The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls
Description
<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.</p>
Story Behind The Book
The story behind my debut novel's creation is an interesting one. All I can say is that many many years of blood, sweat, and most definitely tears have finally paid off. The Lost Immortals is not only a story of hope, but it is also a tribute to a woman who inspired me to dream. Someone who told me to go and ask the flowers, but have a pen ready when they answer you. She was a woman whose memory will live on in my heart and in my story forever. The Lost Immortals is for my boys, readers, betas, writing mentors, school teachers, professors, mothers struggling to find a voice...but most of all it's for my grandmother, Nezzetta Tomlinson Wall.
Reviews
<span class="readable"><span><font size="3">What reviewers are saying:<br /><br />The story gripped me from the first page and didn't really let go until the end. It is set in a dystopian society masquerading as a Utopian society in the not too distant future. It blends science which is achievable today with celestial entities and their associated magical capabilities seamlessly." - Darkiss Reads<br /><br />"There is a lot of action and when you think you see where the story is going, KaSonndra Leigh throws a curve ball and you suddenly have no idea what will happen next! I loved that about it, predictable is no fun. The unique spin on angel myhtology was absolutely fascinating and the dystopian theme was woven really well into the mythology." -V's Book Life<br /><br />"KLeigh's Angels are spectacular! They are hardly feathered but more like those warrior angels from the movie Legion (2009). This is not a Nephilim story either, KLeigh created a world of her own, she owns Corunum the same way Suzanne Collins owns Panem (Hunger Games). That's how vivid and detailed the story is." --Talk Supe Blog Spot<br /><br />"It is heavily intriguing and a wonderfully written story about Seraphim, Cherubim, the Caduceans and the Tainted. Her world seems almost magical in thinking that there is a world beyond what we know and perceive. I'd tell you more, but this is one I would recommend reading to get the whole story first hand." - Picked by Poison Reviews</font></span></span>
