Sword of the Saxons

Alfred the Great #2

by Steven A. McKay

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Anglo Saxon, British Literature

382 pages, Paperback

Published July 4, 2024

About the author

I was born in 1977, near Glasgow in Scotland and live in Old Kilpatrick with my wife and two young children. After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts degree I decided to follow my life-long ambition and write a novel. The Forest Lord series now has four novels, and various short spin-off tales.

My new book "The Heathen Horde" is the first in a brand series following Alfred the Great. It comes out on October 26 2023 so please check it out and pre-order if you can!

I play guitar and write all my books while listening to extreme metal.
In 2022 I started a podcast with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy. You can subscribe to Rock, Paper, Swords! on all the usual podcast outlets and also find the audio on Youtube every fortnight.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This eventful historical novel is the 2nd part of the "Alfred the Great" trilogy.

At the end of the book you'll notice an Author's Note, where the historical details are explained, and a very well documented list of Places.

Storytelling is wonderful, much better than in its predecessor in my view, all characters are very believable and lifelike, and the atmosphere and living conditions of 9th Century Wessex come splendidly off the pages.

This book is set as from AD878 until AD886, and it will continue the tale about the glorious rule by King Alfred of Wessex, and the hardships he had to overcome against the invading Danes and from insurrections from within.

The story continues after the betrayal by his kinsmen with Alfred and his family, as well as his close companions and warriors, at a settlement called Athelney in the west of Wessex and surrounded by marshes, waiting for tidings to turn in his favour.

Due to miraculous victories by King Alfred and his growing fighting army over the Danes led by Guthrum and other clashes with certain Danes, King Alfred will reign with a firm believe in faith and learning, while when necessary a certain ruthlessness will be needed from him when confronted with treachery from without and within, and all that in a bid to achieve his ultimate goal.

What is to follow is an exciting and interesting historical novel, about Alfred and his deeds as a devout warrior King but also his desire for learning for all, and that is brought to us in a very fine manner by the author.

Highly recommended, for this is an excellent addition to this trilogy, and that's why I like to call this second episode: "A Much Improved Sequel"!

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Volume two, our Alfred is finally strong enough to venture out of his hiding place in the marsh and swamplands that have sheltered him after the great betrayal. It hasn’t been easy, but little by little he and his men built a fortress strong enough to withstand the first attack by overconfident Norsemen. And finally, it was beginning to look like “now or never”; he needed to raise his people and push the invaders out of Wessex. It was a risk. Would they come and fight for him? Soon enough, he had his answer as thousands came in answer to his summons:

‘Speak to them, my love,’ Ealhswith urged. ‘Now, while everyone is so happy. Go on, climb up on top of the stone.’
Nodding, Alfred released her and scrambled up the lichen-encrusted rock which was almost as tall as he was. Making sure his feet were firmly planted, he drew himself up to his full height, one hand resting on his sword’s pommel, eyes scanning from left to right, and on, all the way around the hillside he looked, turning as he did, smiling the whole time.
‘My people!’ he finally shouted, lifting his arms and holding them out, as if drawing those loyal men of Wessex into his embrace. ‘My people! It is time to crush the Danes once and for all!’

This was a time for forgiving old grievances, accepting remorseful turncoats back into the fold. But Alfred knew that giving a second chance to those who abandoned him was more important than harboring his resentments. He was even willing to be merciful to Danes in his power, when the offending Norse took advantage of his compassion—at least once. It didn’t end well, much to his humiliation. Alfred has yet to distinguish between naïve belief in the power of his religious faith and the nastiness of the real world. But he’s a good learner, and next time won’t be so easy. We really feel his pain in this book, and his frustration. But there definitely is a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Sumit · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮. 𝘿𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩, 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝘼𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙤𝙛 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙮. 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙭, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 – 𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙪𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙨. 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚?’

🗡Sword of the Saxons by Steven A. Mckay - 2nd in the Alfred the Great trilogy - is a historical fiction that explores the life of one of Britain’s most ever important kings, Alfred the Great.



Wessex. 878 A.D. Betrayed by his kinsman and driven by the fearsome Viking warlord Guthrum, King Alfred of Wessex with his family had retreated deep into the marshes around Athelney, lying in wait to reclaim his kingdom. From there he gathers allies and bannermen to his cause and leads a series of guerilla attacks against the viking horde, not only to evict them from his homeland but also to strengthen it so that in the future nobody could dare to set foot on the British land.

