This was a very enjoyable novel with a lot to recommend it.

Its particular strengths lay in a well-realized depiction of the historical setting and period of the Norman Conquest of England.

It was nice to see Hereward the Wake presented in fairly realistic human terms (though I think his progression from his early days to his more mature years could have been developed to show a little more character growth).

I particularly enjoyed the manner in which the author integrated related subjects into the story, like the figure of Edric the Outlaw and the Wild Hunt. There are sufficient reminders in the story that the Normans conquered an England that was not as fully Christianized as one might expect, but it does not go over the top into mysticism or paganism; the mixing of the heathen and the Christian strikes a balance and makes for a believable 11th century Britain.

The episodic nature of the story might normally be subject to criticism, and indeed, these episodes could have been interwoven a bit more to make a more cohesive whole, but the episodes are nevertheless quite satisfying.

Complaints: the romance angle is a little underdeveloped and rushed, and most of the Normans are a little two-dimensional, though one can see that the author has laid the foundation for some interesting developments for some of the villains to follow in the succeeding volumes.

I would heartily recommend this novel to anyone interested in a historically plausible representation of the early Anglo-Norman period, and a well-researched biographical novel of the semi-legendary Hereward. I also think that it would be greatly enjoyed by anyone who enjoyed the TV series Robin Of Sherwood.

I for one will look forward to reading the subsequent volumes.