| Title | : | Death of Kings (The Saxon Stories, #6) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0007331789 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780007331789 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 335 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2011 |
| Awards | : | Goodreads Choice Award Historical Fiction (2012) |
For the Viking-raised but Saxon-born warrior, Uhtred, whose life seems to shadow the making of England, this presents him with difficult choices. King Alfred is dying and his passing threatens the island of Britain to renewed warfare. Alfred wants his son, Edward, to succeed him but there are other Saxon claimants to the throne as well as ambitious pagan Vikings to the north.
Uhtred's loyalty - and his vows - were to Alfred, not to his son, and despite his long years of service to Alfred, he is still not committed to the Saxon cause. His own desire is to reclaim his long lost lands and castle to the north. But the challenge to him, as the king's warrior, is that he knows that he will either be the means of making Alfred's dream of a united and Christian England come to pass or be responsible for condemning it to oblivion.
This novel is a dramatic story of the power of tribal commitment and the terrible difficulties of divided loyalties. This is the making of England magnificently brought to life.
Death of Kings (The Saxon Stories, #6) Reviews
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This was not as good as Season 3 of the TV series, but Cornwell successfully delivered a fitting conclusion to the first part of the series.
I must first acknowledge that Season 3 of the TV series adaptation of The Last Kingdom is one of the greatest seasons I’ve watched. Death of Kings, the sixth book in this series, and the previous book encapsulated the entire third season of the TV series, and it is difficult for me to not make any comparisons between these two even though they’re different mediums of storytelling. So please do note that my reading experience of this book is colored by my bias towards Season 3 of the TV show adaptation.
“There are seasons of our lives when nothing seems to be happening, when no smoke betrays a burned town or homestead and few tears are shed for the newly dead. I have learned not to trust those times, because if the world is at peace then it means someone is planning war.”
Alfred the Great is dying; no, I don’t think that’s a spoiler. Because of this, rivals—both Saxons and Danes—vying for the right to succeed after Alfred’s death are tearing the kingdom apart. Uthred of Bebbanburg is, of course, once again tasked to protect Alfred’s reign even though the core of his dream is to retake Bebbanburg. Fate, choices, faith, loyalties, and legacies remained the main themes of this particular installment; I really enjoyed reading this book. As I mentioned before, The Last Kingdom series is starting to feel like a comfort read to me. I was feeling slightly fatigued from continuous epic fantasy reads, and this was the right book for me to take a break and recharge. Other than that, although this is slower-paced compared to the previous books, I still find the topics and character’s development absolutely enjoyable.
“Together we would make reputation, we would have men in halls across Britain telling the story of our exploit. Or of our deaths. They were friends, they were oath-men, they were young, they were warriors, and with such men it might be possible to storm the gates of Asgard itself."
Uthred is now 45 years old in Death of Kings, and I loved seeing how his relationship with all the characters he has met throughout his journey developed. In this book, we get to see Uthred’s relationship with Sithric, Steapa, Aethelflaed, Alfred, and Edward deepens again. Death of Kings also some of the most snappy and snarky lines from Uthred so far; seriously, some of the curses and mockery he threw out were hilarious and brutal. But can we blame him? I mean, the Christians’ attitude towards him was astoundingly maddening. I am, however, surprised by how some key points of the narrative differ so much from the TV series. I personally think the changes done in the TV series made the TV series a much more riveting show. I honestly still don’t know how these differences will play in the long run of the series; I’m about halfway through the book series now, and I’m excited to find out.
“Men do not relish the shield wall. They do not rush to death's embrace. You look ahead and see the overlapping shields, the helmets, the glint of axes and spears and swords, and you know you must go into the reach of those blades, into the place of death, and it takes time to summon the courage, to heat the blood, to let the madness overtake caution.”
There isn’t much else for me to say, really. As you can expect from Cornwell’s formulaic greatness, Death of Kings was another wonderful—and melancholic—read. After the events of this book, things certainly won’t stay the same. Although I definitely preferred the third season of the TV series compared to The Burning Land and Death of Kings, I found this to be a great conclusion to the first part of The Last Kingdom series. I’ve mentioned in my review of The Burning Land that Alfred’s treatment towards Uthred was awful—and I won’t take that back—but I have to remember that their relationship is more complex than a simple love or hate, and I was gladdened to read Uthred’s contemplation and exploration on how he really feels about Alfred the Great. I’m closing this review with a long passage from the book of that notion:
“I had not liked him. I had struggled against him and for him, I had cursed him and thanked him, despised him and admired him. I hated his religion and its cold disapproving gaze, its malevolence that cloaked itself in pretended kindness, and its allegiance to a god who would drain the joy from the world by naming it sin, but Alfred’s religion had made him a good man and a good king. And Alfred’s joyless soul had proved a rock against which the Danes had broken themselves. Time and again they had attacked, and time and again Alfred had out-thought them, and Wessex grew ever stronger and richer and all that was because of Alfred. We think of kings as privileged men who rule over us and have the freedom to make, break and flaunt the law, but Alfred was never above the law he loved to make. He saw his life as a duty to his god and to the people of Wessex and I have never seen a better king, and I doubt my sons, grandsons and their children’s children will ever see a better one. I never liked him, but I have never stopped admiring him. He was my king and all that I now have I owe to him. The food that I eat, the hall where I live and the swords of my men, all started with Alfred, who hated me at times, loved me at times, and was generous with me. He was a gold-giver.”
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”Alfred looked dead already. Indeed, I might have thought him a corpse if he had not pulled his hand away from Osferth, who was in tears. The king’s long face was pale as fleece, with sunken eyes, sunken cheeks, and dark shadows. His hair had thinned and gone white. His gums had pulled back from his remaining teeth, his unshaven chin was stained with spittle, while the hand on the book was mere skin-covered bones on which a great ruby shone, the ring too big now for his skeletal finger. His breath was shallow, though his voice was remarkably strong. ‘Behold the sword of the Saxons,’ he greeted me.”
[image error] -
4 Stars ⭐️
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 -
This series gets better with age. Over the years Uhtred has fought in countless battles and he has slain a countless number of people. He has led warriors, and even armies, all in the name of Alfred the Great, and now Alfred is dying; he is old, sick and full of bitter regret. On his death bed he tries one more time to unify England under the banner of Wessex, and, as ever, Uthred must lead this final unrewarding attempt.
But, is it too late?
Indeed, despite this last ditch attempt, Alfred’s enemies smell blood; they can see his weakness and sense the fragility of his reign; they are ready to pounce: they are ready to cut the throat of Wessex. The schemers know that without Alfred the kingdom will, ultimately, fall. So, they are waiting for his long prolonged demise. It is close on the horizon leaving Uhtred in a difficult situation. He is hated by most, if not all, of Wessex, so he must gain Edward’s trust. He must prize Alfred’s son away from the churchmen or the kingdom will most certainly fall and with it Uhtred. If not, Edward, like his farther, would take the advice in matters of war, which most certainly fall out of the men of the cloth’s expertise.
“...victory does not come to men who listen to their fears.”
Edward needs to learn that the churchmen belong in the pulpit and not in councils of war. The warrior doesn’t dictate matters of faith, after all, so the bishops should not control the armies. That should be left to men like Uhtred because only he can lead King’s armies to victory, only he can save the kingdom of Wessex. And maybe, just maybe, in the process the young Edward may learn a little about warfare in the process from the master himself. Maybe he will learn how to lead men on to the battlefield, as a King should.
Has age finally caught up with him?
Uhtred, as ever, is characterised superbly; he is no longer a young man, as the first sign of old age are beginning to harry his steps. Younger warriors see him as a means to an end. If they could only sleigh him, then they would be showered with renown. Uhtred has become one of the legends he once looked up to, and has become a source of fear and inspiration within the ranks of Saxon and Dane. He is still as tough as ever, but more cautious. Experience has taught him when to strike and when to defend; he knows how to survive war and the schemers that will always try to drag him down into the mud.
“My banner was behind me and that banner would attract ambitious men. They wanted my skull as a drinking cup, my name as a trophy. They watched me as I watched them and they saw a man covered in mud, but a warlord with a wolf-crested helmet and arm rings of gold and with close-linked mail and a cloak of darkest blue hemmed with golden threads and a sword that was famous throughout Britain.
I feel like in this novel Uhtred is starting to enter a new phase of his life; he is beginning to age. It will be interesting to see how far this affects his life in later books. He is still the shield of Wessex, but the young Edward must learn that he will not always have the towering might of Uhtred at his back; one day he will grow too old to draw Serpent’s Breath for Wessex, and one day Wessex will have to fend for itself. Needless to say, at this point, I love this series. Nobody does this quite as well as Cornwell. Hopefully, by the time the next book is released I’ll have caught up with the rest of the books!
The Saxon Stories
1. The Last Kingdom-
A fine five stars
2. The Pale Horsman-
A brilliant five stars
3.Lords of the North-
A vengeful four stars
4.Sword Song-
A familiar four stars
5.The Burning Land-
A loyal five stars
6. Death of Kings
A mighty five stars -
Check out my review for this fantastic book on Grimdark Magazine at:
Grimdark Magazine
Death of Kings, the continuation of Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s tale is another roaring and shield-wall frenzied addition to The Saxon Chronicles. Writing that is as sharp as Wasp-Sting, dialogue that makes even the sternest of nun’s laugh, Uhtred’s band will leave you itching to read more.
“There are seasons of our lives when nothing seems to be happening, when no smoke betrays a burned town or homestead and few tears are shed for the newly dead. I have learned not to trust those times, because if the world is at peace then it means someone is planning war.”
You will I suspect, have heard of Bernard Cornwell and his phenomenal story-telling. He has written about pretty much everything, and all of it that I have read (11 books) and watched (3 Seasons of The Last Kingdom) is incredible. You’ll want to acquaint yourself with Bernard as soon as possible, and be prepared, fore as you begin your journey into Bernard’s world you will become a Saxon warrior in 9th Century Britain, or one of Arthur’s trusted warriors in 5th C Britain, or an archer for England in the 100 Year War.
