Death of Kings (Saxon Tales)

After I got past all the old English names for people and places, it was a great read. There was lots of action and authenticity. I'm looking forward to the sequel. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyes historical fiction.

This book completes the current series of the Warlords by Bernard Cornwell and has been written with the skill as the rest of the series. It has left the story open to a seventh book about Uhtred's ambition of reclaiming the rightful ownership of his land at Bebbanburg and I hope a final chapter will be written soon.

I had read the previous 5 books, but read them again just before receiving "Death of Kings". This book is excellent, in my opinion, as well as the previous 5. I truly enjoy Bernard Cornwell's Saxon novels. His knowledge of the times is excellent and his description of battles and human behavior in the shield is amazing. I have just started reading his Arthur novels.

Bernard Cornwell has brought historical figures back to life in an imaginatively believable way. He has a knack for making human the mythic personae of our history books and of placing them in settings that we ourselves are invited to enter into. He is an excellent story-teller.

In my opinion the Warlord Chronicles was the best novel ever written by Cornwell, following the Saxon Chronicles. This one by far the best of the 6 novels from the Saxon Series. Uthred is awesome, can't wait for the others.

I really like the previous books in this series, I've re-read them all multiple times. I found "Death of Kings" was not as good, even confusing at certain points. I felt it lacked something compared to the previous books, no interest in re-reading it, wish I hadn't paid extra for the hardcover edition.

Bernard Cornwell has brought historical figures back to life in an imaginatively believable way. He has a knack for making human the mythic personae of our history books and of placing them in settings that we ourselves are invited to enter into. He is an excellent story-teller.

In my opinion the Warlord Chronicles was the best novel ever written by Cornwell, following the Saxon Chronicles. This one by far the best of the 6 novels from the Saxon Series. Uthred is awesome, can't wait for the others.

I really like the previous books in this series, I've re-read them all multiple times. I found "Death of Kings" was not as good, even confusing at certain points. I felt it lacked something compared to the previous books, no interest in re-reading it, wish I hadn't paid extra for the hardcover edition.

Bernard Cornwell has written to his usual high standards for an historical novel. Well researched and, as ever, he is able to take you to the time and place and into the lives of his characters he is describing. Just wish he wouldn't say the same thing about the ''shield wall'' over and over in this book and the whole series!!!

not the best in this series, but still an excellent read. I love this series and strongly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction. Long May Uthred continue his bloody journey through English history.

For any one with a spirit for historical adventure, fantasy, chivelry. The author takes you on a tour through a bit of history while telling the story of the main character. Though he never allows you te guess wat is coming next. A brilliant story teller.

Cornwell is the best historical fiction writer out there today. I have read several of his books and this one is right up there with others. I still think his Arthurian legend stuff is the best I've read in the genre.

For regular readers of the Saxon Tales, you should not avoid this book. All of the characters that you've come to know and love are in this book and, typical for most of his books, a few will not be re-appearing in his next book. Room for a sequel has been provided.

With Uhtred telling the tale, you know that he has survived whatever enemy he faces. It is always interesting to see how he does that. Mr. Cornwell always does a great job of making the reader feel like he is not just reading a story, but actually watching the events unfold.

This series is so readable, that they'd be great for high school---including the bloody parts (lots of them.) Uhtred's remarks on human nature are often foot-stompin' hilarious, and his battles are won as much on cleverness as brute strength. LOTS of research went into this series. Highly recommended.

I have read all of the Saxon Tales and The Grail Quest series along with the stand along books 1356 and Stonehenge. I find that the history behind the stories are detailed and accurate. I appreciate the research that is done when writing the books. I look forward to the release of The Pagan King.

Cornwell is the master of mixing history with fiction to make the past come alive. This book opens the door to a, little known period of history. I would recommend readers start with the first book in this series and then work up to this book. I would love to see this book/series made . Into a movie.

As usual, Uhtred's travels, battles, musings and romances meld together in a great tale of Early ENGLAND. After I finish one of Cornwell's novels, I have to look for another. He's a Master at his craft.

This one is not quite as good as the first three, in my opinion, but it's still a great read...and head and shoulders above almost any other historically-based fictional series. Cornwell is the undisputed master of this genre.

i have read nearly all bernard cornwells books. he is a superlertive story teller,love history,but he takes poetic license,and in doing so brings history to life,you kan feel the raw violence,the frenzy,the beserke of the shield wall.he brings it all to life.superb.

If you like historical fiction this is the book for you. I can devour Bernard Cornwell book in about a day. His historical accuracy is close or spot on. Very well written and I recommend the entire series.

I bought this book when it was on sale and I'm very glad I did. I really got to love the main character, Ulred. So much so that now I'm going back to read the entire series starting at book one the last kingdom.

Another cracking sequel, I just can't put them down! Why wasn't the history of this period taught at school? instead of the "Industrial revolution" so boring!.
So, Mr. Cornwall, please keep on writing, thankyou.

I really enjoyed the first three books of the Saxon Tales. Great history, great characterers, great action. The next two books dampened my enthusiasm as the same themes moved toward boring. This sixth book is boring. Ultred is still wandering through Wessex and Mercia, fighting the good fight, slaughtering with a purpose, and continuing his love-hate relationship with Alfred and priests in general. Same themes, but now Cornwell introduces the older, wiser Ultred who spends pages figeting about whether he's doing the right thing everytime he has to make a decision. And using lots of pages doing it. What was amusing in the first books, especially Ultred's take on Church practicies and policies, has worn out. What was shocking has become ho-hum---so he's killed a bunch of hairy guys with horned helmets again. What was good history has been slowed to s snail's pace, presumably to allow for another six or ten books. I realize that writers need to sell books to live. But Cornwell is making reader entertainment into reader exploitation. Will Ultred EVER reach and retake Bebbanburg? Or will that be left up to Ultred Jr., the Fighting Monk and the Saxon II Tales? Enough is enough. This series could have one more good book if Cornwell will finally get Ultred to Bebbanburg.

Any way you slice it, Bernard Cornwell is a master of his craft. Death of Kings in his Saxon Tales series is a good example of some of his best work. I enjoyed this novel, not wanting to put it down. I feel I know Lord Uthred and some of the other characters. The plot moves very smoothly without being predictable. The writing is flawless and crisp. Excellent. Highly recommended.

I really love this series and Bernard Cornwell's work, but the ending of this book really fizzle’s out. I was thinking that this was the final installment in the series…if that is true then I am seriously disappointed. Hopefully he will write one more to bring the plot full circle.

The lead character of this seemingly endless series of books is Uhtred (the horrible) and it is well past the time when the inevitable happens; in an ocean of other peoples' blood he regains his ancestral lands at a hideous place called Bebbanburg an settles down in his twilight years to deflower as many virgins as will have him or are powerless to stop him having them. Boring, repetitive and dull.

I'm reading Ch 3 now. I still haven't been able to get into this book. The minutia is very distracting and really doesn't lend anything to the storyline. The names alone are perplexing--i haven't read anything like them in 60 years. E for effort but no cigar.

Bernard Cornwell is the consummate author. This book, the sixth in the series `The Saxon Stories', is both riveting and enjoyable from start to finish. The author employs the same formula that makes all his books such a great success.

Set in the period around 900 AD, close to the end of King Alfred's reign we observe the events that helped to make and establish modern day England. King Alfred's dream was to lay the foundations of a united `Angelcynn' through military strength, the preservation of the Saxon culture and the English language. His Christian faith was also to be a major driving force in this most ambitious endeavor.

The same dream was passed onto his son Edward who was crowned king after his death. It's in this period that we see some of the most exciting events take place in the novel. The author has an incredible ability to mix historical facts with fiction in ways that both entertain and educate the reader. It's hard to put the book down.

Obviously, this tale has not finished. I'm sure that the seventh book in this series is already being planned and I look forward to its future publication.

I really love this series and Bernard Cornwell's work, but the ending of this book really fizzle’s out. I was thinking that this was the final installment in the series…if that is true then I am seriously disappointed. Hopefully he will write one more to bring the plot full circle.

The lead character of this seemingly endless series of books is Uhtred (the horrible) and it is well past the time when the inevitable happens; in an ocean of other peoples' blood he regains his ancestral lands at a hideous place called Bebbanburg an settles down in his twilight years to deflower as many virgins as will have him or are powerless to stop him having them. Boring, repetitive and dull.

I'm reading Ch 3 now. I still haven't been able to get into this book. The minutia is very distracting and really doesn't lend anything to the storyline. The names alone are perplexing--i haven't read anything like them in 60 years. E for effort but no cigar.

Bernard Cornwell is the consummate author. This book, the sixth in the series `The Saxon Stories', is both riveting and enjoyable from start to finish. The author employs the same formula that makes all his books such a great success.

Set in the period around 900 AD, close to the end of King Alfred's reign we observe the events that helped to make and establish modern day England. King Alfred's dream was to lay the foundations of a united `Angelcynn' through military strength, the preservation of the Saxon culture and the English language. His Christian faith was also to be a major driving force in this most ambitious endeavor.

The same dream was passed onto his son Edward who was crowned king after his death. It's in this period that we see some of the most exciting events take place in the novel. The author has an incredible ability to mix historical facts with fiction in ways that both entertain and educate the reader. It's hard to put the book down.

Obviously, this tale has not finished. I'm sure that the seventh book in this series is already being planned and I look forward to its future publication.

Bernard Cornwell is well known for his historical novels of which this is one.

The tale is primarily based in the period of King Alfred of Wessex’s reign (871 - 899 AD) during which the Danes sought to occupy the whole of the land. However, the king was determined to preserve Saxon England and to expand his rule over all English speaking areas of the country. This is when England, as it is known now, was created. What sort of place would Britain be had the Danes succeeded? Consequently, the story predominately deals with battles, skirmishes and intrigue: At the time Saxon England comprised a series of small independent kingdoms e.g. Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia, Northumbria, etc. Wales and Scotland were separate countries. Occupants of the area now known as Kent also considered it a separate kingdom though it was under the king’s rule.

The author explains how frustrating it is to find any consistent or detailed history of the times. Apparently any documents that do exist were originally kept by monasteries, which only annotated them when there was anything ‘they’ considered of import. Probably means such annotations were limited to events that impacted upon the monastery directly or upon the surrounding area. These annotations are what provide historical data of the times. Consequently, there is little correlation between documents. In view of the dissolution, when the majority of religious establishments were pillaged and destroyed, it is amazing any survived. Nevertheless, the author makes clear, other than some basic accounts of battles and people, much has to be inferred or guessed at. He has effectively used these sketchy details to build his story.

In addition to the battles and skirmishes, parts of the tale include visit’s to ‘witches’ and ‘oracles’. Though the majority of Saxons professed to be Christian, it is clear pagan beliefs still held a strong sway within them. Which held more weight is debatable but is not part of this review. The author also indicates how drugs, sex and money were a constituent part of these oracles.

