Penda’s Pagan Heart
A 7th-century historical novel
Overview
Penda’s Pagan Heart is the first volume of Weald’s Legacy. Told through the voice of Leofric, a monk of Evesham, it moves between his present life in the monastery and the past he uncovers through Beornwald’s memories.
The novel follows Penda of Mercia, the last great pagan king of England, across friendship, betrayal, and the shifting balance between old gods and the growing Roman church. Rather than a distant chronicle, it is a human story of loyalty, fear, and survival in a world where belief and power are inseparable.
What readers will find
- Life in 7th-century Mercia, reconstructed from history and archaeology
- The clash between Celtic tradition and Roman authority
- Friendship and betrayal in a time of fragile kingdoms
- A narrator torn between memory, faith, and belonging
“A vivid, deeply researched vision of early Mercia.”
“Beautifully crafted and gripping.” — Reviewer A
“History alive on the page.” — Reviewer B
“Scholarship and story in balance.” — Reviewer C
