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The Earls of Mercia #2
The Danish King's Enemy
Every story has a beginning.
Leofwine has convinced his king to finally face his enemies in battle and won a great victory, but in the meantime, events have spiralled out of control elsewhere.
With the death of Olaf Tryggvason of Norway, England has lost an ally, and Leofwine has gained an enemy. And not just any enemy. Swein is the king of Denmark, and he has powerful resources at his fingertips.
In a unique position with the king, Leofwine is either honoured or disrespected. Yet it is to Leofwine that the king turns to when an audacious attack is launched against the king’s mother and his children. Yet Leofwine’s successes only bring him more under the scrutiny of King Swein of Denmark, and his own enemies at the king’s court.
With an increase in Viking Raider attacks, it is to Leofwine that the king turns once more. However, the king has grown impatient with his ealdorman, blaming him for Swein’s close scrutiny of the whole of England. Can Leofwine win another victory for his king, or does he risk losing all that he’s gained?
The Danish King’s Enemy is the second book in the epic Earls of Mercia series charting the last century of Anglo-Saxon England, as seen through the eyes of Ealdorman Leofwine, the father of Earl Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, and ally of Lady Elfrida, England’s first queen.
The Earls of Mercia Series
The Earl of Mercia's Father (paperback - second edition)
The Danish King's Enemy (paperback - second edition)
Northman Part 1
Northman Part 2
The King's Earl
The Earl of Mercia
The English Earl
The Earl's KingViking King (coming soon
)PRAISE FOR THE EARLS OF MERCIA SERIES
"This is a fantastic series of books, by an author who certainly knows his subject. I was into the Roman invasions but am rapidly converting to the Britons!" Amazon Reviewer
"A must-read for fans of Viking age England. This promises to be a very good series of which I can't wait for the next instalment." Amazon Reviewer
"Intriguing, well-written stories about the early days of Great Britain between Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror... at the time Athelred was King... the story is written from the perspective of one the emerging Earl's who sits on the Witan (counsel). The time period show the interplay between Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries (Viking raiders) as well." Amazon.com Reviewer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm an author of fantasy (Viking age/dragon-themed) and historical fiction (Anglo-Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a very young age that it housed the bones of the long-dead kings of Mercia, it's little wonder that my curiosity in the Anglo-Saxons ran riot. I can only blame my parents!I write A LOT. You've been warned!Find me at www.mjporterauthor.com and @coloursofunison on twitter
Leofwine has convinced his king to finally face his enemies in battle and won a great victory, but in the meantime, events have spiralled out of control elsewhere.
With the death of Olaf Tryggvason of Norway, England has lost an ally, and Leofwine has gained an enemy. And not just any enemy. Swein is the king of Denmark, and he has powerful resources at his fingertips.
In a unique position with the king, Leofwine is either honoured or disrespected. Yet it is to Leofwine that the king turns to when an audacious attack is launched against the king’s mother and his children. Yet Leofwine’s successes only bring him more under the scrutiny of King Swein of Denmark, and his own enemies at the king’s court.
With an increase in Viking Raider attacks, it is to Leofwine that the king turns once more. However, the king has grown impatient with his ealdorman, blaming him for Swein’s close scrutiny of the whole of England. Can Leofwine win another victory for his king, or does he risk losing all that he’s gained?
The Danish King’s Enemy is the second book in the epic Earls of Mercia series charting the last century of Anglo-Saxon England, as seen through the eyes of Ealdorman Leofwine, the father of Earl Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, and ally of Lady Elfrida, England’s first queen.
The Earls of Mercia Series
The Earl of Mercia's Father (paperback - second edition)
The Danish King's Enemy (paperback - second edition)
Northman Part 1
Northman Part 2
The King's Earl
The Earl of Mercia
The English Earl
The Earl's KingViking King (coming soon
)PRAISE FOR THE EARLS OF MERCIA SERIES
"This is a fantastic series of books, by an author who certainly knows his subject. I was into the Roman invasions but am rapidly converting to the Britons!" Amazon Reviewer
"A must-read for fans of Viking age England. This promises to be a very good series of which I can't wait for the next instalment." Amazon Reviewer
"Intriguing, well-written stories about the early days of Great Britain between Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror... at the time Athelred was King... the story is written from the perspective of one the emerging Earl's who sits on the Witan (counsel). The time period show the interplay between Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries (Viking raiders) as well." Amazon.com Reviewer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm an author of fantasy (Viking age/dragon-themed) and historical fiction (Anglo-Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a very young age that it housed the bones of the long-dead kings of Mercia, it's little wonder that my curiosity in the Anglo-Saxons ran riot. I can only blame my parents!I write A LOT. You've been warned!Find me at www.mjporterauthor.com and @coloursofunison on twitter
262 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2014
105 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Porter
111 books258 followersI'm an author of historical fiction (Early English (before 1066)/Viking) and now five 20th-century mysteries..