The reader is also given an insight into the personal attitudes of the time. For example; how women, whatever their social rank, were looked upon. As with many older ones the society of the time was chauvinist. Women were virtually considered possessions and there was little guilt, at least among the hierarchy, about having mistresses. However, contradictorily, there are instances where the influence of women is acknowledged: The queen’s influence over her son, Prince Edward; The citizens of Mercia respecting, listening to and obeying the Princess.
Bernard Cornwell effectively describes the scenery and background to his tale. He also provides sufficient for the reader to have a concept of the times without going into tedious detail. For example:

How areas, now built up, were then forests and woods.

The richness and lusciousness of the land and crops.

Living conditions e.g. how even the great halls had thatched roofs which dripped when soaked by heavy rain.

How smelly and dirty the streets were.

Health e.g. describes how even the king was dying in great pain surrounded with dirt.

The country’s division into separate kingdoms and territories (Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Wessex, Kent, etc.) under the control of different peoples (Danes, Saxons)

How wealth was displayed e.g. women wearing multiple gold and silver jewellery. Well-made, good quality, armour, swords, helmets all with gold and silver decoration.

This is an interesting read, especially when related to the historical occurrences of the time. Recommended to anyone who is interested in or enjoys historical books. It is also not a bad tale for anyone who simply enjoys a good book.

The 6th book in the series is one of the better ones- certainly better than the last. Alfred and Uhtred finally make their peace. Uhtred does give an oath but this time he does it of his own volition and it fit.

The battle at the end was probably one of the better ones too. Uhtred didn't win it with smarts but lost it in a way, and I think that was what made it great. There was so much on the line and aside from knowing Uhtred has at least four more books to tell his story, you do wonder if Uhtred will survive.

Well written and well researched as always. I only gave it 4 stars because I was a little frustrated with Edwards idiocy. And usually I'm able to keep all the names straight but all the Aethel- names in this book came crashing together in one story and was very confusing to follow.

Included in this was an excerpt of "The Pagan Lord" and I'm already very excited to keep reading.

This may be my favorite of the series so far. It starts off fast and never really lulls. The storytelling is tense and entertaining but has moments that are funny too. I’m starting to really enjoy Uhtred as a character as well. He has this sort of morally ambiguous appeal that I’ve grown quite fond of. I also still enjoy the constant struggle of religions among the Christians and the pagans which has persisted since the first entry of the series. There’s just so much to like here; the characters (while incredibly numerous) are fun, interesting, and above all, distinguishable from one another, the battles are fierce and vital for each campaign, and you’ll take away quite a bit of historical context from it which is always really satisfying.
If I had to find fault with this book (and pretty much the series as a whole) it would be that there are just so many characters it can be quite a feat to keep them sorted in your head. New characters are constantly being introduced while others recur from previous books frequently and their names often tend to be similar which doesn’t help, add to that the fact that they always seem to have sons and daughters with equally similar names and you might yourself mixing them up constantly while reading. The same can be said for towns and provinces as well. Uhtred has been to and fought in so many places at this point, when he begins to reflect on any one in particular it can be a challenge to remember the significance of that specific moment. But I’m not quite sure how you would ever get around that as these are more often than not, real people and places with tangible influences on the history of England. Fortunately, this is a very minor problem and easily overlooked by really enjoyable storytelling.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is easily one of the best in the series for me if not the best of them all so far. It’s a pretty quick read but I liked every second of it.

Hi,
I have read almost all of Bernard Cornwell books, King Arthur, I love this era and the code of Chivalry. Sure there was insidious goings on such as Game OF Thrones. The once and Future King, the Borgia's all depicting corruption, deceit, but still swift justice seemed to prevail. The Vikings, Saxons , Danes, plunder, silver gold, someone had to stand-up to these vicious exploiters. I do love theses stories as in this book some knights were not treated equally as they gave their oath of loyalty to their king. Same for the Samurai, Bushido Code, Code Of Chivalry. I felt immersed in a time I wish not to live, if I did I would be a warrior. Bernard touches my soul and now I read the Pagan Lord. I really enjoyed the descriptions of battle, but also the beautiful farm lands, smells, rivers, trees, birds. Something we can all relate too. Uhtred who swore loyalty to Alfred the king felt somewhat under appreciated as his lands were minimal rewards from King Alfred for fighting the Danes. Until the death of King Alfred who gave him a huge land holder and rewards for his faithfulness, this I liked very much. I am not just a cyber warrior, I fought in the ring and know what its like to commit. Yours Truly, John Lehner

Review first posted on the store.co.uk on 6 October 2011

I read this one in less than 36 hours, between Tuesday evening and Wednesday early morning, and just HAD to finish it as quickly as possible. The title I've given to my review sums it up, more or less. This would be true regardless of whether you love Uthred's personality and adventures or whether you are starting to get fed up with him and his story, as a few commentators seem to be. I happen to be part of the former bunch of people. I am still just as interested in the character, the story he tells and the events he lives through as I was when I read the very first book on Uthred, some years ago. I also find that each installment of Uthred's adventures is top quality (and a real treat and pleasure to read).

This is because of the author's talent. To me, this is historical fiction at its best, and it has consistently been so from the very beginning.

First, the period and events have, as usual with Cornwell, been well researched. Fortunately, some of his competitors can do as well as that, although there may only be a few of them.

Second, and much rarer in my view, is the author's modesty and honesty. Unlike a number of others, you never get the impression that Cornwell is attempting to show off his knowledge, either in the story itself or in his historical note or annexes (map, list of place names in Saxon with their modern day equivalent). Even better, he never hesitates to mention in his historical note where he has introduced fiction or fabrication in the story. Very few do this, either because they do not want to be seen as having taking liberties with the historical "facts" (but aren't these are works of fiction after all?) or because they cannot be bothered and may believe that most of their readers will not notice it or not care about it. Another strong point is that you can in effect read this book (and any others in the series) separately, which is not that frequent and the author is talented and takes enough trouble to insert sufficient information in each installment to make it self-standing without feeling the need to summarize the previous books over some dozens of pages, as some authors sometimes do in a rather boring way. So, thank you Bernard for showing so much consideration for all of your readers, as opposed to just marketing a product...

Third, well, I like Uthred as a character. I find him both credible (including his "kill-first-ask-questions-after" attitudes) and original. He both despises and defies the Church, its clerics, monks and bishops openly. This theme could already be found, in a much milder version, with Lord Derfel in Cornwell's trilogy on King Arthur. He, it is amplified but nevertheless credible in my view. After all, Uthred is a warlord brought up and trained by the Danes, and a pagan to boot. He would have little time and even less patience for the "nailed Tyrant", his mostly hypocritical self-serving servants and his philosophy of "brotherly love" so "unreal" to him. Uthred's mixture of boasting, blustering, bravery and cunning is also an interesting twist. This is not only about showing off. It is, as he alludes to in the book, about creating a reputation, living up to it, and showing that he is fearless (although he is afraid, of course). There are numerous other features that make him somewhat sympathetic, including his sense of loyalty to Alfred and his children.

Fourth, of course, there are the fights and battle scenes, all described in much graphic and gory detail. This is one of the things that Cornwell does best. We have become accustomed to this, and it has been picked up and imitated with various degrees of success by many other authors writing on the same or on other periods (Greeks, Romans, Normans etc...). Nowadays, it sometimes feels like almost a "must". You get the impression that every author writting historical fiction gets told that having a couple of gore scenes is part of the ingredients of a "marketable" historical novel. The difference with Cornwell (and with a very few other authors, such as the late and much lamented Pressfield) is that all this blood and gore makes the story "sound and feel" REAL, as opposed to being a marketing ploy. You just have to close your eyes to imagine the shield walls crashing against each other.

Very few, in my view, have managed to bring both their characters and their period to life as well as Bernard Cornwell.

Waiting for the next installment will seem like a very, very long time...

Part six of The Saxon Tales series by Bernard Cornwell. According to the author’s afterward, this is not the last in the series although it does wrap up Alfred the Great’s storyline, as you can probably tell from the title.

If you’ve made it this far through the series than you know that Cornwell’s skill at writing a living, breathing historical world is pretty much unimpeachable at this point, and this book does nothing to diminish his sterling reputation. After reading six of these books I’ve come to notice that these stories have a certain cadence to the language which I haven’t noticed in other fiction. It probably comes from the flavor of the period, but it feels authentic and I’m frequently amazed at how well Cornwell can channel this. You can’t go wrong with this series or this author, very solid.

"I would kill them instead."

This according to narrator Uhtred of Bebbanburg as the action picks up in this the sixth of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales.

So what else is new?

There's a lot of killing going on, that's for sure.

The context is the aftermath of the reign of Alfred the Great, and the maneuvering for power by various factions, both English and Danish.

Cornwell is, as always, the weaver of a captivating historical story. He's particularly adept at bringing to life the battle scenes and describing the brutality of medieval conflict.

I wish, however, that his quest for a sense of historical authenticity would not extend to the use of period place and other names. What is gained by calling Nottingham, Snotengaham, or referring to Dorset as Thornsaeta? It quickly gets confusing, especially given that a sense of the local geography is necessary to sort out much of the strategy of the various battles and other action.

The characters are similarly complexified, as the reader must differentiate between the likes of Aethelred, Aethelflaed, Aelfadell, Aethelwold, Aethelstan, Aethelnoth, and others.

My feeling is that this use of period names makes the book feel less authentic rather than more, as it is juxtaposed with thoroughly modern dialogue and narration.

Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series, sure to come out in another couple of years.

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.

Highly recommended

In "The Death of Kings", the 6th novel in the Warrior Chronicles series, Bernard Cornwell shifts gears with a more complex plot and lots of unpredictability. On some occasions while reading novels 2-5 in the series, I got the feeling that a number of successful elements from the first novel were being run out a little too often; things were sometimes a bit too predictable; and I knew that I didn't really have to pay attention to enjoy the ride. Not so in "The Death of Kings", with lots of twists, plenty of humor, and many good reasons to stay attentive to detail. This novel resharpened my interest in the Warrior Chronicles series, and the beginning of novel 7, "The Pagan Lord", leads me to believe that it's going to be a good one. Reading the series in order is strongly advised.

Bernard Cornwell must be known to many even if not from his books but from the book inspired TV show "Sharp" , I have read all of them too.

Death of Kings is the 6th novel in his 'The Making of England' series the previous books being:

The Last Kingdom
The Pale Horseman
The Lords of the North
Sword Song
The Burning Land

They tell the story of Alfred the Great the King with a vision to unite England into one country under the English. It doesn't matter today what your own providence is, particularly at this time when some Scots are attempting to reclaim their nation for themselves away from the English; these are tales of a beginning, tales of honour and glory, tales of battle and honour and tales of men dying in bloody battlefields terrified of the oncoming shield walls but bravely standing, fighting and dying for the birth of their Country and their King.

'Go, go!' Broga had charged two men. One swung his sword at Broga's mouth, but he was trained well and reared up, hooves flailing, and the man ducked away. I clung to him, waited until he came down and brought Serpent-Breath hard down onto the second man's head, splitting helmet and skull. I heard a scream and saw that Broga had bitten of the first man's face. I spurred on. Dogs were howling, children screaming, and Serpent-Breath was feeding.'

