Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Cornwell (The Empty Throne, 2015) continues his epic rendering of the long and brutal path toward the unification of Britain, in appropriately bloody fashion. As in the previous eight installments of the Saxon Tales, the indomitable Uhtred of Bebbanburg narrates as he moves from one spectacular battle to the next. Though the late King Alfred's son, Edward, rules Wessex and East Anglia, and his daughter, Aethelflaed, holds a tenuous grip on Mercia, with Uhtred's assistance in the north, the Vikings are not content with the status quo. When Uhtred's old enemy, Ragnall the Cruel, cobbles together a formidable coalition of Vikings, Irishmen, and Northumbrians, Uhtred, despite his somewhat divided loyalties, reacts to the threat of invasion in order to preserve the Saxon strongholds. Though this is a Cornwell novel and, therefore, the combat scenes are paramount, the tangled politics and social mores of the day are intricately interwoven into the plot, placing the frenzied action firmly into historical context.--Flanagan, Margaret Copyright 2015 Booklist

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

"Englaland" [sic], King Alfred once said, "will be God's land," but first the Norse and the Danes, worshippers of the old gods, must be banished, a bloody struggle Cornwell (The Empty Throne, 2015, etc.) chronicles in the ninth of his Saxon series. This tale's a continuous barrage of battles, interspersed with political, social, and religious intrigue. In the 10th century, Saxon King Edward (Alfred's son) rules Wessex and East Anglia. Mercia is ruled by Edward's sister, Lady thelflaed. Between those three regions and wild Scotland is Northumbria, controlled by Norsemen and Danes. Edward is cautious, unwilling yet to move north. The more adventurous Lady thelflaed's being prodded by her ally Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg, whose northern lands are held by the invaders. Wielding his sword, Serpent-Breath, Uhtred speeds to battle when Ragnall the Cruel, leading Norsemen, Danes, and Irish, sails up the River Mrse. Ragnall intends to conquer and unite the four kingdoms. Thus begin battles large and small, culminating at Hrothwulf's Farm. (Cornwell includes a map and place name index.) Uhtred, always attacking at "wolf-light," the mist-riven pre-dawn hours, has grown into a multidimensional character, and Cornwell's vivid descriptions do justice to the sceptered isle. Beyond the sword and shield are interesting themes about political expediency, personal loyalty, and the complicated confrontations between early Christians and worshippers of pagan gods. Cornwell's archaic curses are fun"a useless lump of self-important gristle"and there's more than one colorful factoidbleached skulls on ramparts become a fear-inspiring "ghost fence." As usual, Cornwell's research gives the book veracity, and his rendering of the tale from Uthred's point of view allows immersion into the complex story of how disparate kingdoms became England. Cornwell's latest is often bloody, sometimes ribald, but always smartly done. Fans might be disappointed with this effort's brevity, though, and new readers will be better served by beginning at the start of the series (The Last Kingdom, 2005). Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Library Journal
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The irascible and combative Uhtred Uhtredson returns in the ninth book (after The Empty Throne) of Cornwell's historical series set in a fractured ninth-century England. The aging Saxon warrior is surprised by a Norse attack from across the Irish Sea. Worse, he learns that a former lover has allied with the invader, Ragnall Ivarson: the latter wants a kingdom, and the former to annihilate Uhtred and his grown children. Threaded throughout is the nascent Celtic Christianity, and how it melds or conflicts with the old religious ways. The desire to create (or prevent) a unified England under Edward of Wessex is behind much of the maneuvering, too. Uhtred uses all of his martial prowess, wits, and gut instinct to save his offspring and the future of his land. VERDICT Cornwell again offers an exciting and tricky retelling of history from the standpoint of a colorful warrior lord. Historical fiction fans, especially of this period, as well as viewers of BBC America's The Last Kingdom (based on this series) will want to read the entire set. [See Prepub Alert, 7/27/15.]-W. Keith McCoy, Somerset Cty. Lib. Syst., Bridgewater, NJ © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.