Cody C. Engdahl's Blog, page 3

Review of Saxon Dawn: Wolf Brethren Book 1 by Griff Hosker

Rise of the Wolf Brothers!

Saxon Dawn is a compelling start to what looks to be a riveting series. It’s the origin story of our hero Lann told in the first person. 

He’s seven years old when his narrative begins. We watch his beginning as a shepherd boy who learns to use a sling and then a bow to hunt as his father teaches him and his brothers how to survive off the land. This is the same time he first hears of the Anglo-Saxon invasion and their raiding parties, which destroy villages, rape, kill, and take people away as slaves. 

At the dawn of his manhood, the invaders finally arrive at his family’s hilltop commune, causing a tragedy that will put him and his younger brothers into the wilderness, where they must use their father’s lessons to survive. From there, Lann and his brothers grow from boys hiding in the woods to powerful warlords in the fight against the invasion.

This book paints a vivid picture of the post-Roman world of late sixth-century Britain. The characters live in the nostalgic shadow of the once-powerful empire as they build their own world. We see the foundation of medieval society as the Kingdom of Rheged grows and gives rise to its first lords who must build their fiefdoms from the remnants of old Roman forts and leftover weapons.

The battle scenes are vivid and intense, with explanations of how weapons and tactics of the time worked. I like historical fiction that teaches as it entertains, and Griff Hosker does an excellent job balancing the two. There’s a historical note at the end that explains much of the real aspects of the story, as well as a glossary that denotes which characters were real historical figures. 

If you want to learn something about sub-Roman Britain while enjoying a rip-roaring adventure. Join the wolfpack and read Saxon Dawn!

Check out Hosker’s book here:

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Review of Malcolm’s Bridge by Loyd Elmore Jr.

Small-town science fiction on a cosmic scale!

Loyd Elmore Jr.’s Malcolm’s Bridge combines a nostalgic return to growing up in the 80s with the awe and dread of the fantastical unknown.

Malcolm Martin, the only black kid in a small town, dreams of Star Trek-like adventures in space as an escape from the everyday cruelties of his life. Everything changes when he finds a mysterious object in his closet that defies all logic. The thing quickly becomes a blessing and a burden, changing his life and perhaps the very state of his existence forever.

I really enjoyed this novel, and read it in record time for me because I couldn’t put it down. I was overwhelmed with memories of my own nerdy childhood in the 70s and 80s and was compelled to read on as the unworldly story unfolded. 

Malcolm’s Bridge reads much like the Sci-fi/ fantasy adventure movies of the ’80s like E.T., The Goonies, Gremlins, and the like, where the mundane world is visited upon by the unimaginable. 

If you’re sitting on the fence, I bade you to cross the bridge, jump right in, and read Malcolm’s Bridge.

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Book Review of The Northern Wolf by Daniel Greene

Michigan Cavalry Rides in Glory

Johannes Wolf is a German immigrant destined for a destitute life of bitterness after an accident in his father’s shop leaves him with a bum leg in a brace. A drunken bar brawl ends up with another trip to the city slammer, but also an opportunity to make something of his life in the Michigan Cavalry. To do so, Wolf and his friends must prove themselves on the training grounds and, ultimately, on the battlefields at Gettysburg.

Northern Wolf is an absolute romp through the real history of the American Civil War. Author Daniel Greene does a great job of weaving historical and technical aspects with an exciting adventure with likable characters, both fictional and real. I especially liked his authentic depictions of Generals George Custer and Wade Hampton.

So much has been written about the Battle of Gettysburg, but Greene manages to bring a fresh perspective through Michigan troopers and the cavalry battles in the rear of the Federal line, which happened during the same time as Pickett’s infamous frontal assault. 

If you’re looking for an exciting new look at America’s most controversial war, saddle up and ride with the Northern Wolf!

Check out Greene’s Northern Wolf here:

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The French Fiasco Preview:

The first public preview of The French Fiasco is out!

They were waiting for him dressed in the uniforms of the local Garde Mobile when Carl got to the clearing on the French side of the river. Monsieur de Villeneuve glared at him, then spoke to his seconds as Carl stepped onto the field. The one who had done the talking in Captain Schultz’s office a few days before turned to look at Carl, then approached him as the other stayed with Villeneuve.

“You were limping. Are you injured?” he asked in English.

“No, just a cut on my foot,” Carl said.

The man looked down at the foot in question, then looked back at Carl’s face. “Where are your seconds?”

“I don’t have any,” Carl said, stopping short of telling him that he had no friends either. He decided that sympathy-mongering would get him nowhere with these men.

The man looked at him for a moment with undisguised scorn. “Wait here, please,” the man said, then returned to the others. 