These are the tales as told by Uhtred of Babbenburg a Pagan from Northumbria who is brought up to despise Wessex, Mercia, The Danes and anyone else not from Northumbria but who ends up becoming Alfred's Sword and Shield against the Danes.

The tale starts in the Last Kingdom when Uhtred is a boy in Babbenburg and we follow him through the years to this book and Alfred's death and his succession by Edward. The books are based on real events and so not only are we getting an exciting tale of our first Great King and the Birth of England but we are getting a master class in storytelling.

Uhtred, on the face of it, has a miserable life, constantly fighting for his life and so, has to be that much better at taking life than his contemporaries, and he should be and is, a foul tempered man at times. But he is not always like that and all of the books are sprinkled with his really funny humour.

Cornwell's writing through all his books improves and becomes better with each new book. The stories flow along; like soldiers marching along a Roman road without deviation, the prose is sharp and precise. You do tend to stumble a little at the pronunciations of the original place names he uses, but that is not a criticism as they give added authenticity to the story and the books do not suffer for that.

While this series of novels is telling us of the 'Making of England' they are stories of the birth of Uhtred, following his life's, his loves, his losses of the women he loved, and his ongoing fight to reconcile his Pagan beliefs with that of giving his oath to a Christian King and then to keeping that King and his successors on the throne while trying to find his way back to and reclaiming Babbenburg in the north.

These stories are truly engaging and exciting reads and I can't recommend them enough.

As I have all of the previous books in the series in hardback I continued in that theme with this one; and it was good to get back to holding a 'book' again (although I have to confess it did feel a bit unwieldy to begin with)

Editing for Kindle:
Reading Enjoyment: 5out of 5
Plot: 5 out of 5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
Chapters: 13
Page length: 330 story, 5 Historical note

Like the author, I have read the Saxon Chronicles. The available historical information is limited, usually coming from surviving writings of monks, although some information can be found in Danish sagas and such. The author has filled in the gaps with historical fiction based on known battles, births and deaths of kings and other leaders, and known details of society during that period. The action is carried forward by the fictional character Uhtred. The series started with his support of Alfred the Great, who has now died and been followed in succession by his son, Edward. This novel extends into the beginning of the 10th century.

The novel departs somewhat into various side issues involving Uhtred, who seems to survive in various battles and other actions (including a confrontation with a supposed seeress who could tell fortunes). There are various confrontations with the Catholic church (Uhtred is a pagan who believes in Norse gods). The status of women during that time period seems to be accurate - they married young and often died young. The lifespan of men was also much shorter than now. Uhtred describes himself as an old man of 45 in the shield wall during a battle.

The Danes will obviously outlast Uhtred. Battles between Saxons and Danes continued into the 11th century before the Danish power was broken in both Ireland (by Brian) and in England. The Saxons and Danes would eventually battle each other into exhaustion, and the Normans would move in and take over (the Normans being descended from Vikings who settled in Normandy).

Depiction of Saxon life in England seems to be accurate. White slavery flourished in England and the rest of Europe, and white slaves were a major commodity in trade. That would continue for several more centuries. Many of us undoubtedly had ancestors who were slaves.

Few today can equal Bernard Cornwell as a historical fiction writer, and this sixth in his Saxon Chronicles series is top form.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg is again the narrator who has reluctantly become dedicated to Alfred the Great's goal of unifying England. But now Alfred is on his deathbed and chaos threatens. The Danes are waiting the right opportunity to invade and their plans are abetted by treachery, lies and a rival claimant for the thrown.

Uhtred had previously sworn loyalty to the king's daughter, AEthelflaed, and assures Alfred he will fight for Wessex. Alfred seeks and ultimately achieves Uhtred's allegiance for his heir, Edward. But there is mistrust between the two and Edward's advisers create delays that threaten the regime and endanger its inhabitants.

As always, Uhtred becomes involved in a variety of adventures which enhance the pace of the novel. In one he falls into the clutches of a sorceress in the employ of his enemies and she predicts the fall of England. Uhtred turns that around by creating his own place of pilgrimage, complete with "angels" and predictions meant to draw the Danes into a misstep.

The primary function of historical fiction is to entertain. That does not demand adherence to fact, and Cornwell readily admits Uhtred is his invention and other characters and events have been used to suit his story. The important thing is they be convincing to the reader. Do Shakespeare's dramas adhere to fact? Of course not. But generations of readers have accepted them as such.

Cornwell can't be equaled when it comes to depicting the horror of the battlefield and there's plenty of blood and guts as well as bawdy humor and romance.

"Death of Kings" by Bernard Cornwell

The year is 899. The Saxons and Danes are locked in a centuries-old struggle for the British Isles. King Alfred the Great of Wessex is dying, the Danes are on the move, and in the middle of it all strides Saxon Lord Uhtred.

The story opens with yet another attempt on Uhtred's life. Who, he wonders as he handily dispatches his attackers, wants him dead now? The Danes whom Uhtred has repeatedly defeated in battle? Another Saxon king who knows Uhtred has sworn allegiance to Alfred? Another unknown player in this deadly chess game?

Complicating things is the pleasing presence of Aetheflaed, King Alfred's willful daughter and the wife of Lord Aethelred of Mercia. She is Uhtred's lover and the only person in Britain brave enough to disobey his orders, something in which she takes great delight in doing.

Assisting Uhtred are Osferth, Alfred's bastard son and Finan, an Irish noble who dreams of accumulating enough funds from pillaging to lead an army to take back his ancestral home. Together these men hack and stab their way through one battle after another.
This is the sixth novel in Cornwell's series about Lord Uhtred. Readers may already be familiar with this prolific writer through his many popular novels, and subsequent television series featuring Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe.

The story takes us through battles and marches, plots and betrayals, with Lord Uhtred relying on his sword, Serpent Breath, and his even sharper wits as he fights and connives to preserve the throne of what will one day become England.

Reviewed by Andrew MacRae, author of "Murder Misdirected" for Suspense Magazine

In the sixth book of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales, he makes it clear with the title that this is the most important book of the series, as it's the one where Alfred the Great finally passes from this world, leaving this torn country with an uncertain future, and it will be up to his successor to decide what to do.

King Alfred dreamed of a united England, but now as he lies on his death bed, time is running out and this reality seems like it won't be happening anytime soon. The Danes to the north are still not giving up, controlling a considerable proportion of the country and hungry for more. It comes down to who has the more soldiers and the stronger alliances. Also, even though Alfred's son Edward is the heir apparent, there are some other Saxons who have aims of taking the throne. The Saxon-born, Viking-raised Uhtred who still believes strongly in the Norse gods will be the leader to once again make things happen; he has already sacrificed much for Alfred, and now finally receives a just reward, but he will have to fight to keep it from the attacking Danes, as well as swear fealty to the new king, Edward.

Fans will quickly gobble up Death of Kings, as they pay witness to the passing of an important character that was inevitably going to happen, but the good news is that Cornwell makes it clear in his afterword that while Alfred's part in this story may now be over, there is still more to tell, and Uhtred still has an important part to play.

Originally written on February 6, 2012 ©Alex C. Telander.

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I read my first Cornwell book in 1995 and have read 35 more since then. When this series began, I enjoyed it because I didn't know much about the period of Alfred the Great. But to be honest, I'm tired of the series now and wish that Cornwell would wrap it up. One of the biggest problems is that there are dozens and dozens of people and place names in 9th-century style which start to blur with each other after a while. Cornwell must realize the problem, because he spends a lot of time trying to remind us about events from previous books, but that just adds to the tedium. I almost gave up after the first 100 pages. After that, the pace picked up a bit but it's basically the same formula over and over again, each segment ending with a jolly good smash-up.

Two of my personal pet peeves are: 1) Uhtred's unending need to express his contempt for the Christian faith of his compatriots. Honestly, Bernard, WE GET IT. I wonder if the author would be so bold if he were writing a Crusades series and talking about Islam. I doubt it. 2) Cornwell's annoying habit, developed during the Sharpe series, of ending virtually every chapter (and sub-chapter) with a tiny sentence fragment that would seem more at home in a comic book or a boy's adventure story. If you don't believe me, keep track as you read.

So in summary, this is an OK book if you enjoy Cornwell's blood-and-guts approach to history (and I usually do). But it's not so much a page-turner as a page-dragger.

Most Bernard Cornwell novels are interesting enough for passing the time, but I don't recall that I ever really cared about what happened to the hero. They usually display repeated headstrong impulses of such stupidity that they just made me grind my teeth. Sharpe, Uhtred and the rest of Cornwell's gang seem to be really unpleasant people that get themselves into situations that always get their friends killed. The only people worse than the heros are the villians, who display a super human capacity for evil. You kind of wish everyone including the hero would just die off by the end of the book. I don't know how historically accurate these books are, I never found them interesting enough to follow up with a real history of the era.
Unlike Cornwell's novels, I always found the C.S. Forester, Patrick O'Brian and George MacDonald Fraser novels interesting and well researched enough to want to delve deeper into the actual history of the period. Why are all the good authors dead?

If you haven't read any of the Saxon tales so far I recommend that you go back to "The Last Kingdom" and start there. Uthred is one of Cornwell's best developed protagonists and you will want to follow him for six books as he grows from childhood to late middle age in this one. Uthred is the perfect narrator and character, not wholly English and sympathetic to the Danes while fate and oaths have forced him to fight against them, Uthred fights for Alfred and his family dreaming of the day he can win back his family's fortress of Bebbanburg from his scheming uncle. Uthred's band of warriors and rogues like Finan, Osferth, and Rypere are drawn well too, and it is always satisfying to see Uthred get the upper hand against the incompetent churchly beaurocrats that surround the royal family.

The sixth installment of these books lived up to the first five. The plot moves along well with elements of strategy and mystery. There is plenty of swordplay and unique visions by the narrator into England in the late ninth century. Spoiler alert - (but from the title you can probably guess) the death of Alfred is told with great attention to detail and pathos without slowing down the narrative. Uhtred has now moved from a mere swordarm to a major political player in this novel and his ruminations on religion, life, warfare, and human nature are worth reading. If you liked all the other books this one carries on the tradition well using recognized plot twists as the story culminates in a spectacular battle. My only qualm with these is that they are beginning to be a big formulaic, but as Uthred is worth following and Cornwell is good at keeping the reader interested he probably has got me on the hook until the very end. This whole series is worth reading because even if it does not manage to stay fresh in six books it remains highly readable and entertaining.

Can't wait for book seven!

I've been a big fan of Cornwell's other Saxon Tales books, so I looked forward to this newest entry. This book focuses on the period around the death of Alfred the Great in 899, and I suppose in many ways it was necessary to make its pacing quite a bit slower than the previous books. History is really to blame, because as the novel details the period immediately before and after Alfred's death was, surprisingly, relatively peaceful, which doesn't suit our erstwhile hero Uthred any more than it suited me as a reader. Cornwell does an admirable job of trying to get Uthred into trouble, but overall not a lot happens. The book is of course setting up the events to follow as Edward tries to unite all of England, and I suspect that the series will return to form soon enough. I'd recommend the novel to readers of the series, but it's definitely not one to give someone whom you hope to turn into a fan of Cornwell.

I stumbled across Bernard Cornwell's first book in the Saxon Chronicles about four years ago, and have devoured each of them since. Cornwell's first-person narratives are gripping, realistic, and immersive in a way I find to be rare in historical fiction. Though epic battles are described in engaging detail (my heart races anytime the phrase "shield wall" appears), these books are very much character-driven, with a great deal of development of each. In Death of Kings, we find the story moved forward by a very spoiler-ific milestone in British history, and though other reviewers have suggested the plot seems a bit tired by now, I found this to be one of the best in the series. I strongly recommend these on audiobook, as the narrator--Stephen Perring--is once again absolutely phenomenal.

The Saxon Chronciles has "HBO Original Series" written all over it; here's hoping it receives the well-deserved treatment one day.

Let me begin by saying I'm a Cornwell glutton, having devoured the Grail Quest, Warlord series, Saxon Chronicles, Stonehenge, etc. He's an undisputed master of historical fiction. Normally, I'd have awarded Death of Kings five stars without opening the cover of my e-reader! For that reason, I didn't hesitate to order the book, despite the stiff price tag. But once I realized how abbreviated this installment is, I was sorely disappointed. It isn't all about the money, although that did sting. (Yes, the store, we know you tried to keep e-book prices reasonable before the greed-meisters got their mitts on us!) After having waited two years with bated breath for Uhtred's next appearance, this book felt more like a novella. That may seem like splitting hairs but if you become attached to favorite characters, as I do, he'll be there & gone before you have time to slide the napkin out of the ring!

Please, Mr. C., put more meat on Book 7. This one was just too lean.

I liked this book but the formula that has made the series good is so repetitive and has gotten stale after reading 6 books straight. This book was less eventful than others in the series but i still enjoyed it overall.

This series blows my mind it's going to be on my Lester to the series every few months list. Good or bad, Uhtred plows ahead, the Christian church was so corrupt. I like that he owns his decisions & he's a great Lord. (Not such a great dad)

Bernard Cornwell is great at what he does, which is write manly historical military fiction. Each of his heroes is a tough SOB who lives through and often becomes the deciding factor in a series of famous historical battles. Lord Uhtred, the hero of the Saxon tales, is cut from the same cloth as other Cornwell protagonists, like Richard Sharpe,Derfel,Thomas of Hookton, and Nathaniel Starbuck. Although he sees himself as a Danish warlord, Uhtred has sworn to defend King Alfred and his people from the encroaching Danes, and lives through the historical events of Ninth and Tenth Century Britain.

This is the sixth book in the series, and while it has the usual components -- pitched shield-wall battles, gritty middle ages romance, daring raids, and the like -- and while those components are done well, I couldn't get excited about the book. The key elements are Alfred's apparently impending death and the struggle to identify the next king of Wessex, but none of those drive the plot forward much. As a result, this feels like it's mostly arranging the characters for the battles to come, together with some repeats of earlier action.

Cornwell's most famous hero, Richard Sharpe, got away with twenty-plus books because almost every book had a new conflict for Sharpe, plus a vividly characterized villain. Death of Kings is lacking both of those -- both the Danish and the Saxon antagonists are forgettable in this book, and even the battles are over quickly. I'll stick with the series, and suspect that there is great stuff to come, but will probably have trouble remembering this one by the time the next novel comes out.

I haven't read any Cornwell for a while but have filled in time reading other writers in the same genre. I've just finished Death of Kings and have to say "nobody does it better." Admitted, with a hero like Uhtred to work with an author really has prime ammunition for action and mayhem; and Cornwall takes full advantage here. Uhtred is irreverent, cynical and violent and his passion for life leaps from these pages.
I do agree that with a little closer analysis the books in this series are becoming a little similar plot-wise but Cornwell's talent and flair for this type of novel makes this book, like it's predecessors, a triumph.
Don't be put off; read this, and I hope the next chapter comes out soon. I personally can't wait to see Uhtred and his warriors forming the shield-wall in front of Bebbanburg Castle.

Book 6, 'Death of Kings', continues the story of Lord Uhtred, Saxon born, Dane raised, sworn man of King Alfred the Great. In this installment, Uhtred fights save Wessex as the end of King Alfred's reign draws to a close. Uhtred, who loves the Danes far more than he cares for the Christian religion of the king he is continually sworn to serve, must now fight to save the country as Alfred dies and multiple power struggles, both external and internal threaten to tear it apart.

This book, beginning at the end of Alfred's reign, covers an extended period of about four years and introduces some new and very interesting characters (Saint Cuthbert the Foolish) and continues to develop some that we already know and love or hate. Like the first 5 offerings in this series, this book covers a brutal period in England's history. It is a fast moving, blood-letting adventure as Uhtred fights to prevent the destruction of the infant kingdom and halt a Danish invasion. Unlike in the past books when there was more sword play and less strategy, we see Uhtred mature as a true commander and mature leader who uses his head as much as his sword. He makes mistakes but adjusts and adapts to rapidly changing environments.
As we again hear Uhtred continue the story of his service to Alfred (All of the books in this series are told in first person) and his heir, we find that a witch is predicting future events that have dire consequence for Alfred's Wessex. Uhtred counters with ploys of his own that involve similar subterfuges. But as in past installments it comes down to victory or death in a critical engagement which is decided not by numbers but rather by the skill, cunning, and leadership of a few individuals.
A quick and easy read, the book takes you back to that time so successfully that you can almost smell the smoke, and hear metal on metal--the best so far

This new entry into the Saxon Tales series by Bernard Cornwell is a pivotal one because it heralds the transition of the monarchy began by Alfred the Great to his son, Edward. The tale is told by Uhtred as are the other books in the series. Uhtred is a Saxon but he was raised by the Danes to become a fierce warrior with no faith at all in the Christian religion but was taught to read by a Christian monk. Having sided with Alfred, a man he does not like because of his Christian piety and what Uhtred views as hypocrisy, he sees in Alfred the ability to bring order to the chaos of the times. He views Alfred's son Edward as a wuss who (like his father) engages in wild behavior in his youth all the while surrounded by his father's clergy.

The time is right at the turn of the century from the 800's to the 900's--a time the Christian clergy believes will bring Christ back to earth. For the Danes, who occupy a big hunk of Britain north of East Anglia and the Midlands, east of Wales and south of Scotland--roughly a line along Liverpool, Manchester and Norwich--it is a time to grab Wessex and Mercia as soon as the dying Alfred passes on. The English monarch had succeeded in keeping the Danes at bay by developing a national defense system made up of a series of 'burhs' or fortified towns in addition to his own army and those of his allies. However, the Danes (Vikings) believe that the alliances build up by Alfred will disappear when competing claims for his throne ensue upon his death. That is the time to attack. Because Uhtred has promised Alfred on his deathbed to support his son Edward, Uhtred is given a land grant of considerable value, and so is bound by honor and protecting his land to the feckless Edward.

Two new interesting characters join Uhtred in this tale. First is a traveling film-flam man named Lucca who is retained as an early version of a GPS system since his travels have given him knowledge of the road and trail system in England. Second, is a priest, Father Cuthbert who the new King Edward (or his clerical advisors) sends to Uhtred to be his chaplain. Uhtred tells the priest that he is unwanted and unneeded, and the self-deprecating chaplain refers to himself as 'Saint Cuthbert the Unnecessary.' His lack of piety endears him to Uhtred and Cuthbert joins Lucca and the others in Uhtred's entourage in their adventure to find out what the Danes are up to and how to stop them.

To aid in his plans, Uhtred travels to meet with a sorceress named AElfadell whom the Danes believe foretells the future. AElfadell is an old hag who drugs Uhtred and tells his future through a beautiful young girl (or goddess) named Erce who beds and enchants Uhtred. For Uhtred, the events happen as in a dream, but he believes what Erce has foretold. More importantly, he knows that the Danes will believe it as well as many of the Christian Saxons. During an age when demons and witches were as real as Republicans and Democrats (and more believable), the power of a prophecy was a strong weapon. Uhtred plans to use this weapon to thwart Danish plans.

Throughout the Saxon Tales series, Cornwell depends on the' Anglo-Saxon Chronicles' the best historical resource available. While the best available, it is highly unreliable, and Cornwell readily acknowledges that fact. If he's not certain (and/or there's no record) he invents what works with his story and does not attempt to pass it off as 'likely' or even 'plausible.' Uhtred's ongoing affair with King Edward's sister is one such example. Cornwell is as faithful to historical events as possible, but makes no apologies to bend a fact or two to keep his story going. I have no problem with this kind of story telling, and were he to chronicle the dullness of Alfred the Great, I doubt that many readers would learn as much as they will about this little-studied niche of British history.

I am a great fan of Cornwell and hischronicles of Uhtred (a Saxon raised by Vikings) are among his best work. His refreshing cynicism regarding King Alfred and the early church is always a welcome exception to most historical fiction and his command of both the background and the military tactics of the period are as good as ever. However, I detect a certain tiredness. Uhtred keeps on stressing his desire to reconquer his family holdings in the North but we keep on being stuck in the South. I can't help a feeling that, like so many others, Cornwell is stretching the series out (Stirling is probably the worst offender writing at the moment although Jordan's Wheel of Time series takes the all time prize).

Most Bernard Cornwell novels are interesting enough for passing the time, but I don't recall that I ever really cared about what happened to the hero. They usually display repeated headstrong impulses of such stupidity that they just made me grind my teeth. Sharpe, Uhtred and the rest of Cornwell's gang seem to be really unpleasant people that get themselves into situations that always get their friends killed. The only people worse than the heros are the villians, who display a super human capacity for evil. You kind of wish everyone including the hero would just die off by the end of the book. I don't know how historically accurate these books are, I never found them interesting enough to follow up with a real history of the era.
Unlike Cornwell's novels, I always found the C.S. Forester, Patrick O'Brian and George MacDonald Fraser novels interesting and well researched enough to want to delve deeper into the actual history of the period. Why are all the good authors dead?

If you haven't read any of the Saxon tales so far I recommend that you go back to "The Last Kingdom" and start there. Uthred is one of Cornwell's best developed protagonists and you will want to follow him for six books as he grows from childhood to late middle age in this one. Uthred is the perfect narrator and character, not wholly English and sympathetic to the Danes while fate and oaths have forced him to fight against them, Uthred fights for Alfred and his family dreaming of the day he can win back his family's fortress of Bebbanburg from his scheming uncle. Uthred's band of warriors and rogues like Finan, Osferth, and Rypere are drawn well too, and it is always satisfying to see Uthred get the upper hand against the incompetent churchly beaurocrats that surround the royal family.

