Following a brutally cold winter, King Wiglaf of Mercia is in the ascendancy in 836. Even Wessex’s Archbishop of Canterbury ventures to Mercia to broker a religious accord. But can the hard-won peace prevail?
Viking raiders threaten Wessex. These bloodthirsty warriors are fast, skilful and have no reticence about killing those who stand in their way. Their aim isn’t to rule but to overwhelm, slaughter and take ill-gotten wealth.
King Wiglaf is no fool. As the Vikings push to overwhelm Wessex, Mercia’s lands look insecure. King Wiglaf needs the shields of Mercia’s warriors to prevent the overwhelming advancement of their deadliest enemy yet.
To save Mercia, Icel must first prevail over the two men who mean to end his life; King Ecgberht of Wessex and his son, Æthelwulf of Kent. Only then will he face the marauding Viking army, for whom boundaries have no meaning.
Shield of Mercia by MJ Porter is published on 3 October, 2025. It’s the eighth book in the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.
If you’d like to know how MJ makes history come alive in these books, have a look at Adding the ‘little’ bits to enrich a story of Saxon historical fiction.
Our round-up of over 190 historical books to look forward to in 2025 has many more suggestions for you to look at.
