The King of Athelney

As the Vikings invade ninth-century England, only Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, takes a stand in this epic novel of medieval warfare. Throughout the British Isles, it was considered foolish to fight those heathen pirates, the Vikings. Prudent statesman paid them off. But they never stayed away for long. King Alfred was different. He alone stood his ground and fought the marauders again and again. But he was never meant to be king. With two older brothers, Alfred was first sent to Rome for confirmation by the Pope himself, to be educated for a life of diplomacy. But a new path was forged on the battlefields of far Wessex. Alfred’s prowess in battle made him king. His training made him one of the most ingenious and forward-thinking monarchs of his time. Uniting the disparate kingdoms of England wasn’t his goal. It was his destiny . . .