Book excerpt: Cover Flap English children learn that Knut the Great was a pre-Norman king born of Royal Danish blood who thought he could command the ocean tides. The rest of Europe learn that he was the Emperor of the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Irish Sea and the Channel. Knut’s father was Sweyn Forkbeard, and by 995 Sweyn and his Slavic allies had pushed the German Saxons away from Jutland and the Baltic. Sweyn was now a Great King, a king of kings, who directly or indirectly ruled lands from Finland to Yorkshire. With his rule came peace and prosperity, except in Norway where warriors were still fighting over who would replace King Haakon Sigurdsson. Olaf Tryggvason, Sweyn’s ally against the British Saxons, had travelled to Norway to claim the throne. With him came Saxon priests. The Norse were not amused. About the Author Skye Smith is my pen name. My interest in Knut stems from the endless research I did while writing “The Hoodsman” series of historical novels about the Norman invasion of England. That invasion by William the Conqueror was not a quick subjugation of an Anglo-Saxon England, but a long and bitter genocide of an Anglo-Danish England and the destruction of Knut’s great legacy. The first novel “Knut - Jomsviking” sets the characters and scene for the entire series, so if you haven’t yet read it, now would be a good time. This is the fourth novel in the series where Knut’s story continues with the building of a Scandinavian empire by his father. Sweyn Forkbeard was becoming the Great King of the Danes, Swedes, Goths, Norse, plus many Slavs, Finns, Brits, and Irish. The chapter headings identify the dates and places. The Appendix gives historical insight and a list of characters. Enjoy. Other Novels By The Same Author: The Hoodsman – 12 historical adventures set in the Norman conquest. Maya’s Aura – 8 new age adventures while tripping around the world. The Pistoleer – 9 historical adventures set in the English Civil War. Knut – many historical adventures set in the Viking Era. Knut #1 – Jomsviking (980 – 984) Knut #2 – Varangian (986 – 992) Knut #3 – Strandhogg (993 – 994) Knut #4 – Forkbeard’s Peace (995 – 999) Knut #5 – Brice’s Massacre (1000 – 1002 coming soon)