‘𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩, 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙙, 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙒𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙤-𝙎𝙖𝙭𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩, 𝙬𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚, 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨!’

🗡Steven is a master of his craft and he had done his research well while writing this book. It covers the fascinating middle years of Alfred's reign; It not only glorifies his numerous battles and victories but also explores the reforms that he brought to secure the land and also talks about his lookout on education that is very relevant for the future of any growing kingdom.

🗡The plot was tightly knitted as everything fit perfectly & I never felt dragged. The description of the marshy bog of Athelney to the siege of Cippanhamme - everything was quite atmospheric. There are plenty of epic battle scenes to keep me hooked throughout the book but I enjoyed the naval battle scenes most that I didn't expect them to be there in the first place.

🗡Alfred's characterization was layered. He is a victorious leader, a reformer, a far-sighted dreamer, a pious Christ follower but he is also a family man and has his weaknesses both physical (his mysterious ailment) and mental (his merciful nature) that he overcomes in the last. Other characters, whether Saxon or Dane are vividly portrayed; their background stories and motivations are explored, making them believable.

🗡The climax of the book was chrismatic. It ends with a ferocious altercation scene between Alfred and his kin that sets the stage for the next chapter of Alfred's life. I'm curious to see how it will be enfolded in the next book.

Overall it was a stunning sequel and I enjoyed it completely. Highly Recommended for the fans of Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow & Angus Donald.

𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5)

[Richard West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second of McKay's trilogy about Alfred The Great who, according to my English history teacher in college was the only king to ever be called "The Great" in the history of the British Isles. And, this one picks up right where the first installment left off and leaves us kind of hanging, anxiously awaiting next year's installment. If you ever had the aforementioned English history course, you know how it ends, but McKay makes it fun getting there.

If you're into action and lots of blood and guts, this will satisfy you in ways you wouldn't believe. But, it was a violent time and you had those pesky Vikings always coming around on raids, so you wouldn't expect them to all sit down and play a game of chess - they tried to kill each other - one in an attempt to take the land - the other in an attempt to keep what they had.

McKay's version of Alfred is a bit different than what they taught us in college - in college he was portrayed as an overly-pious Christian who actually considered going into the priesthood. Had he done that, who knows what the history of England would have been? This version of Alfred, while still pious (he spends a lot of time praying and attending mass), is also a king who probably drinks just a little too much which no doubt aided in his having chronic stomach problems and who spends time with ladies of - shall we say - questionable morality? But his wife who seemed to spend a lot of time pregnant, probably understood because its never mentioned she got upset about Alfred's whoring.

Like all of Steven McKay's books, this is an exciting page-turner which is perfect for the person who is a fan of historical fiction. However, before reading this one, you'll want to read the first installment, "The Heathen Horde."

Over the years, Steven McKay has established himself as a leading writer of historical fiction, and it's a mystery why he hasn't been offered a contract with a major publishing house with the books appearing in hardback. As it is, he's a living version of the Beatles "Paperback Writer" and I hope it does make a million overnight! If I had the money, I'd start my own publishing company and offer him a contract so his books could come out in hardback since paperbacks don't have the durability and last as long as the hardbacks and these are books (check out his Robin Hood series) you want to pass on down through the generations. They're that good.

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLURB
A war to shape the future of a nation. Betrayed by his kinsmen, his forces overrun by Danes, King Alfred of Wessex has retreated deep into the marshes of his homeland, lying in wait for his chance at redemption.

The scourge of the heathen horde that has ravaged the kingdom for decades is at its peak. Led by the fearsome Viking warlord Guthrum, the fate of the men, women, and children at their mercy appears all but sealed. But underestimate the great king at your peril…

Gathering allies and bannermen to his cause, and building a strategy that will hopefully ensure victory, Alfred sets out to undermine the strength of the complacent invaders, and establish Wessex as the greatest territory in the British Isles.

A final showdown awaits. Not only with Guthrum and his savage warriors, but with destiny. As the battle lines are drawn, the destiny of not just Wessex, but of every Anglo-Saxon in Britain, rests firmly on Alfred’s shoulders.

