Book Description
From Bernard Cornwell, the undisputed master of historical fiction, hailed as "the direct heir to Patrick O'Brien,"* comes the third volume in the exhilarating Saxon Chronicles: the story of the birth of England as the Saxons struggle to repel the Danish invaders.
The year is 878, and as Lords of the North begins, the Saxons of Wessex, under King Alfred, have defeated the Danes to keep their kingdom free. Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, helped Alfred win that victory, but now he is disgusted by Alfred's lack of generosity. Uhtred flees Wessex, going north to search for his stepsister, who was taken prisoner by Kjartan the Cruel, a Danish lord who lurks in the formidable stronghold of Dunholm.
Uhtred arrives in the north to discover rebellion, chaos, and fear. His only ally is Hild, a West Saxon nun fleeing her calling, and his best hope is his sword, Serpent-Breath, with which he has made a notable reputation as a warrior. He needs other partners if he is to attack Dunholm, and chooses Guthred, a seemingly deluded slave who believes he is a king. Together they cross the Pennines, where fanatical Christians and beleaguered Danes have formed a desperate alliance to confront the terrible Viking lords who rule Northumbria.
Instead of victory Uhtred finds betrayal. But he also discovers love and redemption as he is forced to turn once again to his reluctant ally, Alfred the Great. It is Alfred who sees opportunity in Northumbria's chaos, and Alfred who looses Uhtred and his stepbrother, Ragnar, onto Dunholm, the invincible fortress on its great spur of rock. A breathtaking adventure, Lords of the North is also the story of the creation of England, as the English and Danes fight against each other, but also find common cause and create a common language. In the end they will become one people, but as Uhtred will discover, their union is forged through the white heat of battle.
* The Economist
Customer Reviews:
Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell.......2007-09-19
In Lords of the North (coming January 23rd), the wonderful writer of great historical periods and characters brings us the third in his increasingly popular Saxon Chronicles series, as he tells the story of King Alfred the Great's life and his work in unifying the many kingdoms into the country we know today as England.
We continue with our hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, who has just helped Alfred save and maintain control over the land of Wessex, therefore preventing the complete invasion by the Danes. Angered with Alfred's piousness and making every decision according to God, Uhtred flees north to Northumbria, still hoping one day to defeat his uncle and take back his beloved Bebbanburg. It is here that he meets old Danish friends and before he realizes what's going on, a deal has been brokered to maintain peace in Northumbria in return for Uhtred's enslavement. With his blood-stained blade - Serpent-Breath - the many lords of the region are happy to get rid of this formidable warrior.
Uhtred, stripped of his title and power, then spends most of the book suffering the abuse and torture of a slave on a trading traveling along the Flemish coast, and back and forth between Britain and the mainland. On a number of occasions they face off again this "red ship" that is a trader like them. Upon returning to the original place where Uhtred was sold - so that more slaves can be bought - the red ship appears out of nowhere and beaches the shore. Foreign Danes stream out and Uhtred soon finds himself face to face with an even older friend who raised him.
Eventually he discovers that it is thanks to Alfred's help that he has received his emancipation. With his title, weapons, and armor restored, along with more allies from the south forming a considerable army, they set out to defeat these lesser heathen lords and regain control of the kingdom of Northumbria. The book ends with the reader contemplating what is next for Uhtred in the further Saxon Chronicles: Will he regain control of his land? Will he remain a lone pagan among the many determined Christians? Sadly, we will have to wait another whole year before we can read more about Uhtred of Bebbanburg, slayer of the great Ubba Lothbrokson, and his adventures with the pious Alfred the Great.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com
Just when you thought the saga could not get better..........2007-09-18
It gets better. This book finds Uhtred as not only a man and a warrior, but as a humbled (as much as the Dane in him will allow) crafty leader. He has recovered from his trials and is on his way to his destiny. His allegiance to Alfred has him hamstrung a bit...regarding his goal of re-taking his rightful lands of Bebbenburg...but he can see the future, and he knows that the tide is slowly turning in his favor. He will crush his enemies, and reign triumphant. This book is about Uhtred the man...and I believe is the FIRST step into his world as a Lord and warrior...with the first 2 novels having been merely an exciting prologue.
The Best of Uhtred's Saga, Not to be missed.......2007-08-11
If you've read books one and two in the Saxon Chronicles, it goes without saying that this is not to be missed. This is also the best of the series, and that's saying quite a lot. No, we're not talking literary masterwork -- although as always Bernard is engaging, often amusing, certainly disarming as a writer -- but there's just something about he way Bernard can bring to life the dark ages. Sure, I enjoy Sharpe novels, but where Bernard shines is in the dark ages, the time before we have "reliable histories." He manages to make everything from King Arthur to the "Vikings" -- which he explains just means "raiders" not Northmen -- come alive. It feels right. Sure, the dialogue is very twentieth-century, but it has to be for us to stay interested. Uhtred is, perhaps, his best hero yet, larger-than-life yet human and vulnerable at times, and Uhtred is a hero for both men and women to relate to, where perhaps some of Bernard's other protagonists are "macho man" heroes. This is a period in history very rarely touched in literature, and perhaps that's the charm of it. There are moments of satire as well, (anyone familiar with my work will know I thrive on satire), humor, adventure. What more can you ask in a yarn. Who else can make a slave a king, and a hero a slave then back to a hero all in one story? Who else can come across as a lover of all things British, yet create a character who is more Danish and Northman than Saxon or British? Just a lot of fun, great pace, humor, characters that you'll want to come back to. I'd say his best yet.
