"Compelling, convincing, and—ultimately—unforgettable."—Sharon Kay Penman, Bestselling Author of Devil's Blood

Who was THE MAN

Who became THE LEGEND

We know as KING ARTHUR?

"You are the Pendragon, rightful Lord of Dumnonia and the Summer Land; Lord of less Britain. By all that is right, you ought be seated where Vortigern sits...You ought to be King."

Here lies the truth of the Lord of the Summer Land.

This is the tale of Arthur flesh and bone. Of the shaping of the man, both courageous and flawed, into the celebrated ruler who inspired armies, who captured Gwenhyfar's heart, and who emerged as the hero of the Dark Ages and the most enduring hero of all time.

This is the unexpected story of the making of a king — the legend who united all of Britain.

Praise for The Kingmaking:

"If only all historical fiction could be this good."—Historical Novels Review

"Helen Hollick has it all. She tells a great story..."— Bernard Cornwell

"Hollick's interpretation is bold, affecting, and well worth fighting to defend." —Publishers Weekly

"A very talented writer." —Sharon Kay Penman, New York Times bestselling author of Devil's Brood

England, 1044. Harold Godwineson, a young, respected Earl, falls in love with an ordinary but beautiful woman. He marries Edyth despite her lack of pedigree, pitting him against his turbulent family and his selfish King, Edward. In France, William, the bastard son of a duke, falls in love with power. Brutal and dangerously smart, William sets his sights on England, finding ambition a difficult lust to conquer.

In 1066, with the old King Edward dying, England falls vulnerable to the winds of fate—and the stubborn will of these two powerful men. In this beautifully crafted tale, Helen Hollick sets aside the propaganda of the Norman Conquest and brings to life the English version of the story of the last Saxon King, revealing his tender love, determination, and proud loyalty, all shattered by the unforgiving needs of a Kingdom. Forced to give up his wife and risk his life for England, the chosen King led his army into the great Battle of Hastings in October 1066 with all the honor and dignity that history remembers of its fallen heroes.

"A novel of enormous emotional power...Helen Hollick is a fabulous writer of historical fiction." —Elizabeth Chadwick, author of To Defy a King

(This book was previously published in the U.K. as HAROLD THE KING)

A USA Today Bestseller!

"Hollick does a remarkable job of bringing to life a little known but powerful queen... an absorbing plot that never lags over the course of a fat, satisfying book."—Publishers Weekly

Sometimes, a desperate kingdom is in need of one great woman

Saxon England, 1002. Not only is Æthelred a failure as King, but his young bride, Emma of Normandy, soon discovers he is even worse as a husband. When the Danish Vikings, led by Swein Forkbeard and his son, Cnut, cause a maelstrom of chaos, Emma, as Queen, must take control if the Kingdom-and her crown-are to be salvaged. Smarter than history remembers, and stronger than the foreign invaders who threaten England's shores, Emma risks everything on a gamble that could either fulfill her ambitions and dreams or destroy her completely.

Emma, the Queen of Saxon England, comes to life through the exquisite writing of Helen Hollick, who shows in this epic tale how one of the most compelling and vivid heroines in English history stood tall through a turbulent fifty-year reign of proud determination, tragic despair, and triumph over treachery.

What Reviewers Are Saying

"Hollick is a master at making each historic scene come alive in the mind of a character with the most to lose... rich, tasty, sugary sludge of historical fiction... the best the genre has to offer."—Historical Novels Review

"Brilliant prose, historical accuracy, and rich detail bring this violent era to life. The Forever Queen stands as a well-detailed biographical account of one of England's strongest, most determined queens."— Historical Novel Review Blog

"A rich and descriptive tapestry of Anglo Saxon history, warring factions, political intrigue and betrayal, brutal violence, and yes, love."—Queen of Happy Endings

Praise for Helen Hollick

"A very talented writer."—Sharon Kay Penman, bestselling author of Devil's Brood

"If only all historical fiction could be this good." —Historical Novels Review

"Hollick juggles a large cast of characters and a bloody, tangled plot with great skill."—Publishers Weekly

"Helen Hollick has it all. She tells a great story." —Bernard Cornwell

(This book was previously published in the U.K. as THE HOLLOW CROWN.)

"Loyalty breaks as easily as a silken thread."

Misplaced trust, power hunger, emotional blackmail, and greed haunt twelve characters from post-Roman Britain to the present day. And betrayal by family, lover, comrade can be even more devastating.

Read twelve tales by twelve accomplished writers who explore these historical yet timeless challenges.

AD455—Roman leader Ambrosius is caught in a whirlpool of shifting allegiances
AD940—Alyeva and cleric Dunstan navigate the dangers of the Anglo Saxon court
1185—Knight Stephan fights for comradeship, duty, and honour. But what about love?
1330—The powerful Edmund of Kent enters a tangled web of intrigue
1403—Thomas Percy must decide whether to betray his sovereign or his family
1457—Estelle is invited to the King of Cyprus’s court, but deception awaits
1483—Has Elysabeth made the right decision to bring Prince Edward to London?
1484—Margaret Beaufort contemplates the path to treason
1577—Francis Drake contends with disloyalty at sea
1650—Can James Hart, Royalist highwayman, stop a nemesis destroying his friend?
1718—Pirate Annie Bonny, her lover Calico Jack, and a pirate hunter. Who will win?
1849/present—Carina must discover her ancestor’s betrayer in Italy or face ruin.

“I read this anthology from start to finish in a matter of days…. Each story is gripping.”– Discovering Diamonds Reviews

Who was the man

... who became the legend

... we know as

KING ARTHUR?

Pendragon's Banner is the second book in Helen Hollick's exciting King Arthur trilogy, covering 459-465 A.D. This is not a fairy tale or fantasy. There is no Merlin, no sword in the stone, and no Lancelot. This is the most accurate Arthurian legend ever written, based on historical evidence and meticulous research.

At age twenty-four, King Arthur has the kingdom he fought so hard for and a new young family. But keeping the throne of Britain—and keeping his wife and three sons safe—proves far from easy. Two enemies in particular threaten everything that is dear to him: Winifred, Arthur's vindictive first wife, and Morgause, priestess of the Mother and malevolent Queen of the North. Both have royal ambitions of their own.

In this story of harsh battles, secret treasonous plots, and the life-threatening politics of early Britain's dark ages, author Helen Hollick boldly reintroduces King Arthur as you've never seen him before.

PRAISE FOR PENDRAGON'S BANNER:

"Hollick's interpretation is bold, affecting and well worth fighting to defend."

Publishers Weekly

"Weaves together fact, legend, and inspired imagination to create a world so real we can breathe the smoke of its fires and revel in the Romano- British lust for life, love and honour."

Historical Novel Review

"Camelot as it really was... a very talented writer."

Sharon Kay Penman, bestselling author of Devil's Brood

PRAISE FOR THE KINGMAKING:

"Hollick juggles a cast of characters and a bloody, tangled plot with great skill."

Publishers Weekly

"If only all historical fiction could be this good."

Historical Novels Review

"Stripped of its medieval trappings, the story of Arthur's rise loses none of its legendary power... this [is a] well-researched, skillfully constructed trilogy opener."

Library Journal