Set in England in early 1069, the novel deals with the English resistance to the Conquest, as told through the eyes of one of the invaders, an experienced Breton knight named Tancred a Dinant. It is little more than two years since the Norman victory at Hastings: a time of discontent, with the kingdom under occupation and still coming to terms with its foreign lords. The conquerors live an uncertain, watchful existence in a hostile country, dependent on force of arms, yet motivated by what they see as their right to possess England. But in the north, rebellion is stirring, while from across the sea come rumours of an impending Danish invasion.

Against this backdrop is set Tancred’s personal journey as he strives for redemption after the death of his lord. For the first time since he took up arms in his youth, he begins to wonder whether the path he has chosen is indeed the right one.

The novel – the first in a trilogy – builds upon the real-life events of the English rebellion of 1069, a pivotal point in the drama of the Conquest, when for several months the Norman presence in England hung in the balance.