Edwin: High King of Britain

by Edoardo Albert

Overview

Edwin, the deposed king of Northumbria, seeks refuge at the court of King Raedwald of East Anglia. But Raedwald is urged to kill his guest by Aethelfrith, Edwin's usurper. As Edwin walks by the shore, alone and at bay, he is confronted by a mysterious figure - the missionary Paulinus - who prophesies that he will become High King of Britain. It is a turning point. Through battles and astute political alliances Edwin rises to great power, in the process marrying the Kentish princess Aethelburh. As part of the marriage contract the princess is allowed to retain her Christian faith. But, in these times, to be a king is not a recipe for a long life : This turbulent and tormented period in British history sees the conversion of the Anglo-Saxon settlers who have forced their way on to British shores over previous centuries, arriving first to pillage, then to farm and trade - and to come to terms with the world view of the Celtic tribes they have driven out.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782640332
Publisher:	SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge)
Publication date:	03/21/2014
Series:	The Northumbrian Thrones , #1
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.80(h) x (d)

About the Author

Edoardo Albert is a writer and historian. His biography of King Alfred, In Search of Alfred the Great: the King, the Grave, the Legend was published by Amberley Books in 2014 and his features have appeared in Time Out, History Today, and Minerva.

Editorial Reviews

02/10/2014
In the first installment of the Northumbrian Thrones, a new historical fiction series, Albert launches readers into the tumultuous world of 7th century Northumbria. Edwin, the deposed king of the region, forges political alliances, is betrayed, and fights critical battles that form the arc of his rise and fall as High King of Britain. As he ages, he fears for the future of his kingdom, and war has simply become a necessary evil. His shifting worldview leads to conversion to the Christian faith—a slow process given special attention by Albert. But it is not a clear path, and sometimes Edwin and his subordinates doubt the validity and the power of the Christian God, as opposed to the pagan deities they have left behind. Albert’s focus on the religious element does not detract from the political and dramatic aspects of the history he is portraying. Rather, it lends an extra dimension of psychological turmoil, because characters must deal with the problem of not only individual identity but also the beginnings of a national identity related to religion. Albert’s offering is a highly entertaining and refreshing work of historical fiction thanks to his emphasis on the precarious intersection of religion and identity. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Edwin: High King of Britain brings to life the heroic age of our distant past–a splendid novel that leaves the reader wanting more.

Bernard Cornwell

"Albert's offering is a highly entertaining and refreshing work of historical fiction thanks to his emphasis on the precarious intersection of religion and identity."-- "Publishers Weekly" (2/10/2014 12:00:00 AM)

"Edwin: High King of Britain brings to life the heroic age of our distant past-a splendid novel that leaves the reader wanting more."--Bernard Cornwell, New York Times bestselling author (1/29/2014 12:00:00 AM)

From the Publisher