An utterly ferocious and gripping adventure, covering the fascinating middle years of Alfred the Great’s reign, one of Britain’s most influential monarchs.
395 pages, Kindle Edition Expected publication July 4, 2024
REVIEW
I think it’s safe to say, my peeps and fellow readers, that the author was on his A-game with the second episode of his Alfred trilogy. His creative grasp on the material, even the bits that are well-known, is on full display from the marshy bog of Athelney to the triumphant expulsion of the Danes from Wessex. We see Alfred as a victorious leader, as a far-sighted dreamer with plans to strengthen his kingdom, and as a pious follower of Christ, but we also see his weaknesses; showing Christian mercy when wrath is required, and the painful bouts of an intestinal illness. The narrative flows along at a nice easy pace, but like a battle scene on a river filled with the flotsam debris of destruction, the tale is packed with dramatic twists and turns. Characters, whether Saxon, Dane, or Norse are vividly portrayed, their manners, camaraderie, and loyalties are just a few of the qualities created by the author that keep one turning those pages. Now, we wait for the third episode, and judging from the end of number two…well, you’ll have to see for yourself. 5 STARS

[All the King's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great follow-up in this series. These kind of David vs Goliath stories can be extremely gratifying if well done, and well done it was.

Alfred is at the lowest of the low points possible, but through sheer willpower, determination, good leadership skills and a host of loyal people, they manage to overcome the insurmountable odds and bring back glory to Wessex.

Really enjoyed this novel, while I'm not a big fan of his piousness these books do manage to convey Alfred's greatness and also deliver an immensely enjoyable tale.

Another 4,5/5 rating.

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like Alfred the Great is one of those people we’ve probably all heard of.. but know really little about and it was just waiting for the right person to ignite the passion in a story about the man and McKay certainly knows how to do that with a bang!

Firstly, don’t worry If you’ve not had chance to read the first book in the series.. while I’m of course going to tell you to grab a copy it’s most certainly not needed to understand the tale and characters as the author does a outstanding job of laying the foundations of the tale and building as he goes, everything fits perfect so just when you want a bit of background on a character and their motivations etc it’s there.. so beautifully woven it’s almost effortless to read.

Alfred has been defeated and betrayed but he’s not out of the fight yet.. it’s time for Alfred to shine. Where book 1 dealt with Alfred’s rise and fall from power book2 deals with the fall out, and most importantly his personal growth as he tries to maintain but also grow his support to take back the land from the Dane invaders!

What I really loved was while there’s more than enough action for the fans it’s tempered with a more personal side as we see him struggle with his own health, those of his friends, guilt at the cost of war and most importantly to him.. wishing to keep his family safe. It’s a perilous time but I loved the human touch given to Alfred with those special moments with his family. Those pages really made you understand that being King isn’t always a good thing.. sometimes it’s clear being born into royalty could have been seen as a curse.. power and fame yes.. but the pressure.. the utter fear of betrayal or worse death.. yeah no thanks.

Alfred soon sets about attacking the Danes in hit and run attacks.. bringing them down little by little. For him and his men this is quite fun actually and you can feel the excitement they feel enacting revenge on the invaders.

The Danes won’t sit by for too long though and it’s a race for Alfred to complete his new fortress before the Danes mount their attack.

I’ll try to write as spoiler free as I can but this Is where the tale really gets juicy.

As Alfred’s power grows and the Danes are chased from his land we see the compassion the King has, allowing conversion to Christianity rather than death. It’s a pivotal moment for Alfred and shows what kind of man he is.

The decision is costly.. it does work but at the same time Alfred is blind to those who may see his compassion as a weakness and use that against him.

When Danes return to Alfred’s lands they are in for a shock as the men of Wessex have been busy rebuilding and strengthening…not only on land but also the sea defences and I particularly loved the ship-based fighting scenes.

The Danes don’t really want to give up and as time goes on it’s clear Alfred needs to look closer to home for his enemies as betrayal seems to be a shadow that’s chasing him.. this Shadow comes out into the light towards the end of the book in some very hard hitting moments.. most certainly the wow factor chapter.

Alfred didn’t help himself though.. sometimes he made enemies without even meaning too but it’s the poison spoke from others that clearly seals the deal and sets the next instalment up to be the most exciting yet.

There’s also times where those who betrayed him need to be forgiven and brought back into the fold for the benefit of everyone and you can see how shrewd Alfred and his advisors would have need to be to manage this.

Development wise this plot had everything, we explore the connections Alfred has made, even down to the lowest man.. Alfred has earned their respect and he’s loyal to his men too, he hates to see them fall in battle but does everything within his power to see them safe and repaid in full for their support.

