Der letzte Getreue der Königin

Wulfgar #1

by V.M. Whitworth

900 A.D. A time of turmoil. A kingdom in dispute. An unlikely hero..

Edward, son of Alfred the Great, has inherited the Kingdom of Wessex and achieved a precarious set of alliances through marriage and military conquest. But the alliance is uneasy and the kingdom of Mercia has more reason than most to fear the might of Wessex. Their Lord is elderly and perhaps mortally sick, and his wife fears that she does not have the power to withstand hostile takeover. She also knows too well what her neighbour is capable of - after all, King Edward is her brother.

The chance to rescue St Oswald's bones, beloved patron saint, to consecrate her new church and unite the people behind her, is too good an opportunity to miss. But they are rumoured to be buried a long way north - outside Lincoln, deep in hostile territory. Her secretary, Wulfgar, groomed for the priesthood since he was a boy in the elegant cloisters of Winchester cathedral but a naïve in the ways of the wider world - is surprised to be sent on this mission. It will prove an incredibly dangerous journey, requiring resources and courage Wulfgar did not know he had, and support from surprising allies along the way including a maverick priest and a Viking adventuress whose loyalties are far from clear...
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Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Medieval, Anglo Saxon, British Literature, Mystery

Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

Aka Victoria Thompson and
Victoria Whitworth

V.M. works as an academic writer and lecturer, specialising in the Middle Ages. After reading English at Oxford, V.M gained an M.A. and D.Phil from the Centre for Medieval Studies in York.

Having worked as a lecturer, tour guide, artist's model and EFL teacher, V.M. now lives on a smallholding in Orkney with family, cats, ducks and occasional sheep, planning further adventures for Wulfgar.

Reviews

[Victoria Whitworth]

Can't really comment, being the author...

[Arnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/201...

[Carolinemawer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its a page-turner, with some interesting (I'm not a historical expert, so I dont know really how good) historical detail. Cleverly written too, with a weedy hero that readers may identify with from the comfort of their armchairs, plus an effective ensemble of characters: muscles/good riding; wise man/also with muscles/and a musician too; gorgeously sexy strong woman to appeal to all those lady readers out there.
But i thought there were some distinct plot / character issues
1. the weedy guy suddenly gets strong (when he's really tired)
2. the strong/good riding guy suddenly gets smart (and with an impeccable sense of timing)
3. the wise man handily fills every possible gap for a male character. very handily. ditto timing
4. the biggest issue for me: why does the lovely cats-eye drop everything to fill every possible gap for a female character? what is her possible motivation?
Of course, its a book.
And i was definitely pulled along in the story.
But ultimately felt dissatisfied.
I read this as I wanted to start going to a historical fiction group. It'll be interesting to hear what they say.
and this is my first "historical fiction" book read with any thought.
Maybe they are all like this?
Maybe "historical fantasy" would be a better genre title?

[Richard Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me first say that I really enjoyed this book and have no hesitation in awarding five stars.

The Bone Thief is set in tenth century England, at a time when there was no united kingdom but rather several different regions under separate leadership. The region I know best, having lived in it for many years, is Wessex - in the south - whose capital at the time was Winchester. The main character, Wulfgar, a junior but well-trained priest, grew up there. But the story really begins in Mercia, a great swathe of the west of the country stretching roughly from the Thames north through the Midlands. And most of the central events take place in a Viking controlled region known as the Danelaw, covering much of the east of the country from London northwards to Leicester and York. Quite apart from the political difficulties this caused, it had a lasting impact on religious life, as it separated two major centres of Christianity from each other.

Whitworth captures this division of the land beautifully via use of dialect (still mostly alive today in regional British accents) together with the occasional use of specific Norse words and phrases. This puts you as reader in the same place as Wulfgar - most of the text is readily understandable, some parts need a bit of puzzling out, and for some you have to deduce from context or the helpful explanations of other characters.

The main plotline is straightforward - Mercia needs religious relics to boost the residents' flagging morale, and Wulfgar as a bright but rather timid cleric is chosen to find and retrieve something suitable. But the outworking of this plot is fascinating, as Wulfgar is forced to continuously reassess who he can trust and who he cannot. The people he meets - both friend and foe - are memorable and compellingly drawn, and are instrumental in leading him to rethink his original rather naive view of the world.