They spoke in hushed tones. Monsieur de Villeneuve guffawed loudly, throwing a poisonous look toward Carl, then looked back to his seconds. The conversation continued in which Villeneuve seemed to become more agitated and the other men had to calm him down. At last, he seemed to acquiesce with a dismissive hand gesture and a roll of his eyes.

The Frenchman with whom Carl had been speaking returned, his face stone cold and business-like. “Due to your inability to enlist a single gentleman to stand with you, I volunteer to act as your second. Do you accept?”

“Um…yeah,” Carl said, surprised by the offer. “Thank you.”

“I assure you I take no pleasure in it, but I will perform my duties in good faith.”

“Of course. I would expect nothing less,” Carl said, feeling the weight of the man’s contempt.“Can I at least ask your name, sir? I’d like to know who it is that stands with me.” 

“Lieutenant Gabriel d’Archambeau, Garde Mobile Nationale de Forbach.”

“I’m Carl Smith,” Carl said, extending his hand. “…actually, my mother is French.”

D’Archambeau looked at the proffered hand then back at Carl. “I know who you are. What are your instructions for your body?”

“Um,” Carl said as he lowered his hand. “I guess return it to my camp, maybe discreetly if you could.” His voice trailed off as it was a strange thing to ponder. 

“It will be done,” d’Archambeau said. “Now I shall inspect and load the pistols with my counterpart. Once we’re done, you will be given first choice. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Carl said, dropping his eyes. 

“Excellent.” Gabriel turned to walk away.

Carl looked up at him again, “Monsieur d’Archambeau…”

The man stopped and turned. “Yes?”

“I didn’t do it…” Carl stumbled as rage flashed across the man’s face. “…I mean, I didn’t rape her…” That only seemed to make it worse. “…and I’m not the one who hurt her.” 

The man seemed to struggle for a moment, then returned to his cold countenance. “If that’s true, then perhaps God will grant you mercy,” he said then turned to join the other second who was waiting near a small field table on which the pistols and accessories lay. 

Click here to read more: The French Fiasco

What do you think? My editing team and I went through a few choices. This one seemed to tell a story even out of context, yet it doesn’t give too much away. Even though this bit doesn’t have a lot of action like the other scenes we looked at, we felt the tension was there.

More importantly, what do you think? Should we have gone with something with more action? Is the subtext of what’s going on too disturbing? Does it make you want to read more? I’d love to know!

Coming April 16!The French Fiasco

Pre-order for just 99¢ or the equivalent in your country. It will be $4.99 or the equivalent when it comes out.

Book Review of The Stars Entwined by Jon Del Arroz

Authentic science fiction, a fun space fantasy, and a damn good love story!

I enjoyed this far more than I expected. I grew up on Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and Battle Star Galactica. I spent hours acting out my own space adventures in my backyard. I didn’t realize how much I missed that feeling until I read The Stars Entwined. By the way, the title does have meaning as you read the book, so pay attention!

Humans and the Aryshans are on the brink of war. A lowly internal affairs officer may be the only hope for humanity. Through training, cosmetic surgery, and nanotechnology microviruses reprograming his brain, Lieutenant Sean Barrows is transformed into Retai Aeveron and is installed as a spy on an Aryshan battleship. But the one thing he was not prepared for was falling in love with the enemy commander!

Jon Del Arroz does a great job entwining classic sci-fi tropes with grounded technology and imaginative fantasy elements. The fight scenes are riveting, especially the one in open space during a spacewalk! I liked that he gave perspective to both sides of the conflict. It’s an interesting contrast between Aryshan collectivism and human individualism.

The Stars Entwined is a promising start to the Aryshan War Trilogy. The end will certainly make you want to pick up the next book. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take my plasma pistol and play The Star’s Entwined in my backyard.

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After Action Report: Military and Munitions Day at the White House Inn Museum

It was a great day of signing books and meeting new and old friends in real life! 


The White Inn Museum invited me to sign books at their Military & Munitions event last Saturday. I was there at 7:30 in the morning to set up my table. Here’s what it looked like.




We opened up at 9 am. My first customer was none other than Nick Pride, a Facebook friend for years, who had come out to see me at the event. He bought the whole 5-book series! Thanks, Nick!





We had a steady stream all day. I sold fourteen books in all and got three new signups for this email list. So if you’re one of them, thank you! Here are the other pictures:





Coming April 16!The French FiascoThe Kindle version will be $4.99, or your country’s equivalent, but you can get it for just 99¢, or the equivalent if you pre-order it now!
Paperback, hardcover, and audible prices have not yet been set.Pre-order for only 99¢ or the equivalent.

💣After Action Report: 2025 Mid-South Civil War & Military History Show

Great time in Southaven, MS.

Mission Accomplished

Honestly, I thought twice about coming to the 2025 Mid-South Civil War & Military History Show.

