I don't usually read books that take place in the Dark Age, but this was a good book, and the premise was interesting. There are plenty of action scenes, and I found that this was very adventurous and held my attention.
The character developments were well-rounded and outstanding, which made most characters feel less fictional to me.

Thank you to Head Of Zeus, Matthew Harffy and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5
Thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the ARC.

I fell in love with Hunlaf in the first book and this third book of the series definitely cements him as a favorite historical character of mine. A Day of Reckoning continues Hunlaf's journey after the book, The Treasure of Life, along with the crew of the Brymsteada as they journey to the Iberian Peninsula. This is a terrific, fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable tale filled with sea battles, betrayals, and of course, deadly fights. I love that the story took us to Muslim Spain and the descriptions of the cities, foods and culture were marvelous and really made you feel the place. The new characters in the story add so much to the intrigue, especially Giso, as you just never quite know what is going on with him and his objectives certainly put the whole crew at risk of not making it back alive. I am certainly hoping that Hunlaf has enough time left to write a few more of his journey's, especially with some mentions of other events that have happened in his life and the mention of another character's death at the end, I for one need more. This continues to be a standout historical fiction series and if you love this time period, it is so worth taking the journey with Hunlaf and his friends and crewmates!!

I love this series and I'm always fascinated by the adventures and the travels of Hunlaf.
A fast paced historical fiction with a lot of adventure and vivid and well researched historical background
This story is entertaining and compelling, it kept me hooked till the end.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Another installment of Hunlaf and his shipmates. They are paid to take one of Alcuin's spymasters to Adulusia on behalf of King Charlemagne.
They run into difficulties that test faith and friendships after they intercept a pirate ship and rescue some captive women.
If you like adventures in the Anglo Saxon world then you will enjoy the fights in and adventures in this tale.
Written in a style similar to Simon Scarrow, Peter gibbons and Colin Iguilden.

What a read! A Day of Reckoning by Matthew Harffy is another riveting story following the adventures of Hunlaf and his quest for the mystical book, The Treasure of Life, stolen from the island monastery of Lindisfarne. And, as usual, Hunlaf’s quest lands the monk-turned-warrior and his friends – the crew of the Brymsteda – in deep water, on sea and land!

Matthew Harffy takes us on a voyage to medieval, Islamic Spain in pursuit of the lost book, and on a secret mission for Charlemagne – a mission so secret that no one is exactly sure of its purpose, beyond escorting the emissary, Giso. Hunlaf must use his wits as well as his sword-arm to extricate himself and his friends from Spain in one piece.

Nothing goes to plan. But then, if it did, it would not be a Matthew Harffy novel, would it? Spiced up with a will-they-won’t-they love story, the betrayal of friend and foe alike and a storyline that will keep you engrossed to the very end, A Day of Reckoning is another Matthew Harffy triumph.

In A Day of Reckoning we learn more about the character and lives of Hunlaf’s crewmates. Friendships develop and are stretched to the limit. Hunlaf himself, a natural leader, is learning of the highs and lows of command. His character and beliefs are challenged by the exotic people of Muslim Spain.

Harffy recreates the sights, sounds and tensions of 8th century Spain to the extent that you can imagine yourself in the heart of the city of Qadiz (Cadiz), sensing the mix of languages, cultures and customs, smelling the spices amidst the fumes of Greek fire and burning flesh (it is a Matthew Harffy book, after all). Impeccably researched for the history, culture and politics of the 8th century Iberian peninsula, Matthew Harffy immerses the reader in this strange, exotic world, full of hidden dangers.

Whether or not all our heroes survive is down to a mixture of skill and luck and – well, you’ll have to read it to find out!

Matthew Harffy has honed and perfected his skills as a storyteller over the years, to such an extent that a fabulous week of reading is anticipated and expected when a new book is released. And A Day of Reckoning does not disappoint.

AD 796. Hunlaf and his comrades are travelling to the land of The Moors, to the city of Qadis. They seek a book, one that may hold secrets that will change their lives forever and it’s worth a fortune. They know kingdoms around Europe will pay a vast sum for this book, but they will have to be very careful in this strange land. It is a place of powerful people, and friends will be hard to come by. A place where you should trust nobody. This will be the most difficult task of Hunlaf’s life, will he and his shipmates fulfil their goal and overcome the odds in this most hostile of lands?
In this third book of the series Matthew Harffy has reached a new level in his writing. This is an incredible piece of work, it’s fast paced, intelligent and vivid in its telling. Simply put, it’s phenomenal.

