January, 1069: Two-thousand Normans march into the bitter heart of Northumbria to subdue the rebellious people and solidify the Normans control of England after their victory at the battle of Hastings. The Normans are ambushed and slaughtered. Only three hundred survive. Tancred a Dinant is seriously wounded, but his survival is a mixed blessing. Lord Robert, who Tancred had served since he was a boy of fourteen, died in the battle. Tancred is now without a lord to serve under. The very fact that he didn't die protecting his lord has shamed him. No one is willing to accept his sword in their defense except Guillaume Malet whose loyalties are questioned. Malet is half French, half English. Can a man with such close ties to the people of England be trusted to uphold and support a Norman king? Tancred has few options. He can swear his allegiance and sword to Malet or return to Brittany, landless, lordless, and destitute. For an ambitious knight there is only one real choice; he must live by his sword.

SWORN SWORD by James Aitcheson is what looks to be the first novel in this epic historical series. A very handy map is included at the beginning of the book showing the major towns and cities in England and Northern France during this time. Aitcheson's also included an even more fascinating historical account at the end. It is a small thing, but I love when authors take the time to include a 'fact vs. fiction' section. I'm not particularly well- educated on the Battle of Hastings and the political tension following it so these small details helped ground my knowledge of the time.

The first one-hundred pages of SWORN SWORD are very slow to read which is surprising considering there is a bloody battle that burns a city and kills nearly two thousand men. This is a combination of setting the stage for a large political struggle and creating a believable and relatable connection with Tancred. There is a flashback to how Tancred came to serve Lord Robert and the following chapter is Tancred delirious from his wounds. Those two chapters stopped the story in its tracks and building up momentum again proved slow. That being said, power through those first pages, and SWORN SWORD delivers a dynamic story of betrayal and intrigue. The last two-thirds of the story are a whirlwind of action I couldn't walk away from.

Tancred is a romanticized version of a knight. With a slant toward gritty, realism in much of historical fiction today, SWORN SWORD reintroduces a knight who would have been a forerunner of the chivalric knight. Chivalry emphasized the aspects of honor, courtly love, and courtesy. With Tancred, the seeds of those ideals are buried beneath his actions. Tancred is certainly a more martial knight. He glories in the battle and feels satisfaction in his honorable kills. The role of being a courtly knight is still beyond him, but there is a tantalizing glimpse of his ambition to become landed and powerful. His character growth includes learning courtesy towards the fair sex. This glimpse into the evolution the knightly code of conduct is fascinating. Aitcheson manages to capture the precarious nature of the time period as well as give us a knight who not only captures our interest but reflects the changes that are coming.

SWORN SWORD may start slow but it's a fascinating glimpse into the past shaped by betrayal and revenge. I'll be interested to see how James Aitcheson continues this historical series and how Tancred will evolve.