I have just read your Arthur Trilogy and the first book in your Alfred Trilogy. Your writing is brilliant, exciting, and I really enjoy your books. However. There are a couple of things I would like to ask and sincerely hope you do not feel offended by either. The first is your characterisation of Christians. In all the books you have written I find an underlying dislike for them in your writings. On the whole these characters are slimy, power hungy, snide, untrustworthy, and generally not nice, I just wondered why? More disappointing is your depiction of Alfred. I have studied a lot about Alfred and agree that a lot of what was written at or near the time of his life would have been done so to elevate his character. Still, people followed him willingly, they remembered him as ‘England’s Darling’. He was inventive, decisive, and although a strong Christian, he did not let it take over his life with Bishops telling him what to do, or go to prayer in the middle of an important meeting. He liked to see the best in people, there was never any evidence he coveted the throne, and in fact treated his Nephew very well indeed, bestowing lands and titles on him until he rebelled with Danish backing. Alfred was capable of some brutallity, but it was his magnanimous attitude in victory that helped him win a war that many thought he would lose. At Aescs Hill (Ashdown) it was Alfred’s decisiveness that won the day, while his brother was still praying (though he joined the battle later). You seem to make out Alfred as manipulative, uncaring, weak, undecisive and yet ignore the character given to us by history. Perhaps more balance would have been truer. I know of his weaknesses, and he was after all just a man, but like very few other rulers in our history he believed in his country more than his own ambition. Many people will not read the various historical records of Alfred the Great, but they will read you (and quite rightly) but they will believe all that you write, and if you destroy Alfred’s reputation in your books, a new generation will grow up thinking he was indeed a weak, militarily lucky, manipulative, power hungry man who does not deserve the title ‘Great’ and that makes me sad. Despite all this I will be reading your other novls in this series because you characterisation of Utred is brilliant, the scenes vivid and the battles graphic. Thank you very much for your time. Charlie.