#BookExtract-‘The Final Reckoning’ by Chris Bishop

About the book…

My thanks to Kelly from Love Books Group for the blogtour invite and the extract blog post for ‘The Final Reckoning’ by Chris Bishop, available now in paperback and ebook formats.

This is Book 3 in ;the Shadow Of The Raven’ series, although I am reliably informed that they can be read as stand alones too.

Despite Alfred’s great victory at Edington, Wessex is far from secure.

With the threat of an imminent Viking attack, Matthew, now a warrior, is sent to fortify and defend the ford at Leatherhead. There, hopelessly outnumbered, he faces his sternest test as he and a small band of barely trained Saxon warriors strive to hold out long enough for help to arrive or resolve to die trying.

In a time ravaged by political uncertainty, Matthew is placed in intense personal danger as he is also ordered to investigate the tyranny of the Ealdorman’s stepson and dispense justice as he sees fit.

With his life still threatened by the wound to his chest, what is asked of him seems more than any man should endure as he faces . . . The Final Reckoning

Extract

”I’m already getting weary of all this riding back and forth,’ said Aelred as we started out yet again for Leatherhead the following day.

‘I’ll have Leonfrith start work on preparing that store at the mill for us to use,’ I suggested. ‘I don’t want to distract him from other works, but the sooner we can stay there the better, as we’ll then be on hand to oversee matters and be better placed if and when the attack comes. Even so, converting both stores could well take at least a week.’

‘We could stay at the Vill,’ suggested Aelred. ‘I’ll wager that might be a sight more comfortable than some rat-infested grain store.’

‘Yes, but then as you surmised, we might wake one morning

to find an assassin’s knife pressed against our throats.’

‘Ah,’ said Aelred. ‘There is that. So what have we to

achieve today?’

‘First we go to see Lord Werhard, then we meet with the thanes and explain to them what’s needed. After that they’ll come with us to attend the Moot where all the good people of Leatherhead will have gathered.’

‘And what exactly will you tell these noble thanes?’

‘I’ll tell them they must prepare their men to help defend the Shire when called upon to do so. That’s their sworn responsibility anyway, but I fear they may have become somewhat lax given the example set by Lord Werhard’s son.’

‘Then you’ll break the news to all the common folk about the extra work they’ll be expected to do,’ said Aelred. ‘All I can say is that we’re not going to be the most popular people in this Shire when you do.’

‘We weren’t sent here to make new friends,’ I said. ‘But as like as not they’ll thank us when they realise what’s about to descend upon them.’”

About the author..

After a successful career as a Chartered Surveyor he retired to concentrate on writing, combining this with his lifelong interest in history. His first novel,’ Blood and Destiny’, was published in 2017 and his second, ‘The Warrior with the Pierced Heart’, in July 2018. They both form part of ‘The Shadow of the Raven’ Series. Book 3 – ‘The Final Reckoning’- is out now.
His other interests are travel, windsurfing and fly fishing.

Chris is a member of the Historical Writers’ Association and the Historical Novel Society.

Links-https://chrisbishopauthor.com/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Reckoning-Chris-Bishop/dp/1910453722