The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles (featuring a young Icel from The Last King series) is now available from Boldwood Books. As is the complete Brunanburh Series and the first two books in the Dark Age Chronicles, my foray to before Saxon England was Saxon England. Enjoy.
The Ninth Century Series (The Last King), are stories of ninth-century England, but not as it's been written before, (featuring an older Icel and some other familiar faces too).
The Erdington Mysteries now has a third book in the series—The Secret Sauce. (Did you know Erdington would have been in Mercia back in the Saxon period? I know, you can't get me away from the place.) The Barrage Body is coming soon.
The Royal Women Who Made England, my first non-fiction book about the royal women of the tenth century, is available now.
I like to write. You've been warned.
Find me at
www.mjporterauthor.com or at www.mjporterauthor.blog where I blog about books and films and sometimes, writing!
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!
The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles (featuring a young Icel from The Last King series) is now available from Boldwood Books. As is the complete Brunanburh Series and the first two books in the Dark Age Chronicles, my foray to before Saxon England was Saxon England. Enjoy.
The Ninth Century Series (The Last King), are stories of ninth-century England, but not as it's been written before, (featuring an older Icel and some other familiar faces too).
The Erdington Mysteries now has a third book in the series—The Secret Sauce. (Did you know Erdington would have been in Mercia back in the Saxon period? I know, you can't get me away from the place.) The Barrage Body is coming soon.
The Royal Women Who Made England, my first non-fiction book about the royal women of the tenth century, is available now.
I like to write. You've been warned.
Find me at
www.mjporterauthor.com or at www.mjporterauthor.blog where I blog about books and films and sometimes, writing!
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!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 8, 2019
Hard going
I find the author's writing style a tad too flowery for my taste but great content non the less and worthy of 5 stars for that alone
I find the author's writing style a tad too flowery for my taste but great content non the less and worthy of 5 stars for that alone
November 17, 2017
This is the 2nd book of a series; the first book is pretty short. Leofwine was a real person, though not much has been written about him. The large amount of unknowns with the lesser characters in this period of history offers an opportunity for an author to develop the characters with more freedom, but there isn't a lot of depth with anyone in this story, nor does there seem to be much of a plot. As the book went on, I started to see more and more grammar and word usage errors. There is use of possessive punctuation when it should just be plural nouns ("son's" when it should be "sons") and the errors are repeated so it's not just a typo. There are also some incorrect words used, like "access" when it should have been "assess," "vain" for "vein," and the dreaded "loose" when it should be "lose." The author also over uses and misuses the word "chill" for some reason; it's sometimes used as an adjective just as it is, rather than "chilly," which would have been the proper term. It's kind of bizarre & makes the writing seem very teenager-ish. It started out, in the first book, much better, but the author doesn't seem to be able to maintain a quality style of writing. I think the author has promise, but some remedial English grammar & vocabulary classes are needed.
July 13, 2018
Excellent story and narrative... Hooked for the duration!
Excellent story teller i am hooked for the duration of the series ...... Author does a great job of keeping you interested
Excellent story teller i am hooked for the duration of the series ...... Author does a great job of keeping you interested
April 4, 2018
Easy reading
While it was a pleasant read,the battle scenes almost an afterthought. The amount of time spent on describing politics takes away any real gripping excitement.
While it was a pleasant read,the battle scenes almost an afterthought. The amount of time spent on describing politics takes away any real gripping excitement.