NOOOO!!!!! 6 months wait for the next book. This was GREAT!.......2007-08-06
Book three in the Saxon Chronicles is the best book by Bernard Cornwell that I have read. I had read his "Grail Quest Trilogy" before coming to this series, which I thought was a trilogy, but now know could go on much longer (it will be at least 4 books and I certainly hope for more).
"Lords of the North" continues the fantastic, emotional tale of Uhtred, the fictional Saxon-born, Dane-adopted and raised warrior, that is fated to fight for England and a king that he does not like, Alfred.
Uhtred lost his family when he was a boy and was adopted by a Danish Viking warrior, Earl Ragnar, who he loved as a father, and from whom he learned of the pagan deities, especially the spinners, the three mythical creatures that weave the fate of every man; hence his repeated statement through the entire series, "Fate is inexorable".
Uhtred, after assisting Alfred the Great with the defense of Wessex against the Danes, marches north to regain his birthright which was taken by his uncle when Uhtred's birth father died in battle. But fate has other plans for Uhtred, including assisting another king, killing priests, killing Saxons, killing Danes, loving a woman who becomes a nun, loving another woman who is betrothed to another, betrayal, slavery and revenge. Not bad for six months in the life of a Saxon/Danish warrior in the ninth century.
The author admits in his historical note at the end of the book that this tale is more fiction than fact, mainly because not much is known about the history of the Northumbria, the northern Saxon province. Using the name of the king, Guthred, and the characters he created in books 1 & 2,(which I highly recommend you read before coming to this; not because you need to in order to understand this book, but because the entire series is fabulous and why skip the salad and appetizer to get to the main course when the entire meal should be savored?) to weave a more fictional tale that is still most definitely anchored in fact, so far as the customs, trials, dangers, life, religions and battles would have been in the ninth century; that is to say that, despite the fact that none of the characters are real (except Guthred of whom not much is known) the entire story is told in accordance with the period and should be taken as an authentic description of fictional people. The world which Cornwell writes is wonderful, historically accurate and vivid.
This book is the best of the "Saxon Chronicles" by far and I eagerly await the release of book 4, "Sword Song" which is slated for release early 2008.
Another great book in a fun, fast-paced series.......2007-08-02
Lords of the North is the third volume of Bernard Cornwell's "Saxon Tales", set in ninth-century England, and is every bit as enjoyable as the preceding books in the series.
In this entry, Uhtred goes north to settle a long-standing bloodfeud. With his customary flair for the dramatic, he disguises himself as the Dead Swordsman and heads toward Dunholm, the fortress of his enemy, Kjartan the Cruel. Along the way he frees a slave who turns out to be Guthred, king of Northumbria. Uhtred swears loyalty to Guthred and soon learns that, despite his congenial manner, Guthred will do whatever is necessary to preserve his kingdom.
While Lords of the North does not deal with any significant historical event, it does have political intrigue, betrayal and lots of swordplay. As always, Cornwell's battle scenes are visceral. Having been bitten by a dog as a child, I found his descriptions of attacking dogs particularly unsettling.
The book's main strength is Uhtred, an extremely likable and unexpectedly complex character. Born English, but raised by Danes, he is continually torn between his adopted people and his oath, given unwillingly, to King Alfred. Irreverent and insightful, Uhtred tells his story in the first person, describing moments of brutish violence and tender emotion with a slightly sardonic flair.
I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the next installment in the series. Thank you, Mr. Cornwell, for helping me release my inner Valkyrie!
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
The last unvanquished piece of England, Wessex is eyed hungrily by the fearsome Viking conquerors. A dispossessed young nobleman, Uhtred is tied to the imperiled land by birth and marriage but was raised by the Danish invaders—and he questions where his allegiance must lie. But blood is his destiny, and when the overwhelming Viking horde attacks out of a wintry darkness, Uhtred must put aside all hatred and distrust and stand beside his embattled country's staunch defender—the fugitive King Alfred.
The Pale Horseman is a gripping, monumental adventure that gives breathtaking life to one of the most important epochs in English history—yet another masterwork from New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell.
Customer Reviews:
The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell.......2007-09-19
In The Pale Horseman (sequel to The Last Kingdom), Bernard Cornwell surges on with his series on the life of Alfred the Great, but not simply with a furthering of the plot, but some clear development in both story, character, and the whole point Cornwell is trying to make with this series.
In Pale Horseman we now learn that our hero from the last book, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, while just as skilled in his knowledge of languages, way with words, as well as his ability with his trusty sword - Serpent-breath - is actually not that great of a guy. When he has to spend time at home with his child and pious wife who wants him to be a good Christian, he treats them with disdain and instead goes off with his buddies on one of Alfred's ships, kills a lot of people, and steals considerable amounts of wealth, as well as kidnapping his very own pagan sorceress. While the pathetic excuse for this case can be made that "it's what men did back then," I find it an admirable move by Cornwell to make the protagonist out to be a character that most would find at the least disreputable. But ultimately these facets of Uhtred's character only serve to make him more believable, which is certainly a critique of the characters in Cornwell's other works.
