England's Twilight (The Ironside Trilogy, #3)

Based on true events, England's Twilight is the third and final book in a trilogy depicting the rise of the historically existing English hero, Edmund Ironside.
1015 AD: The dam has burst, and a final line has been crossed. Outraged over the murder of his friends, Sigeferth and Morcar, Edmund Ironside has retreated to the Five Boroughs, intent on raising an army to overthrow his father, King Ethelred, and claim the throne for himself. The Ealdorman Ulfcytel is backing him, as is Sigeferth's wealthy widow, Ealdgyth, and many other persons of note. The stakes are high, and the possibility of a devastating civil war only too real.
But Ethelred may not be the villain many believe him to be. Although partially guilty of what he's accused of, Ethelred has since fallen victim to an insidious plot, one set in motion by the dastardly Ealdorman Eadric. Broken in heart and body, Ethelred is now very much alone in the world, with little hope of achieving anything other than defying the fiendish Eadric and somehow proving himself to his rebellious son. He may be a failed king, an unready king, but he's determined to resist, and resist well, in the hope of winning a prize long sought: a son's forgiveness.
Outside the notice of both Ethelred and Edmund, however, an old enemy is gaining strength from across the sea. Cnut - the son of England's nemesis, Svienn Forkbeard - is alive, and has won the infamous heathen warlord, Thorkell the Tall, to his side. Mustering fresh warriors from all corners of the North, Cnut and Thorkell are poised to launch a second invasion, attacking the divided English whilst they war with each other. Cnut will be king, so he thinks, and no one, not the ailing King Ethelred nor the ferocious Edmund Ironside, will stop him. Blood will be shed. Battle will be joined. And when the dust and clamour settle, England will never be the same.

Alfred Read is a former political correspondent turned author of historical fiction. He holds a degree in journalism and master's degrees in human rights and global politics. Over the years he's developed a keen interest in history, most particularly the Anglo Saxon period of his native England. He aspires to make a contribution in these postmodern times by continuing to write historically accurate fiction from a heartfelt and patriotic perspective.