It was a time of artistic flowering and a time of unequalled freedoms for women in China, not to be repeated until the 20 th Century. The capital city, Xian, was in many ways the New York or London of its age. The Tang Dynasty was unlike our imagination of China. It was inspired by the story of a female poet who was writing feminist poetry in the 9 th century. Justin did not start out writing about 1066, though his first historical novel, Passing Under Heaven, is set in China in the Tang Dynasty which is roughly contemporary to the Anglo Saxon Period. I hope readers of either book will agree. My novel centres around Harald's wife Elizaveta and is a more 'girlie' take on his life but both of us love Harald for his ambition and fire and both of us feel strongly that his is a story that has gone too long untold. His latest novel Viking Fire is about Harald Hardrada, hero of my own novel The Constant Queen which came out at almost the same time so it was wonderful to discuss our favourite Viking and to consider our different versions of his story.

I met Justin several times last year at various spirited battle re-enactments around the 900th anniversary of 1066. But an old enemy, the treacherous Earl Eadric, dogs Godwin's footsteps, and as the final battle approaches, around the valiant English the trap begins to close.For this, the last in my Spring series of 'fab historical writers' features, I'm delighted to welcome Justin Hill to my blog. With epic courage and ferocity, Godwin and Edmund repel the butchering Danes in three great battles. Godwin must traverse the meadows, wintry forests and fogbound marshes of Saxon England, raising armies of monks, ploughmen and shepherds against the Viking invader. When Ethelred's son Edmund takes the throne, determined to succeed where his father failed, he plucks Godwin from domestic peace to be right-hand man in his loyal shield wall. One man lives to bear witness to the upheaval: Godwin, barely out of boyhood and destined to become one of his country's great warriors. King Ethelred lies dying and the England he knew dies with him the warring kingdoms of Mercia, Wessex and Northymbria tremble on the brink of great change. The year is 1016 and England burns while the Viking armies blockade the great city of London. superbly evoked the wordplay of the period's poetry as it unfolds a compelling story of Earl Godwin's battles against the Norse' A Sunday Times Book of the Year 'Justin Hill's Shieldwall.

Shieldwall by Justin Hill