The sixth installment of these books lived up to the first five. The plot moves along well with elements of strategy and mystery. There is plenty of swordplay and unique visions by the narrator into England in the late ninth century. Spoiler alert - (but from the title you can probably guess) the death of Alfred is told with great attention to detail and pathos without slowing down the narrative. Uhtred has now moved from a mere swordarm to a major political player in this novel and his ruminations on religion, life, warfare, and human nature are worth reading. If you liked all the other books this one carries on the tradition well using recognized plot twists as the story culminates in a spectacular battle. My only qualm with these is that they are beginning to be a big formulaic, but as Uthred is worth following and Cornwell is good at keeping the reader interested he probably has got me on the hook until the very end. This whole series is worth reading because even if it does not manage to stay fresh in six books it remains highly readable and entertaining.

Can't wait for book seven!

I've been a big fan of Cornwell's other Saxon Tales books, so I looked forward to this newest entry. This book focuses on the period around the death of Alfred the Great in 899, and I suppose in many ways it was necessary to make its pacing quite a bit slower than the previous books. History is really to blame, because as the novel details the period immediately before and after Alfred's death was, surprisingly, relatively peaceful, which doesn't suit our erstwhile hero Uthred any more than it suited me as a reader. Cornwell does an admirable job of trying to get Uthred into trouble, but overall not a lot happens. The book is of course setting up the events to follow as Edward tries to unite all of England, and I suspect that the series will return to form soon enough. I'd recommend the novel to readers of the series, but it's definitely not one to give someone whom you hope to turn into a fan of Cornwell.

I stumbled across Bernard Cornwell's first book in the Saxon Chronicles about four years ago, and have devoured each of them since. Cornwell's first-person narratives are gripping, realistic, and immersive in a way I find to be rare in historical fiction. Though epic battles are described in engaging detail (my heart races anytime the phrase "shield wall" appears), these books are very much character-driven, with a great deal of development of each. In Death of Kings, we find the story moved forward by a very spoiler-ific milestone in British history, and though other reviewers have suggested the plot seems a bit tired by now, I found this to be one of the best in the series. I strongly recommend these on audiobook, as the narrator--Stephen Perring--is once again absolutely phenomenal.

The Saxon Chronciles has "HBO Original Series" written all over it; here's hoping it receives the well-deserved treatment one day.

Let me begin by saying I'm a Cornwell glutton, having devoured the Grail Quest, Warlord series, Saxon Chronicles, Stonehenge, etc. He's an undisputed master of historical fiction. Normally, I'd have awarded Death of Kings five stars without opening the cover of my e-reader! For that reason, I didn't hesitate to order the book, despite the stiff price tag. But once I realized how abbreviated this installment is, I was sorely disappointed. It isn't all about the money, although that did sting. (Yes, the store, we know you tried to keep e-book prices reasonable before the greed-meisters got their mitts on us!) After having waited two years with bated breath for Uhtred's next appearance, this book felt more like a novella. That may seem like splitting hairs but if you become attached to favorite characters, as I do, he'll be there & gone before you have time to slide the napkin out of the ring!

Please, Mr. C., put more meat on Book 7. This one was just too lean.

I liked this book but the formula that has made the series good is so repetitive and has gotten stale after reading 6 books straight. This book was less eventful than others in the series but i still enjoyed it overall.

This series blows my mind it's going to be on my Lester to the series every few months list. Good or bad, Uhtred plows ahead, the Christian church was so corrupt. I like that he owns his decisions & he's a great Lord. (Not such a great dad)

Bernard Cornwell is great at what he does, which is write manly historical military fiction. Each of his heroes is a tough SOB who lives through and often becomes the deciding factor in a series of famous historical battles. Lord Uhtred, the hero of the Saxon tales, is cut from the same cloth as other Cornwell protagonists, like Richard Sharpe,Derfel,Thomas of Hookton, and Nathaniel Starbuck. Although he sees himself as a Danish warlord, Uhtred has sworn to defend King Alfred and his people from the encroaching Danes, and lives through the historical events of Ninth and Tenth Century Britain.

This is the sixth book in the series, and while it has the usual components -- pitched shield-wall battles, gritty middle ages romance, daring raids, and the like -- and while those components are done well, I couldn't get excited about the book. The key elements are Alfred's apparently impending death and the struggle to identify the next king of Wessex, but none of those drive the plot forward much. As a result, this feels like it's mostly arranging the characters for the battles to come, together with some repeats of earlier action.

Cornwell's most famous hero, Richard Sharpe, got away with twenty-plus books because almost every book had a new conflict for Sharpe, plus a vividly characterized villain. Death of Kings is lacking both of those -- both the Danish and the Saxon antagonists are forgettable in this book, and even the battles are over quickly. I'll stick with the series, and suspect that there is great stuff to come, but will probably have trouble remembering this one by the time the next novel comes out.

I haven't read any Cornwell for a while but have filled in time reading other writers in the same genre. I've just finished Death of Kings and have to say "nobody does it better." Admitted, with a hero like Uhtred to work with an author really has prime ammunition for action and mayhem; and Cornwall takes full advantage here. Uhtred is irreverent, cynical and violent and his passion for life leaps from these pages.
I do agree that with a little closer analysis the books in this series are becoming a little similar plot-wise but Cornwell's talent and flair for this type of novel makes this book, like it's predecessors, a triumph.
Don't be put off; read this, and I hope the next chapter comes out soon. I personally can't wait to see Uhtred and his warriors forming the shield-wall in front of Bebbanburg Castle.

Book 6, 'Death of Kings', continues the story of Lord Uhtred, Saxon born, Dane raised, sworn man of King Alfred the Great. In this installment, Uhtred fights save Wessex as the end of King Alfred's reign draws to a close. Uhtred, who loves the Danes far more than he cares for the Christian religion of the king he is continually sworn to serve, must now fight to save the country as Alfred dies and multiple power struggles, both external and internal threaten to tear it apart.

This book, beginning at the end of Alfred's reign, covers an extended period of about four years and introduces some new and very interesting characters (Saint Cuthbert the Foolish) and continues to develop some that we already know and love or hate. Like the first 5 offerings in this series, this book covers a brutal period in England's history. It is a fast moving, blood-letting adventure as Uhtred fights to prevent the destruction of the infant kingdom and halt a Danish invasion. Unlike in the past books when there was more sword play and less strategy, we see Uhtred mature as a true commander and mature leader who uses his head as much as his sword. He makes mistakes but adjusts and adapts to rapidly changing environments.
As we again hear Uhtred continue the story of his service to Alfred (All of the books in this series are told in first person) and his heir, we find that a witch is predicting future events that have dire consequence for Alfred's Wessex. Uhtred counters with ploys of his own that involve similar subterfuges. But as in past installments it comes down to victory or death in a critical engagement which is decided not by numbers but rather by the skill, cunning, and leadership of a few individuals.
A quick and easy read, the book takes you back to that time so successfully that you can almost smell the smoke, and hear metal on metal--the best so far

This new entry into the Saxon Tales series by Bernard Cornwell is a pivotal one because it heralds the transition of the monarchy began by Alfred the Great to his son, Edward. The tale is told by Uhtred as are the other books in the series. Uhtred is a Saxon but he was raised by the Danes to become a fierce warrior with no faith at all in the Christian religion but was taught to read by a Christian monk. Having sided with Alfred, a man he does not like because of his Christian piety and what Uhtred views as hypocrisy, he sees in Alfred the ability to bring order to the chaos of the times. He views Alfred's son Edward as a wuss who (like his father) engages in wild behavior in his youth all the while surrounded by his father's clergy.

The time is right at the turn of the century from the 800's to the 900's--a time the Christian clergy believes will bring Christ back to earth. For the Danes, who occupy a big hunk of Britain north of East Anglia and the Midlands, east of Wales and south of Scotland--roughly a line along Liverpool, Manchester and Norwich--it is a time to grab Wessex and Mercia as soon as the dying Alfred passes on. The English monarch had succeeded in keeping the Danes at bay by developing a national defense system made up of a series of 'burhs' or fortified towns in addition to his own army and those of his allies. However, the Danes (Vikings) believe that the alliances build up by Alfred will disappear when competing claims for his throne ensue upon his death. That is the time to attack. Because Uhtred has promised Alfred on his deathbed to support his son Edward, Uhtred is given a land grant of considerable value, and so is bound by honor and protecting his land to the feckless Edward.

Two new interesting characters join Uhtred in this tale. First is a traveling film-flam man named Lucca who is retained as an early version of a GPS system since his travels have given him knowledge of the road and trail system in England. Second, is a priest, Father Cuthbert who the new King Edward (or his clerical advisors) sends to Uhtred to be his chaplain. Uhtred tells the priest that he is unwanted and unneeded, and the self-deprecating chaplain refers to himself as 'Saint Cuthbert the Unnecessary.' His lack of piety endears him to Uhtred and Cuthbert joins Lucca and the others in Uhtred's entourage in their adventure to find out what the Danes are up to and how to stop them.

To aid in his plans, Uhtred travels to meet with a sorceress named AElfadell whom the Danes believe foretells the future. AElfadell is an old hag who drugs Uhtred and tells his future through a beautiful young girl (or goddess) named Erce who beds and enchants Uhtred. For Uhtred, the events happen as in a dream, but he believes what Erce has foretold. More importantly, he knows that the Danes will believe it as well as many of the Christian Saxons. During an age when demons and witches were as real as Republicans and Democrats (and more believable), the power of a prophecy was a strong weapon. Uhtred plans to use this weapon to thwart Danish plans.

Throughout the Saxon Tales series, Cornwell depends on the' Anglo-Saxon Chronicles' the best historical resource available. While the best available, it is highly unreliable, and Cornwell readily acknowledges that fact. If he's not certain (and/or there's no record) he invents what works with his story and does not attempt to pass it off as 'likely' or even 'plausible.' Uhtred's ongoing affair with King Edward's sister is one such example. Cornwell is as faithful to historical events as possible, but makes no apologies to bend a fact or two to keep his story going. I have no problem with this kind of story telling, and were he to chronicle the dullness of Alfred the Great, I doubt that many readers would learn as much as they will about this little-studied niche of British history.

I am a great fan of Cornwell and hischronicles of Uhtred (a Saxon raised by Vikings) are among his best work. His refreshing cynicism regarding King Alfred and the early church is always a welcome exception to most historical fiction and his command of both the background and the military tactics of the period are as good as ever. However, I detect a certain tiredness. Uhtred keeps on stressing his desire to reconquer his family holdings in the North but we keep on being stuck in the South. I can't help a feeling that, like so many others, Cornwell is stretching the series out (Stirling is probably the worst offender writing at the moment although Jordan's Wheel of Time series takes the all time prize).

This is tale installment six of a series about a Saxon warlord of King Alfred's who is perpetually fighting the Danelaw encroachment on Saxon England.

The hero is interesting for his incongruence with Alfred's side. He's a Saxon but was raised by Danes. He has an aristocratic heritage but was more than once in his life a slave. Though a Saxon ethnically, and at the point of the book, the Saxons are converted to Catholicism, he's still a heathen worshipping Thor. These kinds of character contrasts are awesomely powerful tools in the hands of Cornwell the master crafter of these adventuresome stories.

