than nine million reads worldwide, and the Wattpad Most Read award in the Historical Fiction category.Out of seven thousand comments, the most frequents were:"I didn't sleep last night, I couldn't stop reading...""I love how realistic the characters are for the time frame...""Thank you for putting so much efforts in the research, it truly shows...""I always thought history was boring, not anymore...""I feel as if I was there..."

Caledonia


William Kelso - 2013
    At the battle of Mons Graupius the Roman army led by Governor Agricola destroys the Caledonian confederation that has formed to oppose the Roman invasion.In the aftermath of the battle a Caledonian boy reveals a secret that has the potential to change Roman strategy in the north forever.Marcus, an auxiliary Roman cavalry soldier is ordered to investigate andpromptly disappears into the remote trackless wastes of the north.In Rome his estranged father and retired Legionary, Corbulo sets out to find his only son and bring him home. So starts an adventure that will take Corbulo to the remotest parts of Caledonia and plunge him into the low intensity conflict that is raging between the scattered Caledonian war bands and the Roman forts and garrisons of Agricola's occupying army. Corbulo will need all his wits, courage and experience to fend off hostile and proud Barbarian warriors, a gang of murderous mercenaries and the lure of a dazzling prize."

Viking Storm


Julian Brazier - 2014
    Each Anglo Saxon kingdom is overwhelmed in turn by ferocious, battle-hardened Viking warriors who can strike at a time and place of their choosing thanks to their famous longships. Viking armies have conquered Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia. Now they are coming for Wessex and the young king Alfred cannot even rely on his own nobles. Driven to the remote marshes in Somerset, Alfred must regroup his loyal supporters and organize the fight back. He finds some unlikely allies: two young Saxon nobles out for revenge and, above all, Constantinos, a Byzantine soldier and diplomat and his bodyguards who all find their own reasons to fight – and die – in someone else’s war.Viking Storm is the first in an action-packed trilogy that reveals just how narrowly England survived the Vikings, and why Alfred is the only English king known as ‘The Great’. ‘Julian Brazier has shone a light on the Dark Ages and given Alfred the Great the rip-roaring yarn he deserves. This generation has all but forgotten the astonishing achievements of the Saxon King, and how he saved England from a blood-crazed enemy - and re-founded the City of London. Viking Storm is a pacy and suspenseful blockbuster. Alfred lives!’ - Boris Johnson‘New recruits to the territorial army should perhaps consult a copy of Viking Storm, a racy new novel by Julian Brazier, for tips on how to behave under fire. Brazier displays an alarming flair for describing violent conquest’ – Sunday TimesEducated at Wellington and Oxford, Julian Brazier is the Member of Parliament for Canterbury and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence responsible for reserve forces. He served for thirteen years as an officer in the Territorial Army, including five years with the SAS Reserves. He is married with three children.Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.

Like Dust, I Rise


Ginny Rorby - 2021
    When he quits his job in the Chicago stockyards to join other homesteaders settling the Great Plains, Nona finds herself torn between supporting her father's vision for their future and her mother's struggle to adjust to life on a desolate prairie.Initially, things look up for the family as they settle into life in Dalhart, Texas. The wheat boom is in full swing, and it appears her father's dream of providing his family with a home of their own is coming true. Too soon the effects of the depression impact her family. Then the rains stop. Before long, Dalhart is the epicenter of the Dust Bowl.Like Dust, I Rise transforms poverty into pride and reflects the heroism of endurance.

The Shadow of Celene


Carol Sanders - 2018
     Livy Prescott is a young wife dependent upon,beholden to, and manipulated by Celene, a slave. In 1860, Edward Prescott gallops into Livy Taylor’s life racing his carriage down the main street of her tiny Pennsylvania town, winning a bet and her heart. After they wed, Livy is swept away to Merrywood, Edward’s home in the hills of North Carolina. There Livy faces the daunting task of adjusting to her new life as Mistress of Merrywood and slave-owner. And there Livy encounters Celene, the beautiful slave cook of Merrywood, skilled in the healing arts and privy to the deepest secrets of the Prescotts. Gradually Livy learns the extent of Celene’s influence and the hold she maintains over her master, causing Livy to question who is the real mistress of Merrywood.

MacGregor's Daughter: A Scottish Historical Romance (The Highland Moon Series Book 5)


Gwyn Brodie - 2018
    Knowing their chief, Lyall Campbell will stop at nothing to find her, she escapes on a massive warhorse, and travels across the snow-blanketed countryside, searching for safety and shelter. She finds both in the arms of Alexander MacPherson, the Laird of Blackstone, and the Highlander who rescues her. Ceana soon finds herself in love with the handsome laird, but will she trust him enough to tell him the secret she's keeping? After the battle, Lyall Campbell is satisfied that he has ended the lives of even more MacGregors, once again proving his loyalty to the king. Then the Campbell chief becomes both outraged and baffled when he learns the MacGregor laird's daughter has taken his devil of a warhorse. He swears to hunt her down and reclaim his horse, then to use the bonnie lass anyway he sees fit—before ending her life. When he learns she—and his prize stallion—are at Blackstone Castle, nothing will keep him from seeking revenge—no matter how many MacPhersons he has to kill. Alex is captivated by the dark-haired lass he rescues in a snowstorm and can think of little else. Ceana tells him almost nothing about herself, but it's obvious, she's running form something—or someone. And in order to protect her, he needs to know what to protect her from. He falls deeper and deeper in love with her and wants her for his wife. But first, he intends to find out what it is she's hiding from him. Will the truth bring them closer together, or forever keep them apart?

The Young Widow: An Ambition & Destiny Novel (The Ambition & Destiny Series Book 6)


V.L. McBeath - 2020
    When an enigmatic stranger steals her heart, can she know he wants her for the right reasons?London 1808: Widowed at the age of twenty, Ann has no optimism for the future. At the beck and call of her domineering mother she longs to make a new life for herself with the legacy left by her late husband. But it's not that easy. Not when it means leaving her sisters behind. Her world is turned upside down when a curious gentleman stops to speak to her. Chas is new to the area, but he seems to know a lot about her … and he certainly looks well-to-do. Could he be her saviour? With newfound hope Ann dares to dream again, but Chas has a secret. Something he refuses to share. As their friendship grows, there are those who want to keep them apart … but when Ann stumbles upon Chas’s past, she realises that only she can decide what their future holds. Inspired by the compelling family history of author V L McBeath, The Young Widow is a standalone story in The Ambition & Destiny Series. Set in Georgian-era London, forty years before the start of this historical family saga, The Young Widow adds another dimension to this epic series. Get your copy today. Please Note: The Young Widow is written in UK English. Other books in The Ambition & Destiny Series: Prequel: Condemned by Fate Part 1: Hooks & Eyes Part 2: Less Than Equals Part 3: When Time Runs Out Part 4: Only One Winner Part 5: Different World

The Forsaken Maid's Secret


Faye Godwin - 2019
    Discovered by the police, Bincy is taken to an orphanage, where she learns that Mama is not the only person who doesn't want her. In truth, nobody wants her, and Bincy is forced to cling to the orphanage bully Mae for comfort. As the years pass, Mae forces Bincy to do everything she demands, from picking on the younger girls to giving up her meager allotment of food. When Bincy is betrayed by Mae, she's sent to work in a manor house as a scullery maid. That's where Bincy meets two young men: Judd, the street urchin who comes into the cellar to scavenge for food, and Henry, the charismatic young master of the house. Despite Judd's warnings, Bincy finds herself falling for Henry. But when Henry demands more from her than she's willing to give, Bincy has to make a choice: give herself to him or face her greatest fear of being alone and discarded once more.

A Western Christmas (Old West Wyoming Book 1)


Vivian Sinclair - 2017
     After five years of hard work, Elliott Maitland has succeeded to make profitable the ranch he bought on a whim from a gambler who had no interest in working with cattle. A frosty winter day finds Elliott in town, hoping to conclude his business before the blizzard starts in earnest. Sam, the owner of the mercantile, asks him to give shelter to the new schoolteacher, who just arrived in town and has nowhere to stay. Celestine Tillman is in desperate need of a job and a place to live. Being hired as a teacher in Wyoming is a blessing. Discovering that no one is waiting for her at the train depot and no room is available in town so close to Christmas is distressing. Going home with this rancher could be dangerous, but what choice does she have? This adventure packed fictional story is set in Laramie, Wyoming at the end of the nineteen century and presents a true picture of the western town with all the good and the bad, the modern and the old west mixed together. An enduring town moving forward and changing with the times.