Richard Fitz Simmons is a young lad who has just lost everything. After he narrowly defends himself against some highwaymen he arrives home to find that his father has accidentally died in a hunting accident and his uncle is taking over. But why did Uncle bring a small army with him? Richard and his father’s German steward take off for London in hopes of telling the King about this outrageous perfidy, but the King is Mr. Outrageous Perfidy himself, John. Chased by murderous men, Richard takes a desperate chance and finds himself in the Holy Roman Empire, in service to a prominent merchant — but this is only the first step on a path that will lead to Richard into becoming a warrior of renoun, telling his story to a scribe in Prince Nevsky’s court. This was an ARC sent to me via Booksirens, and it seems quite promising: although featuring a teenage main character, it’s not the kind of family-friendly medieval adventure that Wayne Grant delivers in his Broken Bow series, which has a very similar plot. This is much more graphic and edgy, and takes readers into an area not often seen in medieval historical fiction — eastern Europe during the Northern or Baltic crusades. The main character is quite sympathetic, a lad with the strength and valor of a man twice his age, quick to defend those in peril, even if saddled with a temper. Frequently, his sense of righteousness and honor gives him into violent trouble. My only issue with the book is Richard’s irreligiosity, which is out of place given the setting, and especially given that he’s serving in a holy order. Although I had some quibbles with it, I enjoyed Sword Brethren and will be continuing in the series as the author creates it.

Related:
The Last Kingdom, Bernard Cornwell. Family killed, land stolen, boy becomes warrior of great renoun.
Longbow, Wayne Grant. Family killed, land stolen, boy comes warrior of great renoun.