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The Tenth Century #1
The Lady of Mercia's Daughter
Betrayal is a family affair.
12th June 918. Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians and daughter of Alfred the Great, is dead.
Ælfwynn, the niece of Edward, king of Wessex, has been bequeathed her mother’s power and status by the men of the Mercian witan but knows she is vulnerable to the North of her kingdom, exposed still to the retreating world of the Viking Raiders from her mother’s generation.
With her Mercian allies: her cousin Athelstan, Ealdorman Æthelfrith and his sons, Archbishop Plegmund and her band of trusted female warriors, she must act decisively to subvert the threat from the Viking Rognavaldr, grandson of the infamous Viking, Ivarr of Dublin, as he turns his gaze toward the desolate lands of Northern England, with the jewel of York, seemingly his intended prize.
Inexplicably she is also exposed to the South, where her Cousin and Uncle eyes her position covetously, their ambitions clear to see.
This is the unknown story of Ælfwynn, the daughter of the Lady of the Mercians and the startling events of late 918 when family loyalty and betrayal marched hand in hand across lands only recently reclaimed by the Mercians. When kingdoms could be won or lost through treachery and fidelity and when there was little love, and even less honesty, and the words of a sword were wont to be heard far more loudly than those of a king or churchman, noble lady’s daughter or Viking rogue.
12th June 918. Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians and daughter of Alfred the Great, is dead.
Ælfwynn, the niece of Edward, king of Wessex, has been bequeathed her mother’s power and status by the men of the Mercian witan but knows she is vulnerable to the North of her kingdom, exposed still to the retreating world of the Viking Raiders from her mother’s generation.
With her Mercian allies: her cousin Athelstan, Ealdorman Æthelfrith and his sons, Archbishop Plegmund and her band of trusted female warriors, she must act decisively to subvert the threat from the Viking Rognavaldr, grandson of the infamous Viking, Ivarr of Dublin, as he turns his gaze toward the desolate lands of Northern England, with the jewel of York, seemingly his intended prize.
Inexplicably she is also exposed to the South, where her Cousin and Uncle eyes her position covetously, their ambitions clear to see.
This is the unknown story of Ælfwynn, the daughter of the Lady of the Mercians and the startling events of late 918 when family loyalty and betrayal marched hand in hand across lands only recently reclaimed by the Mercians. When kingdoms could be won or lost through treachery and fidelity and when there was little love, and even less honesty, and the words of a sword were wont to be heard far more loudly than those of a king or churchman, noble lady’s daughter or Viking rogue.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
226 pages, ebook
First published August 24, 2017
221 people are currently reading
696 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Porter
111 books256 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!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 29, 2020
Enjoyable
I did enjoy the book, historically fascinating to read of women in power in this country. We often forget about England before William the Bastard.
My main problem with the book is the editing or lack there of. It's very frustrating when
There, they're and their are in the wrong place or when a sentence has and extra word or two thrown in. So please more editing before releasing.
I did enjoy the book, historically fascinating to read of women in power in this country. We often forget about England before William the Bastard.
My main problem with the book is the editing or lack there of. It's very frustrating when
There, they're and their are in the wrong place or when a sentence has and extra word or two thrown in. So please more editing before releasing.
July 23, 2021
Excellent read, great entertainment.
I found this to be well written and far superior to a lot of books written about the people and places in the tenth century. Story, moved at a good pace and there was plenty of action. It ended too soon. The characters are believable and likable. I was genuinely interested in what happened to the main character. I will be buying the next book in the series
My only bone of contention was the use of the f-word. Not needed in the story. So many other words or phrase could have been used. I'm one of the many who find it offensive, but even more importantly, the f word had not been in use in the tenth century. The first record of the word was in the late fifteen hundreds. From the quick research I did it would be more accurate to use the word bloody. If the f word was around earlier than the 16th C, it did not have a sexual connotation. It meant to strike or hit.
I found this to be well written and far superior to a lot of books written about the people and places in the tenth century. Story, moved at a good pace and there was plenty of action. It ended too soon. The characters are believable and likable. I was genuinely interested in what happened to the main character. I will be buying the next book in the series
My only bone of contention was the use of the f-word. Not needed in the story. So many other words or phrase could have been used. I'm one of the many who find it offensive, but even more importantly, the f word had not been in use in the tenth century. The first record of the word was in the late fifteen hundreds. From the quick research I did it would be more accurate to use the word bloody. If the f word was around earlier than the 16th C, it did not have a sexual connotation. It meant to strike or hit.
Read
April 7, 2020A weird book to read.
It was readable, and in places the plot did keep the reader moving on. There was a little too much reference to women fighting (don't get me wrong, I am all for equality but when reading a historical fiction it is difficult to believe that it would have been as easily assimilated as the narrator and other characters suggest).
I really enjoy this period so this book has encouraged me to read the next in the series and learn more about England in the 10th Century (The Last Kingdom comes to mind!).
It was readable, and in places the plot did keep the reader moving on. There was a little too much reference to women fighting (don't get me wrong, I am all for equality but when reading a historical fiction it is difficult to believe that it would have been as easily assimilated as the narrator and other characters suggest).
I really enjoy this period so this book has encouraged me to read the next in the series and learn more about England in the 10th Century (The Last Kingdom comes to mind!).
December 22, 2020
I've also reviewed this on Amazon, and commented there that I'd review on here, hope I get a few more followers!
I loved the writing, it took me back in time, the author managed to recreate a believable tenth century atmosphere, filled with betrayal, love, hate, rivalry... all the same things we have today! Technically people don't change, and this story of Æthelflæd's daughter, the second lady of Mercia, does show the freedom the rich women could have if they fought for it. Obviously the poor had no power, and many rich women were as badly treated as later centuries show. Still, the author took me back a thousand years and I could almost smell the streets and feel the hatred and friendships in this book. I hope the next is as good!
My review on Amazon is better, I'm just tired atm!!
I loved the writing, it took me back in time, the author managed to recreate a believable tenth century atmosphere, filled with betrayal, love, hate, rivalry... all the same things we have today! Technically people don't change, and this story of Æthelflæd's daughter, the second lady of Mercia, does show the freedom the rich women could have if they fought for it. Obviously the poor had no power, and many rich women were as badly treated as later centuries show. Still, the author took me back a thousand years and I could almost smell the streets and feel the hatred and friendships in this book. I hope the next is as good!
My review on Amazon is better, I'm just tired atm!!
October 27, 2018
An excellent read - Aelfwynn is an enjoyable character. I look forward to reading more about her.
February 14, 2022
Aelfwynn is the daughter of the famed Aethelflaed, raised a warrior like her mother. When Mercia is threatened, she sets out to protect her borders and her people. This was a great novel set in the 10th century and it was brilliant to see a little-known woman from history being given a voice.
November 6, 2021
A heroine of perfection
A true grit novel of intrigue and guise speckled with a heroine you can't help but be enamored with and her bold and vivacious style
A true grit novel of intrigue and guise speckled with a heroine you can't help but be enamored with and her bold and vivacious style
June 16, 2023
2.5 rounded up to 3.
sff-ok-bx
June 11, 2025Bx,Rokp
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews