“Intoxicating….Thrilling….Cornwell conveys the disquiet of change and the melancholy of extinction as few historical novelists manage to.” — Washington Post Book World
“Enter Cornwell’s vividly drawn ninth-century Kingdom … after this dip into the Dark Ages, we want to go back.” — Entertainment Weekly
“Enthralling ... the desperate, heroic struggle of Alfred “the Great” ... against the seemingly invincible Vikings. — Wall Street Journal
“History comes alive.” — Boston Globe
“A crackling good storyteller.” — Publishers Weekly
“Cornwell .... makes the usually gloomy ninth century sound like a hell of a lot of fun.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Highly recommended … another great historical series in the making.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Masterful....[An]irresistible epic adventure....Cornwell deserves praise for his mesmerizing narrative finesse and his authentic historical detailing.” — Booklist