This is the story of a Saxon boy who sets out to find and rescue his father who has been taken by Viking slavers. Set in 877, as the people of Wessex are forced to fight not just for their very lives but for their freedom, their religion and for their right to live as […]
The Prodigal Son by Chris Bishop
In 893 the kingdom of Wessex is once more plagued by Viking attacks. Wareham is obliged to strengthen its defences against the threat posed by huge fleet of Viking longships which are rampaging along the south coast and could strike there at any time. Meanwhile, having recognised Edward’s true lineage, King Alfred fears that the […]
Horses in battle at the time of Alfred the Great
Bloodlines, Chris Bishop’s latest book set in the ninth century, features a stable boy who must try to train an almost-unrideable stallion. Would such an animal be used only for transport, or could it have been a warhorse? For Historia, Chris considers the role of horses in battle at the time of Alfred the Great. […]
Bloodlines by Chris Bishop
Wessex, AD893. As the threat of yet another Viking invasion looms over his troubled realm, Alfred, King of Wessex, reviews and strengthens his defences. Among his many concerns is the fate of Edward, his stable boy, who he believes to be the bastard son of revered warrior Matthew, who died serving the Saxon cause. If […]
The Final Reckoning by Chris Bishop
The Final Reckoning by Chris Bishop. Despite Alfred’s great victory at Edington, Wessex is far from secure…
Twisting the Tale: should historical fiction stick to the facts?
Author Chris Bishop discusses why writers of historical fiction don’t always adhere solely to the ‘facts’ – and why they sometimes shouldn’t. As a writer of historical fiction, I am frequently asked whether my work is based solely on fact. My stock answer is that I am a writer not a historian and, as such, […]