Action-packed, exciting and full of twists and turns, Protector of Mercia is another first-class historical novel by M J Porter.

Tamworth AD833 and when Icel hears a shocking confession from Lady Cynehild, after rescuing her husband from the island of Sheppey, he finds himself wondering whether everything he’s always believed had been built on a foundation of lies and deceit. What does the future hold for Icel? Has everything he’s worked his entire life for been for nothing? And will he ever find what he is seeking navigating a world torn apart by war and conflict?

Weighed down by the secrets he has discovered and the oaths he had sworn, Icel doesn’t know which way to turn. Sworn to protect the two sons of Lady Cynehild and her husband, when they are kidnapped, Icel vows to move heaven and earth to find them and to bring them back safe and sound. But as he travels to the dangerous Northern lands, he wonders who is behind this kidnapping attempt: the queen? The king’s son? Or could it be an old friend of his who is now married to the king’s son, Lady Ælflæd?

As Icel finds himself on his most dangerous mission yet. Will he be successful in his quest to rescue the two children? Or is he doomed to fail?

From the moment you open an M J Porter historical novel, you are immediately transported back in time and into the world they so skillfully evoke. Powerful, highly-charged and wonderfully atmospheric, Protector of Mercia is another nail-biting entry in this terrific series that raises the bar for historical fiction with each new instalment.

A fantastic historical novel that grips, delights and entertains, Protector of Mercia is another top-notch tale by M J Porter.

Icel has given his oath to Lady Cynehild on her deathbed to protect her two boys. The boys are kidnapped and we join Icel as he sets out to find them and bring them home safely. Icel has a tough time and is in fear of his life.
I really enjoyed the storyline in this book and was engrossed right from the start by the way the author sets the scenes and found them very descriptive to the point I didn’t want to put the book down but keep reading to find out what happened next. Full of action with lots of strong characters.
Excellent storyline you feel like you are standing with Icel as he battles against impossible odds.
I highly recommend this book.
If you like books set before 1066 then the series written by M.J. Porter are for you.

Protector of Mercia is book 5 in The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. The 1st book in the series was published less than 2 years ago but in this time, there’s been so much growth and development I can hardly believe it’s the 5th instalment already!

If you haven’t read the previous instalments I do recommend it but the author has the knack for explaining things as they go nicely so new readers would understand some of the background.. but most definitely do read the others in the series.. they are too good not to read!

We are back with Icel, and he now knows the truth about who is father really is….and that he himself has a claim to the throne. But it’s a throne he doesn’t want.

After the death of Lady Cynehild Icel promised to protect her children.. It might have been a last ditch selfish act from Lady Cynehild but never the less she was right to fear for them. Soon after their father is exiled the boys go missing and Icel has to figure out who took them and where they have been taken….right now the why doesn’t matter…but something just isnt sitting right..if you want these children out of the way why not just kill them?

Protector of Mercia is all about the tension..a tale of a manhunt as Icel uses all his skill and knowledge to find the children.. to keep them safe.. the main issue is who can he trust??

This instalment, like the previous ones is full of action but what I loved about this one more was the pace, it’s a harrowing journey and the author effortlessly puts you in Icel’s position.. the urgency.. the feeling of desperation.. the weariness of the journey.. the pace perfectly matched so you can actually feel how tired Icel must be.

I feel like Icel at times lost sight of everything else other then would the children survive but he needs to find out why they were taken and by whom..but it’s not going to be easy and the journey is taking him further and further away from safety.

Something I really love about this series is the authors knack of transporting you back to events that happened in a previous novel with only a few words, credit to the author that at the mention of Icel’s uncle my mind is instantly flooded with memories from book 1 in the series..This certainly is a series that will stay with you.

Overall this has to be my favourite instalment so far.. its’ one mans tale.. his feelings.. his desperation and desire not to fail. I couldn’t put it down! 5/5 stars.

I must admit it was the cover that first attracted me to this book. Yes I’m one of those people 😂😅 in my defence it’s a beauty.

But it’s the story that kept me reading. Now this is book 5 in the series and the first I’ve read so it took me a bit to get to understand the characters and I’ll definitely be picking up the rest of the series and starting from the beginning.

Icel is a fabulous character to get to know. Gruff but loveable with a protective streak a mile wide. The battle scenes and land descriptions reminded me why I so enjoy historical books.

I’m going to give it a solid 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Yay! Icel is back!

I was thrilled to catch up with my favourite Mercian healer-turned-warrior again, especially after the cliffhanger in Eagle of Mercia. And what an exciting – if often painful – ride it is!

MJ Porter is fast turning into my favourite historical fiction writer. The research and knowledge of the era, and the setting, is impeccable, adding a strong sense of time and place to the novels.

After discovering who his father was, Icel is attacked by mixed emotions. But during the revelation from the dying Lady Cynehild, he also had to give her his oath to protect her young sons. And that oath is the focus in this novel.

Protector of Mercia begins with Icel visiting his mentor and healer, Wynflæd. And while she insists he follow his newly-discovered fate, Icel himself has no intention to. Following their disagreement, he heads to Kingsholm, where the young boys’ father, Lord Coenwulf, is slowly recovering from wounds received when he tried to reach the king of the West Saxons, Ecgberht – an act regarded as treason by Mercians.

But King Wiglaf is dithering, reluctant to punish the errant lord, though his wife and son are hell-bent on banishment at least, if not worse.

The young boys, Coelwulf and Coenwulf, are being cared for by Eadburg and her mother, and he is certain the women wouldn't harm them. But there are others who regard their tenuous claim to the Mercian throne as a threat – and who would stop at nothing to extinguish their flame – and their young lives.

His oath also prevents Icel from joining his fellow warriors and friends under the command of Ealdorman Ælfstan. He tells them about his oath, but not about the secret he learnt from the dying lady. That one he keeps close to his heart, and it causes him much unhappiness.

After Wiglaf's departure, his son and heir, Lord Wigmund and his wife Ælflæd are in charge. But with Ælflæd's own sun so small and weak, she shows her disdain for her brother's children. But Icel must not only watch her – he is also the victim of bullying by Wigmund's men, and nearly ends up dead at their hands.

When he is called away from Kingsholm, he doesn't stop fretting, and when his works nightmare comes true – the children disappear during their supposed journey to the king's court at Tamworth – he sets out on finding them. But the search takes him into unknown territory such as the Welsh borderlands and then the far, sparsely populated north-west of Northumbria. Will he find the boys and take them to safety? Find out in this gripping novel!

I love Icel. He's the perfect anti-hero. A seasoned warrior by now, yes, but at heart still a young man looking for his own path in life. The secret of his birth adds to his confusion. He wants to heal, not kill – but kill he must, if necessary.

In Protector of Mercia, Icel meets many challenges, he barely survives, but those make him even more determined. It's not only his oath that keeps him looking after the boys, he has developed a close bond to them. After all, with their mother dead and their father banished from Mercia, probably fled to Frankia, they are all alone, just as he was. This parallel is emotional and makes him a believable and caring character who would do anything – and who does do everything – in his power to protect them.

Protector of Mercia is a really fast-paced tale, one to read in as few sittings as you can, as it pulls you firmly into Icel's (mis-)adventures. The poor lad ends up close to death more than once, and often it's his trusted stallion, Brute, who is there to save him. Brute is a stubborn horse, not allowing anyone else to handle him, and that is just as well as he is taken from Icel more than once. The tales surrounding the horse raised a few smiles in an otherwise serious, death-defying plot.

Easily the best book in this excellent series, I can highly recommend Protector of Mercia to readers of historical adventures who love a slightly different type of hero.

Our hero rides off on yet another riveting honor bound mission in this latest installment of the Mercia chronicles.
Icel's fierce loyalty is put to the ultimate test when those under his sworn protection are stolen away. Compelled by duty and honor, the veteran warrior healer, embarks alone on a relentless pursuit to save the kidnapped children. What follows is an exhilarating tale of adventure, danger, and courage.

I felt that this particular adventure is defined by its solo nature, stripping the taciturn hero of his usual allies. Icel is driven solely by his moral code as he navigates the perilous wilds and unknown enemies of 9th century England.
By the climax, we are all deeply invested in the fates of both Icel and his young charges.