At this juncture Uhtred is not merely a champion for the king but a Jarl of sorts, with his own shield-men, colorful characters alike, though few in number due to Uhtred's ongoing lack of funds. King Alfred dies and Uhtred predictably does not want to pledge his loyalty to his heir but does so. There is raiding, pillaging, viking, and shield-walls along the way.

If you are familiar with and like Cornwell this fine book satisfies and is worth the wait and price twice over. If not, but you like fantasy genres like Conan or Lord of the Rings, you will certainly love this series. Really if one like's Homer's Illiad I recommend this book and like all good works of adventure, there will be some similarities. Are these similarities formulaic crutches as one reviewer suggested? Of course not. All paintings will have a subject, a foreground, a backround, lighting, perspective, etc. To remove an integral aspect of a hero story is to create a purposefully inferior piece of art. Ever since Aristotle we have known the basic elements of dramatic story and for Cornwell to follow that pattern is to accomplish his work effectively and efficiently without losing energy on experimental trifles. And that is indeed why Cornwell is productive and prolific and well published and we can thankfully expect more from the man. Well done and keep it coming!

Uhtred is beginning to age, but he gamely continues bashing his way through the Dark Ages in this continuation of the chronicle of Alfred the Great and his descendants. The battle for the English throne follows the death of Alfred, along with the incessant raids of the Danes, who already control much of the country. As in the other novels in this series, the battle scenes blur together in a frenzy of hacking, slashing, screaming, and blood.

Much of this book is enjoyable reading, as always, but for me the series is getting a bit tired. For heaven's sake, Mr. Cornwell, let Uhtred have the family seat back already! Perhaps the author will wrap up the series, and the next installment will be the last. I, for one, think it's time.

I read the first four books in the Saxon Tales series as they were issued, but somehow missed number five ("The Burning Land"), so when I picked up "Death of Kings" and began reading, I realized that many things had changed since "Sword Song." Among the changes were the death of our hero Uhtred's beloved wife Gesila (I assume in childbirth, as she was pregnant with their fourth child at the end of "Sword Song," and in "Death of Kings" there is mention of only the three original children), and a fictional sexual relationship had been established between Uhtred and Alfred's oldest daughter, Aethelflaed. The affair naturally brings about complications with Alfred, his heir, Edward, Alfred's wife, and Aethelflaed's husband and Uhtred's enemy, Aethelred.

But the major complications are centered on the death of Alfred, known as The Great, whose dream to unite the isle was unfullfilled at his death, although he is credited as the father of England. In the afterword to the novel, the author remarks that Alfred made the unification of England possible through "preserving both the Saxon culture and the English language. He made Wessex into a stronghold that withstood assault after assault from the Danes, and which was strong enough,
after his death, to spread northwards until the Danish overlords were overcome and assimilated." Cornwell's hero, Uhtred, is a combination of the two cultures, being Saxon born but raised by the Vikings, and clinging to the old religion while resisting every attempt by friend and foe to convert him to Christianity.

In this installment, Alfred dies, and his son Edward is to be made king in Alfred's place. There are the usual shifting alliances among the Saxons and the Danes, and
complications brought on by personal relationships as well -- Edward had fathered twins with a woman whom he loved but was forbidden to marry, the woman died, and the children were put under the care of Uhtred. Edward and others insisted that he had been married to the mother of his children, which would put the son in line for the throne in the future, over Edward's children from his subsequent marriage. The first section of the book is rather confusing, and I expect some of that is due to my not having read "The Burning Land," but by the second section, the plot is made clear, alliances begin to solidify (although with complications), and the book ends in a great battle against the Danes.

Much of this we have seen before: especially the battle scenes. Cornwell writes very detailed and exciting passages that makes one smell the blood and feel the clash of sword against sword. But, some have maintained in reviews and I agree, there can be too much of a good thing -- the battle scenes sometimes start to take over the book, and one wonders if the author sometimes uses a good battle scene to stretch out the narrative. While some battles have historical significance and should be included, we are also treated to minor instances on river banks that probably never took place. It is good to be reminded that travel in this time period was often dangerous, but is it necessary to have so many reminders in a book of around 300 pages? Since the battle scenes are being related years later by an elderly Uthred, my take is that Uthred is reliving his "glory days," and we need to take some of these scenes with a big grain of salt.

While the character of Uhtred continues, in some respects, to enchant this reader, it can be argued that, as suggested above, he can in some ways be seen as an unreliable narrator who doesn't change much from one book to the next. Everything is seen through his eyes so that his opinion becomes THE opinion, and may not always square with the historical facts. In this book, Uhtred admits that he is not always a good judge of character, which is a bit of a change for him. He is taken in initially by reports (and his own sighting) of a "dead man" who has risen from the grave to make a prophetic announcement, and later he almost makes a fatal error in accepting as true a story by told by a dying man without
bothering to analyze it. His running jokes about Christianity are somewhat amusing but also serve to point up the fact that all religions have aspects that defy logic and reason ("three day old saints," for instance, and pieces of the true cross make appearances). While he does rail against Christianity, as the cringe-worthy saying goes, "some of his best friends are Christians." The ones who truly love him have his best interests at heart in hoping for his conversion, while his enemies seem to be using faith as a political and personal weapon against him. Some readers I suspect admire Uhtred for his humanity -- he is sometimes wrong, he is both kind and cruel, he is respectful of the opposite sex but also a man of his times, as he has both a lover and a "bedwarmer," and he is shocked to find one day that he is viewed as "an old man." Yes, Uthred is now 45 years old at the end of the book -- those of us who have followed it from the beginning know that he is narrating the story of his life and the history of his country as a very old man, but just like Uhtred we continue to see him as a young man until someone points out that he is that no longer. I am looking forward to the next installments in this series, as I want to know the utimate fate of Uthred and how he manages to survive into a great old age.

Cornwell meanders a bit in this one, but it's still a pleasureable installment in the saga of Alfred the Great. Or, I should say, the times of Alfred the Great. I'm not giving anything away to say that Alfred dies in this one. He's on his deathbed from the start of the book,and the royal genealogy diagram shows his death date. The series will continue, for as Cornwell concludes his afterword, using the formula begun with Sharpe, "Uhtred will fight again." Thank Thor for that.

Alfred's demise brings enemies foreign and domestic out of the woodwork. He has not yet unified England, holding only Wessex and southern Mercia. The Danes in the North think now they can finish the last Saxon king on Great Britain. Eohrig, the Danish but Christian king of East Anglia, has murky loyalties and sees a chance to expand his realm. Mercia, once independent, grows restless, with many seeking their own king once more. So, too, does Cent in the south. Within Wessex, Alfred's son and heir Edward is challenged by his cousin Aethelwold, who has long coveted Alfred's throne. Alfred needs for Edward the support of Aethelred, Alfred's Mercian son-in-law - and whose wife Aethelfaed, as everyone knows, is Uhtred's lover. For the sake of the realm, Alfred needs to keep his daughter's husband and her lover on the side of Wessex after his own death.

Plunged into all this, of course, is Uhtred, Alfred's best warlord, a pagan kept at a distance by Alfred's Christian clerics and wife. Alfred knows that ensuring Uhtred's support is Edward's best hope. Enemies know Uhtred's value as well: he's a marked man even before Alfred dies, with two plots, one quite elaborate, made on his life.

The plot lags a bit as Uhtred wanders around Great Britain, spying on enemies, pondering fate and why Alfred hasn't rewarded him better, wondering if he'll ever take back his northern ancestral lands, and facing down every young pup who'd like to make his name by killing Uhtred. He wonders when the throne will start taking his military advice, rather than relying on the priests' naïve strategy of forsaking war and winning Viking hearts and minds with Christianity.

An enjoyable subplot is a strange prophecy coming from a Northern witch, making Uhtred's life more difficult until he figures out how to counter it.

The final battle scene is good if somewhat predictable, but there's only minor action before that - a raid in the north, a few fights. Cornwell battle aficionados will note he doesn't actually have a character say "Kill the bastards" in this one, but does use the expression in the narrative.

This is the sixth book of Bernard Cornwell's series "Saxon Tales". The tale of blood, gore, and intrigue maintains it's intensity. Indeed the first three pages embroil you in battle, and the fights continue. Uhtred's position and influence among the Saxons increases in this volume, as King Alfred dies, and Edward takes the throne, but his main goal of recapturing his birthright Bebbanburg is not yet attained when the book closes.
Personally, as I read these tales, aside from Uhtred's escapades, it is his interactions with the priests that holds my interest. In this volume Bernard introduces yet another one, Cuthbert. Cuthbert, proves to be as interesting a character as any of Bernard's other beloved priests, even if he does, perhaps even because of his fondness for fawns. I look forward to the end of these tales, only because I'd like to draw up a monograph on pastoral theology using the characters of these stories, and it's depiction of Christianity.
In any case, those who have been following the story thus far, will no doubt once again enjoy the ease in which Bernard weaves the story of Uhtred, a thread through the canvass of war and blood shed marking this tumultuous period, as if he himself was sitting at the roots of Yggdrasil eavesdropping on the Norns in all their beauty. They will not be disappointed, and though one could pick up and begin reading her with this book, those that do, will be satisfying themselves with past volumes of this great story while waiting for the next installment.

Cornwell is one of the best, if not the best, historical novelists writing today. This book takes place during the turn of the century. That is, the 10th century. During the time of Alfred the Great's death & the accession of his son Edward the Elder as King of Wessex & of an England, which was still more of an idea than a reality, at that time.
This is Cornwell's 48th published novel & the 6th in his Saxon Tales series, featuring Uhtred of Bebbanburg (now Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland). Every time a new book by Cornwell comes out, I get a rush of excitement at the mere thought of reading it. He has never let me down. Cornwell has the unique ability to take very dry & dusty historical facts & turn them into an exciting novel that one wants to read. At the same time, one learns so very much of times long buried.
The Saxon Tales series is about the founding of the modern nation of England. King Alfred the Great was the father of the nation but it was his son Edward the Elder & his daughter, the Lady of Mercia who brought his dreams of a united England to fruition. Cornwell uses Uhtred as a plot device to be a leading character through all the books of this series. In reality Uhtred was a real person & Cornwell is his direct descendant.

Bernard Cornwell's "Death of Kings" is an immensely enjoyable book that brings to life the death of Alfred the Great and the ensuing struggle to form the English nation in the 9th Century. Cornwell brings ancient history into a colorful and exciting reality by weaving action, politics and war into events generally studied only in dry history books. His writing is simple, flowing and engaging--he connects the reader to Uhtred and you want to know him and his humanity, despite the brutal rule he must enforce as a warlord.

The story is told by the main character of Cornwell's Saxon Tales, the great pagan lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Saxon-born but Danish-raised, wearing Thor's hammer at his throat where those he serves wear crosses, Uhtred's straddling of both worlds allows him to tell a magnificent tale of bringing England to life. Uhtred both despises but admires the dying Alfred and swears his sword to his heir, Edward, thus tying his fate to that of the nascent English nation.

