The fourth book in the bloody and brutal historical fiction series featuring Coelwulf, king of Mercia. The king's warrior helm was never his ambition. But Mercia's survival is. Coelwulf has done little but fight since the day they declared him king — and the fight is far from over. The Saxon kingdom of Mercia lies broken, her alliance with Wessex in tatters, her king a warrior still learning the weight of the king's warrior helm. Northampton is secure, but the Danish raiders refuse to yield. Now Coelwulf has drawn them from their stronghold at Grantabridge — and he must finish it. Jarl Guthrum will not surrender his hold on Mercia without blood, and Coelwulf has never been afraid to spill it. AD874. The vow holds. The warriors ride. Mercia will not fall while Coelwulf stands as her king. Praise for The Last King "A well-written book from start to finish, full of action with lots of strong characters that you soon love. I really, truly loved it. 5 stars from me. Smashed it." "I feel as though I'm sat astride a horse, sword in hand, screaming like a banshee as I charge." "Action-packed and hard to put down." "To say this book is excellent would be an understatement. it’s a blood and gore fest for any fan of the period." Amazon Reviewer "an instant page-turner." Netgalley Reviewer "The battle scenes were really well written." Netgalley Reviewer "With plenty of gory battle scenes, MJ Porter’s descriptive writing really brings Coelwulf’s battles to life." Netgalley Reviewer "Fast-paced, deep character development, page-turning action, what more do you need." Netgalley Reviewer "A tale that moves fairly swiftly, breathless at times, with great battle scenes and just the right amount of humour." Netgalley Reviewer The Ninth Century Series Coelwulf's Company: Tales from before The Last King The Last King The Last Warrior The Last Horse The Last Enemy The Last Sword The Last Shield The Last Seven The Last Viking The Last Alliance The Last Deceit