Vikings Historical Mystery

In 1035, a young 15-year-old Viking is dragged wounded from the battle. Left for dead, for the next 20 years his adventures lead him over mountains, down the length of Russia and ultimately to Constantinople and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Drawn into political intrigue, he will be the lover of empresses, the murderer of an emperor; he will hold the balance of power in the Byzantine Empire in his hands and then give it all up for a Russian princess and the chance to return home and lead his own people.

England, 1069. King William's iron rule grips the land, his Frankish lords dominating with towering castles. In the east, an outlaw builds an island fortress, rallying common folk against Norman oppression. Edgar the Aetheling remains defiant, seeking the throne that is rightfully his. Alongside him sails Styrkar, the legendary Danish warrior, to forge a fragile alliance in Denmark.

In a time of chaos and Viking onslaught, Alfred the untested Saxon king must fight to save his ravished land. The tale unfurls through the eyes of a young thane, Edmond, who becomes Alfred's friend and mightiest warrior. When Danes over run the land and the Saxons capitulate, this young knight trains and leads a devoted corps of pike-men to recapture the kingdom.