Today we kick off the blog tour for Excalibur by Peter Gibbons!
Here's the blurb
The sword has the power of Britain in its steel, men will follow and fight for whoever wields it...
Dark Age Britain. A legendary hero rises to unite a divided and threatened land...
A country left in ruins after the fall of the Roman Empire is plundered and broken. Saxon hordes have invaded and conquered the East coast of Britain in a blood-soaked Great War which tore the old kingdoms apart. From Bernicia to Kent, land and kingdoms are now under Saxon rule. But these new conquerors want more…
Britain's remaining kingdoms are jaded by the constant threat of war, their Kings old, alliances fickle and frayed. It seems Britain must fall enslaved to the brutal and marauding conquerors from across the sea.
But no one counted on a new and fearsome warlord. A warrior granted power by the druid Merlin through the mighty sword Excalibur. A man with no Kingdom but a quest to unite the country and fight back against the baying Saxon warriors? He is known as the legendary Arthur.
The compelling, fast-paced start of a brand new series from bestselling writer Peter Gibbons. Perfect for the fans of Bernard Cornwall.
Praise for the series:
'Epic, brutal action' - Matthew Harffy
'Bloody and brutal, Peter's vivid writing really brings the story to life.' - Donovan Cook
'A superbly atmospheric tale of redemption that pitches the English against Viking raiders and resounds with the fierceness of battle-hardened warriors' - MJ Porter
'Thunderously atmospheric! Gibbons once again proves himself a master of Viking & Dark Age lore.' - Gordon Doherty
'Absolutely cracking. The best Viking saga I've read in years. A joy to pick up again.' - Ross Greenwood
Review
To say Peter Gibbons has fast become a favourite of mine is an understatement. The author and publisher Boldwood, have been killing it in the historical fiction genre recently so when I learnt a new series was starting you can imagine the excitement I felt.
The Arthurian Chronicles tells us about one of the most fascinating characters in history in my opinion - Arthur. From a young age Arthur held a lot of interest to me.. mainly because no one could say one way or another if he existed but the whole idea of Arthur and the sword Excalibur excited me! for me it's a risk going for Arthur as you need to get that excitement level right to match the myths, and the reader is going to have high expectations.
Did Gibbons deliver? Of course he did!! Gibbons knows his craft and most certainly knows his audience. We have what I've come to expect...the wonderful, dark and gruesome gore that any battle loving fan needs but the story is wonderfully weaved with fact and fiction.. I think that's what makes Gibbon's writing so exciting to read as his topics always allow some leeway for events to play out and you can really see the effort put into the tale to make the pieces come together.
The author isn't afraid of detail either, setting the scene.. the ensemble cast too with many a familiar name, each play a part in the development and flow of the tale but in typical Gibbon's style nothing Is forced in there, its done in what feels like such an effortless way, but I know must have took quite some time to write.
Book 1 is all about laying the foundations but that doesn't mean you don't have excitement and you can tell towards the end of the book that a battle is brewing.. but there's still time for the author to keep the reader on their toes too leaving the reader fulfilled..but at the same time in silent shock.
I know I bang on about pace and flow.. probably way too much... but Peter Gibbon's gets it.. the mix is so perfect it builds the excitement from the 1st page to last..
Don't just take my word for any this either.. just look at the praise for the author.. Harffy, Cook, Porter and Doherty.. all household names in my book and certainly authors who are keeping my bookshelves full.
I did want to say there's a downside but there isnt.. I'm always keen to crack on with the next book..luckily I won't need to wait long with the next instalment already up for pre-order for release later in the year!
A very impressive read and after enjoying a lot of the authors books of late I feel like it's also something new and fresh allowing Gibbon's to further cement himself as one of the best authors out there!
A wonderous 5* read.
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/excalibursocial
My thanks go to Rob Sinclair, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I only accept ARCs to aid timely reviews but this will certainly be adding a paperback to the permanent collection
Why not follow the tour?
Author Bio –
Peter is the winner of the 2022 Kindle Storyteller Literary Award, and an author based in Kildare in Ireland, with a passion for Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and of course writing! Peter was born in Warrington in the UK and studied Law at Liverpool John Moores University, before taking up a career in Financial Services and is now a full time author. Peter currently lives in Kildare Ireland, and is married with three children. Peter is an avid reader of both Historical Fiction and Fantasy novels, particularly those of Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, David Gemmell, and Brandon Sanderson. His books include the Viking Blood and Blade Saga and the first novel in his new Saxon Warrior Series entitled Warrior & Protector was released on 31st October 2022 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B45MMSBV . You can visit Peter's website at www.petermgibbons.com .
Social Media Links –
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Bookbub profile: Peter Gibbons Books - BookBub
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