One of the Last Great Epic Poems in the English Language

By the yawning tree in the twilight
The King unbound his sword,
Severed the harp of all his goods,
And there in the cool and soundless woods
Sounded a single chord.
― G.K. Chesterton, The Ballad of the White Horse

The The Ballad of the White Horse is an epic poem by G.K. Chesterton about the adventurs of the Saxon king, Alfred the Great.

...

The epitome of the chivalric novel, Ivanhoe sweeps readers into Medieval England and the lives of a memorable cast of characters. Ivanhoe, a trusted ally of Richard-the-Lion-Hearted, returns from the Crusades to reclaim the inheritance his father denied him. Rebecca, a vibrant, beautiful Jewish woman is defended by Ivanhoe against a charge of witchcraft -- but it is Lady Rowena who is Ivanhoe's true love. The wicked Prince John plots to usurp England's...

"Ninth-century Saxon England crumbles under the onslaught of a relentless foe - the Danish Vikings. Ceridwen, a young woman with divided loyalties, watches as the peace and plenty she enjoys at the Saxon stronghold of Kilton gives way to wary watchfulness. Her dearest friend, Ælfwyn, sold in marriage to a Dane in a desperate bid for peace, travels to Kilton and recounts the events that befell the fortress of Four Stones in captured Lindisse. But...

"Tindr is handsome, kind, and the best hunter on 9th century Gotland. He possesses a deep empathy with animals, which powers his reverence towards the game he takes to survive. But he is also deaf, which closes him off from the society that surrounds him -- and seemingly, from finding love. Devoted parents and friends can't protect young Tindr from the bully who taunts him, from jealousy that turns murderous, or from the threat of surrender to the...

"Sidroc the Dane has been in Angle-land for twelve years. The first nine were all hard fighting. He has won treasure beyond counting, and now peace for his men. But there is one thing he still desires: Ceridwen as his wife. Now Fate conspires to tear Ceridwen and Sidroc away from Angle-land. Thrust together amidst great danger and hardship they fight to survive -- and fight each other. Each day takes them farther from the loyalties and laws of the...

On September 27, 1066, Duke William of Normandy sailed for England with hundreds of ships and over 8,000 men. King Harold of England, weakened by a ferocious Viking invasion from the north, could muster little defense. At the Battle of Hastings of October 14, he was outflanked, quickly defeated, and killed by William's superior troops. The course of English history was altered forever.
Three years later, Walt, King Harold's only surviving bodyguard,

...

"Duty versus Desire. The Peace between the Saxons and Danes has collapsed. Viking forces led by the war-lord Haesten strike at will across borders. One more push will destroy Wessex. The Danish warriors settled under the Dane-law are tempted to join with these new invaders, wiping clear the game board as they seek full dominance of Angle-land" -- page 3 of cover.