A Day of Reckoning is the third book in the author’s ‘A Time for Swords’ series, the follow-up to A Time for Swords and A Night of Flames both of which I’ve read and reviewed. A Day of Reckoning could be read as a standalone as there are recaps of previous events to bring new readers up to date but if you’re a lover of action-packed historical fiction I’d recommend reading the series from the beginning.

Once again Hunlaf is both chief protagonist and narrator. Now advanced in age and becoming increasingly frail, he is setting down the details of his eventful life, one which saw him abandon his calling as a monk to become a warrior and adventurer. (Retaining the mischievous spirit of his younger self, he’s writing his memoir when he should be working on something else.)

A Day of Reckoning sees Hunlaf continue his quest for a book known as The Treasure of Life, a book which he longs to study whilst at the same time he fears has the power to corrupt minds, something demonstrated all too clearly in A Night of Flames. In fact, looking back, he now refers to it as ‘that accursed tome’. The search takes Hunlaf and his comrades to the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsular, including the cities of Cadiz, Seville and Cordoba. There they find themselves becoming involved in a kind of 8th century arms race.

Many characters make a return appearance including the fearsome Norse warrior and master shipbuilder, Runolf Ragnarsson and – much to Hunlaf’s delight – Runolf’s daughter Revna.

As you might expect, they face many perils along the way and there are some terrific action scenes, including a battle with a pirate ship and a breathless escape from a mountain top fortress. Although we know Hunlaf will live to fight another day – although of course he doesn’t – that’s not necessarily the case for all his comrades. It’s something that weighs heavily on Hunlaf’s mind, a feeling of guilt that he has unwittingly been the cause of others’ deaths. At the same time, he’s happy to acknowledge that he’s been a bit of a lad since casting off his monk’s robe and that the thrill of battle can sometimes overwhelm him. ‘I had chosen the path of the warrior, and when called upon to fight, I was gripped by a savage abandon that made me deadly.’

A Day of Reckoning is the kind of historical fiction that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and doesn’t let go until you reach the end, slightly breathless but with the sense of having been completely immersed in another time and place. And as before, the author leaves us with tantalising glimpses of exploits Hunlaf has yet to tell us about. But will he? To borrow Runolf’s catchphrase, I guess ‘anything is possible’.

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BLURB
The third thrilling historical adventure in the A Time for Swords series by Matthew Harffy. Hunlaf battles peril and intrigue on a dangerous voyage to Muslim Spain.
AD 796. The high seas are a deadly place full of foes. Sailing in search of an object of great power, Hunlaf and his comrades are far from home when they are caught up in a violent skirmish against pirates.
After the bloody onslaught, an encounter with ships from Islamic Spain soon sees them escorted under guard to the city of Qadis: one of the jewels of the Emirate of Al-Andalus, the true destination of their voyage.
Al-Andalus is a realm of learning and incredible wealth. Hunlaf believes the Emir's lands hold the key to his search, but his task is not a simple one. There are dangerous games at play, and to achieve his goal, Hunlaf and his allies must walk a difficult path where friends and enemies alike are not always what they seem – and where a weapon deadlier than any yet seen could change the future of all the kingdoms in Europe.
REVIEW
Firstly, wow! I have read many tales where the main protagonist survives, against all odds, everything the author can conjure up for the character to suffer, and that is certainly true in this tale. What sets this one apart from the others, at least to this humble reader, is the inner turmoil Hunlaf experiences throughout this quest for a world-changing book. An intense, emotional battle between his life as a monk, and as a warrior is one of the driving factors in this tale. Not that the gamut of emotions is limited to Hunlaf; nay, my fellow readers, the author has produced a story where the reader feels the pains, the mind-numbing anguish, and the exaltation of survival.
I've read many books where I've used the phrase 'page-turning'. A Day of Reckoning is certainly that, but even more so, it practically compels the reader to do so; daring the reader with the promise that the lack of sleep, or undone chores, is well worth the effort. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another epic read following Hunlaf and his band of comrades across the known world! Fast paced from the start with humour, wit, the good, the bad and of course the ugly all chucked in. A great book in a great series 5/5.

