Steven A. McKay Sword of the Saxons

A war to shape the future of a nation. Betrayed by his kinsmen, his forces overrun by Danes, King Alfred of Wessex has retreated deep into the marshes of his homeland, lying in wait for his chance at redemption. The scourge of the heathen horde that has ravaged the kingdom for decades is at its peak. Led by the fearsome Viking warlord Guthrum, the fate of the men, women, and children at their mercy appears all but sealed. But underestimate the great king at your peril Gathering allies and bannermen to his cause, and building a strategy that will hopefully ensure victory, Alfred sets out to undermine the strength of the complacent invaders, and establish Wessex as the greatest territory in the British Isles. A final showdown awaits. Not only with Guthrum and his savage warriors, but with destiny. As the battle lines are drawn, the destiny of not just Wessex, but of every Anglo-Saxon in Britain, rests firmly on Alfred's shoulders. An utterly ferocious and gripping adventure, covering the fascinating middle years of Alfred the Great's reign, one of Britain's most influential monarchs.