Bernard is a master of writing. His pacing is perfect, his protagonists are full of charisma and inspiration, and what makes it EVEN cooler is that it is all based on real events. That’s right. This all happened! Well most of it anyway. (Bernard has traced his lineage back to 9th C Britain and discovered an Uhtred of Bebbanburg in his family tree).
“Men do not relish the shield wall. They do not rush to death's embrace. You look ahead and see the overlapping shields, the helmets, the glint of axes and spears and swords, and you know you must go into the reach of those blades, into the place of death, and it takes time to summon the courage, to heat the blood, to let the madness overtake caution.”
Now, Uhtred has fought for the Alfred the Great and the Saxon’s for many years, showing loyalty that many did not expect of a Saxon boy raised a Dane man. He has stayed with Alfred, desperate to reap the benefits of his position enough to amass a war band to take back his home Bebbanburg from his uncle. His continues to face this struggle alongside the reality of fighting against the hordes of Danes and other Scandinavian warriors.
Death of Kings has a different format to the previous instalments and is in turn slightly slower, but do not worry, Bernard Cornwell’s staple witty characters have many moments to shine, especially in his famous battles that he writers spectacularly. This book is full of emotional scenes between characters that have been favourites since Book 1, The Last Kingdom (which I shall review in the next month or so). Uhtred’s relationship with Alfred is one that I have appreciate much more the older I get.
“Serpent-Breath was famous...Wasp-Sting, short and lethal.”
Uhtred is a glorious character that has aged very well. He is formidable in battle and quick to anger and one of Bernard’s strongest characters. I love how he is still similar to his younger self, but has changed slightly from experiences and age. I am always on Uhtred’s side. I just wish all of the Saxon’s and Danes were too!
“Wyrd bið ful aræd.”
5/5 - Death of Kings is another magnificent instalment. And what’s even better is that Book 6 is only halfway through (so far)! Saxon’s vs Danes, Uhtred stuck in the middle, death is all around, everyone wants a piece of Britain. Storytelling at its best. -
These books make me wanna go
http://ledzeppelin.alexreisner.com/so... !!!
In an England ravaged by Danes, as marvelously and meticulously laid out by Bernard Cornwell in his The Last Kingdom series, an English lord with Danish roots finds himself often at odds with which side to side with.
Here in book six Death of Kings, the English king who's ruled since the beginning of the series finally kicks the bucket and now the new kid gets to sit in the big boy chair...and the new kid is shitting his britches. Lord Uhtred to the rescue!
Lots of little armies move about a well-described Medieval English countryside, angling for position and on the verge of attack during a trying time for the country. This is the Danes' big chance to win it all for themselves and our anti-hero Uhtred is tasked with discovering their plans. In true Cornwell style, his main character has as many enemies and ill-wishers in his own camp as he has actual enemies, so it's a struggle at every turn.
I gave it four stars, yet Death of Kings wasn't necessarily better than others in the series. I just liked it better than most, I think, because it's one of the more balanced of Cornwell's books. The typical character problems and actual historical stuff blend well together here. Nice pacing on the action, too. This is a solid bridge to the next book...CHARGE!!! -
“There are seasons of our lives when nothing seems to be happening, when no smoke betrays a burned town or homestead and few tears are shed for the newly dead. I have learned not to trust those times, because if the world is at peace then it means someone is planning war.”
Dived into this sixth instalment in The Saxon Stories, soon after finishing the previous book in the series, so that I can then enjoy rewatching series 3 of the adaptation, The Last Kingdom.
It seems like Bernard has got a bit of a template now for each story in the series, making it a bit repetitive. But he is a great writer, who can create an awesome tone. And Uhtred is a fantastic character. So, this series cannot be boring in my opinion. But, they can sometimes be a bit frustrating. I would say that Death of Kings seems a bit weaker than the previous instalments. It is rare I say this, but I preferred the adaptation. This is still good though.
“We all suffer from dreams.”
We continue following Uhtred as he is now becoming a leader feeling somewhat weighed down and troubled by the past. His regrets and retrospection isn’t dealt with in any great depth here, but Death of Kings begins what becomes a great aspect of the books to come in the Saxon Stories.
The problem was that there wasn't really anything to set this apart from the previous five. The others have had definitive moments, with major and memorable events and scenes that are executed brilliantly. In this instalment however, nothing really stood out. Bernard Cornwell still delivered his accessible and engaging writing style, with a great central cast, so it is still worth the read and of course worth carrying on with the series, despite this instalment feeling repetitive.
3/5 STARS -
This installment was really good but not one of my favorites. Reading it along with the audio was a bit distracting due to the narrator’s pronunciation errors. RTC
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3.5/5 Estrellas.
Sexto libro de la serie y sigue manteniendo el nivel. Los ingredientes se mantienen, grandes dosis de acción e integración creíble de los hechos históricos.
Nos encontramos en 898, el rey Alfredo de Wessex está dando sus últimas bocanadas. El edificio que ha construido para resistir los embates daneses parece que empieza a tambalearse, ante las dudas que genera el heredero Eduardo: los sajones que están en la órbita de Wessex, pero que no son sajones del oeste empiezan a dudar y a plantearse escenarios alternativos, Kent, la Mercia Sajona, un antiguo sobrino de Alfredo, Etelwoldo, relegado en su ascenso al trono empieza a moverse y buscar aliados en el Danelaw, donde tienen nuevos caudillos, que afilan sus cuchillos esperando la muerte del rey y el caos previsible para abalanzarse sobre una presa tanto tiempo anhelada.