Trust and faith are at the centre of this book. One of the many reasons I loved the book is that religious thought and feeling is treated realistically and sympathetically by Whitworth. Wulfgar and others struggle to live according to their ideals, in the midst of great challenges and difficulties. Often they fall to meet their own expectations. They are neither blindly literal nor cynically manipulative in their faith; rather, it shapes, constrains and illuminates their lives in creative and credible ways.

Wulfgar's travels are actually over quite a small part of the land, but the story touches on the whole sweep of the British Isles and beyond. Key friends and enemies come from towns across much of southern and central England. One of Wulfgar's travelling companions is from Ireland. Meetings with the Vikings bring in links with Scandinavia. And the relics themselves - of Saint Oswald - contain other historical echoes from the north. As a child Oswald fled from Scotland, and then grew up with the monks of Northumberland. He reigned as king from Bamburgh, and helped set up a Christian centre of learning on Lindisfarne - another region I am very fond of. Despite the seeming narrow sweep of Wulfgar's journeys, the future United Kingdom with all its multicultural diversity is already starting to emerge.

There were some stylistic features I did not like. In the first part of the book Whitworth uses a device of having sudden short paragraphs to arrest attention.

Which rather breaks up the reading experience.

But as the book gets properly under way this device is abandoned, and the text starts to flow in a smoother and more engaging way. Quite why this irregularity was left after editing I am not sure, but once this habit is dropped the prose reads much more fluently and is less intrusive. A glossary and some historical notes round the work out nicely - the only missing feature is a map, but it is easy enough to find something suitable online if you are curious.

I would thoroughly recommend The Bone Thief to anyone keen to engage with this period of history, as seen through the eyes of an educated but rather unimportant figure. The major political and military events of the age - the formation of the Danelaw, for example, or its ultimate absorption into a whole nation, are hinted at in conversation, memory, or expectation, but are not described in depth. You will not find descriptions of great battles or Viking raids - you will walk alongside a person, and a nation, trying to find out how to live in a culturally diverse world poised on the brink of substantial change.

Five stars, without a doubt.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very charming and delightful piece of historical fiction that takes a fresh new stance in the genre by having the main character not a young earl/lord wronged by some ancient family feud but a humble deacon in the church of Gloucester in the old kingdom of Mercia, who loves his Lady, Athelflead and is sent on a quest which is guaranteed to take him out of his comfort zone and prove his worth to her in ways beyond his role as secretary. Yet little does this quiet man or indeed the reader know the many challenges, conflicts, dangers and enemies that will appear along his journey.
I am really excited by the way Whitworth reveals a world to the reader that is often forgotten when looking at this turbulent period in history, a land splintered and divided between varieying loyalties in the aftermath of King Alfred the Great's death with his young son King Edward on the throne. Whitworth also introduces the reader to how the Anglo-Saxons of the south may have lived alongside the danish populace of the north, the Danelaw. This is perfectly embodied in the norwegian descendant of a raider from the great army in the 800s. She demonstrates on many occasions throughout the book why the vikings were so good at what they did and maybe perhaps why the Anglo-Saxons kept surrendering land and danegeld to them for many, many years.
The overall pace of the story may seem slow but when you inspect the timeline it is actually quite fast, the slowness is only due to the short but sweet and still incredibily touching/dramatic/gripping chapters which makes this book perfect for those who are just dipping their toes into this genre.
I do sincerely hope that this isn't the last adventure Whitworth has planned for any of her amazingly lively characters in this book. I would definitely purchase a sequel if there was one.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable, I love the setting of the so-called Dark Ages in England, although I didn't find it quite as satisfying as the "Uhtred" novels by Bernard Cornwell. Whitworth writes a good story but she leaves out much of the brutality of the time; at times I found myself thinking that this would be a suitable book for introducing younger readers to Anglo-Saxon England. Overall fun, but give me Bernard Cornwell's blood-soaked fiction any day...

