THE FIREDRAKE (Fire Drake)

1066 - Christendom was still shadowed by archaic pagan gods the year William brought down Harold and his Saxon earls at Hastings...the year that the firedrake streaked the skies of Europe with ominous, prophetic flame. THE FIRDRAKE - is both legendary dragon and Halley's comet, whose first appearance in 1066 was a portent of the Norman conquest of Britain. Cecelia Holland depicts this tempestuous era through the travels of Laeghaire of the Long Road, an Irish mercenary who journey's from Thuringia, to Flanders, and finally to England with William the Conqueror. She tells the story with inspired simplicity; Laeghaire's loves, battles, beatings and braveries might have happened yesterday - or today.