Warriors of the Dragon Gold

A well researched novel on Harold Godwinsson,his rise to King and demise at the Battle of hastings. A good read.

I picked this booked up in a bargain bin at a local bookstore.Lucky me! This book tracks the lives and movements of various individuals leading up to the battle of Hastings.The other reviews here provide more detail so I won't rehash.The writing is brilliant and this book is really hard to put down.Great books provide images that stay with you and one image that will stay with me is the image of young Gospatrik threatening a band of Vikings. I've only read one book twice (Stephen Lawhead' Hood) but I will certainly read this one again.

This was a wonderful book. It begins with Canute's conquest of England...and ends with William's conquest of England. All the forgotten players are in the spotlight: the ancient House of Wessex, Earl Godwin, Harold II, Queen Emma, etc. King Canute was written out as a very real and compelling character. Likewise, other characters such as Estrith, Ulf, Tostig, etc. all were brought to life. If you enjoy the 11th century as much as I do, you will love this one!

This is a book about multiple medieval characters: King Ethelred, Earl Godwin of Wessex, Edward the Confessor, Canute, Harold Harefoot, Hardicanute, Emma of Normandy, Harold Godwinsson, Duke William (who eventually becomes King William I, the Conqueror, of England) and most of all of Cedric, friend of Harold I, King of England. The first part of the book is primarily about Aelgifu, daughter of King Ethelred, who in history was also called "the Unready." Her first husband is the Earl of Northumberland and is murdered. She soon finds herself exiled to Normandy with a life she neither wanted nor expected. Still she plots to put a true heir of Ethelred on the English throne. Kings come and go in this novel but the most memorable is King Harold who had the shortest reign. Cedric who was originally one of his Harold's father's thegns of note becomes Harold's best friend and supporter. His loyalty to Harold and the life he could have had costs him dearly but he never doubts himself or Harold. The book encompasses a huge span of time, fifty-three years, and leaves no stone unturned and many questions are given logical historical answers. Even though the Norman culture is said to have given much to the English, one can't help but wonder what a different, less brutal England might have existed had King Harold I won the battle at Hastings in 1066. If he hadn't had to battle his brother Tostig, things might have been very different indeed. I too rooted for Harold even though I knew the bloody outcome. Read this book, it is an exceptional story of love, betrayal, loyalties divided & lost, kingdoms won & lost, but most of all the spirit of human persistence and hope prevails!

I remember in school when they taught us about the Battle of Hastings. Harold was the Bad Guy who promised to Help William gain the throne and then [messed] him over right? Yeah well even at 11 I wasn't having any of it, I always used to hope that Harold would win even when I knew he wouldn't. So it always interested me, his story, his family his Life. The First time I read Warriors of the Dragon Gold I read it from Cover to Cover not stopping once for a whole day just because I couldn't wait to read the next bit. Cedric Sheildless is Just an incredible character as is Harold, Godwin and Many Other King Makers, King Breakers and Kings. The other Story involved is equally as Exciting the Story of Ethlred's Daughter who ran away with a monk and is determind to see Her family back on the throne of England. It is definately worth reading