[Theresa Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished reading this book and enjoyed it so much that I slowed down towards the end, as I felt that I didn’t want to leave the world of Wulfgar behind. It is so rare to find a novel set in 900 A.D. The front cover says ‘an unlikely hero’ - yes , but just the sort of hero that I find I can identify with. Wulfgar is a sub-deacon who is sent by Athelfled/’Fleda’ - the Lady of the Mercians on a quest to discover and bring back, the bones of St Oswald. Wulfgar is humble, modest, frightened, nervous, but devotedly loyal to his ‘lady’ and striving in every way to behave with decent humanity. Along the way he meets with adventures and encounters many who wish to prevent him from succeeding in his mission. Two well drawn and delightful characters who become his friends are Gunnvor ‘Cat’s-eyes’ the daughter of a Danish Trader and Father Ronan - a Christian priest, who is a law unto himself.

V M Whitworth clearly has great knowledge of the period and the everyday detail is excellent and vivid. She has managed to produce prose that is easy to read and to cleverly avoid packing the story with difficult, but accurate names, by giving many of the characters nick-names. I see that another Wulfgar story is due to appear in February - I very much look forward to reading it.

[Beorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A well-written, easily accessible read with a neat twist on the usual historical fiction set-up. The lead character, Wulfgar, is far from the brash, confident expert fighter you usually see stories centred around. He's a nervous, insecure, daydreamer prone to self-doubt and procrastination.

The main thing that lets this book down is the abject lack of any palpable menace or sense of atmosphere. The characters are particularly one-dimensional utterly replaceable drones who could easily meet a sticky end suddenly and you not really care.

After the rather novel twist of the lead being so different to the usual historical fiction set up being a plus point, it pales away and reaches a level of tedium where you feel like you're spending more pages waiting for something, ANYTHING, to happen... and then you're still waiting.

Overall it's this lack of any tangible danger, menace or threat to the characters and an abject vacuum of action that leaves you wondering why you're still reading.
Historical, and indeed ordinary, fiction can and really should be better than this.
Pretty much the literary equivalent of cardboard. Nice idea, shame about the result.

[The Idle Woman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 900 AD, The Bone Thief follows Wulfgar, subdeacon at Worcester Cathedral and a devoted adherent of Athelfled, Lady of Mercia and daughter of the late Alfred of Wessex. When the Lady's husband falls seriously ill, and Mercia comes under the predatory gaze of Athelfled's brother, Edward of Wessex, it's decided that the vulnerable kingdom needs some divine help. Mercia has no powerful saints of its own, so the Bishop decrees that one should be imported. And who better than St Oswald, whose resting place at Bardney has been once again taken by the Danes? The saint's tomb has been desecrated, but whispers have now reached Mercia that his relics were safely smuggled out of the church beforehand.

The Bishop decides that Wulfgar, who speaks a little Danish, is the perfect candidate to go north and rescue the bones of this mighty saint. It's not the most obvious choice. Wulfgar is in his mid-twenties (though he often comes across as younger) and is still scarred from a childhood of being bullied by his vicious half-brother, Garmund Polecat. A West Saxon by birth (and thus an object of suspicion for any sensible Mercian), he has come to Mercia with the Lady, whom he adores hopelessly from afar. As Wulgar is clearly unable to defend himself, the Bishop sends him off with Ednoth of Sodbury, a belligerent young landowner. Yet this already dangerous mission is complicated further when Athelfled's cousin, the charismatic and ambitious Athelwald Seiriol, asks Wulfgar to deliver some secret messages for him to Danish friends in the North...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/05/07/t...

[Scott Langston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hugely disappointing. I picked up this and the second volume 'The Traitors' Pit' after reading the author's autobiography 'Swimming with Seals'.
She's an academic historian - and this shows in the books. She is more interested in esoteric historical detail being right than in literary elegance. The is a page-turner, with one and two-dimensional clichéd characters twisting around in awkward action and religious ponderings as vehicles to the historical alter. Seriously, characters change... well, character, if it helps the plot along... As I said, disappointing. Possibly, probably, historically as accurate as one could get from the period. But to get historical accuracy, one can turn to a textbook, not a novel. I would personally prefer the historical background to be dubious and the writing to be good.

[Lynsey Nowik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm particularly interested in the Viking/Saxon period of history and was looking for something more historically accurate (in terms of period detail and events) than the Bernard Cornwell books starring Ootrid of Badmintonbury (IYK,YK). This really fit the bill, and was a great story to boot.

Wulfgar is not a typical hero but I think the stoty is almost better for that. He is whiny, arrogant and annoying at times but despite that, I found him quute likeable.