At the same time, he magnificently captures the feel of the period. Here you have the Saxons trying to defend their country (which they invaded just four hundred years before and occupied) against the Vikings and Danes who all but succeed in their conquering of Britain. Cornwell even goes on to say in his elucidating "author's note" that if it weren't for Alfred's decision, when all seemed lost, to still fight back and win, that Cornwell would be telling this story in Danish. Whether you're a Saxon, a Viking, or a Briton; identity was something both questioned and sought after in this melting pot of a country. Cornwell cleverly reveals this with Uhtred's ability to speak many languages, as well as being often thought a Viking or a Briton, but not a Saxon, which he considers himself.
At the end when all that remains of Saxon Britain is a small area of marsh in Wessex, Alfred unites his people who end up banding together from all areas of the surrounding country, and manages to defeat and push the Vikings out of his land, making Wessex the one strong remaining Saxon place left in all Britain. It was with this victory that Alfred earned the title "great." The book ends with the future knowledge and hope that Alfred the Great will begin taking back the rest of Britain and pushing the Vikings out for good.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to [....]
Big disappointment...Big.......2007-09-12
This thing just ain't cut out from the same cloth as the Last Kingdom. It starts out with Uhtred losing a lifetime opportunity b'coz he wants to go home and shag his wife, who he dumps for the nunnery later anyway. I like Uhtred and his attitude, but this book is really uneventful.
Take my advice. Don't buy it. Bernie's rich. Doesn't need our charity. I donated the book to a kid in Afghanistan.
Intense, involving and brilliant.......2007-08-12
Bernard Cornwell has that unique gift--a gritty, hard-hitting, involving ability to credibly place a reader back in another time. He does this by driving exciting stories with well-drawn, complex and growing characters. I enjoy all of Bernard's work, but in particular feel the intensity of his first-person POV novels, notably the fabulous "Arthur" books -- The Winter King, Enemy of God and Excalibur -- and now in magnificent form in the "Saxon Chronicles" or the "history" of Alfred the Great. In this second book he brings classic Cornwell form by involving us in the great one's life through a flawed, conflicted main character Uhtred, rather than choosing the point of view of Alfred the Great. Where Uhtred was a boy in the first book, who grew to manhood -- an equally compelling story -- here, Uhtred is the man who must struggle with his love of the Northmen who raised him versus his birth-loyalty to his countrymen (the Saxons) and their driven King Alfred. The characters drive the action, not the other way around, and we truly come to enjoy being around Uhtred. First person is not a handicap in this tapestry, it is the secret of the success of this series, just as it was with the Arthur cycle. I'll read anything by Bernard Cornwell, but this has to be my favorite. Perhaps it's the period. This is the time when "civilization" emerged from the "dark ages" yet oddly the reader cheers for the "barbarians." The author holds nothing back, conveying the violence of the period, a convincing portrait of the religious confusion of the time, an oddly convincing portrayal of the great king who here, at least, is drawn as a bit of a religious fanatic who in spite of his weaknesses wins out. Brilliant story-telling.
Vikings Meet Saxons in Medieval England.......2007-07-18
For those with a liking for adventure, freebooting and viking raids, The Pale Horseman, Cornwell's second installment in his tale of the formation of England under King Alfred (known to posterity as "the Great") has it all. It's an energetic and fast paced narrative of the Saxon nobleman, Uhtred Uhtredsson, out of the old Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, who, after losing his freedom to Danish vikings and his ancestral holdings to a perfidious uncle, re-establishes himself, albeit with no little resentment, in the camp of King Alfred of Wessex, the last Saxon king still fighting the Danish invaders. England's history is rich with invasion and war, particularly at this early time, and Cornwell successfully mines it for good material.
Uhtred is not a highly sympathetic character, having been raised a viking by his Danish captors and being more interested in getting his own back than in the well being of those around him. Still, he is a convincingly realistic one. We have little reason to think that he would have been any less self-interested or brutal than the people and culture around him warranted. This tale, of course, is set in the early part of the viking age, at its height in fact, when Danish and Norse freebooters were swarming across the British Isles, grabbing what they could and killing whatever they couldn't take away with them. For those familiar with the later Icelandic saga literature which actually reflects a very different era, the level of violence and cruelty may come as a bit of a shock. But there's little reason to doubt that that's how it was and Cornwell presents it with panache. One may not like seeing Uhtred turn on his "allies" in a pinch but its believable and, as a character, he does maintain a kind of internal consistency and a certain sense of personal honor.
Essentially the hero of the tale is at odds with everyone at the outset though he will eventually find himself thrown into uncomfortable alliance with, and allegiance to, the dyspeptic Saxon king who is intent not only on hanging onto his own kingdom (for which he must defeat the predatory Danes) but in expanding his rule to unify the shattered remnants of the other broken Saxon kingdoms. This is as much a book about English history as about vikings and if you like fast paced adventure with well-drawn characters, Cornwell has provided it. It's a little weak in the seriousness department, being mostly a tale of action and scheming and fighting, but it is as tightly woven a narrative as one is likely to see, with nary a moment to take a breath. I liked this one better than its predecessor, The Last Kingdom, and based on this alone I'll probably read the third installment when I get the chance. On the other hand, I didn't much care for Uhtred because of his brutality and bloodlust, but he sort of grows on you -- and he is, after all, a creature of his times. More, it pays to remember that the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in their day weren't much better to the native Britons than the Danes were in this era to them. So, as they say, what goes around comes around.
Anyway, I'm not always a fan of Cornwell (I didn't like Winter King, the first installment in his three part Warlord Chronicles, based on the Arthurian era) but this time he's sold me and I'll be the one doing the buying after this, at least as far as the sequel to this one is concerned.
SWM
Saga: A Novel Of Medieval Iceland
The Golden Warrior: The Story of Harold and William
Eric Brighteyes: The Works of H. Rider Haggard
Styrbiorn the Strong
Two Ravens
The King of Vinland's Saga
Book 2 continues in good form. Eager for books 3 & 4!.......2007-07-13
Uhtred, born a Northumbrian, raised a Dane, serving the king of Wessex against the Danes, some of whom who he has fought along side in his past. Such is the life of a 10th century warrior.
This book continues the SAXON CHRONICLES, following book one, "The Last Kingdom". Although I would recommend that anyone reading this should read the first book, I would not say that it is absolutely necessary; but why skip book one when the story is so good?
This book finds Uhtred, the rightful Ealdorman of a county that was taken from him when he was a boy and his father died. Uhtred was taken captive by the Danes (the Vikings) and raised by a Danish warrior named Ragnar. Uhtred grew with only two goals, to become a warrior like his adoptive father Ragnar, and to take back his land from his uncle who stole the territory when Uhtred's father died.
The entire story is actually used to tell the story of Alfred the Great, the king who saved what is now England, from the Danes who would have taken control of the entire island.
This is wonderful historical fiction and I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoyed Bernard Cornwell's ARTHUR or GRAIL TRILOGIES. Mr. Cornwell is a master storyteller, weaving historical facts with fictional characters to tell an interesting and educational tale about our oft forgotten past.
The middle ages, the dark ages, are my favorite historical period, and this captures that period beautifully; it is descriptive as needed, but not bogged down with trite details.
This, as was the first book, is wonderful. I am eager to begin book three, "Lords of the North" and know that I will be on pins-and-needles as I await the release of book four in the series, "Sword Song", which is due to be released in October 2007 in the UK and in January 2008 in the US.
Book Description
In the middle years of the ninth-century, the fierce Danes stormed onto British soil, hungry for spoils and conquest. Kingdom after kingdom fell to the ruthless invaders until but one realm remained. And suddenly the fate of all England—and the course of history—depended upon one man, one king.
From New York Times bestselling storyteller Bernard Cornwell comes a rousing epic adventure of courage, treachery, duty, devotion, majesty, love, and battle as seen through the eyes of a young warrior who straddled two worlds.
Download Description
"
From Bernard Cornwell, the
New York Times bestselling author whom the
Washington Post calls ""perhaps the greatest writer of historical adventure novels today,"" comes a saga of blood, rage, fidelity, and betrayal that brings to center stage King Alfred the Great, one of the most crucial (but oft-forgotten) figures in English history. It is King Alfred and his heirs who, in the ninth and tenth centuries, with their backs against the wall, fought to secure the survival of the last outpost of Anglo-Saxon culture by battling the ferocious Vikings, whose invading warriors had already captured and occupied three of England's four kingdoms.
Bernard Cornwell's epic novel opens in
A.D. 866. Uhtred, a boy of ten and the son of a nobleman, is captured in the same battle that leaves his father dead. His captor is the Earl Ragnar, a Danish chieftain, who raises the boy as his own, teaching him the Viking ways of war. As a young man expected to take part in raids and bloody massacres against the English, he grapples with divided loyalties -- between Ragnar, the warrior he loves like a father, and Alfred, whose piety and introspection leave him cold. It takes a terrible slaughter and the unexpected joys of marriage for Uhtred to discover his true allegiance -- and to rise to his greatest challenge.
In Uhtred, Cornwell has created perhaps his richest and most complex protagonist, and through him, he has magnificently evoked an era steeped in dramatic pageantry and historical significance. For if King Alfred fails to defend his last kingdom, England will be overrun, and the entire course of history will change.
"
Customer Reviews:
Action-packed, enthralling tale of the Danish and English ..........2007-10-14
Against the backdrop of the Danish invasion of England during the 870's, Cornwell introduces the fictional Uhtred - the latest son in several generations of sons by that name, who claim the right to rule Bebbanburg (Bamburgh Castle today). Uhtred is 10 when his father dies in battle and he is kidnapped by the Danes.
Eventually coming to love the family who kidnapped him, Uhtred stays with them until he is kidnapped again - this time by Alfred, King of the West Saxons - at around age 15/16. Through a series of manipulations, Alfred secures Ultred's loyalty. He becomes a warrior fighting for the king, but still dreaming of securing Bebbanburg.
While the fictional story takes precedence, Cornwell provides an overview of the history. Alfred is a sickly, pious man determined to hold his ground. The Danes are blood-thirsty warriors equally determined to conquer all the land they can. Other rulers throughout what is now England are weak. They fall to one or the other leaders.
THE LAST KINGDOM is the first in a promising series of books on the Saxons.
The Danes Commeth .......2007-10-10
What would you do if your lands were stolen, your father killed, and were taken prisoner by an invading barbarian army? I believe when doing the immense amount of research for this book, and the latter ones, Bernard Cornwell asked himself some of these questions.
I had read some really excellent historical fiction novels about the crusades when Amazon suggested The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell. Bernard Cornwell does an incredible job of pulling the reading immediately into the story, right in the prologue. The story is told in the first person by Uthred, son of Uthred, and so forth. He comes from the north, where his lands are taken, and his father slain, and his throne usurped by his uncle.
This novel, although told about the early life (This is part of a continuating series which is up to book 4) of Uthred, the story is really about King Alfred, later known as Alfred the Great, as he defends The Last Kingdom of England, Wessex. At the time England was divided into 4 kingdoms; which are each being invaded by the Danes from the North. Uthred gives in great, but flowing detail, his life growing up his new family, and "adopted" father Ragnar. As Uthred grows up, we see what is is like to be Pagan, and how literal God and Christianity was at the time. (I have no dissprect for anyone today, but at the time Faith was much more in Gods hands than I believe it is in our scientific times, today).
The story is extremely easy to read, and I find that I have a lot in common with Uthred. While Christianity is very boring from Uthred's eyes, being 10 years old, a boy does not wish to be on his knee's all day, but going out and seeing the world, learning how to fight, forge and shape steal, and learn about the Pagan Gods.
While the story is told from Uthred's point of view, about half way through we're introduced to Alfred, and it is from this point that we see the destinies of Uthred and Alfred are closely tied.
Readers will not be disappointed, as this story flows easily, and naturally, and once started, you won't be able to put it down.
A fascinating fictionalized portrayal of the Danish invasions and Saxon response.......2007-10-01
This is the first book in Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles, which consists of four books and has at least one more coming. The Last Kingdom features warfare, cross-cultural encounters, romance, humor, religion, politics, and revenge. We meet our hero, Uhtred, when he is a child. He becomes involved in the wars between his own people and the Danes. This leads to his being raised by the Danes and with their values, but he never forgets his homeland; he is the rightful king of othe area in which he grew up but his uncle has usurped the position for himself.
Uhtred meets Alfred, who is determined to unite the Saxons against the Danes. Uhtred doesn't think much of him, but for various reasons finds himself entering Alfred's service even though his primary loyalty at this point is to the Danes and their gods. Arthur hopes to save his soul. For all of Uhtred's disrespect towards Alfred and Christianity, Alfred respects Uhtred as a warrior and thinks he is vital to saving the Saxon lands from the Danes. Uhtred, therefore, frequently has to re-evaluate his loyalties.
The characters are well written--so well that when characters mentioned in the first chapters are reintroduced towards the end, they are instantly recognizable and remembered. While many characters--such as Uhtred--are Cornwell's invention, many of the warlords who appear are historical and their engagements fit well within the historical context in which they actually occurred.
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.......2007-09-19
I've been working on a novel for the last four years or so that's been going pretty slowly. I've been doing it in chunks, mainly because it's historical fiction and involves a lot of research and I've essentially been getting stuck at some point and needing to research more before I can get started writing again. Now I'm at a point where I need to read a few books to complete the current research. The book was called The Ruin, though I recently changed the title to Wyrd, which is Anglo-Saxon for destiny. While the book is set in the fifth century in England and has characters that may turn out to be Arthurian (I'm not sure yet), the intention of the novel is to encompass the feel and texture of the Early Middle Ages, at a time when society was essentially beginning anew for this forgotten island.
When I started reading The Last Kingdom by one of my favorite authors I got the chilling feeling that Cornwell had done what I was trying to do with my book. And after finishing it, there's a lot in it that I can see coming out in my novel, and yet Wyrd will go in different directions and achieve different goals. Nevertheless, The Last Kingdom was a great book for anyone wanting to get a feel of the ninth century and what it was like for the Anglo-Saxons living there and having to deal with the invading Vikings who were trying to settle and do essentially what the Anglo-Saxons had done a couple of centuries before to the Britons. While the main character, Uhtred, is but a boy at the beginning and the narrator, our hero is Alfred the Great (the only British king ever to be called "the Great") and while I'm not sure how long the series is going to be, the reader will see Alfred grow up and become the great king that earned him the title. I'm quite familiar with Alfred's history and life and how he emulated Charlemagne in a lot of ways, and it's really enjoyable to see this fictionalized account from one of my favorite authors, which has been well researched, and to see these historical characteristics in the people in the book.
I will freely admit that Bernard Cornwell isn't exactly the most in depth and complex historical fiction writers, and his characters aren't always the fully developed real people they should be, but he still does the job well and gets his point across in giving the reader a look into this life, just as he did with his Grail series set in the Later Middle Ages, and his Arthur series. It's also the kind of book that anyone can pick up and get fully sucked into without getting confused or lost along the way with heavy history and jargon. Cornwell is also sure to point out as much of the native languages as he can, with plenty of translations, to clarify it all.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to [...]
Dervel's return..........2007-08-27
Cornwell takes the old stones of history and fills in the gap with a mortar of boyish fantasy. Ever wonder what the steps in making a medieval sword were? Ever wonder how they got the charcoal? Ever wonder how the Danes constructed their ships? Well, that last one is the only one not answered or described in (too much?) detail. Nice for history addicts (ie me) but the general audience might tend to yawn through those parts of the story.
This first book is okay but Uhtred resembles Dervel in too many ways. And the story seems to drag. The Warlord series consisted of 6 shield walls, 2 in each book. It feels like this is book 4.
That said the action picks up at the end of the book but again, Uhtred's coming to Alfred who has been given a bogus story from Odda resembles Dervel's return to Arthur who has been given Lancelot's bogus story about St. Michel or whatever it was called in Warlords. Anyway, the beginning of the second book makes up for this short coming where we get to see a young noble start to build up his forces starting with nothing but debt. It's fun. In fact, it is every boy's fantasy of being a knight, lord, pirate, arrogant bastard nicknamed 'the Wicked'. And it is a little more realistic that this is how a man would develop having been taught to murder as a child and it is a pleasant deviation from the nauseatingly perfect Dervel.
That said, Alfred wasn't named 'Great' for nothing and Cornwell seems to question whether he deserved the title. There is a possibility that Alfred had Crohne's disease, however, honestly, how would a man accomplish so much with such a debilitating disease (I've known people who have suffered from Crohne's) in a time when it couldn't be treated at all (I'm pretty sure they didn't know to remove the scarred parts of his digestive tract let alone be able to prescribe anti-inflammatories). That said Alfred was a fan of the Christian church so of course Cornwell will make him into being a sniveling pansie while most of those priests around him are money grubbing careerists. I'm guessing the Hammer and the Captain were also sniveling men in Cornwell's eyes, because no where in the five books I've read has there been a character resembling the popular characterization of those men. *shrugs*
Customer Reviews:
Captures even the smell of "the burnt cakes".......2001-09-04
Alfred, being the only English monarch styled "the Great", is a notoriously difficult subject to write history about. The Victorian cult of Alfred made him a marked man for the debunkers of the Dead White European Male focus of history. Attempts at an even-handed review of the Wessex king's life are fraught with peril.
This book does the job magnificently. Alfred the warrior, ruler, innovator, strategist, and moralist are all presented well within the context of a 9th century Anglo-Saxon world. Alfred the pious and Alfred the ruthless are both shown as parts of the same man.
While concluding that Asser's "Life" is a legitimate source of biography for Alfred, the author does not limit himself. Extensive use and comparison between versions of the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" is combined with what limited charter evidence survives, archaeological discoveries and an examination of coinage patterns to round out the picture of Alfred and his times.
One major strength of this work is its very careful comparisons of Alfred and his activities to those of predecessor kings of Wessex and successor kings of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred's reign is not studied in isolation. How Alfred was both traditional and innovative in contrast to his father and brothers helps place Alfred in the context of his times. The legacy which Alfred left his descendants (to become kings of all England) is given special attention.
The author is circumspect in trying to get inside of Alfred's head. Alfred's physical afflictions are examined with an eye to a modern medical diagnosis and their effects on Alfred's personality. Using the marginalia in Alfred's own translations from Latin into the vernacular, the author tries to see inside Alfred the man - all the while cognizant that such a review is only speculative.
This is a great book and a very good read.
Worth a read.......2001-08-01
I enjoyed this book and, unlike some others, was engrossed by the military expeditions of Alfred the Great. The author gives enough information that one can well imagine how incredible it was indeed to fight off the Vikings. Further, the defensive works and the creation of the burghs led to modern economic England, and this point is brought out quite well.
An informative and easily accessible read.......1999-08-16
I bought this book on the recommendation of a professor of mine when embarking upon my senior thesis this spring, and though Abel's book did not end up playing a large part in my paper, I went back to this book after the term was over. This book was an easy, quick, and absorbing read, while informative, cohesive, and clear in its aims and the points it was trying to express. My only criticism might be a minor one -- As an English major, I am more interested in the ideological, cultural, or literary influence or views of an individual. Naturally, as a history professor, Abels interests were not the same as mine. He devotes a lot of the book to details of Alfred's battles with the Vikings, and at times, this failed to hold my attention. This criticism, as a result, is only the result of a personal preference.
Average customer rating:
- Great Start - "iffy" ending
- Excellent page-turner
- Didn't want a large kingdom, just an absolute one.
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Conscience of the King (Phoenix Press)
Alfred Duggan
Manufacturer: Phoenix Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Customer Reviews:
Great Start - "iffy" ending.......2006-11-22
The book begins with one exciting turn after another. The author has a flowing style that draws you from page to page - excellent character development, place description and particularly armor and battle details. About half way through the book, it began to lag. By the time I reached the supposed account of the Battle of Mt. Badon with Arthur, I was bored and skimming along for the next bit of excitement. I was happy to see it end yet unhappy with the nearly non-existent connection between the main character and the "entire royal line to present day" as I believe is the notion mentioned. I would have cut the number of stars to only 2 had I not simply liked the authors style - that gives him the extra star. The topic is intereting and he definately understood the historical details of the time period and could relate them quite vividly. There just wasn't enough excitement near the mid-point, the possible connection to Arthur was not as thrilling as I hoped, and again the connection to the present day royal line is mentioned - just - but not well connected - even in theory.
I would recommend Bernard Cornwell and Laurence J. Brown for battle depiction, excitement and character development. I'd also recommend Parke Godwin - all rate above this author based on this particular book.
Excellent page-turner.......2006-09-12
This is a fantastic read. Despite being several decades old, the writing style is fresh, the plot rivetting, the characters, intriguing.
Didn't want a large kingdom, just an absolute one........2004-06-06
This novel is the "autobiography" of Cerdic, founder of the kingdom of Wessex, root of the British royal family tree. The interesting thing about the conscience of the king is that he has none. He starts as a Roman, with a desire for absolute power and no scruples, and ends up with his own small kingdom. I'm very fond of Alfred Duggan's work.
Customer Reviews:
Alfred for High School Students.......2001-07-05
The author of this book (Asser) was a contemporary of King Alfred's and was brought to Wessex (Alfred's kingdom) in the ninth century as part of Alfred's plan to improve education and culture in Anglo-Saxon England. The text is highly readable and gives students an eyewitness account of Alfred's kingship: military successes and failures (esp. fighting the Vikings), advancement of English culture and education, consolidation of the seven kingdoms, and cultivation of Christian kingship in the Early Middle Ages. This kind of book is especially fun for students to read as it shows us "real history," including things such as Alfred's 20-year fight with some sort of intestinal disorder. We see Alfred as a man, not just an aloof, wooden figure that died long ago. This edition also includes maps, geneological charts of the Carolingian (i.e., "French") kings and the English kings up to Alfred, and a 29-page introduction by Simon Keynes and Michael Lapidge, which provides excellent background on the period in which Alfred and Asser lived. Also included are excerpts from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which was begun in Alfred's reign, extracts of Alfred's own writings and translations, and miscellaneous primary sources such as letters, books, and documents of the era. These items make good backgrounding for teachers. When this biography is read together with the Arthurian legend, it helps students to compare the real and the ideal kings of the Middle Ages.
Book Description
When the BBC ran a poll in 2001 to name the greatest Briton, Alfred, a ninth-century monarch, was the only king to make the top 20. Also the only English sovereign to be called "the Great," Alfred used to be remembered as much through folklore as through his accomplishments. Horspool sees Alfred as inextricably linked to the legends and stories that surround him, and rather than attempting to separate the myth from the "reality," he explores how both came together to provide a historical figure that was all things to all men. This book offers a vivid picture of Alfred's England, but also of the way that history is written, and how much myth has had to do with that.
Book Description
The fires of the Great Army That was made of iron men, Whose lights of sacrilege and scorn Ran around England red as morn, Fires over Glastonbury Thorn-- Fires out on Ely Fen.
Download Description
The fires of the Great Army That was made of iron men, Whose lights of sacrilege and scorn Ran around England red as morn, Fires over Glastonbury Thorn-- Fires out on Ely Fen.
Customer Reviews:
One of the greatest books I have ever read.......2007-08-22
Out of the thousand or so books I have read in my life, if I were to put the Bible aside (since the Bible speaks with a special authority to believers and cannot really be compared to other books), I have read no more than five or six books that I would call truly great. That means there are only five or six books I would rate at five stars. This is one. Yes, it is that good.
I have never read any author who could make the English language sing the way Chesterton does in this poem -- for over a hundred pages. In contrast to contemporary "poets" whose "poems" consist of a bunch of strange words scattered apparently at random on a page, whose meaning, if there is one, is far beyond obscurity, Chesterton had apparently unlimited ability to create rhyme and alliteration, and then he bound it all tightly in the sing-song ballad style that carries it all swiftly along. The words of this poem are glorious to hear, and really, this book should be read aloud, so that one might hear the music of the words.
And few have ever been able to match the way Chesterton paints pictures with words. I will quote one passage, and hope it is not to long, to illustrate this. The scene here is Alfred's army making one final charge against the Danish camp:
Then bursting all and blasting
Came Christendom like death,
Kicked of such catapults of will,
The staves shiver, the barrels spill,
The waggons waver and crash and kill
The waggoners beneath.
Barriers go backward, banners rend,
Great shields groan like a gong,
Horses like horns of nightmare
Neigh horribly and long.
Horses ramp and rock and boil
And break their golden reins,
And slide on carnage clamorously,
Down where the bitter blood doth lie,
Where Ogier went on foot to die
In the old way of the Danes.
It would be hard to imagine anyone anyone describing such a violent scene in so few words any better than Chesterton does in that passage. And this passage is but one of dozens of glorious word-pictures that Chesterton's poetry paints in this book.
Beyond its magnificent use of the English language, this book also contains much philosophical insight -- insight that, although first published in 1911, is directly and clearly applicable today. Chesterton expresses very clearly the way that Christianity has formed the heart of Western culture over the ages, and the way that Christian faith -- which seems all about self-denial and thus sadness -- leads to unconquerable joy.
The book, of course, is not perfect; no work of literature can be. There are places where it gets a bit too preachy for my taste. But the book's flaws are few and minor, while its good points are many and glorious.
