Arnos Grove author Edoardo Albert returns with the second book in his series The Northumbrian Thrones.

Oswald: Return of the King sees young prince Oswald seeks to regain the throne after the death of Edwin, who slew his father.

It begins with him and his exiled family arriving on the island of Iona, where the monastery founded by St Columba has become a centre of worship and learning. Young Oswald becomes friends with a novice, Aidan.

As befits a young prince, Oswald learns to fight. However, Aidan’s example attracts him and he is on the point of deciding to become a monk when news reaches Iona that his half brother, Eanfrith, has been killed by Cadwallon, the king who defeated Edwin. Oswald sails back to Northumbria and meets Cadwallon in battle, defeating him and killing him.

Oswald, now undisputed king of Northumbria, gives Aidan the island of Lindisfarne as his base. But Penda, the last great pagan king in England, is raising troops against him…

Oswald is mentioned in Tolkien’s seminal paper Beowulf: the Monster and the Critics.

Out now via Lion Fiction.