In the middle years of the ninth-century, the fierce Danes stormed
onto British soil, hungry for spoils and conquest. Kingdom after
kingdom fell to the ruthless invaders until but one realm remained. And
suddenly the fate of all England—and the course of history—depended
upon one man, one king.
From New York Times bestselling storyteller Bernard Cornwell
comes a rousing epic adventure of courage, treachery, duty, devotion,
majesty, love, and battle as seen through the eyes of a young warrior
who straddled two worlds.
About the Author
Bernard Cornwell is the author of the acclaimed Richard Sharpe series, set during the Napoleonic Wars; the Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles, about American Civil War; the Warlord Trilogy, about Arthurian England; and, most recently, Stonehenge 2000 B.C.: A Novel and The Archer's Tale.
Bernard Cornwell worked for BBC TV for seven years, mostly as producer on the Nationwide programme, before taking charge of the Current Affairs department in Northern Ireland. In 1978 he became editor of Thames Television's Thames at Six. Mr. Cornwell lives with his wife on Cape Cod.
Industry Reviews
"A crackling good storyteller." -- Publishers Weekly "Intoxicating..Thrilling..Cornwell conveys the disquiet of change and the melancholy of extinction as few historical novelists manage to." -- Washington Post Book World "Highly recommended . another great historical series in the making." -- Library Journal (starred review) "History comes alive." -- Boston Globe A crackling good storyteller. --Publishers Weekly History comes alive. --Boston Globe "Highly recommended ... another great historical series in the making."--Library Journal (starred review) "Masterful....[An]irresistible epic adventure....Cornwell deserves praise for his mesmerizing narrative finesse and his authentic historical detailing."--Booklist "History comes alive."--Boston Globe "Enter Cornwell's vividly drawn ninth-century Kingdom ... after this dip into the Dark Ages, we want to go back."--Entertainment Weekly "Cornwell .... makes the usually gloomy ninth century sound like a hell of a lot of fun."--Kirkus Reviews "Enthralling ... the desperate, heroic struggle of Alfred "the Great" ... against the seemingly invincible Vikings.--Wall Street Journal "A crackling good storyteller."--Publishers Weekly Enthralling ... the desperate, heroic struggle of Alfred the Great ... against the seemingly invincible Vikings.--Wall Street Journal" Enter Cornwell s vividly drawn ninth-century Kingdom after this dip into the Dark Ages, we want to go back. --Entertainment Weekly" History comes alive. --Boston Globe" A crackling good storyteller. --Publishers Weekly" Cornwell .... makes the usually gloomy ninth century sound like a hell of a lot of fun. --Kirkus Reviews" Highly recommended another great historical series in the making. --Library Journal (starred review)" Masterful....[An]irresistible epic adventure....Cornwell deserves praise for his mesmerizing narrative finesse and his authentic historical detailing. --Booklist" -Enter Cornwell's vividly drawn ninth-century Kingdom ... after this dip into the Dark Ages, we want to go back.---Entertainment Weekly -Enthralling ... the desperate, heroic struggle of Alfred -the Great- ... against the seemingly invincible Vikings.--Wall Street Journal -History comes alive.---Boston Globe -A crackling good storyteller.---Publishers Weekly -Cornwell .... makes the usually gloomy ninth century sound like a hell of a lot of fun.---Kirkus Reviews -Highly recommended ... another great historical series in the making.---Library Journal (starred review) -Masterful....[An]irresistible epic adventure....Cornwell deserves praise for his mesmerizing narrative finesse and his authentic historical detailing.---Booklist -Intoxicating....Thrilling....Cornwell conveys the disquiet of change and the melancholy of extinction as few historical novelists manage to.---Washington Post Book World "Intoxicating....Thrilling....Cornwell conveys the disquiet of change and the melancholy of extinction as few historical novelists manage to."--Washington Post Book World Intoxicating .Thrilling .Cornwell conveys the disquiet of change and the melancholy of extinction as few historical novelists manage to. --Washington Post Book World"