This series continues to deliver an authentic historical fiction flavour with gripping action sequences.
Definitely recommended for fans and newcomers alike, this latest entry is a must-read adventure.
Overall 4.5 stars.
My thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of the book for my unbiased review.

NOTE: This review contains spoilers to previous books in the series but NO spoilers to this one:
Wow, just, wow! While Icel now knows the truth of his lineage, this and the oath he swore has him in turmoil. Torn with how he feels and what to do with what he’s learned, he decides to leave his warband and stay at Kingsholm to protect the two young boys. But dangerous political games are being played and not everyone is happy with his presence at the settlement.

I feel I have no decent words to describe how I feel after reading this book, except: wow! This fifth book in the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series takes place soon after book four with Icel finally finding out who his father is and swearing an oath to protect the two young children of Lord Coenwulf. Despite knowing the truth it doesn’t help Icel in any way, in fact in this book his inner turmoil and thoughts become more prevalent as Icel struggles with knowing the truth and what to do with it. This inner struggle is increased when he eventually has a conversation with Wynflæd

I like what happens in this story, both at the start with Icel’s inner troubles and the wider problems surrounding Kingsholm at first. Later when something happens leading Icel on a journey heading north, the story really gets even more interesting and exciting. I love how determined Icel is and how his solo journey takes him north where he’s never been before. Something about him being alone without his warrior friends by his side made this even more exciting and tense, especially when something happens to Icel deep in the woodlands near Hereford. I don’t want to spoil it as this felt like the most exciting moment of the whole book but there’s a scene at night that had me so gripped, tense and also a bit terrified, that it felt like one of the best moments I’ve ever read in a book! I love what happened there, and in the rest of the story.

Apart from Icel’s character in this story being such a likeable character to have narrate, I also enjoyed Cynewise’s and Eadburg’s characters too, especially Eadburg’s later in the story. I also love how Icel’s horse Brute, while often giving Icel’s story a dose of humour in the other books with his unpredictable nature, in this book also plays an important role in the story too, as do some other animals. So much happens in this book that it’s impossible to get across just how amazing it is without writing a book myself, lol, but I will say that I like how some of this story echoes Icel’s adventure in the first book of the series, Son of Mercia, as Icel also muses on all that has happened to him over the last few years, as well as the sort of reversal of roles that happens when Icel is later hurt.

The ending of the book left me with mixed feelings though. This whole book has so much happening, so much tension and excitement and such a brilliant plot that this is definitely my favourite book in the series at the moment. Icel being alone as he was in some of Son of Mercia and Wolf of Mercia (alone as a Mercian among the enemy in that book) is partly why I like it so much. But the ending, though good, felt quite abrupt and I felt like there should have been a longer ending scene or another scene to help me come down from the high I was on. The way the story and author’s notes were written (in the early copy I have been given) also leave me wondering if there will be more books in this series as there’s no guarantee mentioned like there was in previous books.

This book has a map at the front which is especially good to look at as Icel travels a long way and you can see the journey he’s taken. The book does have occasional swearing of the s swear word as well as some minor words, some deaths, with some gory details and blood mentioned. There are also some author’s notes at the end of the book which I hoped might have included more on where the idea of the Wolf Lady came from, but sadly didn’t, as well as an extract of a book called King of King’s from one of MJ Porter’s other historical fiction series.

Overall this was so amazing I’m still stunned by how amazing and exciting this has been! I’ve enjoyed every book in this series and I really hope there will still be more in the future, I really don’t want to stop following Icel’s adventures yet! But after how gripping and amazing this book is, I’m honestly not sure if any book will top this one as being my favourite! 😀

Plot


Where earlier books in the series centre on Viking invaders and Saxons repelling them, Protector of Mercia turns inward to the internal conflicts between Saxons themselves. I enjoyed the change of focus, as the undercurrents to the previous books got their chance to shine here. 
Throughout the narrative, the threat of Viking warriors continues to loom; Saxons continually make preparations. However, the plot is largely a near-solo quest to locate and retrieve two children. They have a claim to the Mercian throne and are kidnapped under dubious circumstances. That’s not to say that we don’t get to see the camaraderie and group battle scenes we have come to know and love throughout the series though! 
The conflict may arise from different sources in this book, but the execution of storytelling, tension and intrigue is just as great as every book in the series to date. Protector of Mercia is a compelling read, leaving you wondering how Icel is going to face the next challenge that is invariably around the corner. 
 


