The Serpent Sword is the first book in Matthew Harffy’s ‘The Bernicia Chronicles’ series set in 7th century Anglo-Saxon Britain, the period often referred to as the Dark Ages.

The young Beobrand we encounter at the beginning of the book is a rather tortured soul. He has suffered the loss of most of his family and then discovers he has in fact lost all of his family following the murder of his brother, Octa. His thirst for revenge only fuels his desire to become a warrior. Although he dreams of glory in battle, he’s unprepared for the reality of warfare and the anguish it will bring.

Beobrand makes mistakes, falling in with a band of warriors whose ruthless actions bring about a crisis of conscience. Where is the honour in such deeds? He also witnesses first-hand – and we the reader along with him – the full horror of warfare and the visceral nature of being part of a shieldwall. ‘All along the line men were grunting and shouting abuse. Screams of the injured and dying mingled with the mad laughter of warriors wallowing in the glory of battle. All was accented by the clash and and crash of metal on metal.’

Although possessing the natural instincts of a warrior – and just as importantly, luck – Beobrand has to learn his craft. It’s work that will stand him in good stead as he takes on a formidable opponent. And by the end of the book, there is more at stake than just his honour or even revenge. What does ‘wyrd’ [fate or destiny] have in store for Beobrand? As he is reminded, ‘[…] the way of the sword is not rife with happiness. The sword is like a serpent. You can try to tame it, but it is venomous and will often bite the hand that holds it’. Those who have read subsquent books in the series will know how true this is.

Although Beobrand is a fictional character, real historical figures feature in the book too. However, as the author points out in the Historical Notes, no contemporanous accounts exist although that does provide opportunities for the novelist. As Matthew Harffy observes, ‘The fact that it is a time seen as “through a glass, darkly”, makes it a perfect time to write about’.