This, the first in a series, is by Warwick author Jacky Gray and is one boy’s fight against adversity to find friendship, romance and the generosity to love his enemy. The Hengist books are about a fictitious race of people, descended from Hengest and Horsa: Anglo Saxon settlers who used a White Horse as their banner. They live in southern England (Wessex) in a world that coexists with our present day in an alternative reality.

Archer is the sort of boy things happen to. Orphaned as a baby, he has certain qualities that make him very different to all the other kids. He doesn’t understand why he is so much stronger and faster than other boys his age, why a sword just feels right in his hand, or how he can fire an arrow at a target and it will hit the centre even if his eyes are closed. He does know that he has to fight his friend Finn in a joust and compete against his best friend Fletch to see who is the most worthy. Whoever wins the competition becomes King of the May, rewarded with fame, honour and plenty of female adoration. Edlyn has been a big thorn in Archer’s side for many years and he will go to any lengths to win, but his lack of respect for the natural order has dangerous consequences. Archer is the only one who can save him, but after the way Edlyn has treated him, does he really want to?