The House of Wolf

This article is from Current Archaeology issue 429

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Review KK

This debut novel by Tony Robinson, of Time Team and Blackadder fame, takes us on a tour of 9th-century Europe: from the Holy Roman Emperor’s royal residence at Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) in Francia, to the home of the Pope in Rome, and on to the kingdom of Wessex in southern England. Fast-paced, full of political intrigue, and focused around an existential battle over what is right versus what is financially beneficial to those in power, this is a book that is very much written to fit the modern zeitgeist.

In addition to its central struggle between morality and power, the book touches on myriad themes of interest: religious oppression; the impact of the Viking invasions; concerns over royal succession; and the struggle to form larger kingdoms. Perhaps the most intriguing part of the book to me, however – even though it plays only a small part in the overall story – was how Robinson dealt with the relationship between the ‘invading’ Anglo-Saxons and the ‘local’ Britons. By the time this book is set, the two populations had already been living side-by-side for almost 400 years, but Robinson taps into the baseness of human behaviours and how enduring grudges can be, particularly concerning land ownership.

Over the course of the first few chapters, we are quickly introduced to a large cast of characters which, handily, are listed at the start of the book to help readers keep track of who is who. Martin Henig – the modern-day expert in Roman art and culture – even makes a brief appearance as a Viking raider (known as Norlanders in the book)! Leading the cast, though, are historical figures including Asser, a passionate priest seeking to reform the Church (later to become Bishop Asser of Sherborne, author of the Life of King Alfred); King Æthelwulf (ruler of Wessex from AD 839-858, and known as Wolf in the story); and his progeny – the last and most famous of whom, the above-mentioned Alfred, makes a notable entrance only halfway through the novel.

The book is not without its flaws – the setting jumps around a bit too much, hopping from character to character and place to place, which prevents the reader from fully immersing themselves in the story right away. The speed at which the plot moves can limit your ability to develop an emotional bond with the characters, too, as events that should yield a big emotional response are dealt with quickly and forgotten. Finally, there is perhaps a bit too much reliance on cursing to carry the dialogue in places.

The novel is still very effective, however, not least in its ability to capture a sense of the history of this period. Robinson brings these real figures to life, and you cannot help but get swept away by the story. Incorporating the setting and general time period of the Last Kingdom with the power struggles and political intrigue of Game of Thrones, this twisting, turning plot will surely appeal to all those who like some medieval drama. In particular, I would like to commend Robinson on making the past come alive within its pages, and this is perhaps the book’s biggest selling point. While still very much a work of fiction – as Robinson himself acknowledges in the ‘Author’s Note’ at end of the book, where he outlines what was historical fact and which elements were his own conjurings – the novel incorporates enough of real history and archaeology to help readers learn more about this period. In particular, the detailed descriptions that can be found on almost every page make it apparent that Robinson has drawn extensively on his knowledge of the period to paint a vivid picture of what life was like at this time.

This is the first in what is hoped to be a series, with the subsequent novels presumably dealing with the rise of King Alfred and his subsequent reign – I look forward to reading the next instalment.

The House of Wolf
Tony Robinson
Sphere, £25
ISBN 978-1408731536