I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't been said before. Uhtred continues to be angry and sassy. Finan continues to be indispensable. Aethelflaed continues to be badass. A funny thing is Uhtred beginning to realize that his son is reckless and sassy in the exact same way that he is, and how he tells his son that he's an idiot, meanwhile you know Uhtred would have done the same thing when he was his son's age. ( )

Whoops, forgot to update this after my phone stopped working. Another great entry into this series. Really enjoying it! ( )

I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, and after ploughing my way through this I feel I should give a word of advice; do not even attempt to read this book unless you have read the previous six.

Having read other books by this Author, I went into this being acquainted with the way he puts a plot together and develops his characters, and I was not disappointed by what I found within the pages of this novel, his attention to detail from an historical point was apparent on every page. However, it was the main character I had the most problem getting to grips with, and I attribute this entirely to my not having read the series from the beginning. I found that I had no idea as to the personality traits and motivation that drove this character through the book and, because of this lack of background I found the book very hard to finish.

Using the weather to reflect mood is always a good direction for an Author to go, especially if their novels are set in times about which very little is known; but in writing this book I felt that the Author had just a little too much grim weather, in both nature and the demeanour of the main character, that really began to pull me down and make me weary. Another issue I had with this book, was the overuse of the word ‘and’; it appears everywhere from the beginning of a sentence, to liberally sprinkled in the same sentence it began, to linking sentences and starting paragraphs. There were way too many of them. I can’t remember any of the other books I have read by this Author using the word so liberally, but by doing so it made the calibre of this piece of work fall dramatically.

I haven’t decided whether I will backtrack to read this series from the beginning, but I would recommend any books by this Author who enjoys a good historical read; with this book though, just remember to start with book one.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/01/31/review-the-pagan-lord-the-warrior-chronicl...





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Uhtred is now out of favor with the new king, and is leading a band of outcasts north to recapture his old family home, the impregnable Northumbrian fortress Bebbanburg. Localities will be divided and men will fall as each Saxon kingdom is drawn into the bloodiest battle yet with the Danes- a war that will decide the fate of every king, and the entire English nation. ( )

Just when I think Cornwell has hit a wall for interesting history, I pick up the next in the Saxon chronicles. This volume has the same high and low dance where it looks like Uhtred will finally get his due, only to have circumstance or duty yank it from his grasp.

Alfred is dead. Edward does not have the same relationship with Uhtred. Athelflaed is in no position to help him. Uhtred is aging and he knows it. And his life goal of taking Bebbanburg back seems further away than ever. Still, he goes on.

This novel is the shortest of the series, so far. But the battle scene near the end is, without doubt, one of the best. This series continues to keep me enthralled. ( )