La situación es complicada pero, cuando en 899 muere el gran rey que ha permitido la supervivencia de los sajones durante largos y duros años, sorprendentemente no pasa nada.....calma. Demasiados caudillos en el lado danés, Etelwoldo, Eohric (rey de Anglia Oriental), varía poderosos jarls de Mercia y Northumbría. Todos ellos quieren el mando y dificultan un acuerdo en cuanto a la estrategia a seguir para la invasión. Esto da 2-3 años de margen a Eduardo para asentarse en el trono y afrontar la invasión, que finalmente se produce, con garantías.
Tenemos a nuestro caudillo Uhtred, ya cuarentón, asentado en Mercia, amante de la hermana del heredero y pagano recalcitrante. Cómo siempre, el autor lo mete en todos los fregados, de forma magistral, hasta concluir con una gran batalla, que pone fin a este nuevo intento de invasión, la batalla de Holme, confuso episodio histórico, que el autor resuelve de la mejor manera posible y con unas dosis de acción altamente disfrutables.
En definitiva, que ya tengo los dos siguientes en mi estantería, que me garantizan dos grandes lecturas en los meses venideros.
Gran serie. -
I've probably said this in some reviews but I remember having the first book in the series with me at the hospital visiting my mom before she passed away the same year. Been quite a while since now but still haven't finished the series but it's one of those stories that I've never been able to quite let go. Determent to finish this at one point but the English audiobooks just isn't great. But good plot line and I'm still not bored of it
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I can't stop reading.... the review, soon.
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A few days ago I was sent the following joke.
'A girl, no better than she should be, goes to the local council to gain some help. She has ten sons and when asked their names she says
"Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan etc ". The official asks her 'Isn't that a bit confusing ?'. 'No', she says 'It makes my life so much easier. I just go out into the street and say 'Nathan, time for bed' or 'Nathan, time for supper' and in they come. Simple as that'.
'But what happens if you want to speak to one individually?'
'Oh that's simple' she says. 'I just use their surnames'
The reason this joke lodged itself in my brain is because i was mid-journey through Bernard Cornwell's wonderful telling of the creation of the kingdom of England from the conflicting kingdoms of Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia and Northumbria and I was in the desperately awkward state of attempting to differentiate the varying characters whose names layer over each other and echo back and forth. It is extraordinary how many variations of Aethel-something can be crammed into a couple of dynasties. I was listening to this on Audiobook, brilliantly read by Stephen Perring, but it took me about 5 of the 8 CD's to work out which Aethelflaed was married to which Aethelred who was a cousin or was that brother or maybe arch enemy to Aethelwold who was somehow related to Aethelstan and Aethelrich was in love with...oh well i think you get my point....if only they had had surnames.
Having said all that I loved this. It was exciting, it was brilliantly atmospheric and the stench and sounds and hardness of the 9th Century were, as far as i can imagine, powerfully captured. It is the story, told in the first person, of Uhtred, a great warrior who is also the clash of cultures incarnate. He is a Dane living in the service of the Saxons, he is a worshipper of the Norse Gods fighting in and for the nascent Christian State of Wessex, he is a man of action seeing war as the only way of bringing a lasting peace crashing his head against men who see the policy of alliance and treaty as the best way forward...oh yes and his mistress is the King's daughter who is married to his cousin.
The book begins with the dying Alfred and continues on with the cut and thrust , the treachery and courage and confusion and turmoil that accompanies his young heir Edward's ascent to the throne. It is a cleverly written account of an incredibly violent period in british history known as the Dark Ages when the safety and security of the Roman ascendancy had long passed and the harsh moulding of the Norman Conquest or the glory of the Plantagenets was a still a long way in the future.
The Saxons are shown living side by side with the history of the long gone Romans. Characters live in their long abandoned villas, statues from their temples are seen being bastardized for use in Churches and convents and the ruins are razed to the ground when more stone is needed. The Saxons are not great preservers of national history then but i supose that is the point; when this story runs, there was no national anything. At one point Uhtred wondered whether if the Romans had not invaded these islands would we ever have crossed a river. The sturdy stone pillars laid across the rivers long ago were still the foundations being used by Dane, Saxon and Mercian to cross to carry out their slaughter or defence or harrying or whatever they chose to call it.
The story strides back and forth and up and down the length and breadth of what is now England and there is an enormous canvas upon which Cornwell paints but it is when Uhtred is chasing one of his enemies and he comes to him at his enemies court at Wimborne or then clatters on his horse after him across the roman roads through a little village called Blandford Forum that my heart gave a little leap. I cycle and drive through these places, i have gone butterfly spotting on Badbury Rings, I have a had a lovely couple of gentle kayak trips around Christchurch and you are suddenly struck by the depth of history and blood and adventure that lie deep in these unassuming places.
