“[Bernard Cornwell] may well be the best historical novelist writing today.” —Vince Flynn, author of Extreme Measures With The Burning Land, New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell returns with the fifth volume of his brilliant Saxon Tales series. This installment continues where Sword Song left off, as King Alfred of Wessex—the only English king ever called “The Great” —again calls on his reluctant warlord Uhtred to defend England from Danish and Viking hordes intent on conquering the island. Cornwell “tells Alfred’s story with wit, intelligence, and absolute narrative authority,” (Washington Post Book World) and continues in the tradition of his bestseller Agincourt, “a must-read for fans of authentically detailed historical fiction.” (Booklist)