Lost Realms: Histories of Britain from the Romans to the Vikings

Lost Realms by Thomas Williams is a new epic history of the forgotten past of Britain in the 'Dark Ages'. It uncovers the origins and untimely demise of nine kingdoms that hover between history and fable, and explores the lives of people in this lost world, raising questions about nations, communities, and the construction of the past.

Format: Hardback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 18 August 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

A truly magnificent work of literature, archaeology is revolutionizing our understanding of the so-called "Dark Ages." [Williams] is an absolute master at illuminating these historical periods.

Rory Stewart, the acclaimed author of Viking Britain, presents a captivating new epic history in The Rest is Politics. As Tolkien rightly observed, Britain during the "Dark Ages" was a tapestry of small kingdoms, some of which faded away, while others simply vanished without a trace. However, there are still stories to be told about these forgotten realms.

In Lost Realms, Thomas Williams, the bestselling author of Viking Britain, delves into the untold origins and tragic endings of nine kingdoms that exist in the liminal space between history and legend. These kingdoms are teeming with saints, gods, miracles, giants, battles, and the destruction of cities. What led to the downfall of these nine kingdoms, while others, such as Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria, and Gwynedd, flourished?

Williams embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of these lost realms, traversing the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coastline, from the Welsh borders to the Thames Estuary. He combines groundbreaking archaeological discoveries with the few precious fragments of written sources that have managed to survive, piecing together a lost world that once thrived. In this world, the remnants of farmer-lord halls can still be found as ghostly markings in the soil, hill-forts cling to rocky outcrops, grave-fields, and barrow-mounds provide shelter for the ancient dead. This is the world of Arthur, Urien, Bede, Taliesin, the Picts, Britons, and the Saxon migration, where magic and war, myth and miracle intertwined.

Williams vividly brings this lost world to life, using the ancient landscape of Britain to resurrect a past where lives were lived with as much vigor and joy as in any other age. People fought, loved, toiled, suffered grief, and experienced disappointment, just as in any other period. His storytelling is captivating, and the reader is transported to a time when history was rich and complex, full of intriguing characters and unforgettable events.

Lost Realms is a testament to the power of literature and archaeology in revealing the hidden treasures of our past. It is a must-read for anyone interested in history, mythology, and the wonders of the human imagination.

Weight: 660g
Dimension: 164 x 241 x 41 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008171964