The House of Wolf

High Aethel Wolf is aging and the inheritance of Wessex is subject to challenge. His eldest children all think they are capable, his youngest are either banished or not so keen on power. Now there is a threat from the Norlanders who are raiding the wessex coasts and threatening the fragile peace. Meanwhile in Rome, Asser is released from his prison and charged with defending Wessex by creating a treaty with Wolf. Wolf's estranged son, Aethelfraed, does not want to meet his father but circumstances mean new alliances need to be formed quickly.
Essentially this is the story of the rise of Alfred the Great but is 'Alfred: the Lost Years' so historically it is very interesting. However the style of writing is rather quirky, it's not show more deliberately comic (like 'Horrible Histories') but nor is it straight historical fiction, there is lots of fact in amongst the fiction and the humour. In the acknowledgements this makes sense and Robinson says he is strongly influenced by a number of writers but what this reader senses is the entertaining narrative of a Ken Follett and the sense of the dark humour of Terry Pratchett. For some readers this won't work, however I really liked it! show less

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