The battles rollicked back and forth and their bloody descriptions were gory and violent and frightening. Heads caved and hacked and cleaved, arms and necks and thighs were sliced and shattered and groins....oh good grief...the things they did to groins in 9th Century Britain can never have been a good thing. I was driving on a number of occasions when Uhtred or some other bloodthirsty warrior opted for the swift end to a fight with a groin lunge and i can tell you it is really difficult to drive with your legs crossed in sympathy.
This brings me to a couple of downers in the story. Firstly, it is told in the first person from the distance of years. As a result of this the battles and the times when Uhtred seems down and out and finished through his being captured or surrounded or doing something desperately dangerous were a bit flat; not the writing which was excellent but just the fact of his being the breathless relator of his own will i, won't i survive story....yep Uhtred i think you must have done.
And secondly verbal anachronisms. Cornwell has his heroes and heroines and villains speak in olde worlde speak. Speeches are littered with wonderfully beleivable curses about pig shit and whelps and bloodthirsty blah blah blah-ing, Uhtred's weaponry is oddly, yet perfectly believably, personalized. His dagger is 'wasp's sting'...though as that often does the aforementioned groin thing I think that might be a bit of an understatement and his Sword is the wondrous 'Serpent breath' but did Saxons really say things like 'they only come here when they get their arse kicked in Frankia' or other such modern day stuff. It might seem petty but he is at pains to attempt to create the Dark Ages in sights and sound and the societal construct but then throws in these jarring notes when Uhtred or one of his men suddenly speaks like a rapper or a surf dude or the ever fragrant Aethelflaed, (my list of new cat names grows apace), struts around like Sigourney Weaver in Aliens and spouts off like Germaine Greer, Roseanne Barr and Ellen deGeneres all rolled into one.
These seem only small whinges and in some ways they are but they do jar and as a result sometimes work against what is otherwise a wonderfully imagined world. I did get thoroughly caught up in the battle for the kingdom of Wessex's survival and Uhtred, verbal glitches aside, is a very believable character. He is, by his lights, a man of integrity and loyalty, he recognizes his faults (though doesn't seem to want to do anything to address them which somehow makes him more attractively honest)and he has the great fortune to gather around himself some very quick witted and funny comrades. Cornwell creates a hero, definitely, but one who does not always get the best lines. This too makes him to me seem more normal, more human, more real. -
Man, how do i love Uthred: he is in an interesting age right now , most of the famous warriors"if not all of them|" are already dead at this period of time and he has become a legend feared and envied by all and a target for all the young warriors seeking fame , gold and glory , but Uthred's experience shows itself : knowing when to slaughter and when to hold back, when to be bold and when to be cautious helps him in this fantastic novel...
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Uhtred is back in the sixth installment of the Saxon series. King Alfred (later known as Alfred the Great to us) is dying and is dead partway through the story, leaving the kingdom open to attack from different opponents, especially the Danes.
But they don't attack right away and this puzzles Uhtred so he goes off exploring into Dane territory as well as seeking the input from a witch. Of course, more is happening than Uhtred realizes and don't worry because there will be fighting with Danes. That said, there isn't as much as in the previous books which was a bit disappointing to me. This novel focused a great deal on the politics and may have been a setup for the next novel, I suspect.
As usual we get the gore, dirt and tense shield walls of the period. Cornwell is arguably the best author for military historical fiction so if this period is of any interest to you he's the one to read. Because the battles were a bit on the low side I gave this novel a notch down from the previous ones.
Some of my favorite lines below the grade.
Note that this is in first person narrative for those skipping the previous five novels. Bad idea, by the way.
STORY/PLOTTING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B plus to A minus; PERIOD/ACTION SCENES: B plus; OVERALL GRADE: B plus; WHEN READ: January 2012 (revised review January 2013).
p 15
That made sense, but why would Eohric want the alliance? Eohric of East Anglia had been perched on the fence between Christians and pagans, Danes and Saxons, for as long as I could remember, yet ow he want to proclaim his allegiance to the Christian Saxons?
“Because of Cnut Ranulfson,” one of the twins explained when I asked the question.
Alfred was dying and his death would surely bring the pagan swords and hearth fire to Mercia and Wessex.
“And the true faith will be scourged from Britain unless we defend it,” the older of the two West Saxon priests said.
“Which is why we beg you to forge the alliance,” Willibald said.
“At the Christmas feast,” one of the twins added.
p. 46
He half smiled, showing yellowed teeth. “I would kill you, Uhtred,” he said mildly, “and so rid the world of a worthless piece of rat shit, but that pleasure must wait.” He pulled up his right sleeve to show a splint on his forearm. The splint was two slivers of wood bound tight with linen bands. I also saw a curious scar on his palm, a pair of slashes that formed a cross. Sigured was no coward, but nor was he fool enough to fight me while the broken bone of his sword arm was mending.
“You were fighting women again?” I asked, nodding at the strange scar.
