On my blog today, I’m joining the Coffee Pot Book Club to shine a spotlight on CHRIS BISHOP’s book, Oscar’s Tale, the standalone story of a Saxon boy who embarks upon a dangerous quest in an England assailed by Vikings.
What is the book about?
Oscar’s Tale is that of a Saxon boy who sets out to find and rescue his father who has been taken by Viking slavers.
The story begins in 877, just prior to the Viking attack on Chippenham in which King Alfred was routed. Against this backdrop, Oscar is obliged to set out on his all but impossible quest and quickly becomes embroiled in all that’s going on in Wessex at this turbulent time, culminating in him playing a small but important part in the battle at Edington.
But this is not just a story about blood thirsty battles and fearsome warriors, it’s about a boy struggling to live up to his father’s reputation as a warrior and trying to find his place in a dangerous and uncertain world. For that, he is forced to confront many dangers and earn the respect of others who are far above his station. Along the way he also finds love – albeit at a cost far higher than most would have been willing to pay.
‘For is it not the wish of every man that his son will achieve more in life than he did?’
Book details
A new paperback of Oscar’s Tale was published on February 25th 2025 by Historium Press, and is available from both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
The book is also available as an eBook for Kindle from Amazon.
Buy Links
About the Author
Chris was born in London in 1951. After a successful career as a Chartered Surveyor, he retired to concentrate on writing, combining this with his lifelong interest in Anglo Saxon history.
His first novel, Blood and Destiny, was published in 2017 and his second, The Warrior with the Pierced Heart, in 2018 followed by The Final Reckoning in 2019 and Bloodlines in 2020. Together they form a series entitled The Shadow of the Raven, the fifth and final part of which – The Prodigal Son – was published in 2023.
Chris has published numerous blogs about various aspects of Anglo Saxon history and is a member of the Historical Writers’ Association.
You can find out more about Chris on his website and follow him on social media:
Website
Follow Chris’s tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club HERE!
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Thank you so much for featuring Chris Bishop today, with his gripping medieval adventure, Oscar’s Tale.
Take care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club