In this third volume of the Saxon series, Cornwell shows us that Uhtred's path towards his unknown destiny will not be smooth. Coming off his victory over the Danes in a critical battle, he heads north toward his homeland, where he was captured as a boy and raised by the Danes. In an encounter with an old enemy, he frees a group of people about to be sold into slavery, and one of them turns out to be a Dane who announces he is a king, named Guthred. Uhtred finds Guthred immediately likeable and allies himself to him, in hopes it will eventually help him take back his home fort, Begganburg, from his usurping uncle.

But it won't work out that smoothly, and the rest of this book lays out Uhtred's betrayal, his resurrection, meeting an old and dear friend, and crafting a military campaign that helps him assert more control over Northumbria. In the process, he will have to ally himself once again to the Saxon King Alfred, but he will also meet his true love ...

On to the next ....

Someday this will make it into film. It has miniseries written all over it.