Alfred shines in this book in many ways, but none stand out more than his reforms, not only does he look to the security of the land but he looks at education too, so many dismiss the need but Alfred can see its importance to the future of his kingdom.

To say it’s a 5* read is an understatement so lets go ahead for a David’s Book Blurg first and say its a 5* PLUS read!..it just ticks so many boxes and is so beautifully executed.

The one only downside is only that I wish the publisher could offer hardbacks of the series.. if any series deserved to be in hardback its this one.

[Geoff Boxell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in Steven A. McKay’s trilogy on King Æfrǣd of Wessex following on from “The Heathen Hoard”.
Having won enough victories against the Danes, King Æfrǣd, thought, after one final battle, that there would now be a period of peace and a time to rebuild his realm. Instead the Danes, under Guthrum, come back at Christmas and drive king and royal family into the dire marshes of the Somerset Levels. Establishing a base at Athelney, Æfrǣd and his hearth troops, led by the formidable Wulfric, harass the Danes searching for them and then pull together an army to strike back and reclaim Wessex for Æfrǣd. To find out more, buy and read the book! Well, those of you who know your history will, in fact, know what followed, but this well written book will entertain you as you refresh your memory.
As with the previous book, “Sword of the Saxons” contains much of real life from the loss of a child to hangovers; from deep love for one’s wife to the temptations that the closeness of a willing other woman can bring; from knowing who to manage your health issues to the love of a good ale. In all this Æfrǣd is counselled and advised by his priest and friend, Cuthbert, and some of their discussions illustrates the author’s understanding of Christian ethics and philosophy as well as the effects of battling what appears to be stomach cancer.
Again great characterisations; the people in the book are very believable and you can get alongside them in their actions and thoughts. It took longer to read this book than I had hoped due to work and my birthday getting in the way. I have already started reading the third book in the series, “King of Wessex” and a hundred pages is but part of a morning gone.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating faction of the life of Alfred. While the first book of the series was compelling from the beginning this one was, at times, slower and more studied in its approach. Having said that, I enjoyed the author's approach to the birth of our nation, making Alfred both the focus and the warrior hero leading from the front in comparison to Bernard Cornwall's Uhtred as the warrior getting his hands dirty for a King Alfred who is bookish and contemplative.

[Landon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sword of the Saxons is an engaging continuation of Alfred the Great's story. The novel explores Alfred’s strong relationships with Wulfric, his trusted captain, Oswald, his spiritual advisor, and his wife, Eahlswith, adding depth to his character. The tension with Norse raiders, along with the internal conflict involving his nephews, creates a compelling mix of political intrigue and action. I am excited to continue the saga in the third book.

[Linda Susan Garman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hero of the Saxons

To read this book is a total joy and a learning experience. To understand the political and military situation that Alfred found himself in at the beginning of his reign is well written and represented in this series so far I am looking forward to reading the next book and seeing how this story is told. These books are very well written and contain a great amount of historical fact.

[Martin Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll not be disappointed in the least

The second book in the series sometimes lack thing's the previous book had. Not this one, the storyline continues on a fascinating path, with strong character's and the ending sets you up for the next book brilliantly.

Definitely worth the time to read, and is fascinating and on par with other previous authors.

[Birgit Constant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining read about possibly the lowest point in King Alfred's life, when his kingdom was the last to resist the all-conquering Danes – and it solves the riddle of why the cakes got burned.
At times, I found the action a little slow-going, but I will definitely read more from this author.

[Ray Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series.

Definitely a great series for anybody who enjoys a great historical read, I know Alfred the Great was a very pious man, I would have drowned the Dane prisoners so they couldn't go to Valhalla. But that's just me. Great story telling from Mr McKay looking forward to next book.

[W. Boal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional.
Steven really brings the era to life as you read. At times you can't help but cheer Alfred on, while at others, groan at his continual acts of mercy. A brilliant read and I cannot wait for number 3

[Michael greenhalgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alfred

A differant take on other books i've read about alfred i'm looking forward to reading how he unites england in to one kingdom and more of the dour wulfric is right hand man

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters, great story now the hard part and waiting for part 3. Lots of action, betrayal, and, of course, family drama, which most likely will be the theme in part 3.

[Caroline Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiction meets history

It is a wonderfully woven story based on real historical figures. A great novel about a great king... and onwards to the 3rd book.

[Benjamin Tolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read and enjoyed immensely. The last of the trilogy is already on the bookshelf.