by C. R. May
I will address the hoary old question of ships with sails for the last time here. Again, those who have read my earlier books will know that I, along with an increasing number of experts, believe that the ships which carried the Engles, Saxons and others southwards to raid and settle must have carried sails. Sails had been in use in the Mediterranean for thousands of years and it seems beyond ridiculous that seafaring peoples would not use a means of propulsion which they must have been aware of. Greek and Phoenician traders were visiting northern Europe in ships with sails at least one thousand years before the events in this book, and the Roman fleets which plied the North Sea certainly carried sail. It seems too fantastic to imagine that the Roman and post Roman forces which were stationed at the forts which lined both sides of the North Sea and English Channel, the so-called Saxon Shore forts, would have been unable to sweep the seas clear of raiders whose ships were crewed by exhausted men sweating over banks of oars for days on end.
If you enjoyed my book, can I ask that you spare a few moments to leave a short review on Amazon or Goodreads? We are all guided by the reviews of others, and even a mention on Twitter or Facebook can help to raise an author's profile.
In the following book the full might of King Eomær's army is brought to bear on the Danes as the English people begin to move west across the sea.
CHARACTERS
Anwyl – Cerdic's helmsman.
Astrid – Daughter of King Hygelac of Geatland, wife of Eofer.
Bassa – A youth.
Beornwulf – A youth.
Beowulf – Ealdorman of Wægmundings, kinsman of King Heardred of Geatland and Eofer king's bane.
Brecc – Eofer's British thræl.
Cerdic strongarm – Belgic exile, a Briton.
Coelwulf – An English thegn.
Crawa – A youth, twin to Hræfen.
Cynric – Son of the British leader, Cerdic strongarm.
Eahlswith – King Eomær's cwen.
Eofer Wonreding, king's bane – Son of Wonred, brother of Wulf.
Eomær Engeltheowing - King of the English.
Finn – A youth.
Freawaru – Daughter of King Hrothgar of the Danes, betrothed to King Ingeld of the War-Beards.
Frithgar – Ealdorman Wonred's duguth.
Grimma – Leader of the English bowmen.
Grimwulf – An English thræl, freed in Daneland. Joins Eofer's youth.
Heardred Hygelacson - Son of King Hygelac of Geatland. Inherits the throne on his father's death in Frisland. Eofer's brother-in-law.
Hræfen – A youth, brother of Crawa.
Heorogar – A Jutish jarl.
Hrethmund – A Jutish jarl.
Hrothgar Halfdanson– King of Daneland.
Hrothwulf Halgason - Nephew of King Hrothgar.
Icel Eomæring – English ætheling, son of King Eomær.
Imma Gold- Eofer's duguth.
Ingeld Frodason - King of the Heathobeards – the War-Beards.
Octa – Eofer's duguth.
Osbeorn – Eofer's duguth.
Osea – King of Jutes.
Osric – A shipwright at Strand.
Osgar – The chief guda at Sleyswic.
Oswin word-poor – A youth.
Penda – A duguth, Wonred's weorthman.
Porta – A youth.
Rand – A youth.
Sæward – Eofer's steersman. A duguth.
Spearhafoc/Dwynwyn – Sparrowhawk, Eofer's British shield-maiden.
Starkad Storvirkson – A Heathobeard warrior.
Thrush Hemming – Eofer's weorthman, his senior duguth.
Ubba – A Danish war lord.
Weohstan – Young son of Eofer and Astrid.
Wictgils – A Jutish jarl.
Withergeld – A Heathobeard warrior.
Wonred – Folctoga and father of Eofer and Wulf.
Wulf Wonreding – Son of Wonred, brother of Eofer.
PLACES/LOCATIONS
The River Afen – The River Avon, Wessex, England.
The River Aldu – The River Alde, Suffolk, England.
The Bight – Flensburg Firth.
The River Blithe – The River Blyth, Suffolk, England.
Gwened – Vannes, Brittany, France.
Bro Gwereg – A British kingdom in present day Brittany, France.
Bunoncga-haye – Bungay, Suffolk, England.
Cerdicsford – Charford, Hampshire, England.
Clausentum – A Roman fort at the head of Southampton Water, England.
Cnobheresburg – The Roman Saxon shore fort of Garianonum, now known as Burgh castle, Norfolk, England.
The Crossing – Vejle, Jutland, Denmark.
The River Egedore – River Eider, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Fleama – Fleam dyke, Cambridgeshire, England.
The River Gipping – The River Orwell, Suffolk, England.
Godmey - Gudme, Fyn, Denmark.
Grantebrycge – Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
Grim's Brook – River Vida, Jutland, Denmark.
Grim's Dyke – Olgerdiget, near Aabenraa, Jutland, Denmark.
Great Belt – The channel between Fyn and Zeeland.
Harrow – Hearg/temple, now the Danish island of Fyn.
