1066 - Senlac Ridge, England. William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, defeats Harold Godwinson, King Harold II of England, in what will become known as the Battle of Hastings.
The battle is hard fought and bloody, the lives of thousands have been spent, including that of King Harold. But England will not be conquered easily, the Anglo-Saxons will not submit meekly to Norman rule.
Although his heroic deeds will nearly be lost to legend, one man unites the resistance. His name is Hereward of Bourne, the champion of the English. His honour, bravery and skill at arms will change the future of England. His is the legacy of the noble outlaw.
This is his story.
Stewart Binns began his professional life as an academic. He passed selection for the SAS in 1980 and served for three years before settling into a career as a schoolteacher, specialising in English and history. Later in life he began a successful career in television. He has won a BAFTA, a Grierson, an RTS and a Peabody for his documentaries.
Stewart has written two highly acclaimed historical series. Betrayal, a standalone, is his seventh novel.
Title: Conquest
Author: Stewart Binns
ISBN: 9780718156770
Binding:
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Publication Date: 2011-02-17
Number of Pages: 528
Weight: 0.3403 kg
Stewart Binns has produced a real page-turner, a truly stunning adventure story, set in a fascinating and crucial time in history. Whether in the big, set-piece battles, or telling the story of the romance between the two main characters, he knows how to hold the reader's attention. There are also strong themes underpinning all the activity that unfolds - people in a struggle for freedom and justice, people trying to come to terms with their own demons and people in a search for truth. I can thoroughly recommend this book. * Alastair Campbell: Communicator, Writer, Strategist *
Conquest is a wonderful book. A compelling story, it is both a chronicle of a dramatic adventure and a tale of an enduring romance between two remarkable people: the heroic Hereward of Bourne and his beguiling wife, Torfida of the Wildwood.
I could not put it down and read it in just three sessions. It is a gripping page-turner, beautifully written, replete with wonderful historical detail. The author paints amazingly vivid pictures and uses the language with great skill and warmth.
My grandfather, Winston Churchill, would have loved this book. It enlivens one of the most important periods in our history and is very faithful to real historical events. I suspect that if he had read Conquest before he completed his History of the English Speaking Peoples, he would have included an appropriate acknowledgement of the worthy deeds of Hereward and his loyal band of followers.
* Celia Sandys: Author, presenter and granddaughter of Winston Churchill *
As a living legend myself, I know a lot about heroes!
This guy, Hereward of Bourne, is the real deal and this book brings him to life and the events around him in amazing detail.
I couldn't put it down. It's a gripping adventure story but the way the real events and characters are portrayed is a big bonus. History freaks will love it and those who don't know the period will want to know more.
Read it!
* Daley Thompson: Decathlete and Double Olympic Gold Medallist 1980 & 1984 *
