A Time for Swords

At the end of his life, Hunlaf is recording his adventures. In what is clearly intended to be the first installment in a new series from Harffy (“The Bernicia Chronicles” series), Hunlaf is a monk who longs to be a warrior and defend the people of Werceworthe against Norsemen during the Viking Age. It is 793 CE, and Hunlaf joins a small group of swordsmen as they journey from Lindisfarne to their ultimate battle site. Along the journey, Hunlaf adds Runolf and Cormac to their war band, from the enemy camp. This title is high adventure, but it can be repetitive. Twice, a member of the team joins or is approached, declines or leaves, and then comes back. The overuse of the word “heartbeat” to indicate the passage of time and the amount of horseback riding are wearying as well. For a book that is already of considerable length, less duplication would be preferred. A map of the journey at the book’s front and an author’s note at the end of the book both provide historical context.