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A Time for Swords Hardcover – May 1, 2021

by Matthew Harffy (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,519 ratings
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When the Vikings attack, a novice monk's life is changed forever in Matthew Harffy's new historical adventure.
Lindisfarne, AD793.

There had been portents – famine, whirlwinds, lightning from clear skies, serpents seen flying through the air. But when the raiders came, no one was prepared.

They came from the North, their dragon-prowed longships gliding out of the dawn mist as they descended on the kingdom's most sacred site.

It is 8th June AD 793, and with the pillage of the monastery on Lindisfarne, the Viking Age has begun.

While his fellow monks flee before the Norse onslaught, one young novice stands his ground. He has been taught to turn the other cheek, but faced with the slaughter of his brothers and the pagan desecration of his church, forgiveness is impossible.
Hunlaf soon learns that there is a time for faith and prayer... and there is a time for swords.
Praise for Matthew Harffy:

'Harffy is a master of the Dark Age thriller... A Time for Swords is a bold opening to yet another enthralling series. It promises to be one heck of a ride' Theodore Brun, author of A Mighty Dawn

'Terrific white-knuckle action, absolutely gripping storytelling... Can't wait for the next one. Highly recommended!' Angus Donald author of Robin Hood and the Caliph's Gold

'The gripping novel evokes the turbulence and violence of the first onslaught of the Vikings. I couldn't put it down!' Christian Cameron author of Hawkwood's Sword

'Nothing less than superb... The tale is fast paced and violence lurks on every page' Historical Novel Society

'Harffy's writing just gets better and better... He is really proving himself the rightful heir to Gemmell's crown' Jemahl Evans, author of The Last Roundhead

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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    A Time for Swords
  2. Print length
    496 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book
  5. Publication date
    May 1, 2021
  6. Dimensions
    1 x 1 x 1 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1838932852
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1838932855
  9. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A Time for Swords is a bold opening to yet another enthralling series. It promises to be one heck of a ride” ―Theodore Brun

“If you have enjoyed Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and don't know where to look for your next fix – well, you've found it and you will not be disappointed!... Excellent prose, interesting characters, visceral battles and a cracking twist or two prove that Matthew Harffy is an author on the rise. An excellent first tale in what I hope will be an eventful and thrilling series'” ―Grimdark Magazine

“The gripping novel evokes the turbulence and violence of the first onslaught of the Vikings. I couldn't put it down!” ―Christian Cameron

“A riveting great read from cover to cover... An impressively crafted historical novel that will have a very special appeal to fans of the Viking Age, the clash of swords and the medieval struggle of Christianity against the pagan horde from the violent lands of Scandinavia'” ―MidWest Book Review

“If you like your fiction fast-paced and action-packed – filled with brutal and bloody battles – but also with characters with whom you can empathise and root for, then this book will not disappoint. Fans of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories will lap this up” ―Aspects of History

About the Author

Matthew Harffy grew up in Northumberland where the rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline had a huge impact on him. He now lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters. Matthew is the author of the critically acclaimed Bernicia Chronicles and A Time for Swords series, and he also presents the popular podcast, Rock, Paper, Swords!, with fellow author Steven A. McKay.

Follow Matthew at @MatthewHarffy and www.matthewharffy.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book (May 1, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 496 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1838932852
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838932855
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.59 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1 x 1 x 1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,519 ratings

About the author

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Matthew Harffy

Matthew Harffy

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Matthew Harffy lived in Northumberland as a child and the area had a great impact on him. The rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline made it easy to imagine the past. Decades later, a documentary about Northumbria's Golden Age sowed the kernel of an idea for a series of historical fiction novels. The first of them is the action-packed tale of vengeance and coming of age, THE SERPENT SWORD.

Matthew has worked in the IT industry, where he spent all day writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him. Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.

