St. Edward the Confessor, King of the English, is commonly despised by historians. He was the last of his dynasty, and after his death his country was conquered by foreigners—which was exactly what he wanted. In this chilling, fast-paced novel, the different customs, races, and languages of England during the Dark Ages, as well as the period’s violence and struggle for power, all come vividly back to life. The authenticity and sense of place have seldom been bettered.