The Rise of Wessex: a review

Extract

This book should be reviewed by a committee. Like Mr Reed's earlier excursion into Dark Age History, The Battle for Britain in the Fifth Century, it will arouse passions which, ranging from indignation through amused tolerance to befuddled admiration, would require a series of minority reports for their adequate expression. The scholar is in no danger (unless he had a high blood-pressure), and it would be simple enough to advise the non-specialist reader to read not Mr Reed but Mr Reed's despised authorities. Such advice, however, would not constitute a review of a book which, in one sense or another, will fascinate most readers.

Mr Reed apparently seeks to tell the story of the rise of Wessex in new and full detail, and to show that modern authorities are wrong-headed guides. The new details and the full explanations are there, riotously jostling each other for space, but of course they will not be accepted by serious scholars. Probably Mr Reed would be surprised if they were. His second aim does not achieve even this dubious success ; Authority may laugh or fume, according to its mood, but it has undoubtedly survived unscathed what was perhaps designed as an ordeal.