A USA Today Bestseller!
Hollick does a remarkable job of bringing to life a little known but powerful queen... an absorbing plot that never lags over the course of a fat, satisfying book.--Publishers Weekly
Sometimes, a desperate kingdom is in need of one great woman
Saxon England, 1002. Not only is Æthelred a failure as King, but his young bride, Emma of Normandy, soon discovers he is even worse as a husband. When the Danish Vikings, led by Swein Forkbeard and his son, Cnut, cause a maelstrom of chaos, Emma, as Queen, must take control if the Kingdom-and her crown-are to be salvaged. Smarter than history remembers, and stronger than the foreign invaders who threaten England's shores, Emma risks everything on a gamble that could either fulfill her ambitions and dreams or destroy her completely.
Emma, the Queen of Saxon England, comes to life through the exquisite writing of Helen Hollick, who shows in this epic tale how one of the most compelling and vivid heroines in English history stood tall through a turbulent fifty-year reign of proud determination, tragic despair, and triumph over treachery.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Hollick is a master at making each historic scene come alive in the mind of a character with the most to lose... rich, tasty, sugary sludge of historical fiction... the best the genre has to offer.--Historical Novels Review
Brilliant prose, historical accuracy, and rich detail bring this violent era to life. The Forever Queen stands as a well-detailed biographical account of one of England's strongest, most determined queens.-- Historical Novel Review Blog
A rich and descriptive tapestry of Anglo Saxon history, warring factions, political intrigue and betrayal, brutal violence, and yes, love.--Queen of Happy Endings
Praise for Helen Hollick
A very talented writer.--Sharon Kay Penman, bestselling author of Devil's Brood
If only all historical fiction could be this good. --Historical Novels Review
Hollick juggles a large cast of characters and a bloody, tangled plot with great skill.--Publishers Weekly
Helen Hollick has it all. She tells a great story. --Bernard Cornwell
(This book was previously published in the U.K. as THE HOLLOW CROWN.)
About the Author: Helen Hollick lives in northeast London with her husband, daughter and a variety of pets, which include several horses, cats, and two dogs. She has two major interests: Roman/Saxon Britain and the Golden Age of Piracy--the early eighteenth century.