Bloodlines by Chris Bishop | Book Tour Review
{This book was gifted from Literally PR in exchange for an honest review and a place on the Book you. This article also contains an Affiliate link.}
Hello Readers,
It’s my turn on the Book Tour for Chris Bishop’s book, Bloodlines. If you’re interested in following the tour and reading the other reviews, then you can find all the details and names of the other reviewers at the end of this review.
Before I tell you my thoughts on the book, let me tell you the synopsis so you know what the book is about:
“Wessex 893 as King Alfred readies his defences against another Viking invasion.
Among his many concerns is the plight of Edward, his stable boy, who he believes to be the son of Matthew, a renowned warrior who died fighting for the Saxon cause. If Edward’s heritage could be proved, he would stand to inherit a vast fortune which Alfred fears would attract every fraudster in the realm. Worse still, given his noble lineage, the boy could well be used to usurp him as King.
Alfred therefore sends Edward to the burh at Wareham on the pretext of having him train Fleet, a magnificent black stallion so spirited it’s thought to be unrideable. The boy soon proves his skill with horses but is considered too puny to be a warrior. However, when the fyrd find themselves outnumbered and confronting a Viking warband, Edward’s quick thinking and extraordinary courage leave no doubt about his bloodline.”
Although Bloodlines is the fourth book in Chris Bishop’s series The Shadow of The Raven, this book can be read as a standalone. I read it as such and never felt like I didn’t know what was going on or who the different characters were.
I’ve never read a book set during this time period of England’s history {I’m mostly a Sci-Fi reader, so many of my books are set in a galaxy far, far away!} and I found it really interesting to read about as Bishop shows some of the day to day life of the Saxons, how they lived and the way the settlements were set up. There’s also a few Saxon words used throughout the book which it feel more authentic and I was grateful for the Glossary in the back that explained some of the words ~ I would have loved a more extensive Glossary which gave the meaning of every Saxon word used but the ones that were included seemed to be the most used and helped me understand what was being spoken about at times.
As I read this, I did feel that were two storylines going on: one following Edward, King Alfred’s stable boy, and the other following the impending Viking attack, with the two connecting towards the end of the book.
The Viking attack side of the book is definitely a slow build and most of this storyline is shown through the leaders of the settlements preparing for the attack they know is sure to arrive. As the reader, it gave me that feeling of anticipation, that something was coming and that feeling just built the further I got into the book. Although I did find the insight into how the Saxon’s trained and their battle tactics, I was far more invested in Edward’s storyline.
I think the main reason I connected to Edward and his story more is because I spent many years around horses, riding and training them, so I loved every moment with Edward and the horses. As a character, Edward felt like the complete opposite of those around him; he was quiet, kind and the way he handled the horses, especially the stallion his was training, {which in my mind was a stunning black Friesian stallion} was just wonderful to read about.
There’s a really interesting mix of side characters within this book, some I loved and some I really hated! As you may have guessed, my favourite was definitely Edward, honestly, I just wanted to protect him in anyway I could and seeing his growth as a character and find his footing and strength within the brutal world he lives as his storyline starts to connect to the Viking attack one was really interesting. I also really loved the “father and son” type of relationship that slowly developed between Edward and Osric, the Governor of Wareham. Their training scenes really helped solidify their relationship and show how important Edward was to Osric.
Overall, Bloodlines was an interesting read, that gives insight into Saxon life in England, with a cast of varying, dynamic characters ~ some you will love and some you will absolutely hate! I’m really looking forward to picking up book five in this series, The Prodigal Son, in the next month or so to see how Edward’s story continues. I’m also joining the tour for that one, so keep an eye for my review on that.
Finally, I just want to say a big thank you to the lovely people at Literally PR for giving me the opportunity to read this book and to be a part of the tour.
Stay Safe. Read a Book.
L x
Bloodlines Book Tour Details
If you’d like to find out more about this book and Chris Bishop, you can do so via his social media handle ~ @CBishop_Author
If you’d like to find out what everyone else on the tour thought of this book, below are all the dates and social media handles for all the book reviewers:
3rd April: Jill ~ @JillGal91513266
4th April: Lauren ~ readersenjoyauthorsdreams.com
5th April: Nicola ~ @bookish_nikki17
6th April: Laura ~ @bookkishhermit
7th April: Helen ~ @bookoclock_
8th April: Katie ~ @bookishkate517
9th April: Danielle ~ @DanSamend
10th April: Rhianydd ~ @rhianyddmorris
11th April: Ashley ~ @reading_with_ashley
12th April: Joanna ~ @thelibraryofimagination
13th April: Louise ~ @louiseslittlelife
14th April: Liza ~ @turnthepage171
15th April: Jan ~ bluewolf-reviews.com
16th April: Gill ~ @gillianyoungauthor
17th April: Kitty ~ @Tstrawberrypost
