If you crave the gritty, mud-and-blood realism of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, Peter Gibbons is a must-read author. Winner of the prestigious Kindle Storyteller Literary Award, Gibbons writes visceral, thunderously atmospheric historical fiction. His narratives are celebrated for their relentless pacing, accurate shield-wall combat mechanics, and compelling characters fighting to survive across Viking-age Scandinavia, Saxon England, and Arthurian Britain.
His rapidly growing catalog is clearly organized into three primary historical series. Below is the definitive guide to reading Peter Gibbons’ books in order.
1. The Viking Blood and Blade Saga
This is Gibbons’ flagship, bestselling series. It centers on the brutal, uncompromising landscape of the Viking Age, following Norse warriors through massive sea battles, coastal raids, and internal power struggles as kings fight to unite the north.
1. Viking Blood and Blade (2021) (also published as The Viking)
The explosive debut that launched his career. Readers are introduced to Hundr, a fierce but cast-out warrior known as “The Man with the Dog’s Name.” Hundr must navigate a treacherous, violent Norway where King Harald Fairhair is fighting an all-out war to unify the northern clans under one crown.
2. The Wrath of Ivar (2021)
Hundr and his crew are drawn south into a savage conflict involving the legendary sons of Ragnar Lothbrok. Lock, stock, and barrel, they find themselves trapped in Ireland, caught between warring Viking factions and ruthless Irish Dubgaill warriors in a bid to control Dublin.
3. Axes for Valhalla (2022)
The shield-wall clashes reach a boiling point. The throne of Harald Fairhair is secure, but a final, devastating betrayal forces a crew of battle-hardened Norsemen onto a desperate, blood-soaked quest across hostile waters where only the sharpest axes guarantee entry to Valhalla.
4. King of War (2022)
Seven years have passed since the legendary, world-shaping sea battle against Ivar the Boneless. Hundr, now a seasoned and weary commander, is pulled back into the fray when new warlords rise to challenge the established order, demanding a staggering toll in blood.
5. Valkyrie Rising (2023)
As old alliances fracture, internal supernatural and religious tensions rise. Hundr must lead his men through treacherous lands where the old gods still hold sway, navigating the lethal whims of ambitious jarls and the looming shadow of the Valkyries.
6. The Raven and the Nine (2023)
The banner of the raven flies high as Hundr sails into unfamiliar, deadly territories. To protect his people and secure his legacy, he must face an elite cabal of nine ruthless Viking champions who have sworn an oath to see him dead.
7. Revenge of the Betrayer (2023)
A high-stakes tale of vengeance and comeuppance. Rollo the Betrayer has risen to immense prominence, establishing himself as a powerful Duke in Normandy. Hundr sets sail for the Frankish coast to settle an ancient, bitter score that has stained his honor for years.
8. The Lost Viking (2024)
Hundr takes his longships to the vulnerable coastlines of Saxon England. Seeking spoils and legendary renown, he finds himself locking horns with both clever Saxon defenders and rival Viking raiders who refuse to share the spoils of Albion.
9. Dawn of the Ragnarok (2024)
The geopolitical landscape of Northern Europe is pushed to its absolute limits. Massive armies gather, and Hundr faces a apocalyptic-level clash of cultures and steel that threatens to permanently reshape the Viking world.
10. Odin’s Fury (2024)
With the wrath of the Allfather seemingly hanging over the battlefield, Hundr must orchestrate a desperate campaign of survival against overwhelming odds, leaning heavily on his veteran warriors to weather a storm of iron.
11. The Warship Seaworm (2025)
This high-seas epic centers around a legendary, feared Norse warship. Hundr takes command of the Seaworm for a perilous voyage into uncharted, freezing northern waters where the elements are just as deadly as the enemy.
12. Lord of the Whale Road (2026)
The latest, high-octane installment in the saga. Hundr cements his status as an undisputed master of the sea—the “Whale Road”—as he navigates the complex, lethal shifting dynamics between Anglo-Saxon kings and Scandinavian jarls.
2. The Saxon Warrior Series
Shifting the perspective from the raiders to the defenders, this incredibly popular series is set in 992 AD during the chaotic, volatile reign of King Aethelred the Unready. It follows a fierce Saxon Thegn fighting to protect England from devastating Norse invasions.
1. Warrior and Protector (2022)
In the grim aftermath of the historic Battle of Maldon, English forces have been utterly crushed by Olaf Tryggvason and Sweyn Forkbeard. When a traitorous Saxon Thegn flees the field and leaves his countrymen to be massacred, a resilient warrior named Beornoth emerges from the ashes. King Aethelred tasks Beornoth with hunting down the traitors, sparking a relentless quest for justice.
