The Shadow of the Raven
4 primary works
Book 2
Book 3
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's 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
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's 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
Book 4
The highly anticipated fourth book in the exciting and atmospheric Shadow of the Raven series. WESSEX 893 AD As the threat of yet another Viking invasion looms over his troubled realm, Alfred, King of Wessex, reviews and strengthens his defences. Among his many concerns is the fate of Edward, his stable boy, who he believes to be the bastard son of revered warrior Matthew, who died serving the Saxon cause. If his heritage can be proved, Edward is not only heir to vast fortune but, more importantly, he has the blood of a warrior in his veins, something the Saxons are likely to need in spades. More worryingly, Alfred fears that if Edward's true lineage ever became known, there would be those who might seek to exploit him or, worse still, use him to usurp Alfred's rule. He confides in just two of his closest advisers and they conspire to send Edward to the relative safety of Wareham on the pretext of having him train Governor Osric's magnificent black stallion, a horse thought to be all but unrideable. Edward is treated with disdain when he reaches Wareham and regarded as being too puny to be a warrior. However when the barely-trained members of the fyrd find themselves outnumbered, isolated and confronting a dreaded Viking warband, it is Edward's quick thinking and extraordinary courage that leads them to victory, leaving no doubt about his true bloodline. AUTHOR: Chris Bishop is a retired chartered surveyor who has pursued his love of writing for as long as he can remember. He is an intrepid traveller and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He is married with two children and four granddaughters and lives in London.
Book 5