Dear Mr. Cornwell, This is just a note to tell you how much I recently enjoyed reading both the Arthur books and the new Last Kingdom. I was in England for research purposes and I always try to have good reading material with me for the flight and the many hours I spend in trains over there. I bought the Arthur books and consumed them in days, then was fortunate enough to be able to pick up the first paperback edition of the Last Kingdom at Gatwick airport. You’ve done a marvelous job with Alfred! Pious to the point of frustration, obsessed with writing, surrounded by priests. I enjoyed the way you’ve woven in references to objects and texts that I often teach my own students about (I was at Kalamazoo in 1989 when the reconstructed pattern-welded sword which is now in the BM was finished, and watched as it was presented to Sir David Wilson). In short, the book is wonderfully evocative of the period and breathes life into the characters, both real and fictional, in a way that I have rarely seen before. Wonderful stuff. Thank you for turning your talents to the Anglo-Saxon period, and I look forward to reading future installments. All best, –David F. Johnson, PhD Executive Director, International Society of Anglo-Saxonists www.isas.us