2. Storm of War (2023)
Beornoth aligns with Lord Byrhtnoth, Ealdorman of the East Saxons, to forge an elite, brutal force of oath-sworn Viking killers. To protect the fractured kingdom, Beornoth’s men must become every bit as savage and war-skilled as the Norse invaders landing on their shores.
3. Brothers of the Sword (2023)
The bonds of brotherhood are tested in the crucible of active invasion. As Viking longships swarm the English riverways, Beornoth must hold a crumbling frontline while rooting out deep-seated corruption within the Saxon courts.
4. Sword of Vengeance (2024)
A intensely personal, high-angst installment. Blood ties are severed and ancient blood feuds are reignited when the Norsemen target Beornoth’s home soil, forcing him to wield his blade not just for his king, but for raw, unadulterated revenge.
5. Enemies of the Crown (2025)
Beornoth finds himself caught in a vice between external Viking threats and internal political coup attempts. With King Aethelred’s grip on the English crown slipping, Beornoth must navigate high-stakes espionage and brutal sieges to maintain the kingdom’s sovereignty.
6. Death of a Kingdom (2026)
The high-stakes climax of the Saxon campaign. The Danish armies launch a coordinated, multi-front assault meant to permanently erase the Saxon lines, leaving Beornoth to lead a final, desperate stand in the mud.
3. The Chronicles of Arthur
Gibbons lends his signature dark, visceral storytelling style to Arthurian lore, stripping away the shiny, romanticized medieval myths to deliver a gritty, realistic, and dark look at Sub-Roman Britain.
1. Excalibur (2024)
The legend begins anew. Stripped of glossy chivalry, this book introduces a young, hardened Arthur navigating a fractured Britain left exposed by the departure of the Roman legions. As Saxon raiders press from the east and tribal warlords vie for internal power, a legendary blade becomes a symbol of bloody unification.
2. Pendragon (2024)
Arthur claims his rightful lineage, stepping into the massive, bloody shoes of the Pendragon name. He must rally a ragtag coalition of disparate British tribes, building a war machine capable of halting the relentless Saxon advance.
3. Camelot (2025)
Rather than a shining, fairy-tale palace, Camelot is framed as a rugged, heavily fortified military stronghold. Arthur and his innermost ring of oath-bound shield-brothers face their grimmest challenge yet as internal betrayal threatens to dismantle everything they’ve bled to build.
4. Arthur (2026)
The latest crowning achievement in the trilogy’s expansion. This Dark Age adventure tracks an older, battle-weary Arthur dealing with the heavy, tragic reality of rule, massive political fractures, and a looming final battle that will decide the spiritual and physical soul of Britain.
About the Author: Peter Gibbons
Based in County Kildare, Ireland, Peter Gibbons originally originated from Liverpool, England, before finding his true calling as a historical fiction author. Before writing historical blockbusters full-time, Gibbons established a successful career as a financial advisor—a background that demands a sharp, analytical eye, which he seamlessly applies to researching ancient battle tactics, map topographies, and medieval logistics.
Gibbons is an avid, lifelong reader of historical epics and fantasy masterworks, citing giants like Bernard Cornwell, David Gemmell, and Brandon Sanderson as his core creative influences. His deep-seated passion for Dark Age lore and visceral, atmospheric world-building has rapidly earned him a dedicated global fanbase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Peter Gibbons’ latest book?
His most recent 2026 releases include Lord of the Whale Road (Book 12 of the Viking Blood and Blade Saga) and Arthur (Book 4 of the Chronicles of Arthur).
Are the Viking Blood and Blade and Saxon Warrior series connected?
They take place in the exact same historical universe and time era (the late 9th and 10th centuries), meaning they share the same historical backdrop of the Great Heathen Army’s invasions and the volatile reign of Anglo-Saxon kings. While they follow different primary protagonists (Hundr the Norseman vs. Beornoth the Saxon), reading both gives you a brilliant, dual-sided perspective of the era’s brutal conflicts.
How accurate is the combat in his books?
Extremely. Gibbons is highly praised by historical re-enactors and medieval enthusiasts for avoiding the clean, Hollywood-style duel tropes. His combat sequences focus heavily on the terrifying, exhausting reality of the Dark Age shield-wall: the crush of bodies, mud, weapon degradation, tactical positioning, and the immense psychological toll of face-to-face warfare.
Verdicts and Recommendations
The Final Verdict: If you want to experience the ultimate Norse epic tracking a single warrior’s rise from outcast to legend, start directly with Viking Blood and Blade (2021). If you prefer to defend the realm alongside fiercely loyal Saxons against overwhelming odds, start immediately with Warrior and Protector (2022).
This catalog is a perfect match for: Fans of Vikings, The Last Kingdom, and Giles Kristian novels who want zero fluff, historically authentic settings, and relentlessly fast pacing.
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