Hereford – Rendsburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Hesselo – A small island north of Zeeland, Denmark.
Hleidre – Lejre, Zeeland, Denmark.
Hroar's Kilde – Roskilde, Zeeland, Denmark.
Hwælness – Whale Ness – Sankt Peter-Ording, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Iceni Hill Way/Great South Road – Icknield Way, southern England.
King's River – Kongeaen River, Jutland, Denmark.
Little Belt – The channel between Jutland and Fyn in present day Denmark.
Miceldic – The Great Dyke - Devils Dyke, Cambridgeshire, England.
The Muddy Sea – Nordfriesisches Wattenmeer, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Needham – Nydam Mose archaeological site, near Sonderborg, Jutland, Denmark.
North Strand – Nordstrand – Wattenmeer, Nordfriesland, Germany.
Old Ford – Hollingstedt, Schleswig-Flensburg, Germany.
The Oxen Way – An ancient roadway, still known today as the Ochsenweg, running approximately north-south the length of the Jutland peninsula.
Porta's Mutha – Portsmouth, now Friedrichstadt, Nordfriesland, Germany.
Silt – Sylt, Nordfriesland, Germany.
The Sley – Schlei, Schleswig-Flensburg, Germany.
Sleyswic – Schleswig, Schleswig-Flensburg, Germany.
Sorbiodunum – Old Sarum, Wiltshire, England.
Strand – Suderhafen, Nordstrand, Germany.
Suthworthig – Eckernforde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
The Ringing Stones – Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England.
Theodford (1) – Kappeln, Schleswig-Flensburg, Germany.
Theodford (2) – Thetford, Breckland, Norfolk, England.
Thunor's Leah – Thorsberger Moor, near Suderbrarup, Schleswig-Flensburg, Germany.
The River Trene – River Treene, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
The River Udsos – The River Ouse, East Anglia, England.
Vectis/Ictis – The Isle Of Wight, England.
Venta Belgarum/Cair Guinntguic – Winchester, Hampshire, England.
The River Wahenhe – The River Waveney, Suffolk, England.
Wodensburh – Odense, Fyn, Denmark.
ALSO BY THE AUTHOR
SWORD OF WODEN
BOOK ONE
SORROW HILL
Geatland in the first decades of the sixth century was an island of peace amidst the upheaval which marked the death throes of the Roman Empire in the West. Under the benevolent rule of King Hrethel and his sons the King’s grandchild, Beowulf, the only child of his daughter, is carefully groomed by the family in the skills and duties of the warrior elite.
As Beowulf reaches adulthood a death suddenly tears the family apart. To
rn between loyalties and the freshly sworn demands of his warrior code, Beowulf must choose between those he loves and his personal ambition as the dynasty begins to tear itself asunder. Sensing weakness the Geats most feared enemy appears on their northern border and Beowulf must fight his first desperate battle to save the Kingdom….
Skilfully interwoven into the fabric of the old English poem we know as ‘Beowulf’ lies the tale of a great but ultimately doomed people, the Geats. It is a tale of decay and renewal as the old order is swept away and the new nations of Europe struggle to emerge from the ensuing chaos in an age when it was common for Kings to die in battle.
Sword of Woden, Sorrow Hill, is the first in a trilogy of novels which seek to unravel the threads contained within the original poem by recounting the early life story of Beowulf and his family.
SORROW HILL
BOOK TWO
WRÆCCA
Geatland – Late Summer 521 AD
Fresh from the desperate defence of the Northern borders of the Kingdom, Beowulf is appointed by King Hythcyn to lead the greatest ship army in the history of his people, carrying fire and sword to the ‘Black Heart’ of their enemies. But all is not as it seems. Hythcyn’s actions have thrust a flaming brand into the delicate balance of power in the Scandinavian lands, setting a series of events in motion which quickly spiral out of control.
As Beowulf begins to understand that the Allfather is carefully grooming him to confront the Grendel, a mysterious affliction begins to cast its long dark shadow across his soul, causing him to fear for his sanity.
In an enthralling tale of brutal battles, love and betrayal, Beowulf and his closest kin are swept up by the storm and scattered to the winds. From the mountainous rollers of the North Atlantic to the frozen forests of Swede Land and the bloody temple at Uppsala, Beowulf and his fellow exiles, the Wræccan, gather their strength and prepare to confront King Hythcyn in the final battle for Geatland.
WRÆCCA
BOOK THREE
MONSTERS
Historical Novel Society Review
As the cataclysmic events unfold at Ravenswood Beowulf is left fighting his own very personal war against the forces of Hel. Finally cured with the help of the wizard Asgrim, Beowulf and the men of his comitatus gather their forces and travel to Heorot to finally confront the monster, Grendel.
In a journey which sweeps across the North, from the depths of the great Swedish forests and the marshes of Frisland to the gentle hills surrounding Sutton Hoo, Beowulf finally discovers that killing Grendel was not his greatest test after all. Woden has one more, even more powerful fiend to confront as the god’s vie for ascendency over middle earth.