With Alfred the Great's death the fate of Wessex and Mercia is thrown into uncertainty as a new king takes the throne. Uhtred, with his fate now tied to the idea of England, must now outwit and outfight the enemies of his chosen homeland as they descend from the north of Britannia. A veteran of many campaigns, this feared and valiant warrior does not shy from becoming the sword of the Saxon nation. He meets the incoming Danish invaders, and the swords clash amidst the death of kings. Cornwell will keep the reader interested to the very last page.

I've enjoyed the Saxon Chronicles series and was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately it is weak in plot and feels like it was written more to make money and keep the series alive (to make more money) rather than to actually tell an interesting story. If you've read the earlier books in the series, you've already got a flavor for the period (isn't that the point of a historical novel)and this volume doesn't add anything to that. In fact, in this volume the characters are even less believable. I'm very skeptical that I will want to read the next volume in the series, even if I was somehow to get it for free.

Excellent! I am thoroughly enjoying this series. Creative and imaginative, the battle scenes are outstanding. This is my favorite series from any author and enjoyed this book just as much as the first one.

I have read almost everything published which Bernard Cornwell has written. If I were to review all of those other books, I would likely award an average of 4 stars. So, it was with disappointment that I finished Death of Kings in what was only a 2 star experience. Some reviewers have expressed confusion or a lack of direction in this latest book about the years leading up to the forming of England (around 900 AD). I wasn't confused as much as I was uninterested. This book felt too much like a hurried "bridge" in the overall narrative, as if it were filler for Cornwell to get through Alfred's death and onto the next phase of the history. Perhaps it was. It felt that way to me because the political environment is explored much less than in his other books in the same series (and others), because the antagonists are each much the same as the other (and none of them terribly interesting), and because the climactic battle scenes have become very formulaic. The latter is hard to completely avoid as there is history to refer to to find some details of the actual battles, but the overwhelming-odds-overcome-by-last-minute-reinforcements is stale. What is more, even though the history and even the book relate that these battles were,in fact, critical, the writing to that point was unconvincing. Unlike most other Cornwell books, there lacked an urgency to the outcome. Naturally, some of this is "knowing how the movie ends" through history or through safe assumption, but Cornwell is a wonderful writer and has on most other occasions pulled this off. I'm hopeful of a much stronger, much more compelling effort in the next installment of the series. The period he writes about is fascinating and he has written so well in the rest of the Uhtred stories.

This is my first Cornwell book. As much as I enjoyed it, I'm sure it won't be my last.

At first I thought his opening, "Every day is ordinary, until it isn't," was hokey. And the smaltzy dialogue of the first couple pages made me wonder if I really wanted to continue. Fortunately I did. This is carefully plotted and the characters are mostly quite believable. There is a pair of twins that almost make me cringe, but the plot moves quickly enough and there are enough clever little twists to keep me very entertained.

The immediacy of first person narration was a good idea. It also lets the author off the hook for complete historical accuracy. Hey, even history books have enough inaccuracies to sometimes qualify as fiction. The narrator, though, is cocky and arrogant, proud of his paganism, and still likable.

What I liked most about this book is the attention given to details regarding setting, action and realistic human motivations. Cornwell makes the scene come alive for the reader as if he has been describing events in real time.

There were a couple things I didn't like. One is that the antagonists have no real presence in this book. They're the Danes, of course, but they're always at a distance and never up close with faces we can visualize. They lack depth.

Our hero always thinks faster than anyone around him. Since there's seemingly nothing he can't do, he seems unrealistically invincible. His antipathy to Christianity wears thin after a while and it goes beyond mere characterization and doesn't contribute to the plot since (in the first half of the book, at least) it becomes quite heavy handed. The same goes for the monks who "sing like little birdies"--meant as caricature? What's the point?

Ultimately, I was left with the impression that Cornwell is a natural storyteller with a very keen eye for detail and invention, but here he probably got a little careless in places.

One thing I'd prefer to see here is a much more detailed map of England.

Bernard Cornwell, your Uhtred of Bebbanburg has utterly charmed me once again! With the latest book in The Saxon Tales, I am once again enthralled with the courage and pure chutzpah of my favorite warrior, and once again left waiting anxiously to find out what he's going to get up to next.

Death of Kings begins with Uhtred at home, but that doesn't remain the case for long. Never one to sit back and let events slide by, Uhtred soon finds himself chasing elusive Danes and Saxons who change loyalties more often than the wind changes direction, and he is never reticent to use his formidable battle prowess. The death of Alfred the Great, ruler of much of England around 900 A.D., sets the stage for many to try to take a throne; while Uhtred never particularly liked Alfred, he admired him and as a sworn man, vows to uphold his son Edward's claim to the throne. What follows is one of the greatest battles on English soil as men of varying degrees of integrity attempt to roust Edward, and Cornwell sews Uhtred seamlessly into the mix of actual events--so much so that I often forgot that Uhtred is a fictional character and could actually imagine him having led the armies just as written here.

Cornwell's research is awe-inspiring, and his use of language is authentic as well, if sometimes confusing. From a dark, often unchronicled period of history, Cornwell weaves a tale that is often gruesome, brutal, and yet ultimately thrilling. I will admit that a few times the story seemed to drag a bit as Uhtred--and the reader--waited for the "big" battle between Danes and Saxons. But Uhtred's genius and arrogance saves the day once again, and this reader always finds time spent with him satisfying. This novel rates a strong 4.5-4.75 stars and a deep loyalty among those of us who just cannot get enough of Uhtred and his pre-Conqueror swagger. Highly recommended.

As per usual with Bernard Cornwell, it's all about the battles, and Death of Kings doesn't disappoint. He keeps teasing me with the frame story, going back and forth between Uhtred of Bebbanberg in his old age and during his prime. If you like sword and shield type battles, this one's for you.

I read Bernard Cornwell's Death of Kings in just two sittings. This is the first of his Saxon Series that I've read (though I read almost all the Sharpe books a few years back). Historical fiction is my favorite and I'd forgotten how well Cornwell mixes fact and a really good adventure story. But in this book he outdoes himself. I remember in his Sharpe series many of the supporting characters tended to be stereotypes, but in this they are just as real as Uhtred. I see where some other reviewers think the book and characters are a bit stale. Maybe it's because I haven't read the other books in the series, but I found the characters fascinating. Such is the author's skill that you feel you are really in the period, and the characters' troubles are treated realistically and with less dime-novel heroics than Cornwell employed in the Sharpe books.

The characterization and structure overall are outstanding. I think this is one of Cornwell's best.

This story is told in the first person from the words of Uhtred, a fictional character in a non-fictional era. The time is the years surrounding 900 AD when King Alfred ruled all the English speaking lands of what would be present day England. At the same time much of England was ruled by the Pagans, the Danes, who came across the seas in huge warships to plunder and occupy Northern and Central England.

Ironically, Uhtred, was himself a Pagan and worshiped the Pagan Gods. He fell in love with King Alfred's Sister, a Christian, and fought for King Alfred and the Christians. Needless to say, Uhtred was never trusted by the King's priests although he won key battles in defeating the Danes. After Alfred's death, Uhtred continued his loyalty to Alfred's son, Edward.

This is a powerful story of the great battles for England. Uthred fought with two swords, first his long one, "Serpent Breath", was used when he had a lot of room; then he had a shorter one, "Wasp-Sting" which he used behind the shield walls where men fought bloody battles face to face. This was where many battles were won or lost.

This is not just a story of battles, but of the culture of the time, of the hardships that bonded people. This is of a time when a Sorceress, a witch, or a magician could dictate the future or the outcome of a battle just by making up lies. Uhtred was clever, he believed in all Gods, learned from people around him and was a powerful warrior.

I will definitely be waiting to follow him into battle as he protects England and King Edward in Bernard Cornwell's next Saxon Tale.

Bernard Cornwell continues to drawn me in with the sixth of his Saxon Tales. Alfred lies dying, and Wessex is threatened by Danes from the north and traitorous Centish and Mercian Saxons alike. Can Edward hold on to his father's throne?

This book is great for the same reasons that made its predecessors great. By focusing on people -- relationships, institutions and culture -- Cornwell creates a fascinating ninth century English milieu. The stories are action-packed. The plots are complicated and contain well-crafted twists. Uhtred of Bebbanburg, irreverent pagan and pragmatic warrior, makes a great, complex and likeable protagonist and foil to Alfred, whose kingdom and work are at stake. I can't wait for the next one.

The author knows not only his history but how to write it. He also know the struggle between the faiths, which makes for a much deeper story. Thanks, Bernard. You've given hours of great reading and lots to chew on.

Bernard Cornwell shows again that he is the master, once he gets back to his `formula'. His previous book `The Fort' was a disappointment but Bernard shows that it was only an aberration and that he has not lost his touch.

In the `Death of Kings', Lord Uhtred story continues - for those familiar with the Series (this is the sixth), the book will be very enjoyable. However, for those who are looking at this series for the first time, I would caution them from starting with this. The complex background in 900 AD England, the strange sounding names (both people and cities) takes some time to digest.

It is close to 900 AD, and King Alfred of Wessex is dying after reigning for over 28 years. The Danes, who rule much of what will later be England, are waiting eagerly to tear apart King Alfred's Christian kingdom. Uhtred of Bebbanburg returns to the south at King Alfred's request and is asked to negotiate a treaty with King Eohric of East Anglia.

`Every day is ordinary, I thought, until it gets interesting.'

Uhtred has grown to admire Alfred, albeit grudgingly at times, but does not feel the same respect for Alfred's heir, the ætheling Edward. Uhtred knows that Edward mistrusts him and he also knows that battles will need to be fought if the country is to be united. The Danes are not the only enemies: there is also a rival claimant for the throne.

`.., but victory does not come to men who listen to their fears.'

We see a number of different aspects of Uhtred in this novel: the tenderness he feels for King Alfred's daughter Æthelflaed; his delight in annoying the priests who believe that prayer is the path to victory; and his capacity for strategic planning for the battles he knows must be fought. Uhtred may be battle ready and cynical about the role of Christianity but his encounter with a mysterious pagan witch still leaves him shaken.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg is larger than life and while he dominates the story, it fits within what we know of the history. In this blending of history and fiction, Bernard Cornwell brings this period to life. There are reminders that while Alfred's kingdom is becoming increasingly Christian, there are many who still believe in the old gods. The use of the old place names makes the setting seem more authentic - even though I had to keep turning back to check them against the current place names.

`I sometimes lie awake in the long nights of old age and I think of the mad things I have done, the risks, the dice throws that challenge the gods.'

This is the sixth instalment in The Saxon Stories, and Uhtred is now in his mid-forties. I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Great bloody battles. Utrid's method of solving problems is to kill all his king's enemies; and he does. This one has even less character development and scene setting than the previous books in the Utrid series. But nobody writes battle scenes and fights better than Bernard Cornwell.
MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY: 1969 - Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n Roll, and Football

This story is told in the first person from the words of Uhtred, a fictional character in a non-fictional era. The time is the years surrounding 900 AD when King Alfred ruled all the English speaking lands of what would be present day England. At the same time much of England was ruled by the Pagans, the Danes, who came across the seas in huge warships to plunder and occupy Northern and Central England.

