Book Review: Sword Brethren (The Northern Crusader Chronicles, #1) by Jon Byrne

Sword Brethren by Jon Byrne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fascinating tale of a dispossessed English lord and his journey to knighthood as a Christian warrior-monk.

Sword Brethren is the first book in author Jon Byrne’s fascinating 13th-century-set crusades series, The Northern Crusader Chronicles, which follows the life of a young, dispossessed English lord, Richard Fitz Simon, from the murder of his father to joining the Livonian Order of Swordbrothers to defend and advance the easternmost boundary of Christendom in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Fourteen-year-old Richard and his father’s loyal steward, Wilhelm Weber, flee their home in England only steps ahead of assassins sent by his treacherous Uncle Gilbert, who murdered his own brother for his land, money, and title. The two fugitives escape to Lübeck, where Wilhelm’s brother still operates the family salt business, only to find Everhard is very resentful of Wilhelm’s past. Penniless, he and Wilhelm depend on Everhard’s grudging goodwill to subsist until Richard’s secret relationship with Everhard’s daughter, Elsebeth, is revealed and changes everything. Fleeing for his life, Richard finds passage on a ship bound for Riga and a life in the service of the Livonian brothers of the sword, whose mission is to safeguard the recently established outposts and assist in converting the local pagan tribespeople to Christianity.

The story is told by 53-year-old Richard Fitz Simon, a prisoner of Prince Alexander Nevsky, captured after the battle on the ice of Lake Peipus. Severely wounded, he must recover before he can be ransomed back to his order, and as his convalescence progresses, he dictates the story of his life to an Irish scribe provided by the prince who is mightily intrigued by his past. Richard complies to pass the time and, hopefully, have the resulting memoir sent to the son he left behind when he fled Lübeck.

Richard is an engaging, relatable character, frustrated by circumstances that never should have been. At 14, he is an earnest young man, desirous of gaining the approval of his emotionally distant and dismissive father and following in the noble path laid out for him from birth. However, Richard has a fiery temper that often overrides his good sense, landing him in serious trouble many times over the course of his life. Yet, no matter what, when danger appears, he invariably chooses the road of honor. His story is filled with obstacles created by encounters with those who have chosen otherwise, whether because of jealousy, greed, pride, or prejudice, and they do their utmost to harm him or worse.

The plot moves swiftly, with a ton of action in a very short timeframe, as only two years pass in the tale of his past, and it concludes when he is 16. The author creates a vivid, vibrant medieval backdrop for Richard’s tale, whether in London or on the fringes of civilization. The settings are so well drawn that readers will almost feel or see or smell the character’s surroundings.

I recommend SWORD BRETHREN to readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the Baltic region crusades.

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