He stared at me. I thought my insult had gone deep, but he was evidently thinking.
p. 50
Some had hurled spears first. Those spears thumped into our shields, making them unwieldy, but it hardly mattered. The leading Danes tripped on the hidden timbers and the men behind pushed the falling men forward. I kicked one in the face, feeling my iron-reinforced boot crush bone. Danes were sprawling at our feet while others tried to get past their fallen comrades to reach our line, and we were killing. Two men succeeded in reaching us, despite the smoking barricade, and one of those two fell to Wasp-Sting coming up from beneath his shield-rim. He had been swinging an ax that the man behind me caught on his shield and the Dane was still holding the war ax's shaft as I saw his eyes widen, saw the snarl of his mouth turn to agony as I saw his eyes widen, saw the snarl of his mouth turn to agony as I twisted the blade, ripping it upward, and as Cerdic, beside me, chopped his own ax down. The man with the crushed face was holding my ankle and I stabbed at him as the blood spray from Cerdic's ax blinded me. The whimpering man at my feet tried to crawl away, but Finan stabbed his sword into his thigh, then stabbed again. A Dane had hooked up his ax over the top rim of my shield and hauled it down to expose my body to a spear-thrust, but the ax rolled off the circular shield and the spear was deflected upward and I slammed Wasp-Sting forward again, felt her bite, twisted her, and Finan was keening his mad Irish song as he added his own blade to the slaughter. “Keep the shields touching!” I shouted at my men
p. 52
Cerdic's ax sliced down through linen, wool, iron, bone, and brain.
p.58
His voice faded. He was still embarrassed by the previous night's argument in his hall. He had watched one of my own men insult me, and he had prevented me from giving punishment, and the incident lay between us like a burning coal. Yet both of us pretended it had not happened.
p. 93
The noise of the fire was a roar punctured by the cracks of splitting timbers.
p. 122
I frowned at him. “Was your mother straining at the stool when you were born?'
p. 286
“They're dying!” I shouted, “Now kill all the bastards!”
Cnut was not dead, but his men were dragging him away and in his place came Sigurd Sigurdson, the puppy who had promised to kill me, and he screamed wild-eyed as he charged up the ditch, feet flailing for purchase, and I swung my damaged shield outward to give him a target, and like a fool he took it, lunging his sword Fire-Dragon hard at my belly, but the shield came back fast, deflecting Fire-Dragon between my body and Rollo, and I half turned as I drove Wasp-Sting up at this neck. He had forgotten his lessons, forgotten to protect himself with his shield, and the short blade went under his chin, up through his mouth, breaking teeth, piercing his skull so hard that I lifted him off the earth for a moment as his blood poured down my hand and inside my mail sleeve, and then I shook him off the blade and swept it backhanded at a Dane, who recoiled, fell, and I let another man kill him because Oscytel was coming, shouting that I was an old man, and the battle-joy was in me.
The joy. That madness. The gods must feel this way every moment of every day. It as if the world slows. You see the attacker, you see him shouting, though you hear nothing, and you know what he will do, and all his movements are so slow and yours are so quick, and in that moment you can do no wrong and you will live forever and your name will be blazoned across the heavens in a glory of white fire because you are the god of battle.
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I thought I had run out of steam with Uthred and King Alfred and their wars against the Danes in 9th century England. But the BBC America mini-series production of “The Last Kingdom” was so tasty and fabulous, I got hungry for Cornwell’s writing again. So glad I did. This one was so satisfying, up there with the thrills of the first one of the series.
Uhtred, who was born into Saxon nobility in Northumberland but kidnapped and raised a Dane, continues to serve the Christian king of Wessex. He has a modest estate for his service, but little income or honor because of his troublesome heathen ways and antagonism to the church hierarchy that Alfred lets influence his governance. The site is on the borderland with ambitious Danish kings under an uneasy truce. The unrest is being amplified by the impending death of Alfred, as both Danes and Saxons are jockeying to take territory in the impending power vacuum. Uhtred is eager to conquer enemies before they get too strong and wangles a way to reveal their intentions.
Of course there are battles aplenty, and Cornwell is masterly as usual in portraying them. But the fun lies in Uhtred’s mature ways of using craft in outwit the Danes and garnering intelligence to spot the Saxons who are about to betray Alfred by allying with them. He is middle aged now and growing philosophical in many ways. He keeps a wild young thing for his bed while sneaking time whenever possible with his forbidden love, Athelflaed, the king’s daughter. She is estranged from her treacherous Saxon husband and is now tucked away by Alfred in a nunnery, neither of which stops Uhtred.
For a great in-depth review of this book, treat yourself to that of
Algernon. I don’t think it necessary to read the books in order, though I am doing so. With three more to go, I have something to tide me over while waiting for another season of the BBC production. We’ll see how well he does under Alfred’s son Edward as king. His battle lieutenants, Alfred’s bastard son Osfert and the Irish ex-priest Finan, are wonderful new characters in this book that I would like to read more about. His perpetual goal of recovering his rightful throne at Bebbanburg in Northumbria still lies in the future. -
Bernard Cornwell is a prolific author, and usually reliable to deliver a solid historical novel with clearly sketched battle scenes and heroic deeds of valor, yet not all things are created equal and I have come to appreciate some of his stuff more than others. The Saxon Chronicles are at the top of my preference list, together with his Arthurian epic (The Warlord Saga). And Death of Kings may be the best of the Saxon books published yet.
