Alfred the Great kept the Kingdom of Wessex intact in the face of viking threats, and established the basis for a unified England. For this, he deserves some fame. But Alfred lived in the Dark Ages, and there are few contemporary accounts of his life - and those that exist (the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles and Bishop Asser's biography) may not be fully reliable. In the gaps grew myths. Horspool explores the multitude of myths, but in the end we are left uncertain whether any are reliable. It seems that every story, like the burning cakes, are apocryphal. It is even unclear how he managed to keep Wessex secure. For a reader that was expecting some clarity, this will disappoint. ( )