This is the story of Emma, of the Ducal House of Normandy, the wife of two kings, the mother of two kings, who spent her life struggling to exert power and control over the English throne, much of it battling her son, King and Saint, Edward the Confessor. Farrington deals with the realities of the Norman, Saxon, Danish medieval world: violent, crude, difficult, mystical, filthy, corrupt, imbued with sex, but dominated by religion. This is the time just before the Conquest with Athelred, the unready, Canute the Great and the powerful Saxon Godwins. Adhering to the historical accuracy of events, Farrington brings to life with graphic details, this tumultuous period of English history, the last reigns of the Saxons and Danes over England. It's a book you can stick your teeth in and stay with for a good read. The work was originally published by Doubleday in the mid eights, now out of print, it is being rereleased here.