Book 1 of the Northern Crusader Chronicles
Historical Adventure
Date Published: 11-28-2024
Publisher: The Book Guild
1242. Wounded and captured after the Battle on the Ice, English knight
Richard Fitz Simon becomes the unlikely guest of Prince Alexander Nevsky of
Novgorod. Curious about his prisoner, Alexander commands his scholar to record
Richard’s tale.
Richard’s story begins in 1203, when betrayal shatters his path to knighthood and drives him from England to the merchant city of Lübeck. There, entangled in an illicit affair and the cutthroat salt trade, he finds only temporary refuge. Fleeing once again, he joins the Livonian Brothers of the Sword—a militant order sworn to spread Christendom across the pagan Baltic.
Amid the cold austerity of Riga’s commandery and the looming threat of enemy tribes, Richard must battle not just for survival, but for meaning in a life shaped by violence, doubt, and fractured loyalties. When a pagan army threatens to overrun their outpost, he faces a final reckoning—one that will test his faith, his honor, and the limits of his courage.
Interview
What is the hardest part of writing your books?
I think the hardest part in writing a historical novel is the balance between authenticity and storytelling. On one hand, readers expect accuracy – the details of daily life, language, customs, and beliefs must feel true to the period. On the other hand, too much detail can weigh a story down and turn it into a lecture. It can sometimes be a hard balance to keep.
Characters pose an even greater challenge. They must reflect the mindset of their time without alienating modern readers. In Sword Brethren there is a lot of praying (hardly surprising as the main character, Richard, joins a religious order of warrior-monks), which can put off some readers. Praying is more of a personal experience nowadays, but in the medieval period it was universal. Religion dominated everybody’s lives. Striking the correct balance requires careful research, empathy, and restraint. Ultimately, the goal is to create a world that feels authentic while never losing sight of the story itself.
What are your most played songs?
I don’t play music when I’m writing, but music has always been a big part of my life. I grew up in the UK in the 80s – it was an exciting time, and my tastes were very narrow – mostly punk and similar music. Now I am middle-aged and much more open to a wider variety of artists and bands, both from today and years gone past.
If I had to choose a particular band or certain songs, I would probably say The Pogues. I saw them play live a few times when Shane MacGowan was still alive, and he is, in my opinion, one of the greatest wordsmiths that ever lived. The way the band mixed Irish traditional music with a heavier punk sound – not to mention the stories and the history – always amazed me. I am English, but half of my family comes from Ireland, and the music always resonates with me.
Do you have critique partners or beta readers?
Not really. Sword Brethren was professionally edited and changed extensively in the course of its life, with a lot of critique taken onboard. My publisher also made changes, but that was more from a copy-editing side. A couple of friends read the book beforehand, which is something most people would warn against, but their opinions did help to improve the story.
I live in Germany, which makes it harder to find people locally, but I used to be in a writing group many years ago when I first moved to Berlin. And I used beta readers in the next book, which is something I will continue to do.
What book are you reading now?
I tend to always read more than one book at the same time, usually a mixture of both fiction and non-fiction. The non-fiction is usually research-related, but I do read other historical adventure fiction. At the moment, on the fiction side, I am reading The Wolf of Wessex by Matthew Harffy and Conclave by Robert Harris.
How did you start your writing career?
I’ve been writing in one shape or form most of my life, but it was when I lived in India that I wrote my first book, a fantasy novel. I then wrote two further fantasy novels, the last being a monster of nearly 200,000 words, none of which I ever attempted to publish (most needed a lot of work). I have also written approximately ten (mostly fantasy) short stories, some of which were published in America over ten years ago. Nevertheless, all of this I consider to have been my apprenticeship.
Due to my interest in all things medieval, I decided that I would rather write historical fiction. Sword Brethren took several years to write, and the book changed its name three times due to other books coming out with the same (previous) name. An even longer time was taken trying to find an agent, something I still haven’t achieved, despite two agents in London showing strong initial interest. Now I don’t worry about it.
Tell us about your next release.
Soldiers of Christ, the second book in The Northern Crusader Chronicles, will be published in the UK on 28th April 2026, by The Book Guild. It is a continuation of the story of Richard Fitz Simon and his adventures in medieval Livonia – what is now Latvia. Unlike Sword Brethren – which started in England, moved to Lübeck in Germany, and then Riga – the story remains in one country: Livonia. I actually think it is a better book than the first one, and it got good feedback from the dozen or so beta readers.
I am also writing the third book, which continues the story further. All of the books in the series have the same frame of an older Richard, imprisoned by Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod, writing the chronicle about his earlier, younger life – which comprises the main narrative story. In a sense, it’s two tales of the same person – the man of fifty-three looking back on his youth of forty years earlier. A time of conflict, regret, and religious adversity.
About the Author
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 always been fascinated by history and has studied the Medieval world for
over twenty years, building up a comprehensive library of books. Sword
Brethren (formerly Brothers of the Sword) made it to the shortlist of the
Yeovil Literary Prize 2022 and the longlist of the prestigious Grindstone
International Novel Prize 2022. It is the first book in The Northern Crusader
Chronicles.
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