How good is this book? I have read it at least 50 times in my life, and I still enjoy reading it. In my opinion it is one of the truly greatest works written in the English language. It is one of the few books I have read that truly deserves five stars.
Popular Fiction Writer Anne Perry recommends this ballad........2007-04-22
Anne Perry, the enormously popular writer of historical fiction, just recommended this ballad by G. K. Chesterton as one of five must read tales of historical fiction. (See the Wall Street Journal's online Opinion Page for April 21, 2007 in an article entitled "Past Tense.") Here's part of what she said:
"This is the story of the English King Alfred's desperate stand against invading Danes in 878. England is conquered, and Alfred is a fugitive when he sees a vision of the Virgin Mary that bids him call together the remnants of his people for a final battle. "The Ballad of the White Horse" is an epic poem of courage, passion and unsurpassable beauty."
If you'd like to read other tales and poems by Chesterton, you might want to get "The Ballad of the White Horse" as part of a collection of his poetry that I edited for not much more money. It's called G. K. Chesterton's Early Poetry and has "The Ballad of the White Horse," along with two other books of Chesterton poetry under one cover. That means you'll also get his best humorous poetry, "Greybeards at Play." No less a writer than George Orwell ranked Chesterton as one of the three best writers of funny poetry in twentieth century England. The poems are a riot of the ridiculous and are accompanied with equally funny sketches he did.
And although Anne Perry and I have the same last name, as far as I know we're not related. Her's is a pen name. Mine is a real name. I guess I'm not creative enough to invent a name for myself.
G. K. Chesterton's Early Poetry: Greybeards At Play, The Wild Knight And Other Poems, The Ballad Of The White Horse
An epic poem of phenomenal power.......2007-01-14
Mr. Chesterton has a masterful skill with the pen; _Orthodoxy_ and _The Napoleon of Notting Hill_ are wonderful books--but _The Ballad of the White Horse_ is heartbreaking in its power, beauty, and nobility. With a stunning use of alliteration, rhythm, and imagery, Mr. Chesterton teaches the reader about true hearts, true faith, and true sacrifice. I have bought a few copies of this book to give as gifts to friends, and I eagerly recommend it to anyone who will listen. This book is a must-have for any individual interested in expanding their knowledge of great poetry!
Simply amazing.......2006-02-19
I had read some of Chesterton's fictional books, most of which contain poems which he has written, and I very much enjoyed his poems, so I decided to get a book of his poetry. This too I really enjoyed, so I decided to get another book of his poetry, this time it was The Ballad of the White Horse, and this book simply blew away all of the rest of Chesterton's poems. In fact, it simply blows away most poems by anyone. I have read Dante's Divine Comedy, Milton' Paradise Lost, Eliot's Wasteland, Chaucer's Canturbury Tales, etc., but I can honestly say that I enjoyed this epic far more than any of them. I am not saying that it is a better written poem or that it should be ranked above these classics, but I am saying that it is much more exciting to read than the others. Somehow Chesterton makes his poem involving: you are drawn into it and cannot put the book down until you have finished the chapter. He wrote it in such a way that the verses beg to be read quickly, and as I read I found myself reading faster and faster, until I was stumbling over the words and had to slow down again. Chesterton, like not other poet whom I know of, paints a picture of glory, honor, bravery, and captures the true spirit of an idealized Medieval War. The poem resounds with the drums of doom, the cries of angels, the hordes of invading barbarians and great deeds of heroes of old. If I were to recommend owning one epic poem, this would be the one.
Overall grade: A+
The Ballad of the White Horse by G. K. Chesterton.......2005-07-03
A stirring epic poem with a message important for the future of western civilization...to act on hope when there is no longer any hope... The outcome is always, finally, in God's Providence. "The Ballad of the White Horse" should have great appeal for young men who can dream impossibilities because they are firmly grounded in the eternal verities. The battles scenes will fire the blood!
Average customer rating:
- A military history
- A review of Alfred's military defeats and victories.
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Alfred: Warrior King
John Peddie
Manufacturer: Alan Sutton Publishing, Ltd.
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Binding: Hardcover
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Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred & Other Contemporary Sources (Penguin Classics)
ASIN: 0750921056 |
Customer Reviews:
A military history.......2004-02-17
While serving as an insightful working on the history of Afred, strictly from a military stand point, the depth of those chapters far outstrip the human characteristics of Alfred. A good read, but only for the diehard Alfred fans who want to know everything there is to know, even the dry hard facts, about Alfred's military campaigns.
A review of Alfred's military defeats and victories........2002-04-20
This book gives a standard treatment of Alfred the Great's history and the unpleasantness visited upon England by the Danes. It's focus is on the strategy and tactics employed by Alfred in his campaigns, his guerilla war directed from Athelney, organization of a navy, and fortification of the strategically sited burhs.
It's a fast read and written by a veteran of the Burma campaign in World War II so it is chock full of soldierly insights regarding logistics, terrain, and morale. Although focused on Wessex, the Danes, Franks, Mercians, East Anglians, Northumbrians and the Welsh are not ignored as participants in the various Viking raids and eventual settlements occurring in Northwest Europe. There is a great deal of emphasis on the routes by which various forces moved across England and the trackways, Roman roads, and waterways used are given detailed descriptions.
I enjoyed it as a sort of Pop military history of Alfred.
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