Review - War of the Wolf (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 11) by Bernard Cornwell

 

War of the Wolf 

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 11) 

By Bernard Cornwell

Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg knows that peace is far from reach. Though he has won the battle for his ancestral home, rebellion looms in Mercia and invading Norsemen appear at every turn.
 
With the country in turmoil, Uhtred comes face-to-face with King Skoll, a violent Norseman leading an army of úlfheðinn, or wolf warriors, hellbent on seizing a kingdom – and killing any in his path.

Surrounded and outnumbered by new enemies, Uhtred must call on all his skill and courage to survive, and prevent his beloved Northumbria from falling to the Viking hordes.

Review:

I just can't...I don't have the words. Bring on Book 12.

Review - The Flame Bearer (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 10) by Bernard Cornwell

 

The Flame Bearer 

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 10) 

By Bernard Cornwell

 

From the day it was stolen from me I had dreamed of recapturing Bebbanburg. The great fort was built on a rock that was almost an island, it was massive, it could only be approached on land by a single narrow track – and it was mine.

Britain is in a state of uneasy peace. Northumbria’s Viking ruler, Sigtryggr, and Mercia’s Saxon Queen Aethelflaed have agreed a truce. And so England’s greatest warrior, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, at last has the chance to take back the home his traitorous uncle stole from him so many years ago – and which his scheming cousin still occupies.

But fate is inexorable and the enemies Uhtred has made and the oaths he has sworn combine to distract him from his dream of recapturing Bebbanburg. New enemies enter into the fight for England’s kingdoms: the redoubtable Constantin of Scotland seizes an opportunity for conquest and leads his armies south. Britain’s precarious peace threatens to turn into a war of annihilation.

But Uhtred is determined that nothing, neither the new enemies nor the old foes who combine against him, will keep him from his birthright. He is the Lord of Bebbanburg, but he will need all the skills he has learned in a lifetime of war to make his dream come true.

My Review:

Fate is a bitch. Every time Uthred comes close to reclaiming what is rightfully his, some stupid oath comes up that stops him from achieving his lifelong goal. 

This series is so great. As I have said before, the historical detailing is amazing and it is just like stepping back in time. I cannot get enough of Uthred and his story.

Review - The Empty Throne (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 8) by Bernard Cornwell

 

The Empty Throne 

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 8) 

By Bernard Cornwell 

In the battle for power, there can be only one ruler.

The ruler of Mercia is dying, leaving no apparent heir. His wife is a born leader, but no woman has ever ruled over an English kingdom. And she is without her greatest warrior and champion, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

An empty throne leaves the kingdom exposed to rival West Saxons and to the Vikings, who are on a bloody rampage once more.

A hero is needed, a hero who has been in battle all his life, who can destroy the double threat to Mercia. A hero who will ultimately decide the fate of a nation…

Review:

This is the kind of series that I love - it seems like it is never going to end. Uhtred story can go on and on for the rest of time for all I care because I am absolutely besotted with this series and these characters.

Review - Warriors of the Storm (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 9) by Bernard Cornwell

 

Warriors of the Storm 

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 9) 

By Bernard Cornwell 

 

A fragile peace is about to be broken…

King Alfred’s son Edward and formidable daughter, Æthelflaed, rule Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia. But all around the restless Northmen, eyeing the rich lands and wealthy churches, are mounting raids.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the kingdoms’ greatest warrior, controls northern Mercia from the strongly fortified city of Chester. But forces are rising up against him. Northmen allied to the Irish, led by the fierce warrior Ragnall Ivarson, are soon joined by the Northumbrians, and their strength could prove overwhelming. Despite the gathering threat, both Edward and Æthelflaed are reluctant to move out of the safety of their fortifications. But with Uhtred’s own daughter married to Ivarson’s brother, who can be trusted?

In the struggle between family and loyalty, between personal ambition and political commitment, there will be no easy path. But a man with a warrior’s courage may be able to find it. Such a man is Uhtred,and this may be his finest hour.

Review:

I am really running out of adjectives - I cannot express in words how great this series is and how it keeps on getting better and better. You really need this series on your to-read list. 

 

 

 

Review - The Pagan Lord (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 7) by Bernard Cornwell

 The Pagan Lord

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 7) 

By Bernard Cornwell

 

Uhtred – sword of the Saxons, bane of the Vikings – has been declared outcast.

Peace in Britain has given Uhtred time to cause trouble – for himself. Branded a pagan abomination by the church, he sails north. For, despite suspecting that Viking leader Cnut Longsword will attack the Saxons again, Uhtred is heading for Bebbanburg, fearing that if he does not act now he will never reclaim his stolen birthright.

Yet Uhtred’s fate is bound to the Saxons. To Aethelflaed, bright lady of Mercia and to a dead king’s dream of England. For great battles must still be fought – and no man is better at that than Uhtred.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s mind is as sharp as his sword. A thorn in the side of the priests and nobles who shape his fate, this Saxon raised by Vikings is torn between the life he loves and those he has sworn to serve.

Review:

I have never been so enthralled in a series in my life. I am loving absolutely everything about this series. Cornwell’s ability to make this era come alive is a testament to his incredible skill as an author. Likewise, his characters come across as very real in the telling, and the turbulent time in which they lived is masterfully portrayed.

If you love everything Viking, then you are going to adore this series.

 

 

Review – The Burning Land (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 5) by Bernard Cornwell

 

The Burning Land 

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 5) 

By Bernard Cornwel

To King Alfred he is the ‘lord of battles’. He has gained riches, loyal men and a beloved wife. But Uhtred is dogged by betrayal and tragedy.

The ailing Alfred presses Uhtred to swear loyalty to his son and heir Edward, preventing the warrior lord from taking vengeance on those who stole his home at Bebbanburg. Now Uthred will once again defend the Christian kingdom – in a battle which could smash the growing power of the deadly Danes.

In so doing he meets a woman more dangerous than any warlord. A killer, a schemer with a dark power over men’s hearts: Skade.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s mind is as sharp as his sword. A thorn in the side of the priests and nobles who shape his fate, this Saxon raised by Vikings is torn between the life he loves and those he has sworn to serve.

Review:

I LOVE this series so very much. I really cannot get enough of it. All I can think about is Uhtred and all the trials he has to go through. This series has everything a Viking nut like me could ask for. I am literally sitting on my hands as I am expecting the postman to deliver book 6 today!

 

 

Revew - Sword Song (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 4) by Bernard Cornwell

 Sword Song 

(The Last Kingdom Series, Book 4) 

By Bernard Cornwell

 

The year is 885, and England is at peace, divided between the Danish kingdom to the north and Alfred's kingdom of Wessex in the south. But trouble stirs, a dead man has risen and new Vikings have arrived to occupy London.

It is a dangerous time, and it falls to Uhtred, half Saxon, half Dane, a man feared and respected the length and breadth of Britain, to expel the Viking raiders and take control of London for Alfred. His uncertain loyalties must now decide England's future.

A gripping tale of love, rivalry and violence, Sword Song tells the story of England's making.

Review: 

I just don't have the time to stop and review this novel. I already have Book 5 in my hand and I cannot wait to start reading it!!!