The House of Wolf

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What to expect

'George RR Martin meets Terry Pratchett' OBSERVER

***NOW A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***

Sir Tony Robinson - actor, presenter, historical expert and star of Blackadder and Time Team - makes his adult fiction debut with this earthy, entertaining and gloriously witty recreation of the Anglo-Saxons, Alfred the Great, and the making of England.

'A page-turner full of historical intelligence, wit and heart' DAN JONES

'Brings the Anglo-Saxon world riotously to life' S.J PARRIS

'Entirely brilliant, a story and world vividly evoked' KATE WILLIAMS

'Every bit and wise, witty and entertaining as you would expect from one of our greatest storytellers' MARK BILLINGHAM

______

Rome
Father Asser is waiting to die.

His idealism has landed him in a papal prison on trumped-up charges of heresy, until salvation arrives in an unexpected form. Cardinal Balotelli also dreams of a better world, free from the ravages of the Norlanders. He has a vital job for Asser, one that could shape the future of Europe.

Wessex
King Aethelwolf's power is fading, but none of his feckless children are fit to rule.

His eldest sons would rather fight each other than the blood-thirsty Norland invaders. His daughter, Swift, is clever and cunning, but often blinded by her ambition. Finally there's Alfred, his once-promising younger son, whom nobody has seen in years.

Then Wolf meets a young priest with a proposition from Rome that could change everything.

Lindisfarne
Rhiannon is a slave with a profound hatred for her Saxon captors. When she meets Guthrum, a Norlander hell-bent on wiping Wessex from the map, they set out on a journey of destruction.

So begins an epic struggle between greed and idealism, ambition and betrayal, freedom and tyranny. Because change always meets with resistance and, on the path to power, nobody can be trusted.

The House of Wolf appeared in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart in the week ending 20th September 2025.

Critics Review

The House of Wolf sweeps you up into its wonderful Anglo Saxon world and never lets you go. Sir Tony's debut novel is entirely brilliant, a story and a world, vividly evoked with characters who hold tight to your heart.
Kate Williams, historian
A compelling historical epic, rich in character and detail. Every bit as wise, witty and hugely entertaining as you would expect from one of our greatest storytellers. I can't wait for the next in the series
Mark Billingham, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Tom Thorne series
Pacy and vivid, bloody and funny, The House of Wolf brings to life a medieval world on the brink of sweeping change. This is a page-turner full of unforgettable characters - underpinned by historical intelligence, wit and heart.
Dan Jones, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Essex Dogs
Driven by a riveting cast of characters, Robinson takes us on a thrilling tale of ambition, betrayal and power, bringing the almighty thrills and terrors of the Anglo-Saxon world vividly to life
Alice Loxton, historian and Sunday Times bestselling author of Eighteen
A riveting epic that brings the Anglo-Saxon world riotously to life. Fizzes with energy, humour and imagination.
S. J. Parris, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Giordano Bruno series
The Anglo-Saxons have never seemed so alive! Immersive, rich in detail and epic in scale - not to mention very funny. A great read!
Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange
The House of Wolf is a thrilling succession drama set in Anglo-Saxon England, from battlefield and court to bedchamber and cloister. With humour and insight, Tony Robinson paints a vivid picture, richly evoking the blood, sweat and tears of a cast of unforgettable characters and bringing to life some incredible lost locations. A hugely impressive and absorbing novel.
Gilly Macmillan, bestselling author of What She Knew
Tony Robinson delights in conveying all of the wonder and horror of early medieval Europe in flux. Epic and earthy, The House of Wolf effortlessly brings together serious religious and political debate with vivid historical detail, and left me desperate for more!
Danielle Giles, author of Mere
This is such a clever - and at times very funny - reimagining of the making of England. I loved it as much for its authentic picture of early medieval life as for its gripping action. This is a rich world, lovingly created.
Andrew Ziminski, author of Church Going and The Stonemason
Immensely entertaining
THE TIMES
A bawdy, bloody retelling of Anglo-Saxon power struggles. Ambitious and irreverent.
THE i PAPER
[A] hugely enjoyable series opener set among the family of King Alfred. With plenty of wit and entertainment amid the epic history, it's best thought of as George RR Martin meets Terry Pratchett
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