Soldiers of Christ by Jon Byrne

Publication Date: April 28th, 2026

Publisher: The Book Guild

Pages: 388

Genre: Historical Adventure

In a land torn by crusade and rebellion, honour is earned in blood.

1205. Richard Fitz Simon has fled England after his title was usurped, joining the Livonian Order of Swordbrothers – a German brotherhood of warrior-monks fighting to bring the word of God to the pagan frontier. After slaying the Lithuanian champion at the Battle of Rodenpois, Richard is celebrated by the Order and their Semigallian allies.

Yet his position remains precarious. Jealous rivals question his right to stand among the brotherhood, and his master, Knight-brother Rudolf, is enraged by Richard’s disobedience. When dark secrets from Lübeck resurface, Richard also finds himself at odds with Bishop Albert, head of the Christian mission in Livonia. As he struggles to reconcile faith, duty and identity, he is drawn into a brutal world of suspicion and bloodshed.

Sent on an expedition to build a castle deep in the wilderness, Richard soon sees tensions erupt – and the path he has chosen threatens to destroy everything he has fought to become.

Review

I wasn't sure how I'd get on with this one because I hadn't read the first book, but I needn't have worried. It didn't take long before I felt like I knew Richard and was completely caught up in everything that was going on. Now I actually want to go back and read the first one!

I loved that this wasn't just one battle after another. The action is there, but it's the characters that really make the book. Richard grows so much over the course of the story, and I found myself really rooting for him. Otto completely stole the show for me whenever he appeared, and there were a few moments that genuinely made me laugh.

The ending... wow. I won't spoil anything, but I definitely wasn't expecting it, and I immediately wanted to know what happened next. I also found myself thinking about some of the earlier chapters afterwards because you realise the author had been quietly setting things up all along.

If you're looking for fast-paced historical fiction with battles every other chapter, this probably isn't it. But if you enjoy getting to know the characters and becoming completely immersed in another time and place, I'd really recommend giving this one a try. I closed the book wishing I had the next one sitting on the shelf.

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Jon Byrne

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.

Soldiers of Christ is Book Two of The Northern Crusader Chronicles, 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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