It's always worth waiting for a new Matthew Harffy novel. You can be sure of a fast-moving action plot which leaves you knowing more about the elusive early medieval period while thoroughly entertaining you.

A Day of Reckoning sees Hunlaf and the crew of the Brymsteda heading south to Al-Andalus in search of that elusive book, The Treasure of Life - as well as silver and adventure, of course. They're accompanied by a mysterious cleric, Giso, on a mission for Charlemagne, or Carolus, as he's called here.

Harffy's research goes deep, but is never intrusive, and the plot speeds along like a longship with the wind behind its sail. Expect fighting (of course!), treachery, bravery and comradeship as well as a possibly blossoming romance.

I have to admit being a little disappointed by the ending. Hunlaf and co seem to have just a little too much good luck (or God on their side, as Hunlaf would say). And one plot point closes off an element which until then drove much of the story (can't say more, because spoilers). It's left open at the end whether we'll return to the series. Despite my (small) reservations, I hope we do.

I would like to thank the publishers Head of Zeus for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
Another brilliant book about Hunlaf as usual it didn't disappoint full of adventures lots of killing and great hero's.
If you enjoyed The Last Kingdom and you miss Uhtred this series is for you I hope there will be more.
It is perfect for fans of Dan Jones.

This fast-paced adventure novel takes the reader from the windswept Northumbrian coast to the sun-baked cities of Moorish Spain, from the palace of Charlemagne to the dungeons of Cadiz. I believe the author spent some years in Spain, and his depictions of the country have an authentic feel.
Readers who have read previous installments in this series will enjoy catching up with the crew of the Brymsteda as she gallops south over the waves. Never fear, though: readers who are new to the series will have no trouble getting up to speed. Several characters in the story are on a quest, each for something different, that motivates their journey to Spain: riches, fame, a mysterious manuscript, and the secret recipe for Greek fire, the ancient world’s most terrifying weapon. The story reaches a very suspenseful climax, with suitable levels of swordplay, blood and guts. Does our hero attain the object of his quest? Read and find out!
Here are some general comments. The crew includes a young woman who can fight like one of the boys. Her presence as a lone woman on the ship strains credulity a bit. However, she is given a watchful and warlike father, which almost makes her believable.
As a translator, I found that the author handled the problem of characters speaking different languages well (to be clear, the book is all in English). There are at least six different languages that characters in the book would supposedly have spoken. A plausible way for them to understand each other is always found. This must have taken some thought on the part of the author.
Another thing I liked was the character development, especially of the main character, Hunlaf. He is brave and daring, but he is affected by some harrowing experiences in the course of the story. This makes him more realistic and well-rounded than your average action hero.
At the beginning and end of the book, Hunlaf is an old monk recounting his adventures as a young man. There is a suggestion he may live long enough to write another chronicle of his adventures. Let’s hope so!
Thanks to the publisher, Head of Zeus, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Never a simple quest but one that tests Hunlaf’s resolve to the full in this tale set in the era of Charlemagne. Chronicling his adventures and his continuing search for the book “The Treasure of Life” the small matter of stolen silver and liquid fire lead Hunlaf and his band of brothers through encounters with piracy, imprisonment and pyrotechnics before a frantic escape which nearly seals his fate.
Cracking read.

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book.
Well written and researched engaging from first to last page, the continuing adventures of Hunlaf reliving his youth as he writes his chronicles. The third book in this excellent series but works perfectly as a standalone story. The Author is a master of this genre, and I cannot decide whether I prefer this or the Beobrand Bernicia Chronicles series, both are superb, featuring quality characters and so atmospheric and descriptive that you feel a part of the story. Lots of action sequences sometimes gruesome but always gripping riveting page turners.
Completely recommended.

An interesting look at more of Dark Age Europe and the Saxon World. Just one quibble, sails weren’t typically made out of wool. Wool is WAY to heavy and becomes too matted when wet, as it becomes felt.
Sails were made of waxed linen or silk until the invention of polyester because the material was light even when wet.