What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ninth Century #10
The Last Deceit
From MJ Porter comes a thrilling hew hero.
Deceit and ambition threaten to undo the most fragile alliance.
King Coelwulf of Mercia has unwillingly accepted the need to ally with the kingdom of Wessex under the command of King Alfred. But King Alfred of Wessex must still prove himself, and Coelwulf can’t remain absent from Mercia indefinitely.
Returning to London, a place holding more fascination for the West Saxons and the Viking raiders than Coelwulf and his fellow Mercians, Coelwulf sets about reinforcing the walled settlement so long abandoned by all but the most determined traders. But Coelwulf knows Jarl Guthrum has set his eyes on Canterbury, and he must protect the archbishop in Kent, nominally under the control of the West Saxon king, even if King Alfred is no warrior.
But deceit and lies run rife through the West Saxon camp and when Coelwulf believes he’s held to his oaths and alliances, an unexpected enemy might just sneak their way into Mercia. The future of Mercia remains at stake.Praise for the series"Action-packed and hard to put down."
"To say this book is excellent would be an understatement. it’s a blood and gore fest for any fan of the period." Amazon Reviewer
"an instant page-turner." Netgalley Reviewer
"The battle scenes were really well written." Netgalley Reviewer
"Coelwulf is a fierce warrior with an honourable battlefield moral code. Coelwulf’s character is one that you soon learn to respect and admire, along with his men. With plenty of gory battle scenes, MJ Porter’s descriptive writing really brings Coelwulf’s battles to life." Netgalley Reviewer
"Fast-paced, deep character development, page-turning action, what more do you need." Netgalley Reviewer
"A tale that moves fairly swiftly, breathless at times, with great battle scenes and just the right amount of humour." Netgalley Reviewer
"I really loved this book, great strong central characters that grow on you. Fantastic read. The book had me gripped. Excellent storyline, fast-paced, full of action, bloody action and violence you feel like you're stood in the shield walk or charging on a horse with the blood & sweat of man & beast around you as you help battle the impossible odds. The stories main character Coelwulf is a true warrior of royal blood & the only man with the skills & presence to pull the lords of Mercia together. He stands tall with his band of warriors & draws men to him to do battle. A true hero of old." Netgalley ReviewerThe Ninth Century Series Coelwulf's Tales from before The Last King
The Last King
The Last Warrior
The Last Horse
The Last Enemy
The Last Sword
The Last Shield
The Last Seven
The Last Viking
The Last Alliance
The Last DeceitMEET THE AUTHORI'm an author of historical fiction and non-fiction (Early English/Viking), fantasy and nonfiction I write A LOT. You've been warned.
Deceit and ambition threaten to undo the most fragile alliance.
King Coelwulf of Mercia has unwillingly accepted the need to ally with the kingdom of Wessex under the command of King Alfred. But King Alfred of Wessex must still prove himself, and Coelwulf can’t remain absent from Mercia indefinitely.
Returning to London, a place holding more fascination for the West Saxons and the Viking raiders than Coelwulf and his fellow Mercians, Coelwulf sets about reinforcing the walled settlement so long abandoned by all but the most determined traders. But Coelwulf knows Jarl Guthrum has set his eyes on Canterbury, and he must protect the archbishop in Kent, nominally under the control of the West Saxon king, even if King Alfred is no warrior.
But deceit and lies run rife through the West Saxon camp and when Coelwulf believes he’s held to his oaths and alliances, an unexpected enemy might just sneak their way into Mercia. The future of Mercia remains at stake.Praise for the series"Action-packed and hard to put down."
"To say this book is excellent would be an understatement. it’s a blood and gore fest for any fan of the period." Amazon Reviewer
"an instant page-turner." Netgalley Reviewer
"The battle scenes were really well written." Netgalley Reviewer
"Coelwulf is a fierce warrior with an honourable battlefield moral code. Coelwulf’s character is one that you soon learn to respect and admire, along with his men. With plenty of gory battle scenes, MJ Porter’s descriptive writing really brings Coelwulf’s battles to life." Netgalley Reviewer
"Fast-paced, deep character development, page-turning action, what more do you need." Netgalley Reviewer
"A tale that moves fairly swiftly, breathless at times, with great battle scenes and just the right amount of humour." Netgalley Reviewer
"I really loved this book, great strong central characters that grow on you. Fantastic read. The book had me gripped. Excellent storyline, fast-paced, full of action, bloody action and violence you feel like you're stood in the shield walk or charging on a horse with the blood & sweat of man & beast around you as you help battle the impossible odds. The stories main character Coelwulf is a true warrior of royal blood & the only man with the skills & presence to pull the lords of Mercia together. He stands tall with his band of warriors & draws men to him to do battle. A true hero of old." Netgalley ReviewerThe Ninth Century Series Coelwulf's Tales from before The Last King
The Last King
The Last Warrior
The Last Horse
The Last Enemy
The Last Sword
The Last Shield
The Last Seven
The Last Viking
The Last Alliance
The Last DeceitMEET THE AUTHORI'm an author of historical fiction and non-fiction (Early English/Viking), fantasy and nonfiction I write A LOT. You've been warned.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025
About the author
M.J. Porter
120 books266 followersI'm an author of historical fiction (Early English/Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest, as well as five 20th-century historical mysteries) and historical romantasy.
I was born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building, told from a very young age that it housed the bones of long-dead kings of Mercia and that our garden was littered with old pieces of pottery from a long-ago battle, it's little wonder that my curiosity in Early England ran riot. I can only blame my parents!
I like to write. You've been warned!
