King Hereafter

Backinprintbypopulardemand--"AstunningrevelationofthehistoricalMacbeth,harshandbrutalandeloquent."--WashingtonPostBookWorld.WiththesamemeticulousscholarshipandnarrativelegerdemainshebroughttoherhugelypopularLymondChronicles,ourforemosthistoricalnovelisttravelsfurtherintothepast.  InKingHereafter,DorothyDunnett'sstageisthewild,half-pagancountryofeleventh-centuryScotland.  Herheroisanungainlyyoungearlwithaloweringbrowandatasteforintrigue.  HecallshimselfThorfinnbuthisChristiannameisMacbeth.DunnettdepictsMacbeth'stransformationfromanangryboywhorefusestoaccepthismeagershareoftheOrkneyIslandstoasuavelyaccomplishedwarriorwhoseizesanempirewiththehelpofawifeasshrewdandvaliantashimself.  Shecreatescharacterswhoareatoncewhollycreaturesofanothertimeyetalwaysrecognizable--andshedoessowithsuchrealismandimmediacythatsheoncemoreelevateshistoricalfictionintohighart.