Alfred the Great is on his death bed, his long illness progressing despite fervent prayers from his priests, and his dream of uniting all Saxon kingdoms under one rule is about to die with him. Around Wessex, the Danes are gathering their armies and their longboats like vultures around a sick beast. The priests that surround Alfred believe peace can be had in exchange for holy relics and long prayers. One man knows that only strong arms and hard steel will defend the dream of one Britain. Uhtred of Bebbanburg has been the shield and sword of Alfred for many years, yet he has little to show for his victories in battle. Impoverished and sidelined by the priests who resent his faith in the Norse Gods and his libertine lifestyle, Uhtred knows that Wessex stands ready to be teared apart from without by the Danes and from withing by competing claimants to the succession of Alfred.
There are seasons of our lives when nothing seems to be happening, when no smoke betrays a burned town or homestead and few tears are shed for the newly dead. I have learned not to trust those times, because if the world is at peace then it means someone is planning wars.
The political chess game was not so difficult to follow, although there are many players involved, and my three year break from the series made previous events a little hazy. The novel shines in other aspects, like the transition of Uhtred from an impulsive, berserker and bloodthirsty killing machine into a strong leader of men, a tactician and a wily manipulator of information, setting traps for his adversaries and turning their own tricks against them. To illustrate: the Danes know that people in tenth century Britain were a superstitious lot (Uhtred included) and they set up and pay a witch to prophesize the doom of Alfred’s allies and the victory of their own side.
She was ugliness in human guise, the galdridge, the aglaecwif, Aelfadell.
After going to the oracle himself (and experimenting with shrooms and sex), Uhtred decides to set up his own shrine and have a few Christian virgin maids (allegedly) promise victory to the Saxons and doom to the Vikings. It is a more complex game than I’m trying to paint here , but it does serve to point out that behind the bloody Viking versus Saxon wars there is another conflict that will decide the future of England – the ascent of the Christian creed, embraced by Alfred, versus the cruel old Lords of Valhalla, on their way out. In this context, Uhtred is an anacronism, and he knows that he belongs to the past, that he will eventually fade away from the history books who will record mostly the chronicles of the priests. But he also knows that without his cruelty and ruthlessness, these same priests will not survive long on the scene of tenth century Britain, that peace comes to the strong and not to the weak.
The Christians tell us we move inexorably towards better times, towards their god’s kingdom on earth, but my gods only promise the chaos of the world’s ending, and a man only has to look around him to see that everything is crumbling, decaying, proof that the chaos is coming. We are not climbing Jacob’s ladder to some heavenly perfection, but stumbling downhill towards Ragnarok.
I will miss Alfred, who makes his exit from the series now. He was a visionary and a wise man, who saw the value of having around him powerful battle lords, and the wisdom of fortifying the burghs of his kingdom againt frequent, but hasty raiders. As a king he has chosen the path of religion, and his forgiveness of his enemies will be paid in blood by the succesion wars that are sure to follow. He chooses Edward and pledges Uhtred to his son’s side, against the wishes of the priesthood. His epitaph:
Men want to be king, but every crown has thorns.
Finally, I don’t want to leave the impression that the present novel is all about politics and palace intrigue. It is in fact filled with action, from a contested bridge crossing skirmish to raids deep into enemy territory, to scenes of slaughter and atrocities that leave a burning swath across the land and with a final battle that brings together, face to face, most of the pretenders to the throne of Wessex. This is where Uhtred belongs, what he was born for, and for what he will be remembered:
The shield wall.
It terrifies, there is no place more terrible than the shield wall. It is the place where we die and where we conquer and where we make our reputation. I touched Thor’s hammer, prayed that Edward was coming, and readied to fight.
In the shield wall.
[...]
That joy. That madness. The gods must feel this way every moment of every day. It is as if the world slows. You see the attacker, you see him shouting though you hear nothing, and you know what he will do, and all his movements are so slow and yours are so quick, and in that moment you can do no wrong and you will live for ever and your name will be blazoned across the heavens in a glory of white fire because you are the god of battle.
Uhthred of Bebbanburg will leave to fight another day, and eventually even claim back his ancestral seat in Nortumberland. (not a spoiler, since he is telling the story as a long memoir written in his old age). I will be there, reading on about his exploits, his passions and his faith. -
As Alfred is dying,an Uhthred in his middle ages shows no dulling of his vigour and fierceness of a warrior The Danes on Alfred's death embark on another campaign to conquer England, And my favourite was reading more about Uthred's lover, Alfred's warlike daughter Aethelflad.
Uthred visits an old sorceress who predicts the death of four kings and of all of Uthred's loves.
A brilliant window into 10th century Saxon England. Uthred again thrills us a great and prolific warrior, and again through his witty repertoire shows his contempt for the church and his preference for the old pagan religion of the Saxons. -
4.5
What a read.
I love the development of Uhtred. -
Sometimes I wonder why I am still reading these. They are really violent! Yet, I keep going. On to #7!
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Oh my gosh, where is my review?! I wrote a fairly lengthy one and it seems to have disappeared. Ugh!
I can't now recall everything I had written, so I'll just say that this book was terrific and leave it at that. -
3.5*. Still good but my least favorite of the first 6 books and #5 was my favorite.