May 29, 2018
Exciting action circa 1000
This second in the series is a much improved novel based on historical events available which cover this millennial period
This second in the series is a much improved novel based on historical events available which cover this millennial period
October 31, 2022
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE'S ENEMY: M. J. PORTER
I may as well repeat most of my review for Book One of this series since nothing's changed except for more execrable editing:
"From homophone abuse to outright orthographic savagery, mystifying non-sequiturs, faulty pronoun references, absurd punctuation faux-pas, and endless sentence constructs that leave the reader nonplussed and irritable, this piece of swill must be the worst demonstration of proofreading on record. It was a supreme effort to read this tripe through to the end. Porter or Kindle or the Publisher is responsible for this exercise in literary delinquency and should be ashamed that this travesty ever saw the light of day. Somewhere within this labyrinth of errors lies a good story, but genuine anger at the editing prevents the reader from finding it!
I may as well repeat most of my review for Book One of this series since nothing's changed except for more execrable editing:
"From homophone abuse to outright orthographic savagery, mystifying non-sequiturs, faulty pronoun references, absurd punctuation faux-pas, and endless sentence constructs that leave the reader nonplussed and irritable, this piece of swill must be the worst demonstration of proofreading on record. It was a supreme effort to read this tripe through to the end. Porter or Kindle or the Publisher is responsible for this exercise in literary delinquency and should be ashamed that this travesty ever saw the light of day. Somewhere within this labyrinth of errors lies a good story, but genuine anger at the editing prevents the reader from finding it!
November 29, 2016
Another good book.
September 8, 2025
First rate story
I've found a winner of a series. The Earls of Mercia, is an excellent series. The story of the Ealdorman, Leofwine of Mercia is exciting and interesting in all the best ways. The struggles of the Saxons to protect their peoples and lands from the Raiders from the north is told in a way that reminds us that real people lived the history of England. Its easy to recognize that they were brave and intelligent, or cowardly and weak, lived, loved, fought and died depending on each other. Well worth a read.
I've found a winner of a series. The Earls of Mercia, is an excellent series. The story of the Ealdorman, Leofwine of Mercia is exciting and interesting in all the best ways. The struggles of the Saxons to protect their peoples and lands from the Raiders from the north is told in a way that reminds us that real people lived the history of England. Its easy to recognize that they were brave and intelligent, or cowardly and weak, lived, loved, fought and died depending on each other. Well worth a read.
January 11, 2025
The Saga continues
This is the second part of an amazing adventure set in the second Viking age. The detail of the political process and the battle movements are believable and keep you reading long into the night.
This is the second part of an amazing adventure set in the second Viking age. The detail of the political process and the battle movements are believable and keep you reading long into the night.
Read
September 20, 2024A riveting read
Once again M J Porter opens up Anglo Saxon England so well. You feel you a part of story, the highs and the lows.
Once again M J Porter opens up Anglo Saxon England so well. You feel you a part of story, the highs and the lows.
sff-ok-bx
December 1, 2025bx,Rokp (1.99)
October 26, 2017
REVIEW FROM AMAZON
Having read and enjoyed book 1 of this series I got this to see how the story continued. I wasn't disappointed. The people and the setting - Anglo Saxon England at the time of the Viking raids - seemed to come alive and I could almost imagine that I was there. The battle scenes aren't too gory (thank goodness) but the details of the people, how they lived and died, the nature of kingship at that time and just the details of day to day life in an Ealderman's home were suburb. I usually either love or loathe historical novels. I love this one and can't wait for the next one - I doubt it could be left as it is without another book to follow.
A minor thing, is that occasionally plurals appear in the text as 's, eg boy's rather than boys but it easy to make typing errors when you're working on something this vast. Also the author uses the word besides when beside would have done. Don't know if this is a throwback to the style of writing of that time or the author's way of proving the work is theirs. Neither of these spoil what is essentially a jolly good ripping yarn.
Having read and enjoyed book 1 of this series I got this to see how the story continued. I wasn't disappointed. The people and the setting - Anglo Saxon England at the time of the Viking raids - seemed to come alive and I could almost imagine that I was there. The battle scenes aren't too gory (thank goodness) but the details of the people, how they lived and died, the nature of kingship at that time and just the details of day to day life in an Ealderman's home were suburb. I usually either love or loathe historical novels. I love this one and can't wait for the next one - I doubt it could be left as it is without another book to follow.
A minor thing, is that occasionally plurals appear in the text as 's, eg boy's rather than boys but it easy to make typing errors when you're working on something this vast. Also the author uses the word besides when beside would have done. Don't know if this is a throwback to the style of writing of that time or the author's way of proving the work is theirs. Neither of these spoil what is essentially a jolly good ripping yarn.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews