Sword Brethren by Jon Byrne - Historical Adventure

Book 1 of The Northern Crusader Chronicles

Historical Adventure

Date Published: 28th November 2024 (book/ebook) Audiobook: Approx. February
2026

Publisher: The Book Guild

Narrator: Kerry Hutchinson

Run Time: 12 hours and 2 minutes

Bound by faith. Forged in battle. Haunted by doubt.

1242: Wounded at the Battle on the Ice, English knight Richard Fitz Simon
becomes a prisoner of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Intrigued by his
captive, Alexander orders his scholar to record Richard’s life story.

Richard’s chronicle begins in 1203, when betrayal shatters his training
for knighthood and forces him to flee England. In Lübeck, he finds work
with a ruthless salt merchant and becomes entangled in an illicit affair
– until scandal and violence drive him onward once more.

Seeking purpose, Richard joins the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, a militant
order bent on bringing Christendom to the pagan Baltic. In the harsh outpost
of Riga, he faces not only enemy tribes beyond the walls, but suspicion,
ambition, and betrayal within – while grappling with doubts that
threaten his faith.

When a vast pagan army threatens to overwhelm the commandery, Richard must
choose what kind of man – and believer – he will become.

Sword Brethren is Book One of The Northern Crusader Chronicles, a gritty,
historically grounded series focused on realism, moral ambiguity, and the
brutal realities of medieval warfare.

About the Author

Jon Byrne, originally from London, now lives with his German family by a lake
in Bavaria with stunning views of the Alps. As well as writing, he works as a
translator for a local IT company and occasionally as a lumberjack. He has
studied the medieval world for over twenty years, building up a comprehensive
personal library and a particular interest in the often-overlooked Northern
Crusades.

The Northern Crusader Chronicles is a gritty, historically grounded series
focused on realism, moral ambiguity, and the brutal realities of medieval
warfare.

Written for readers who value authenticity and atmosphere over romanticised
adventure, the novel explores a largely forgotten crusading frontier,
culminating in the first of many confrontations in a harsh wilderness of
forest and swamp.

Readers who enjoy the historical detail of authors such as Bernard Cornwell,
Conn Iggulden, or Ben Kane may find familiar ground here.

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