For all the latest news and exclusive competitions, join Matthew online:

www.matthewharffy.com

twitter.com/@MatthewHarffy

www.facebook.com/MatthewHarffyAuthor

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
4,519 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

quilling mama
5.0 out of 5 stars Best tale of the Viking attacks and the defense against them
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2024
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Mattew Harffy clearly has a great understanding of the events surrounding the Norsemens attacks and also how the English fought back. The story is full of great characters and lots of action. Will definitely be looking for the next book cause I had a hard time putting this one down and I am already missing the characters he created.
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RosieB
4.0 out of 5 stars interesting read, well researched
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2021
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Past books I've read set in the Dark-Middle Ages have had characters who spent their lives as soldiers then retired to a monastery when they got older, and presumably wiser. Not surprisingly, as the one constant source of employment in times of small kingdoms and invasions was a need for warriors. This book takes an interesting turn. A novice monk, whose father couldn't afford the gear for him to become a soldier, is present at the first major Norse looting event in the British Isles. The sacking of the monastery at Lindisfarne is a historical event and here elicits a possible corollary - what if there were monks who decided to become warriors to save their brethren? We follow Hunlaf through the journey from scribe to soldier and somewhat returning to scribe. There appear to be more volumes coming in the story and I'd expect them to be a good addition to the tale.
One person found this helpful
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LJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Strong opening book one
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
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Matthew Harfy has captured my attention in this well written book one of a hopefully very long series. I look forward to reading more asap.
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Evelyn Pope
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
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The book turns very interesting towards the end. I enjoyed the battles, the characters, the setting. Just too much inner thoughts, but I won't take away a star for that. I liked the book. Period
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Family Gervais
4.0 out of 5 stars A rousing historical fiction adventure
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2021
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I am new to Matthew Harfly's work, and enjoyed this book quite a lot. It felt very grounded in early medieval period while also giving full life to a crew of interesting characters. I appreciate the inclusion of a woman warrior in the mix. I especially liked the main character's grounding in the world of the monastic scriptorium, as I am an hobbyist calligrapher. People who enjoy stories like Vikings, and The Last Kingdom should also appreciate this book. Looking forward to more in the series!
One person found this helpful
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Barbara F
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Riviting
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2023
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This story was captivating and so well written! The author made me feel each battle and such emotion and connection with the characters. This is a must read!
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Fair
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2022
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I enjoyed this historical fiction at what seems the start of the Viking age. Definitely was well written and characters were pretty good. What I didn't enjoy was I felt like I've read this before. I'm not one to guess the future events of a book, but this one was pretty obvious. This was a free read at Amazon, so I won't complain much, just wish there was more suspense or edge of your seat moments.
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DaveB.
5.0 out of 5 stars A great Dark Ages read.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2020
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Having read and loved Matthew Harffy's excellent Bernicia Chronicles series, I looked forward to this new book with breathless anticipation. In all honesty, the first half of the book was not as compelling as the Bernicia books. There was a wealth of information about life in a medieval monastery, all well and good but not heart racing. The main character, Hunlaf, a monk, finds his inner warrior when the Norse invade his monastery. Once he has tasted taking a life in combat, he begins to question his calling and chooses to leave his vows behind. It is this second part of the book, the last half, that really sets the theme of the book, in my opinion. Hunlaf joins forces with a rag-tag group of warriors to defend his former monastery from the return of the Norse invaders. The training and eventual confrontation with the Vikings is good stuff - fit for any fan of Dark Ages fiction.
The story is told from the viewpoint of Hunlaf at the end of his life and hints at further adventures to come. I look forward to these.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Johanna Bond
5.0 out of 5 stars Like being there
Reviewed in Canada on January 15, 2022
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He did it again, masterful writing, read all his books, series, superbe, just like being there watching in the distance, make you want to travel to those region, characters, history, are so beautifully written, now have to wait for book 2, life goes on,
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Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2024
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This book is an excellent read, entertaining, enthralling, engaging. I have read it now three times, and I only read the good ones more than once.
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Rabin
5.0 out of 5 stars What a fantastic yarn!
Reviewed in India on December 28, 2022
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I read it in one go and loved every line of it. I specifically liked the constant conflict in Hunlaf's mind about his actions which sets this story apart from others of the same genre.

This is my first Matthew Harffy book and will most certainly not be the last
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Magicm
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply fantastic again
Reviewed in Germany on December 20, 2020
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Yet another amazing read. It just has it all. A book, and hopefully a series, to get lost in again. Thank you. Keep up the good work!
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Howard Riach
5.0 out of 5 stars truly enjoyable and riveting
Reviewed in Australia on October 7, 2023
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The storyline is one which has the good grasp of the history of the time and allows the reader to embrace the characters as they enter the story providing a sound relationships within the story
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