Book 1 of the Northern Crusader Chronicles
Date Published: 11-28-2024
Publisher: The Book Guild
Richard’s story begins in 1203, when betrayal shatters his path to knighthood and drives him from England to the merchant city of Lübeck. There, entangled in an illicit affair and the cutthroat salt trade, he finds only temporary refuge. Fleeing once again, he joins the Livonian Brothers of the Sword—a militant order sworn to spread Christendom across the pagan Baltic.
Amid the cold austerity of Riga’s commandery and the looming threat of enemy tribes, Richard must battle not just for survival, but for meaning in a life shaped by violence, doubt, and fractured loyalties. When a pagan army threatens to overrun their outpost, he faces a final reckoning—one that will test his faith, his honor, and the limits of his courage.
Is There a Message in Your
Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
Not really. I am interested in the Northern
Crusades in the early 13th century, and very few novels have been
written about this period. I wanted to tell an adventure story with plenty of
action and problems for Richard, the main protagonist. There is a ‘love
interest’, but it is not the main point of the story. At the end of the day, it
is just a medieval adventure.
Is there anything you find
particularly challenging in your writing?
Writing can be very challenging in numerous ways, as well as
being very rewarding. I sometimes struggle to come up with new ideas, but this
is a problem for the next two books in the series rather than Sword Brethren.
When writing about life in a commandery of warrior monks, there is a fixed
routine that revolves around prayer with little diversion possible. Coming up
with new and interesting events in between the historical battles and campaigns
can sometimes be difficult.
How many books have you
written and which is your favorite?
I have written five full-length novels. The first
three were fantasy books set in a world that I developed when I was living in
India. They are mostly unpublishable, and I consider them my apprenticeship. Sword
Brethren is the fourth book I’ve written. If I had to pick one, I think the
next book in the series, Soldiers of Christ, which will be published on
28th April 2026, is probably my favorite.
If You had the
chance to cast your main character from
The chance would be a fine thing! To be honest, I
don’t really watch many films anymore, so it’s hard to say. It is also hard
because of the frame/dual timeline. The frame of the story shows Richard as a
fifty-three-year-old Teutonic Knight, captured after the Battle on the Ice,
looking back on his life – but the main narrative is Richard at fourteen. So
two actors would be needed – a teenager and middle-aged man. Unfortunately,
most of the time that books are turned into films, the writer gets no say in who
plays who anyway.
When did you begin writing?
I always loved writing as a child and used to
keep a journal as a teenager, but it was whilst travelling in India that I
began the first book. I was staying in the medieval walled city of Jaisalmer, in
Rajasthan, with my German girlfriend (now wife). She suggested that I write up
the fantasy story of a role-playing game we’d just finished. Our room was set
in the city wall, and it was so inspiring, with swords fixed to the wall as
decoration. I started writing in the late afternoon, and the next thing I knew,
it was 3am. The time had gone so quickly, and I had written the entire first
chapter. It was amazing, and I wondered why I hadn’t written properly for so
long. For me, it felt like a liberation, and I knew I had to continue.
How long did it take to
complete your first book?
The first two fantasy books each took under a
year to write. Unfortunately, I am not a fast writer, and Sword Brethren
took a few years. Unlike most of the advice given by other authors, I do not
write every day. Having said that, if I am not writing the next book, then I am
editing the one before or involved in marketing. There is always something to
do.
Did you have an author who
inspired you to become a writer?
Yes, a few. First and foremost, Bernard Cornwell is the master
of the historical adventure genre and the writer I would most like to emulate.
But there are several others. Beforehand, when I was a child, I loved anything
by CS Forester or Wilbur Smith. Now, I like most of the bestselling authors in
my category, from Conn Iggulden and Ben Kane to Matthew Harffy and Ken Follett.
I also like many authors of different genres, especially fantasy.
What is your favorite part of
the writing process?
Funnily enough, I probably most enjoy the editing
process. Getting the words down on the page can sometimes be like extracting
teeth, although I also find this rewarding. Editing allows me to refine and
improve what has already been written. I also tend to do a lot of editing as I
go along, something also discouraged by other authors or experts. But for me it
works – and that is what is so important. No writer is the same, and what works
for you works for you.
Describe your latest book in 4
words.
A bloody good read.
Can you share a little bit
about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
I am currently writing the third book in The Northern
Crusader Chronicles which has the working title of Shield of Faith. It
continues Richard’s journey in medieval Livonia, fighting to bring Christ to
the pagans, all the while doubting his own faith – with more enemies inside the
close walls of the commandery than in the pagan forests beyond.
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