In him, Emma finds a love that she doesn't expect, but constant political treachery threatens their marriage, their lives, and the inheritance of their children.

When Aethelred dies, his throne is taken by a Viking usurper, Cnut, who claims Emma along with the crown. As a young teenager, Emma of Normandy is married off to Aethelred of England to secure an alliance in 1002 C.E., and though initially frightened of her crude and violent husband, she soon learns that his bluster is a cover for his weakness and cowardice. Hollick gets medieval in this excellent historical. (This book was previously published in the U.K. She tells a great story.' -Bernard Cornwell 'Hollick juggles a large 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 'A very talented writer.'-Sharon Kay Penman, bestselling author of Devil's Brood 'A rich and descriptive tapestry of Anglo Saxon history, warring factions, political intrigue and betrayal, brutal violence, and yes, love.'-Queen of Happy Endings The Forever Queen stands as a well-detailed biographical account of one of England's strongest, most determined queens.'- Historical Novel Review Blog 'Brilliant prose, historical accuracy, and rich detail bring this violent era to life. the best the genre has to offer.'-Historical Novels Review rich, tasty, sugary sludge of historical fiction. 'Hollick is a master at making each historic scene come alive in the mind of a character with the most to lose. 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.Įmma, 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. 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. Not only is Æthelred a failure as King, but his young bride, Emma of Normandy, soon discovers he is even worse as a husband. Sometimes, a desperate kingdom is in need of one great woman an absorbing plot that never lags over the course of a fat, satisfying book.'- Publishers Weekly

'Hollick does a remarkable job of bringing to life a little known but powerful queen.

The forever queen by helen hollick