King Alfred's Viking

Charles Watts WhistlerProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 401K words
Chapters: 41

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.King Alfred's Viking by Charles W. WhistlerAuthor: Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts), 1856-1913,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Nov 13, 2004

Editor's review

King Alfred's Viking is a historical adventure novel for young readers set in the age of Alfred the Great, in the public domain. Built on the conflict between Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, it offers an adventurous narrative suited to readers interested in early medieval English history and Norse culture. As juvenile literature, its prose is relatively plain and its plot moves briskly; it gives young readers a sense of the historical atmosphere and serves as an accessible introduction to the social world of Alfred's reign. The Project Gutenberg edition is free and easy to read electronically, making it suitable for supplementary reading or shared family reading. Note that the original is in English, so readers need some English proficiency; and as a historical novel written in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, its narrative perspective and handling of historical fact bear the marks of its time, so it is best read alongside historical sources.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Young readers interested in medieval English and Viking history
Readers new to the period seeking a story-based introduction to the age of Alfred the Great
Learners with some English who want to practise reading through a public-domain novel
Parents looking for historical adventure books to read with their children

Not a good fit for

Serious researchers seeking strictly scholarly, source-critical histories
Young or beginner readers with weak English who cannot read the original unaided
Adult fiction readers expecting a modern pace and complex characterisation

Reading tips

Learn the basic facts about Alfred the Great and the Viking conflicts first; the story reads more smoothly afterward.
Work through it chapter by chapter, briefly retelling each one to combine English reading practice with comprehension.
When reading together, use a map to locate where the story takes place, helping children build geographical and historical bearings.
After finishing, compare the novel with real historical sources and discuss where fiction departs from fact, fostering critical reading habits.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no English at all?

Not really. It is an English original; though juvenile literature with relatively plain prose, it still requires basic English reading ability. Readers with no English might start with a Chinese translation or a general history of the period.

What historical background should I know before reading?

It helps to know the basic outline of ninth-century England's seven kingdoms, the Viking invasions, and Alfred the Great's resistance to the Danes. With that background, the conflicts and choices in the story are easier to follow.

What are the practical features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

It is a free public-domain e-book that can be downloaded and read legally on a computer, phone, or e-reader. As a public-domain text, its formatting and notes are minimal, so it is best supplemented with reliable historical sources.

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About the author

Charles Watts Whistler Author · English · 1856–1913

Charles Watts Whistler (1856–1913) was an English physician, Church of England clergyman, and historical novelist. He graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and trained in medicine at St Thomas' Hospital, London, qualifying as MRCS and LSA. Ordained in 1885, he served in several parishes. His historical novels draw on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Norse sagas, and are usually set between 600 and 1100, with attention to historical atmosphere and the circumstances of his characters. His works include A Thane of Wessex and Wulfric the Weapon Thane. Eight of his books are held in this collection. Public information about his life and literary influence is limited; existing accounts focus on his clerical career, medical training, and the themes of these historical novels.