King Hardrada himself is painfully aware that his strength is spread out behind him and that his men are vulnerable to attack. It might seem like a good idea to go on the offensive at the very start of the battle, but it is the one thing that Coenred fears; he knows that the Saxon army lacks sufficient spears to achieve a victory that way.
The War Wolf – Let’s Read and Discuss 18
All of the accounts that I have read of Harold's character portray him as a very active man. His recent illness appears to have been something of an anomaly, which is probably why it is mentioned. He was a very experienced politician who had also fought in several wars.
The Government’s National Strategy for Disabled People
On 2nd April, 2020, the UK Government announced a National Strategy for Disabled People; for some reason I only discovered the fact after reading a post on Facebook that commented on a survey recently initiated in support of this new policy. A quick trawl of search results reveals that no major media outlet seems to have picked up on it. The same can be said for the survey that was released 15th January, 2021.
The War Wolf – Let’s Read and Discuss 17
Harald Hardrada was the most famous Viking of his day. His exploits were legendary and, it was claimed, that he had only ever lost one battle and that was when he was a boy and not a commander of men. Although Edwin and Morcar had seized the initiative and chosen the site of the battle, Hardrada thought quickly and set out his troops to best suit his own battleplan.
The War Wolf – Let’s Read and Discuss 16
I found the task describing in detail how the two armies were constituted and deployed within the landscape quite difficult. I have read accounts of actual battles in other historical fiction novels and sometimes became lost as the conflict progressed. It was my intent to try and avoid that.
The War Wolf: Read and Discuss 15
This was also the first meeting between Mildryth and Edwin and it begins quite nervously. Through it I hoped to suggest some of the nervous excitement and anxiety that many of the people in the city might be feeling. There was a long history of conflict between the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings of course, and they were so closely matched that it was not possible to foretell the outcome.
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The moments immediately preceding the battle gave me an opportunity to describe the equipment and tactics that both the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings shared. They used the same weapons, straight swords, spears, and axes, as well as large wooden shields made to a circular pattern and often decorated with painted designs. I undertook a lot of research on this subject, a fact that more than one reviewer has congratulated me for.
The War Wolf: Read and Discuss 13
This is not a long piece but I think it is important. Not only does it explain the manoeuvres of the Norsemen from a military perspective it also allows for a vivid interaction between some of the key characters in their ranks.
Marketing: a Facebook Experience
I have been on Facebook for sometime now, so it seemed reasonable that I try their adverts to try and garner a greater interest in my books. I composed and advert with the intention of selling more copies of my epic fantasy, The Queen of the Mountain Kingdom. I dropped the price to $0.99. I set my budget to £20 and the advert to run over 4 days.
The War Wolf – Let’s Read and Discuss 12
This chapter gave me an opportunity to enjoy some Anglo-Saxon poetry. Unfortunately, I lacked both the knowledge and the time to make an acceptable translation of the poem, The Wanderer, so I approached Rick McDonald who had published a very accessible version. He graciously gave me permission to use it.
Peter C Whitaker 