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Uhtred of Bebbanburg loves nothing more than defeating his enemies in battle. In his older age he's added something new to his game: Deceit. Misdirection. Manipulation. Magic.
"For some reason I thought of Ludda and how he had told me that all magic is making someone think one thing while, in truth, another is happening. 'You make them watch your right hand, lord,' he told me once, 'while your left is picking their purse.'"
Reading Uhtred was fun as usual. In his 40's still kicking ass. I particularly loved his interactions with some of the minor character's in this book.
A whole lot went down in Death of Kings. Prophecies, goddesses, coronations, alliances, betrayals. Blood. Swords and shields. Lord Uhred is at the center of all this and realizes early on that he has to take control or be swept along with the tide of events.
Uhtred now has a bloody reputation. So he has enemies. Any dane would want to boast in his cups that he killed Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Many have tried. But destiny is all. -
4 Stars ✨
“Life is a story without an end,” he said, “but I’d like to hear a few more verses before I die.”
Loving the historical notes at the end of each chapter. Wasn’t my favorite of the series so far but still so so good! It was bittersweet to say goodbye to Alfred. I thought he was such a great character you loved to hate him and hated to love him. Awesome descriptive battles as usual and I’m really enjoying the relationship between Uthred and Aethelflaed grow. Can’t believe Uthred is 45 already, With so many more books to go! Time to dive into the next. -
Executive Summary: Another solid entry in this series. Uthred's adventures continue to entertain.
Full Review
I find myself quickly catching up on this series. These books always seem to go by so quickly. They aren't exactly short, but they tend to be far shorter than many of the doorstopper fantasy books I favor. I will say that much like
The Last Kingdom, this did feel like part of a book.
That isn't to say this book comes to an abrupt ending, but much is left unresolved, and I suspect
The Pagan Lord will continue right where things left off here much like
The Pale Horseman. For the others in-between they felt more stand alone, and often had a time jump between them.
With a title like death of Kings, and a series that is overrun with Kings, you find yourself wondering which of the many Kings shall be meeting an untimely ending, and how many of those at the hands of Uthred's sword.
At this point in the series Uthred is an "old man" in his 40s. He's a bit more mature and less arrogant, but only a little. I continue to enjoy his exploits, and the contrast in his reputation and his actions.
Despite being a feared warrior of much renowned, he is a caring and loyal person, often to his own detriment. It's these contrasts that make him such a compelling character to read about.
This series continues to be a favorite, and it'll be hard to find another historical fiction series that comes close to fill the time once I catch up. I'm always eager to pick up the next book in this series, but even more so with this book. Mr. Cornwell finds a decent stopping place to end things, but it feels more like a pause than an ending.
Much is left unresolved that I'm eager to read about. It's a tricky balance in the middle of any series, especially 6 books in. You want to leave your reader wanting more, but not unsatisfied and Mr. Cornwell manages to pull that off once again. -
Another super instalment in the Saxon Series. Probably lacking a little of the twinkle and sparkle that I want from this series, especially since I had read The Burning Land right before Death of Kings and it served up all the twinkle and sparkle that a girl like me could need.
Rockin' ending though. -
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/201... -
The King is dead! Long live the king!
Death of Kings is a transitional book in The Saxon Stories series. Alfred, the great king whose history inspired the series, finally comes to his end. It reads as a bit of an anti climax, as Alfred, never in robust health, has been sickly and dying through several books. His passing leaves a power vacuum, with several aspirants, both Saxon and Dane, hoping to take the crown of Wessex away from Edward, Alfred’s young and untried heir.
This book tried my suspension of disbelief with the ease at which Uhtred gave his oath to the new King Edward. He had long chafed to be out from under his oath to Alfred — indeed, a major plot line in the last book was his being driven too far and temporarily abandoning that oath when Alfred insisted that he take an oath to his son. Uhtred had no close, emotional tie to Edward, and had every reason to wish that Alfred’s dream of a unified England under the harsh control of the Christian Church die along with him. He had many personal reasons to resent Alfred and his plague of priests, yet, seemingly out of nothing more than misplaced sentiment unbecoming to the harsh warlord that Uhtred has become, he agrees to swear his service to Edward. It is the biggest plot hole so far in the series — an action so out of character as to clearly only exist to extend the series beyond Alfred’s death.
Death of Kings was still a fun read, but I found it to be the weakest of the series so far. This stood out in stark contrast to the last book, The Burning Land, which I believe to be the best of the series to this point. Reading both of them in the same month did this book no favors. -
I really like this installment!
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I found parts of this one really exciting and couldn't wait to keep reading and then I got sections which were just chunks of nothingness
As always the writing itself is solid and the book follows the familiar formula of all the others in the series.
I do wish, that there were more points of genuine peril. At times I feel like Uthred is a Saxon James Bond.
The series would benefit for some high profile deaths of people close to Uthred, to further pull the reader in.
But what do I know, look at the stats of this book 😝 -
4 Stars!
A solid 6th book in the Saxon Stories. I'm finding I really enjoy the historical notes at the end of each book. The notes provide some great perspective on the actual historical events and the research that has been compiled that led Cornwell to write these stories.