I've gone on to read the second book in the series but I am gutted to learn that no further books have been written, despite so many loose ends being left untied at the end of book 2.

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following on from Dr Janina Ramirez's Femina and our trip to the Midlands in search of Queen Aethelflaed of Mercia I've read Whitworth's fictional account of how St Oswald's bones went from Bardney Abbey to Gloucester. A ripping yarn adventure in the style of Mary Stewart and Bernard Cornwall. An enjoyable complex tale with a supporting cast of strong characters. Well worth a look.
And, almost inevitably the "hero's" adventures continue in a sequel called "The Traitor's Pit".

[Ben Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a decent time reading this considering that my younger self was happy to just leave it in a box in the loft for close to a decade. It didn’t light my world on fire and though I’d be happy to read the sequels eventually, I’m not in a rush to track them all down right this second.

Will I read it again? MAYBE.

[Celine · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adventure book with minimal bloodshed. What I liked most was how Wulfgar travels from Christian, English speaking lands to heathen, Danish speaking parts and how the people interact between the two cultures. Also the descriptions of medieval Christian beliefs were very realistic.

[Lynn S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, I liked the characters and the story was good. I wasn't sure I liked Wulfgar at first but he changes for the better as the story unfolds.

[Iset · Rating 4 out of 5]

A studious monk is our protagonist, thoughtfully solving puzzles and problems, but a novice in the dangerous world of politics, and utterly inexperienced in physical fights, rather a handicap in the world of dark age Britain where might is often right. A motley crew accompany him on his mission, a complex and difficult assignment to retrieve the bones of St Oswald, and the plot twists and turns with the impact of the actions of outside characters with their own motives as well as the main characters. Bad things do happen, people are not safe in this world, so don’t get too comfortable, but this story isn’t so dark as to be termed grim, there’s still hope and satisfaction to be had. It reminds me just a tad of Cadfael, with the monk protagonist and the element of mystery, but this is more action-oriented and Cadfael is sharper and cleverer, pure mystery-unravelling.

It’s set in the 10th century, an era of Britain’s history which I’d love to learn more about and ought to read more of, and era when multiple kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon, Viking, and Celtic peoples co-existed, and not exactly peacefully. Even as a born and bred Briton, my knowledge of this era is limited to one term of study at age 8/9. There’s never another opportunity to study it again at school – remarkably, considering that the emphasis on British history is strong in the history curriculum – and at university I went down the ancient history route, so I definitely feel that this is an era that I want to get to know better!

I enjoyed the choice of main character. Stories seem to benefit when the main character is an unlikely hero or heroine since this creates tension, gives them challenges to overcome, and allows plenty of room for character growth. Stories that start with a protagonist who is too capable have no tension, and may suffer from Mary-Sueism to boot.

Don't really have too much to say about this one. This is the difficulty with books that lie in the 6-8 out of 10 range for me. They're competently written and an enjoyable read for me, I'd probably read the sequels, but they're not earth-shatteringly amazing literature and it's hard to find things to say. I'd recommend this book, for sure, and it's ideal for a light historical read on a nice sunny beach, or curled up in the winter with a mug of hot chocolate.

7 out of 10

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bone Thief is set in the Anglo-Saxon period, just after the death of Alfred the Great, and tells the story of Wulfgar's efforts to recover the bones of St Oswald from Danish-held territory. It aims to be a quest/adventure story, but the level of narrative tension is low: every time Wulfgar gets into a spot of bother, someone rescues him within a few pages. While there is some violence, this seems mild and detached, and does not really bring to life the brutal reality of the times. It suffers by comparison with Bernard Cornwell's Uhtred novels, set in the previous generation, which bring a gritty and visceral sense of reality to the period. By contrast, this could almost be pitched as a Young Adult novel.

Also, Wulfgar is childlike and cowardly, and does not really make for a charismatic character you can root for. He finds lots of friends to help him on his quest, but their motivation for going along with him is not made clear. In particular, it's not apparent why the female Danish brigand Gunnvor is attracted to him, or repeatedly rescues him. As a pagan, she clearly isn't driven by the desire to rescue St Oswald's bones.

