M J Porter

Pagan Warrior M J Porter

From the author of The Chronicles of the English and the Earls of Mercia, a step back in time to the founding years of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The dry words of the great Christian historian Bede tell of, "A great battle being fought in the plain that is called Heathfield," this is the story of that battle in all its bloody glory. Before England, Scotland and Wales formed, a disparate set of kingdoms stretched their way across the British Isles, expanding and compressing with the personalities and successes of their warrior kings, more war-leaders than kings, and more often than not, owing allegiance to one overlord, one 'bretwalda' exacting tribute from whomever he could and punishing those who failed to accept him with bloody means. The year is 632 and the great Edwin of Northumbria, bretwalda (wide-ruler) over England, must battle against an alliance of the old Christian Britons under his foster-brother Cadwallon of Gwynedd, aided by Penda of Mercia, a brutal young Saxon, a ruthless pagan war leader gaining in strength and reputation. The ebb and flow of battle will redraw the lines of the petty kingdoms stretching across the British Isles. There will be a victor and a bloody loser and kings will rise from the ashes of a great battle. Hædfeld, the great battle of 632, will set brother against brother, father against son, foster brother against foster brother, and until the last sword stroke on that dark, wintry day in October 632, none will know which side will truly be the victors and which, the bloody losers. Pagan Warrior (previously Haedfeld) is a first person, multi-viewpoint, narrative, focusing on the shifting alliances at play in the British Isles during 632."M. J. Porter has written a story of one battle - Haedfeld - which will change the face of England. And written it very well indeed, for the dialogue is sharp and whilst the day-to-day descriptions are fairly sparse, the telling of the battle is gripping." HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW