The Scraeling
a saga of English revolt after the Norman Conquest
The Scraeling is back . . . Sickened by politics, heartbroken by affairs of state and disgusted by the perfidy of kings, the man who was once secretary and chief of staff to Harald Hardraada, the fearsome Landwaster, turns his back on Norway to sail to post-Conquest England in search of the only family he has left. He arrives just in time to snatch Osmund, son of his cousin Penda, from the jaws of Norman justice and their need for refuge sees the pair in the thick of Hereward the Wake’s fenland rebellion, giving the Norman armies of occupation all the grief they can handle.
The Scraeling’s outrageous cunning and talent for manipulation (some would call it ‘man-management’) orchestrate a win-win end to a doomed and hopeless rebellion and saves face for both sides.
Not surprisingly, the Scraeling gets little thanks for his efforts but shrugs it off philosophically as he sets out to find “…a world that’ll take The Scraeling and Penda’s brat……..”
What the reviewers said
“There is action aplenty, and the dialogue is earthy and vivid. . . . (‘The Scraeling’) is a rollicking good read, especially for those who like their historical fiction raw and action-filled.”