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Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame. This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers. This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end. Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective. Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.

Reviews

"In addition to the often used tale of the boy finding his way in the world (always great for young adults!), Wren also writes in his own brand of pirate mystery as he draws from his real-life experience with the paranormal. There are misty visitors, ghost pirates, orbs of light, astral projection, secret societies, spiritualistic entities, mentions of the human soul, and I spent the majority of the book wondering what paranormal thematics he was going to draw from next, which made it a truly enjoyable read. Pick it up in January. Give it a go. Besides, it's about pirates! You can't go wrong." --Paranormal News "When against a wall, any job is taken, even aboard a ship which is believed to be doomed. "Jeremiah Bloom and the Amulet of Osiron" tells of the titular character and his time as a cabin boy aboard the ship known as the Nante. The Nante is on a crash course toward a vicious battle with an evil force. His only ally and hope for survival, a secret society, Jeremiah must overcome the odds to save the ship and honor a dead man's wishes. "Jeremiah Bloom and the Amulet of Osiron" is a riveting tale of adventure on the high seas, enthusiastically recommended." --Midwest Book Review "Not just for kids! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! Very well-written and in a language appropriate for the recommended age group but enjoyable for adults, also. A story of pirates and the paranormal makes for a very exciting read! Buy this book - you will not be disappointed!" --Cedar Bend CottageIt strikes me tonight that I read a book because I HAD to. Not wanted to, mind you. It looked like a great little pirate story - totally wonderful for teens. I, on the other hand, prefer nonfiction - and intense adult titles. But - I read this book because the author is planning to visit our store and I want to be able to talk about his work to my customers, hand sell the book, etc.. I must admit I really, really enjoyed it! AND THAT'S THE COOL PART. When I read these arcs - I almost always find a gem of an author!! Someone new, someone fresh. Like the air on a winter's morning, they wake you up and get your attention. This month it's Stephen Wren ~ Author of said "great little pirate story"... (scheduled to visit our bookstore in May 15th). Titled 'Jeremiah Bloom and the Amulet of Osiron' ~ this book surprised me... it's an awesome story of an intelligent 15 yr old who ends up on his own in a new city, quickly becomes like a son to the Innkeeper, then heads to sea and works as a cabin boy and ends up fighting pirates. I read it aloud to my 5 and 6 year old - editing occassionally when I needed to. (They're be a bit young for some of the more descriptive fight scenes) This is a great read for older teens - 10 & up - or a middle grades bookclub. I know this book will stay on my shelf ~ as I'm sure my boys will want to read it again when they get a bit older. Not to mention I suspect there are more adventures to be had by young Jeremiah ~ at least I hope so! --Fireside Books and Gifts, NC "When against a wall, any job is taken, even aboard a ship which is believed to be doomed. "Jeremiah Bloom and the Amulet of Osiron" tells of the titular character and his time as a cabin boy aboard the ship known as the Nante. The Nante is on a crash course toward a vicious battle with an evil force. His only ally and hope for survival, a secret society, Jeremiah must overcome the odds to save the ship and honor a dead man's wishes. "Jeremiah Bloom and the Amulet of Osiron" is a riveting tale of adventure on the high seas, enthusiastically recommended." --Midwest Book Review "Not just for kids! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! Very well-written and in a language appropriate for the recommended age group but enjoyable for adults, also. A story of pirates and the paranormal makes for a very exciting read! Buy this book - you will not be disappointed!" --Cedar Bend Cottage

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The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

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