Today is my turn and the final stop on the blog tour for the newest release by MJ Porter, Men of Iron.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Tour Dates: 15th - 21st April 2025
Publication Date: 15th April 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Blurb
After the legends of Arthur, yet before the Saxon kingdom of Mercia, a tribal age of iron and rust ruled.
Britain AD540.
In the western hinterland of Roman Britannia, Meddi, the seeress of the Eorlingas tribe, can only obtain vengeance when her husband’s dead and her ancestral villa returned to her.
With her brother, Madog, as leader, they unite and stand strong against those who seek the riches of their villa. They must harness the power of the lost magiks of iron to make weapons to mercilessly oppose those who seek to challenge and fight to rule.
Meanwhile in the east, Waermund, a young warrior of Saxon descent, has exacted the ultimate revenge against his brother. Startled by his own ruthlessness, he knows his father will pursue him to exact retribution. He and his band of miscreant warriors must flee westwards and forge a new future by earning coin from those too weak to protect themselves.
Meddi and Wærmund are set to collide in a world of iron and rust.
Review
Those who know me will be aware I am a huge fan of MJ Porter’s books, especially The Kingdom of Mercia: The Ninth Century, series, and The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. Therefore, it is always exciting when a new series hits. Men of Iron is the first in The Dark Age Chronicles, and if the rest of series is as good as the first, it is going to be brilliant.
MJ Porter is fantastic at setting the scene ready for future books. As the first in the series, it has a nice steady pace, and lots of new characters to get to know. The focus is largely on the characters and their circumstances and there are some fantastic characters in this book, I particularly liked Meddi, it is so refreshing to have a strong female character! There are lots of names to learn but MJ provides a character list to help which is very useful for reminding myself who is who as we switch between the different tribes and their struggles, through their viewpoint.
If you have read any of MJ’s books then you would not be surprised to know that there are battle scenes, and they are depicted so well, something that MJ excels in, and this book is no different. No detail is omitted, MJ includes tiny details such as clothing, food, shelter, all from the point of view of the character, it is like witnessing the events through their eyes. I must mention there is some swearing, which I realise some do not like, but it adds humour and authenticity in my view, I cannot imagine a band of warriors never swearing.
As I am not used to reading about this era I definitely had to focus when reading but I enjoyed it immensely, it is not a book for a bit of light reading, it is a brilliant first instalment that will escort you back to post Roman Britain in AD540; a world of tribes, weapon forging, battles, blood, and death, but it will also leave you eagerly awaiting the next one.
About the author
MJ Porter is the author of over fifty fiction titles set in Saxon England and the era before the tumultuous events of 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a young age that it housed the long-dead bones of Saxon kings, it’s little wonder that the study of the era was undertaken at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
MJ Porter has written a collection of interconnected fiction series focusing on the Saxon kingdom of Mercia and books set in the newly formed 'England.' MJ Porter is published by Boldwood Books for The Dark Ages Series, The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles and The Brunanburh Series.
MJ Porter has also written three 20th-century mysteries and historical fantasy.
Facebook: @MJPorterauthor
Twitter (X): @coloursofunison
Instagram: @m_j_porter
Bookbub: @coloursofunison
I hope you have enjoyed this review. I am grateful to MJ Porter, Rachel’s Random Resources, and Boldwood Books, for having me on the tour.
If you are interested in my reviews of MJ’s other books you find them all on my Wordpress blog amymcelroy.blog - I will hopefully figure out how to import them all to here one day, if that is something readers would be interested in, so please let me know if you would like to see more reviews.
Thank you for your fab review:) I'm really pleased you enjoyed meeting the new characters.