Sword of Woden, Monsters, is the conclusion of a trilogy of novels which seek to tell the early life story of Beowulf and his clan, the mighty Swertings.
MONSTERS
DAYRAVEN
HYGELAC'S RAID
Frisland Summer 523AD
An immense ship army under the command of Hygelac, King of Geatland has fallen on the northern provinces of the Frisian Kingdom. Rushing to defend his land the armies of the young inexperienced King Ida are defeated piecemeal as the invaders sweep through the length and breadth of the country at will. Moving south the Geats raid deeply into the lands of the Salian Francs, carrying sword and spear to the regions of the Hetware and Cherusci as the Christian giant in the South slumbers on.
But appearances can deceive. As the long days of midsummer slowly fade and the Geats prepare to sail away back to their northern fastness the Francs and Frisians move to crush their tormentors.
Into this whirlwind the paths of three heroes converge until they meet on the bloody battlefield before the town of Dorestada. Only the gods can know which, if any, will survive the clash.
Dayraven is a final 46,000 word novella in the Sword of Woden series dealing with the early life story of Beowulf and his clan, linking the storyline to this new King’s Bane series of novels.
DAYRAVEN
BRENNUS
CONQUEROR OF ROME
BOOK ONE
TERROR GALLICUS
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/brennus-conqueror-of-rome-terror-gallicus/
The titanic struggle begins in an unremarkable grove in the lands of an unremarkable tribe.The war which follows will last for centuries and shapes us still.
390 BC - A Greek trader embarks on his fifth journey to the forests of Hyperborea on behalf of his shadowy employer; and disappears.
Led by Brennus, a war lord without a past, a warrior of the Horsetails clan accompanies his tribe on an extraordinary trek through the wild Celtic lands. Eighty-thousand strong they cross the Alps and fall upon the rich lands of Italia.
On an island at the edge of the known world a young druid is driven by her night terrors to embark on a quest which she hopes will finally reveal the path which the gods have chosen for her.
A general of Rome, conqueror of the Volscian City of Anxur, witnesses a barbarian army crush the Etruscan phalanx using a deadly combination of guile and ferocity. Can he awaken the senate from its torpor and save his own city from catastrophe?
In an epic tale of friendship, heroism and betrayal, war sweeps across the ancient world as two civilisations vie for ascendancy. From the wind swept moors of Albion to the seven hills of Rome, the glacial peaks of the Alps to the tempestuous seas off the Pillars of Hercules the conflict unfolds which will decide the destiny of a continent.
TERROR GALLICUS
BRENNUS
CONQUEROR OF ROME
BOOK TWO
NEMESIS
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/nemesis-the-conqueror-of-rome/
Almost a year has passed since the great barbarian army of the Senones crossed the Apeninnus and crushed the Etruscan forces outside Clusium. Determined to avenge the death of Crixos at the hands of the Roman general Numerius, the savage warriors of the barbarian leader Brennus recross the mountains and bear down on the city as Solemis and the Horsetail clan ravage Latium.
Confident in the might of their arms, the citizens of the great city gather on the Field of Mars to acclaim their army as it marches to drive away the threat. But the battle does not follow its expected course. Overwhelmed by the ferocity and tenacious brutality of the Gaulish warriors the army of Rome is routed, and the Fabii and their fellow citizens face the judgement of Nemesis as the mournful howl of barbarian war horns approach.
Other gods also scheme, and the druid Catumanda begins to understand that her journey may have a terrible conclusion...
NEMESIS
ALTERNATIVE HISTORIES
1066
Spearhavoc
& other short tales
The year 1066 is arguably the most famous in English, if not World history. The story of King Harold and his plucky army has enthralled and dismayed each generation since that far off time, but just how close were the English to victory?
Here, a collection of seven short stories describe a wide range of alternative endings. These are just a few of the many ways in which the outcome, which still affects us all today almost a millennium later, could have been dramatically different.
SPEARHAVOC
ASSASSIN
WILLIAM THE GOOD
A CRUSHING VICTORY
GOD SAVE THE KING!
THORKILL HORSEHEAD
IRONSIDES
A BONUS TALE: DANES IN THE HUNDRED!
SPEARHAVOC
http://cliffordmay.com
BRENNUS
CONQUEROR OF ROME
TERROR GALLICUS
NEMESIS
THE SWORD OF WODEN TRILOGY
SORROW HILL
WRÆCCA
MONSTERS
DAYRAVEN
Hygelac's Raid
ALTERNATIVE HISTORIES:1066
SPEARHAVOC
&
other short tales
About The Author
Born in London and raised in Essex, Cliff May now lives with his fami
ly near the coast of Suffolk, East Anglia.
Contact Cliff at www.cliffordmay.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/CRMay/671558369524813