Not sure where to start your journey through Saxon/Early England? The Dark Ages trilogy will take readers back to the very beginnings of Saxon England before the creation of Mercia and the other kingdoms. The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles featuring our reluctant hero, Icel, will introduce you to the best Saxon kingdom of all, Mercia! Storm of Mercia is the latest release.
Looking for my historical fantasy/romantasy? Dragonbound, the first book in the Ice and Fire series, will be available from September 2026.
Looking for my 20th-century mysteries? The Erdington Mysteries and Cragside, a standalone 1930s murder mystery, are the titles for you.
My first non-fiction book, The Royal Women Who Made England, is now published by Pen and Sword in hardback and ebook.
Happy reading:)
Find me at
www.mjporterauthor.com or at www.mjporterauthor.blog where I blog about books and films and sometimes, writing! I also have an online store for signed paperbacks and a few others goodies at mjporterauthor.co.uk.
https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor
https://mjporterauthor.sumupstore.com
You can join my monthly subscriber newsletters and gain access to the restricted page on my blog at the same time.
https://BookHip.com/MGWHLDC (Saxon stories)
https://BookHip.com/THPKCKP (mysteries only)
(I have odd reading tastes - there's no need to notice though!!) I'm also exceedingly anti-social - that you may notice but must accept!
I was born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building, told from a very young age that it housed the bones of long-dead kings of Mercia and that our garden was littered with old pieces of pottery from a long-ago battle, it's little wonder that my curiosity in Early England ran riot. I can only blame my parents!
I like to write. You've been warned!
Not sure where to start your journey through Saxon/Early England? The Dark Ages trilogy will take readers back to the very beginnings of Saxon England before the creation of Mercia and the other kingdoms. The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles featuring our reluctant hero, Icel, will introduce you to the best Saxon kingdom of all, Mercia! Storm of Mercia is the latest release.
Looking for my historical fantasy/romantasy? Dragonbound, the first book in the Ice and Fire series, will be available from September 2026.
Looking for my 20th-century mysteries? The Erdington Mysteries and Cragside, a standalone 1930s murder mystery, are the titles for you.
My first non-fiction book, The Royal Women Who Made England, is now published by Pen and Sword in hardback and ebook.
Happy reading:)
Find me at
www.mjporterauthor.com or at www.mjporterauthor.blog where I blog about books and films and sometimes, writing! I also have an online store for signed paperbacks and a few others goodies at mjporterauthor.co.uk.
https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor
https://mjporterauthor.sumupstore.com
You can join my monthly subscriber newsletters and gain access to the restricted page on my blog at the same time.
https://BookHip.com/MGWHLDC (Saxon stories)
https://BookHip.com/THPKCKP (mysteries only)
(I have odd reading tastes - there's no need to notice though!!) I'm also exceedingly anti-social - that you may notice but must accept!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 20, 2026
Events pick up immediately after book 9, so there’s no slow build here , you’re thrown straight back into the chaos from page one.
M.J. Porter delivers another fast paced, brutal installment packed with action as Coelwulf faces the fallout of working with Wessex against the Vikings. However there are always enemies that turn up unexpected
The battle scenes felt frantic, bloody, and exhilarating, which is exactly what I’ve come to expect from this series.
My favourite part, though, was all the little connections to the Icel series. I love spotting those small easter eggs and callbacks that reward long time readers without taking anything away from the main story.
Another really solid installment overall , quick to read, action-heavy, and leaves me ready for the next one.
M.J. Porter delivers another fast paced, brutal installment packed with action as Coelwulf faces the fallout of working with Wessex against the Vikings. However there are always enemies that turn up unexpected
The battle scenes felt frantic, bloody, and exhilarating, which is exactly what I’ve come to expect from this series.
My favourite part, though, was all the little connections to the Icel series. I love spotting those small easter eggs and callbacks that reward long time readers without taking anything away from the main story.
Another really solid installment overall , quick to read, action-heavy, and leaves me ready for the next one.
March 8, 2025
While I enjoyed the heck out of this episode...the depiction of Alfred is an eye-opener for sure, but I really appreciated the nuggets of Icel's past spread throughout the tale...yep a creative blending of two tales...
May 7, 2025
We see young Gardulf with a serious belly wound. Will another warrior fall?
Coelwulf aids Alfred, but is he to be trusted? Alfred seems to want London, but doesn’t have seasoned warriors including himself.
We get to see a dilapidated city of London that is in need of restoration. Coelwulf needs to give this city more attention. But the Vikings are everywhere.
There is a traitor in their midst of allies. Will he be flushed out? Will Mercia fall because of its own man who turned against her?
Along the way, you keep asking yourself questions about people’s intentions and fates. I particularly was worried about a young warrior of Mercia near the end.
How will these events affect the future of Mercia?
Coelwulf aids Alfred, but is he to be trusted? Alfred seems to want London, but doesn’t have seasoned warriors including himself.
We get to see a dilapidated city of London that is in need of restoration. Coelwulf needs to give this city more attention. But the Vikings are everywhere.
There is a traitor in their midst of allies. Will he be flushed out? Will Mercia fall because of its own man who turned against her?
Along the way, you keep asking yourself questions about people’s intentions and fates. I particularly was worried about a young warrior of Mercia near the end.
How will these events affect the future of Mercia?
March 19, 2025
Colewulf
The book was fascinating and well written I can't wait for the next book in this saga.. I started to read the Mercian sagas because my wife bought me a reader and I am needed something to read. I became hooked on MJ Porter.
The book was fascinating and well written I can't wait for the next book in this saga.. I started to read the Mercian sagas because my wife bought me a reader and I am needed something to read. I became hooked on MJ Porter.
February 15, 2025
This was a great series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews