Book Review: Storm of War by Peter Gibbons

Published March 12, 2023 | By Chris Parish

We are pleased to be welcoming Peter Gibbons to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for Storm of War, book two in the Saxon Warrior Series.

The fight for a torn Kingdom rests in the hands of a few brave men…

990AD.

King Aethelred II, who men will one day call The Unready, rules over a land divided by the shadowy spin of his mother Queen Ælfthryth and the sprawling power of the Church.

The Viking Warlord, Olaf Tryggvason smelling the Kingdoms weakness brings the vicious Jomsvikings to the Saxon coastline ravenous for war and plunder.

Together Lord Byrthnoth, Ealdorman of the East Saxons and Beornoth his Saxon Thegn lead a force of oath sworn Viking killers, every bit as brutal and war-skilled as the Norse invaders to protect the Kingdom against enemies both from within, and from the cruel seas. They are pushed to the very limits of their bravery and endurance in a desperate fight for the very existence of the Saxon Kingdom.

In a riveting story of trachery, betrayal, vengeance and war, can Beornoth defeat his enemies and protect the Kingdom from destruction?

*****

The story follows Beornoth as he tries to avenge the death of his children, fighting Vikings who are attacking Saxon England, whilst also needing to contend with politics and treachery.

This is book two in the series and although I was aware there was a book prior to this one I hadn’t read, I didn’t feel there were too many holes in my knowledge. Any relevant information is given concisely.

Beornoth is what you’d expect of a warrior. He’s motivated by a desire for revenge and hatred but he has a strong moral compass/dislike for injustice and therefore it gives him depth as a character.

All the supporting characters are well rounded yet their stories and information given doesn’t slow the story down in any way.

The pace is great. I was halfway through the book before I even realised as I was very much engrossed. The plot develops well which made me want to keep turning the page. You can tell that Peter Gibbons has done his research in terms of the history.

Storm of War is perfect for fans of historical fiction. It was very much an enjoyable read and I recommend it.

About Peter Gibbons –

Peter Gibbons is a financial advisor and author of the highly acclaimed Viking Blood and Blade trilogy. He comes to Boldwood with his new Saxon Warrior series, set around the 900 AD Viking invasion during the reign of King Athelred the Unready. The first title of the new series, Warrior and Protector, will be published in October 2022. He originates from Liverpool and now lives with his family in County Kildare.