This is the final volume in the author's quartet of novels about the life of Edgar Atheling, the last male descendant of the Anglo Saxon royal line, who failed to make good his claim after William the Conqueror defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings and used his invincible power to overrun the whole country and firmly establish a new dynasty. Over the course of the novels, we have followed Edgar's path from boy to young man, but it has been a circuitous path, one ultimately doomed as he lacked the strategic sense and deep support that he would have needed to have had any chance of prevailing against Norman might. Some of the themes have become repetitive over the four books, including Edgar's constant shuffling to and from the safety of an increasingly cautious and sceptical King Malcolm of Scotland, and the constant habit of his closest companions of appearing to have been killed and then inevitably being revealed as still alive a few pages or chapters later - you can get away with that once or twice, but not more than that. Edgar's increasing disgust at the slaughter and mayhem arising from his attempts to seize the throne lead him eventually to accept the inevitable and submit to William - though with further twists and turns to follow. As the novel ends, Edgar and his companions, including his lady Anna, have fled to her home city Constantinople, as back in England William has just announced the commission leading to what came to be called the Domesday Book. Edgar was in fact very long lived for the time and at this point still had some 40 years of life left, though it appears the author is ending the saga here, probably at the right point. It's been a good series, albeit a bit repetitive in places. ( )