One aspect I did like was the way the religion of the period was treated with respect, which is often something that secular modern authors struggle with. Wulfgar is a subdeacon with ambitions to become a priest, and is genuinely devoted to St Oswald and particularly to the Virgin Mary. The latter gives an insight into an interesting aspect of his character: sexually naive, he sublimates his love for the serene Athelfleda, Lady of the Mercians, into worship of the Queen of Heaven. His more carnal response to Gunnvor confuses him.

There are some vivid descriptions of what characters look like, and I have a very clear mental picture of Gunnvor, with her masses of dark hair that are continually escaping from their pins. Some reviews have called the book a 'page-turner', and while I would not agree with that, I did genuinely want to find out what was going to happen to Wulfgar and his companions.

[Patricia Bracewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
To begin with, I love the cover of this book. If I had a print of it, I’d frame it and hang it on my wall. Now, about the story. Although the title might lead one to think this is a mystery, it is instead a quest novel in the tradition of Tolkien’s THE HOBBIT. It’s not fantasy, but it is set in the Anglo-Saxon world that was the inspiration for Tolkien’s tale. The world of THE BONE THIEF is real -- permeated with Christian rites, laws, traditions and beliefs because that’s the way it was. The main character of the novel, Wulfgar, is not unlike Bilbo Baggins, though. He is a young cleric (in a time when clerics could wed, so the door is open for the possibility of romance). He is trusting, naïve, and completely lacking in self-confidence. He hasn’t the wiles or the skills one would look for in a hero, and he would be the first to admit it. Like Bilbo, he is thrust into an Adventure when, you know, really, he’d rather not. Because he is likable, he acquires friends who help him along the way – and he desperately needs the help because he’s up against Viking thugs and some ruthless Anglo-Saxons as well. It was a brutal time, the 10th century.

There were one or two little false notes in the book – characters behaving out of character to satisfy the demands of the plot. And I wish that Wulfgar had been changed more by his experience at story’s end, but this is the first of a series, so maybe the author wants the change to be gradual. In spite of my quibbles, I enjoyed walking through that Anglo-Saxon world at Wulfgar’s side, and I really hope that some of his new-found mates show up in the books that are to come.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 900 A.D. and England is ruled, in part, by the Danes and the rest of the country is divided with the Kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia with Wessex being the stronger of the two. The Lord of Mercia is ill and his wife does not think she can withstand a takeover from the King of Wessex who also happens to be her brother. She thinks it would be helpful to give the Mercians a rallying point and with that end in mind, priest Wulfgar who is her friend and secretary is tasked with retrieving the bones of St. Oswald for a new church. But the bones are hidden in a churchyard in the north of England in enemy (Danish) territory and the journey there and back will be dangerous. Wulfgar has a young assistant sent with him and they encounter a priest and a woman who may or may not be trusted. There will be others that are determined to get their hands on the sacred bones of the Saint and there are secret messages to be conveyed as well. There are secrets uncovered and plots discovered. Wulfgar learns more about himself in the process of the quest.

Good characters, well written, it's a period in history you don't see often in historical fiction but is so well described that you can picture it well. I learned about the book in a BBC History magazine and it was available on Kobobooks.com and i quite enjoyed it. Hoping there are more adventures for Wulfgar in the future!

[Nick Davies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given to me to read by my book group, this wasn't completely awful (perchance a 2.5 star, as opposed to a blunt two) but basically wasn't 'my kind of thing'.

Set in 10th Century England, the tale follows a young trainee priest sent from Gloucester cross country into the wild Danish-controlled lands to the North East, seeking some saintly relics. On the way he meets plenty of interesting people with unusual names, and has plenty of adventures appropriate to the time in which the book was set.

This was basically the problem for me. Well researched as it was, the novel felt like a slightly thin story built up to fat novel size with the use of plenty of historical detail. For me as a reader it suffered from a whiff of 'this might ride on the popularity of Game of Thrones' and from the general off-putting I find with sci-fi & fantasy books where I feel I am being distracted from the story by silly names and odd ways of doing things.. which somehow feels like a crutch used by the author that's unavailable to those setting their story in ordinary/contemporary times and places.

Nevertheless, despite the first half taking time to get going, it was fairly easy to read (slightly YA in places) and I was keen to finish it as I wanted to know what happened. What did was fairly predictable, as were some of the stereotypes within the characters.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

C2012: I found a recommendation for this one from one of the book blogging sites that I cyber-stalk from time to time. It was a good read and, although it starts a little hesitantly, it developed into a really exciting ending. As it says two thirds of the way through “It was all supposed to have been so easy. Go to Bardney. Get the relics. Go home.” I am looking forward to some more of Wulfgar’s adventures. The characters were developed gradually and there is some very gentle humour and some toilet humour which never fails to get a smile from me “As if he were reading Wulfgar’s mind, Ednoth said, ‘My dad bought some sheep off a man called Siegbert Fart once./Wulfgar had to smile.” There are no reviews quoted on either the front or the back cover. FWFTB: Mercia, priest, saint, journey, Viking. FCN: Wulfgar (“You’re just that West Saxon”), Gunnvor (“Not too tall, but she carried herself like a queen”, Ronan (“wiry, grizzled hair”), Ednoth (“He still looked sulky though. A cocky brat.), The Atheling (“glossy dark hair, glinting almost chestnut in the sun.”

[Katharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Wulfgar was an engaging and endearing hero and I became completely immersed in his trials and tribulations. The other characters were also fascinating particularly Father Ronan and Gunnvor Cat's Eyes and I'm very glad there's another book in the series as I hope to meet them again. The author drew a compelling picture of England in 900AD complete with political machinations between Wessex and Mercia and between the Viking leaders. It all felt very believable, particularly in the way that the English of Mercia and the Danes of the Viking lands learnt to deal with each other. I look forward to the next book.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wulfgar is a trainee priest in Anglo-Saxon times. He is given the task by the lady of the district of travelling north to retrieve the bones of St Oswald. And, shenanigans ensue. He has to deal with the Danes and various rogues and some interesting allies. Okay, so the characters have all been done before and the storyline is like a lot of books I've read previously yet the author seemed to make all feel shiny and new. I enjoyed this more than I expected and look forward to reading more by this author.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend this ot anyone looking for a good read. I like the way the hero of the story is not some strong, perfect man who is good at everything. He's a bit soft and feels guilty when he gets things wrong. He's not of noble birth he's an ordinary person. The world is really well drawn without the research being at all clunky. Took a while to get going but it gets more and more gripping as it goes on.

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exhilirating jaunt through the badlands of early 10th century Britain (ie. Leicester and Lincoln - at the time under Danish control). The unwilling hero, a distinctly unwarlike cleric with his eye on a bishopric, is a lovely creation, and the supporting characters cut a wide swathe through contemporary society, from thralls to kings. Underpinned by a great deal of unobtrusive scholarship, this makes an excellent introduction to (now slightly less) Dark Ages.

[Rachel Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, unpretentious in tone, a little slow to get going but once it did I found myself getting through it incredibly quickly. The writer introduces us to a very colourful cast of characters, some real historical figures, some imagined. My favourite was no doubt the main character; Wulfgar, whom I found very endearing and a welcome change from the usual hero of a historical fiction novel. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Gunnvor and him... Just kiss already! Haha)

[Liz Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book of historical fiction I couldn't put it down! Wolfgar is an endearing character , sent on a quest to find the lost bones Of St Oswald in the Badlands of the north . Between the kingdoms of Wessex and Mersia and the Northern territories ruled by the Viking invaders, Wulfgar has the adventure of a lifetime . I would Definately try to find the next book ' The Traitors Pit' so that I can find out what happens next.

[Bram Cleaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a fun read, filled with wonderful and accurate historical detail (as well as some very plausible speculation).

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those with an interest in Anglo-Saxon and Viking matters.

I can't wait to start the second book in the series.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this series of novels (two at least - hope there are more) is set in post-Alfred England it will more than likely be compared to Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Series. Which is unfortunate.
The unworldly sub-deacon Wuffa makes for a likeable if unlikely hero. I liked the Mercian pov - a refreshing change from the dominant West Saxon triumphalism.

[Robert Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not bad. The plot is a little thin but the author provides her view of life in Saxon England. Quite brutal and a very dangerous place to live. Local warlords jealous of their territory and always looking for a way to subjugate his neighbour. The bones are those of the local hero now a saint. Everyone wants them and will do anything to get them. I will read the next instalment.