Sworn Sword (The Conquest) - Hardcover

Aitcheson, James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848093241 ISBN 13: 9781848093249

Publisher: Preface Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

January 1069. Less than three years have passed since Hastings and the death of the usurper, Harold Godwineson. In the depths of winter, two thousand Normans march to subdue the troublesome province of Northumbria. Tancred a Dinant, an ambitious and oath-sworn knight and a proud leader of men, is among them, hungry for battle, for silver and for land.

But at Durham the Normans are ambushed in the streets by English rebels. In the battle that ensues, their army is slaughtered almost to a man. Badly wounded, Tancred barely escapes with his life. His lord is among those slain.

Soon the enemy are on the march, led by the dispossessed prince Eadgar, the last of the ancient Saxon line, who is determined to seize the realm he believes is his. Yet even as Tancred seeks vengeance for his lord's murder, he finds himself caught up in secret dealings between a powerful Norman magnate and a shadow from the past.

As the Norman and English armies prepare to clash, Tancred begins to uncover a plot which harks back to the day of Hastings itself. A plot which, if allowed to succeed, threatens to undermine the entire Conquest. The fate of the Kingdom hangs in the balance ...

About this title

Review:

"There are relatively few novels set at the time of the Norman conquest of England. It was with a keen sense of interest and anticipation, therefore, that I began Sworn Sword. My expectations were not disappointed. Aitcheson's portrayal of eleventh century England is vibrant and authentic. Rarely have I been so transported into the world of the medieval knight, and his environs. In short, Sworn Sword is an excellent read, full of intrigue and vivid, realistic battles. For new writers of historical fiction, this accomplished debut novel sets a high standard indeed." (Ben Kane, author of the bestselling Forgotten Legion Chronicles)

"A fantastic novel ... utterly convincing ... The plot is superb, clever and as true to the sources as is possible ... a brilliant achievement" (Dr Elisabeth van Houts, Emmanuel College, Cambridge)

"Fans of the sword-swinging drama still mourning the end of HBO's epic Game of Thrones will find plenty to love in this uncompromising slice of historical fiction ... Breathlessly paced and packed with action, it's a mightily accomplished debut in a major new series" (Shortlist)

"The setting and historical detail are superb and there is more than enough excitement to keep you hooked to the final page" (New Books)

Book Description:

An ambitious young Norman soldier fights against desperate odds to consolidate the conquest of England in the years after the Battle of Hastings. Brilliant first novel in the mould of REQUIEM by Robyn Young.

About this edition

• Publisher: Preface Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1848093241
• ISBN 13: 9781848093249
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416