The Price of Blood (The Emma of Normandy Series, Book 2)
By (Author) Patricia Bracewell
Book 2
HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins
22nd June 2015
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
813.6
Paperback
560
Width 129mm, Height 198mm, Spine 36mm
350g
The second book in Bracewells outstanding Emma of Normandy series, set in 11-century England, when Vikings are on the brink of invasion.
1006 AD. Queen Emma, the Norman bride of Englands King thelred, has given birth to a son. Now her place as second wife to the king is safe and Edward marked as heir to the throne. But the royal bed is a cold place and the court a setting for betrayal and violence, as the ageing king struggles to retain his power over the realm. Emma can trust no one, not even the kings eldest son Athelstan, the man she truly loves.
Elsewhere Viking threats to the crown are gaining strength, and in the north the powerful nobleman lfhelm is striking an alliance with the Danes. His seductive daughter Elgiva, former mistress to the king, is forced to act as a pawn in his plan, and is given as wife to a Viking Lord. Can King thelred finally listen to Athelstan, whose plan to strengthen the kingdoms ties will put off the Viking threat once and for all
Emma must protect her only child without abandoning her noble position. And her inner conflict, between maternal instinct and royal duty, will be played out against the dramatic and bloody struggle for Britains rule.
Praise for Shadow on the Crown:
A magnificent work of historical fiction, evoking time and place in a remarkable way DAILY MAIL
This is one of the most enthralling and captivating novels I've ever read. It truly is an epic novel. I can't wait to read the next book by this author KAREN MAITLAND
A meticulously researched, lyrically written tale which shines a sensuous light into the murkier depths of the Dark Ages ROBERT LOW
A highly entertaining addition to the historical fiction genre PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Readers of historical sagas and romances will embrace this rich narrative LIBRARY JOURNAL
What a great book! Fascinating a tense, exciting story DIANA GABALDON, author of the bestselling Outlander series
A well-wrought journey back to those little known times, this novel entertains while it educates Margaret George, bestselling author of ELIZABETH I and HELEN OF TROY
Patricia Bracewell grew up in California where she taught literature and composition before embarking upon her writing career. She holds an M.A. in English Literature, but has always been fascinated by English history an interest that led her to a brief course in Anglo-Saxon history at Downing College, Cambridge University. She has two grown-up sons, and she lives with her Canadian husband in Oakland, California.