Ironically, Uhtred, was himself a Pagan and worshiped the Pagan Gods. He fell in love with King Alfred's Sister, a Christian, and fought for King Alfred and the Christians. Needless to say, Uhtred was never trusted by the King's priests although he won key battles in defeating the Danes. After Alfred's death, Uhtred continued his loyalty to Alfred's son, Edward.

This is a powerful story of the great battles for England. Uthred fought with two swords, first his long one, "Serpent Breath", was used when he had a lot of room; then he had a shorter one, "Wasp-Sting" which he used behind the shield walls where men fought bloody battles face to face. This was where many battles were won or lost.

This is not just a story of battles, but of the culture of the time, of the hardships that bonded people. This is of a time when a Sorceress, a witch, or a magician could dictate the future or the outcome of a battle just by making up lies. Uhtred was clever, he believed in all Gods, learned from people around him and was a powerful warrior.

I will definitely be waiting to follow him into battle as he protects England and King Edward in Bernard Cornwell's next Saxon Tale.

Bernard Cornwell continues to drawn me in with the sixth of his Saxon Tales. Alfred lies dying, and Wessex is threatened by Danes from the north and traitorous Centish and Mercian Saxons alike. Can Edward hold on to his father's throne?

This book is great for the same reasons that made its predecessors great. By focusing on people -- relationships, institutions and culture -- Cornwell creates a fascinating ninth century English milieu. The stories are action-packed. The plots are complicated and contain well-crafted twists. Uhtred of Bebbanburg, irreverent pagan and pragmatic warrior, makes a great, complex and likeable protagonist and foil to Alfred, whose kingdom and work are at stake. I can't wait for the next one.

The author knows not only his history but how to write it. He also know the struggle between the faiths, which makes for a much deeper story. Thanks, Bernard. You've given hours of great reading and lots to chew on.

Bernard Cornwell shows again that he is the master, once he gets back to his `formula'. His previous book `The Fort' was a disappointment but Bernard shows that it was only an aberration and that he has not lost his touch.

In the `Death of Kings', Lord Uhtred story continues - for those familiar with the Series (this is the sixth), the book will be very enjoyable. However, for those who are looking at this series for the first time, I would caution them from starting with this. The complex background in 900 AD England, the strange sounding names (both people and cities) takes some time to digest.

It is close to 900 AD, and King Alfred of Wessex is dying after reigning for over 28 years. The Danes, who rule much of what will later be England, are waiting eagerly to tear apart King Alfred's Christian kingdom. Uhtred of Bebbanburg returns to the south at King Alfred's request and is asked to negotiate a treaty with King Eohric of East Anglia.

`Every day is ordinary, I thought, until it gets interesting.'

Uhtred has grown to admire Alfred, albeit grudgingly at times, but does not feel the same respect for Alfred's heir, the ætheling Edward. Uhtred knows that Edward mistrusts him and he also knows that battles will need to be fought if the country is to be united. The Danes are not the only enemies: there is also a rival claimant for the throne.

`.., but victory does not come to men who listen to their fears.'

We see a number of different aspects of Uhtred in this novel: the tenderness he feels for King Alfred's daughter Æthelflaed; his delight in annoying the priests who believe that prayer is the path to victory; and his capacity for strategic planning for the battles he knows must be fought. Uhtred may be battle ready and cynical about the role of Christianity but his encounter with a mysterious pagan witch still leaves him shaken.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg is larger than life and while he dominates the story, it fits within what we know of the history. In this blending of history and fiction, Bernard Cornwell brings this period to life. There are reminders that while Alfred's kingdom is becoming increasingly Christian, there are many who still believe in the old gods. The use of the old place names makes the setting seem more authentic - even though I had to keep turning back to check them against the current place names.

`I sometimes lie awake in the long nights of old age and I think of the mad things I have done, the risks, the dice throws that challenge the gods.'

This is the sixth instalment in The Saxon Stories, and Uhtred is now in his mid-forties. I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Great bloody battles. Utrid's method of solving problems is to kill all his king's enemies; and he does. This one has even less character development and scene setting than the previous books in the Utrid series. But nobody writes battle scenes and fights better than Bernard Cornwell.
MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY: 1969 - Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n Roll, and Football

I've never read anything from this author before, but I've really enjoyed the book. It's gritty and a perfect book to snuggle up with in front of a blazing fire for a Saturday read. The characters are realistic and engaging. The plot moves along at a good pace. The only real complaint that I have is that it's written in first person and I really much prefere third-person POV. That is my only complaint about the book...for now. Let me learn a little more about that period in history and maybe things will change.

Bernard Cornwell continues to show he is an author to be reckoned with. His story line is solid and his characters bring life to tale. It takes someone with true talent to capture the reader up front and then hold them throughout the story, wanting to skip ahead to see what happens, but not wanting the story to end.

I am a huge Bernard Cornwell fan. With the exception of the Sharpe series, I've probably read and thoroughly enjoyed at least a dozen of his novels, and certainly all of the Saxon series. I thought The Burning Land (Saxon #5) was terrific and I waited in great anticipation for Uhtred's next adventure. What a disappointment! I can hardly believe that Death of Kings was written by the same author. I'm not going to get into the details of why the book was such a let down; I'll only say that never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect that I wouldn't be able to finish a Cornwell novel. But with Death of Kings, it happened! Please Mr. Cornwell; you are a great author, but if you are tired of this story please move on to something else.

Death of Kings is the first novel I have read by Bernard Cornwill but it won't be the last. The book is well written and the characters come to life right out of the pages of history. This book is great for anyone who loves history or historical fiction.

Holy dialogue tags Batman! Look, I know that it's a petty complaint, but goodness gracious. Mr. Cornwell tags two person conversations ALL the way through. I like the story so far, and I'm really, really trying to simply skip over them. In fact, in most stories that's exactly what happens--I don't even "see" the "he said." But when it is everywhere it is hard (at least for me) to not get bogged down and lose the flow of a story I want to enjoy.

Most writers will lead into a piece of dialogue with an action that negates the tag OR they will tag the dialogue, i.e.:

Frank smiled. "Yeah, I know."

OR

Yeah, I know," said Frank.

Mr. Cornwell is the doing both!

Willibald flapped his hands. "Miracles happen, lord," he said. ????

And the "death by a thousand thesaurus searches" is horrible--How many different ways can you say "said"?

He suggested
I snarled
He hesitated
He started
I retorted
He put in
I suggested
He stopped
He gasped
I shouted
I called
He finished
I asked (In a two person conversation punctuated by a question mark, Who else is asking????).

And what's making it most difficult to skip over is frankly a bit of laziness on the author's part.

"The priest said sharply."
"I said, looking gloomily at the priests."
"Willibald said happily."

Every other good author I've read knows how to write this without a tag. They slip in a facial expression, hand gesture, grunt, or some other action that not only let's me know who is about to speak but how the person said what they said without tossing in "he said gloomily."

Like I said. It's petty, I said with a sigh. But when it's everywhere, I groaned noisily. It starts to suck, I lamented.

Mr. Cornwell continues the admired book series of how Saxons became an integral part of the English culture and it's history. As always, he fluidly mixes historical facts with pulse quickening fiction and expertly described battle scenes to the great pleasure of us who are his fans. [[ASIN:0060887184 The Last Kingdom [(The Saxon Chronicles Series #1)].

This is book 6 in the Saxon series and I ordered it not knowing this. I immediately ordered the other books and decided to go ahead and read this one first since I had no other reading material. I gave it up at page 92...something I NEVER do. I have now cancelled my order of books 1-5.

I just finished "Death of kings" today and it was classic Cornwell. I cannot wait for the next in the series. If you are a Cornwell fan you will not be disappointed. if you are new to the Author, you will be hooked.

I must admit that by 100 pages I was awash in names and places that seemed almost the same. The plot for me never really seemed to get going; the characters always seemed to be sitting around and plotting and making my head spin. Plus the anti-Christian undertone was a turn off. If you want to read good Cornwell, stick to the Sharpe series.

It was a great book that lived up to the high expectations. I have read all but the first book in the series and all have been an amazing blend of action, intrigue and facts which help bring the age of the vikings to life.

All six books on this series are great. Mr. Cornwell really knows his job and makes historical fiction something "real" and the characters just get better. You learn a lot about the dark ages and laugh loud late in the night when reading his books (although my wife does not enjoy that), such a great humour sense. Really looking forward for the next on the series!

I have read many books by Cornwell and find most of them 4 and 5 star reads. HIs trilogy on King Arthur is creative and profound. I have thrilled at parts of the Saxon Chonicles and the exploits of Utred, but Death of Kings was brief and contributed little to the series. I down loaded the book for free so have little to complain about, but would have felt ripped off if I paid 10 bucks or more for the book.

This has been a wonderful series. Historical perspective and lifestyle descriptions when woven into a story well told is a real treat. The only problem is that the series climax has been foretold. It will be interesting to see how Uhtred's return to Bebbanburg is accomplished. I only wish the questions was "if" and not "how". Minor problem though. Cannot wait.

this one starts out kinda slow but has a great ending! just like all of Bernard Cornwall's books. I can't wait to finish the Saxon tales series, I haven't been able to stop reading since I started this series!!!

Recommended to fans of English military history and historical fiction regarding the birth of the country. It is easy to identify with uhtred the main character who has the most sense but has real trouble getting his superiors to listen.

Yet Mr. Cornwell does not fail to please in regards to English histical fiction. Uhtred appears to begraying a bit at the edges, as we all do, no? Yet his experience and cunning make up for what he may be beginning to lose physically. So looking forward to the next two or three(dare I hope more?) in the series. Wyrd bith ful araed

I wrote the same review for "The Pagan Lord" by Cornwell: Finally got a Kindle so I got most of this 7-book series from the library. This is one of the last two in the series and the library didn't have it so I had to buy it. If you're interested in this book I would strongly suggest you start the series w/book one. They can be hard to follow otherwise because you lack the history and get lost in some of the weirdly spelled names. Bernard Cornwell is a terrific writer. You come away feeling like you know something about the period of time the books are staged in. His characters are interested and well developed. He has several other series as well.

The latest in the Saxon series and it is a smashing, bashing, stabbing action-adventure story. Uhtred the good guy fights off various Danish bad guys during the times of King Alfred’s death in 899 AD. Entertaining and a good read. There is a bit of suspense about who is going to die other than King Alfred. The author’s note on the history sounds ok and that makes me want to learn about those times. This kind of book is just for a week end’s reading.

Bernard Cornwell continues to show he is an author to be reckoned with. His story line is solid and his characters bring life to tale. It takes someone with true talent to capture the reader up front and then hold them throughout the story, wanting to skip ahead to see what happens, but not wanting the story to end.