The King's Sons: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The King's Sons: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The King's Sons is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Fenn, George Manville (1831–1909).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The King's Sons" by George Manville Fenn is a historical novel written during the late 19th century. The book focuses on the life of King Ethelwulf of Wessex and his four sons, with a particular emphasis on the youngest, Alfred, who later earned the title of Alfred the Great. Through this narrative, the book explores themes of education, leadership, and the contrasting paths of the royal siblings as they prepare to take on the responsibilities of kingship during a turbulent period marked by Viking invasions. The story begins with the four royal sons enjoying their youth in the beautiful hills of Berkshire, while their tutor, Father Swythe, attempts to instill in them the importance of education, particularly the art of reading and writing. While the elder brothers are more focused on martial skills, Alfred shows a keen interest in the lessons, leading to moments of conflict and eventual growth. As the narrative progresses, it highlights the boys' adventures, their relationship with Father Swythe, and the impending threat of the Viking invasions. This culminates in King Ethelwulf's eventual battle against the invaders and the legacy left behind by Alfred, whose dedication to learning and leadership ultimately contributes to his reputation as a great king. The novel provides both historical insight and a coming-of-age story that reflects the virtues of wisdom and bravery.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The King's Sons
- Author credits: Fenn, George Manville (1831–1909)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Alfred, King of England, 849-899 -- Juvenile fiction
- Brothers -- Juvenile fiction
- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
- Swithun, Saint, Bishop of Winchester -- Juvenile fiction
- Teachers -- Juvenile fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Adventure
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Historical Novels
- Historical Fiction
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