Setting

Throughout the series we’ve ventured far and wide across the land of the Saxons. Protector of Mercia is no exception… and we get to explore new territory in this narrative. Icel finds himself venturing into new and unfamiliar lands. On his quest to secure the safety of the kidnapped children, he finds himself isolated and endangered at every moment. 
The change of setting and circumstances of Icel’s quest keeps us (along with Icel) on our toes. He is not quite floundering, but he is far more unbalanced and unsure of his actions, creating tension and leaving us guessing as to what could happen next. 
 


Characters 

Icel remains a standout character for me throughout this series and in the genre more widely. He has come a long, long way from the youth who couldn’t bear to pick up a seax, even in his own defence. Yet, for all the personal growth and development over the course of the books, he retains a strong sense of self. He doesn’t relish his duty as a warrior - it is purely his responsibility. He has never lost touch with his penchant for healing and his allies greatly benefit from his skill after leaving a battlefield. 
Given the more political nature of Protector of Mercia, we get to explore the natures of other Saxons that make up the background of not just this story but help augment what has already happened to date. 
On top of the troubles with inheritance for the Mercian throne, Icel has his own secrets and preoccupations. We know far more about Icel as a character and his history than we did in Son of Mercia. The revelations of his past, and the potential consequences that may have are an overarching storyline spanning across the series. I'm sure we’ll see far more of this in future books, and I can't wait to see how it all unravels.
 


Summary

Protector of Mercia varies slightly from the previous books in the series in terms of focus, but not in terms of enjoyment. I really appreciated the change of setting and conflict, and the worldbuilding we got as a result, but with the nail-biting (at times) tension that keeps us on the edge of our seat. 
The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series still has plenty of offer, and I already can’t wait for the next instalment!

Icel, after he argues with Wynflint about what the dying princess told him before her death he decides to go to the estate of lord Wiggen the king son and the new Lord of the manner since Lord Coenwal has been exiled so Icel can keep his oath. When the children are kidnapped the rides to Hereford only to only to be taken himself this is how he meets the wolf lady in her pack before going after the children again he first makes hastes back home to talk to WynFlint when he arrives he is shocked to learn one of the women taken with the orphan boys is in Mercia This starts and back on the trail of the boys and Edwin‘s wife Edbert Who left with Lord Coenwal on his seven year exile leaving her and the babes unprotected but they are not Icel is a warrior and he will die before not keeping his oath. There so much I didn’t put in this awesome book that should’ve been called the Nanny of Mercia but I am just joking I didn’t even mention why the boys must banish due to the new Lord‘s sick son and his wife not being with child yet again and if the Lord son passes away the two orphan boys will have a legitimate claim on the throne nor about Icel’s Fear of who’s behind the conspiracy to take the children the enemies he made soon after arriving at Lord Wiggins estate and much much more fear not that this is more a book about trying to find two kidnap children they do have fight scenes in there still lots of action I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it I love these books and this one certainly did not disappoint. I want to thank Boldwood books end NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Icel is determined to keep his oath to protect the lives of the two young children. When they are kidnapped Icel goes on a journey to save them. Well this one has to be my favourite of the series because I loved the heart in my throat adventure that it took me on. I don't think I took a breath until the very last page. There isn't as much blood gore battles but more suspense and tension. I hope this isn't the last one of the series because Icel has become my favourite fictional character and I really want to read more of his strong and courageous battles.

AD833 and Icel makes an oath to protect two young children whose lives are in real danger. Lady Cynehild has died revealing secrets of Icel’s past. The children are kidnapped and Icel along with his horse must attempt a rescue.

Honour is important to Icel and he takes his oath to protect the children very seriously whilst putting his own life in danger. Action packed novel, which is well written and makes a good read. Highly recommend.

An interesting look at Saxon England and the complexities of royal life. It was a bit hard to pick up the thread of the story after so long away from the rest of the series.