As some of you know, I’m going through treatment for tongue cancer, and it’s putting me through the wringer. But there was no way I was going to miss this opportunity to hang out with my fellow American Civil War buffs, see old friends, and meet some new ones.

My mom came to take care of me and help run my table. Together, we sold some books and met some new readers. If you’re one of them, thanks for joining my email list.

Here are some pictures of my new friends and readers. Once again, I thank you for jumping into my series. I hope you’ll stick with me as I’m expected to survive and write a lot more books.

Coming Soon!

The French Fiasco will be out on Amazon, April 16!
The Kindle version will be $4.99, or the equivalent in your country. But you can pre-order it now for just 99¢, or the equivalent. Click the button below to check it out!

Come See Me March 7 & 8 at the Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show

If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve probably heard I’m going through treatment for tongue cancer.

But I ain’t dead yet!

Come see me and my mom at the Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show next weekend, March 7 & 8. I’ll be playing fiddle and signing books!

MID SOUTH MILITARY HISTORY & CIVIL WAR SHOW is the South’s Oldest Military History Show. It’s MARCH 7 & 8, 2025. Hours are FRIDAY 1-6 PM • SATURDAY 9-5 PM at the LANDERS CENTER, 4560 Venture Drive, Southaven, MS 38671Directions: 1-55 AT CHURCH RD, EXIT 287, SOUTHAVEN, MS 38671, 15 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS.ADMISSION: ADULTS $10 (2 DAY PASS $15) • CHILDREN 12 & UNDER FREE

I hope to see you there!

Check out my last book on pre-order, coming April 16!

And, catch up on my last release here:

Review of A Man Dies But Once by Matthew Harffy

Mathew Harffy has mastered the voice of the Old West.

I’m not typically a fan of first-person narratives, but the voice of old Jed White recounting his first love and first kill was so vividly authentic, I could not tear myself away.

A Man Dies But Once is a 20,000-word novella told from the perspective of Jedediah White, a grizzled old gunslinger who speaks it like a confession after a life of killing and perhaps regret. 

The story is a juxtaposition of his first sexual encounter with his first murder, seemingly two rites of passage in the Old West. The two create a dichotomy of love and hate, life-giving and life-taking rituals, as if the two are opposite sides of the same coin.

It’s also an interesting contrast to hear the old, trail-hardened veteran retell a story from his younger, naive days. In it are all the seeds of the man Jedediah White becomes.

Jeb White is a supporting character in Harffy’s full novel, Dark Frontier. You don’t need to read it first, but I bet you’ll want to when you’re done with A Man Dies But Once.

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Kane takes you on the march to Moscow with Napoleon and his armies.

This is a first-person narrative from the vantage of Matthew Carrey, a degenerate gambler front Kent whose debts drive him into an ill-advised endeavor that leaves him stranded in France – penniless and labeled a traitor and murderer by the British Crown.

But Carrey is half French and uses his nearly native French tongue and Familial relations to start a new life in Paris. But his old ways pull him back into the gambling salons, and he is soon in trouble again. Blackmailed into service, the only way to save himself, clear his name, and spare his innocent uncle whom he dragged into this mess is to agree to spy for Britain as one of Napoleon’s messengers.

I really enjoyed the first act. Ben Kane did a fabulous job of selling how the rogue goes from being stranded in France to marching in Russia with Napoleon and his Grande Armée, all while in the service of the British Crown. It’s a great set up, and I was in for the ride.

I enjoyed the character. Matthew is not some “Biggus Dickus” who is stronger, taller, smarter, and a better fighter than everyone else. Matthew is a scoundrel who would pawn his uncle’s tailor shop just to win his money back in a gambling den. Matthew is always weighing the odds like a gambler in his decisions and has a little devil speaking in his head, goading him into making the wrong ones.

The rest of the book tells the story of Napoleon’s march to Moscow with battles such as Borodino, and then the retreat through the Russian winter in which hundreds of thousands died. This is told through Matthew’s eyes as he witnesses and participates in a series of events. He has an ongoing feud with a French hussar, which results in multiple duels. There’salso a love interest he feels compelled to save, raising the stakes and drama for our gambling man.

The book ends rather abruptly after the last in a series of ordeals Matthew must face to survive the brutal march home. It makes me almost wonder if there’ll be a sequel, although the Battle of Berezina – Matthew’s last challenge – is the last major battle of the campaign.

Whether Napoleon’s Spy is Book One of a series or a standalone novel, it’s an entertaining adventure with a likable protagonist that puts you in the action of Napoleon’s disastrous campaign in Russia.

Check out Ben’s book here:

Coming April 16: My latest novel! The pre-order is only 99¢ or the same equivalent in your country. It will be $4.99 when it comes out. Check it out here:

In the meantime, check out my last novel here: