It's 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.
"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
Title: Sworn Sword
Subtitle:
Contributors:
By (author)
James Aitcheson
ISBN 13: 9780099559412
ISBN 10: 0099559412
Publisher: Cornerstone
Imprint: Arrow Books Ltd
Publication Date: 15/03/2012
Place of Publication:
London,
United Kingdom
Edition:
BIC Subjects:
Historical fiction
Dewey Classification:
823.92
(DC23)
NBS Classification: General & Literary Fiction
Format: Paperback
Pages: 432
Height: 198mm
Width: 129mm
Thickness: 27mm
Weight: 308g