War Lord

The Last Kingdom #13

by Bernard Cornwell

IN THE FINAL RECKONING, CHOOSE YOUR SIDE CAREFULLY…

The epic conclusion to the globally bestselling historical series.

After years fighting to reclaim his rightful home, Uhtred of Bebbanburg has returned to Northumbria. With his loyal band of warriors and a new woman by his side, his household is secure – yet Uhtred is far from safe. Beyond the walls of his impregnable fortress, a battle for power rages.

To the south, King Æthelstan has unified the three kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia – and now eyes a bigger prize. To the north, King Constantine and other Scottish and Irish leaders seek to extend their borders and expand their dominion.

Caught in the eye of the storm is Uhtred. Threatened and bribed by all sides, he faces an impossible choice: stay out of the struggle, risking his freedom, or throw himself into the cauldron of war and the most terrible battle Britain has ever experienced. Only fate can decide the outcome.

The epic story of how England was made concludes in WAR LORD, the magnificent finale to the Last Kingdom series.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, War, Adventure, Fantasy

333 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2020

About the author

Cornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his birth mother's maiden name, Cornwell.

Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.

He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.

As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.

Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.

Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.

After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.

A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.

In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.

Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

It’s over. I finally finished The Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell, and it was an impressive conclusion.

It was one of my goals to begin and finish The Last Kingdom series. I’ve made it my goal to read one book within this series per month; I read two books in January, and by following this schedule, I should be done with the series by December. And here we are. I’ve finished all thirteen books in the series, and despite several issues I have with the series, I must admit that this conclusion was satisfying. It made the journey worthwhile.

War Lord is the final book in The Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell, and it depicted the first forming of England in history and Uthred’s role in its creation. Uthred is once again, surprising absolutely no one, caught in the eye of the storm and conflict in the battle for England. Every side wanted Uthred to fight for them, and Uthred has the option to stay out of the struggle or join the battle. Guess which one he chose? He didn’t earn the title War Lord for nothing. So in a way, this is again another repetitive storytelling formula used by Cornwell to conclude the series.

But unlike Sword of Kings, which I complained a lot about, despite its formulaic storytelling structure and outcome, War Lord has a sense of progression in the story and characters. I mean, this is the final book in the series, and Cornwell can’t write another filler installment anymore, and I’m thankful for it. Having some of my beloved supporting characters in the series made a return one last time to conclude the series made a huge difference; it felt like I was reading the great first half of the series again. Not only does Cornwell often neglect to mention these characters, but his tendency to kill his characters offscreen—one of my biggest issues with the series—has led me to think that these supporting characters won’t appear again. I’m so glad to be proven wrong. The character’s motivations suddenly felt more real again, and the character’s interactions and the passing of time felt more believable.

I don’t have anything left to say. If you take a look at my reviews on the second half of the series, you’ll notice just how repetitive my review throughout the series is, but can you blame me? I don’t think anyone can write a spoiler-free review for each book in the series without repeating themselves constantly. I know for a fact that many readers don’t even know which book tells which story anymore because they blend in with one another so much. I honestly think this series would’ve been more amazing if it’s re-edited to end at the eighth or, at most, tenth installment. But that’s just me, and seeing the immensely high average ratings for the series, I’m sure I’m on the unpopular opinion side with these thoughts.

Overall, War Lord is a satisfying and exciting final book to conclude Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series. I personally think that The Warlord Chronicles trilogy by Cornwell is a superior series in comparison. Also, many people have asked me whether they should watch the TV show adaptation or read the books, and despite War Lord being the best installment of the series, I still honestly prefer the TV show adaptation over the books, and that’s what I’d recommend if you have to choose. Goodbye, Uthred. The journey isn’t all smooth, but I definitely will miss your voice.

Destiny is all.


Series review:

The Last Kingdom: 4/5 stars
The Pale Horseman: 4/5 stars
The Lords of the North: 3.5/5 stars
Sword Song: 4/5 stars
The Burning Land: 4/5 stars
Death of Kings: 4/5 stars
The Pagan Lord: 3/5 stars
The Empty Throne: 4/5 stars
Warriors of the Storm: 4/5 stars
The Flame Bearer: 3/5 stars
War of the Wolf: 4/5 stars
Sword of Kings: 1.5/5 stars
War Lord: 4.5/5 stars

The Last Kingdom: 47.5/65 stars

You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!

My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Oliver, ReignBro, Reno, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! He dedicated this book to Alexander 😫





I loved it so much!! I’m going to miss you guys, but I can read you over and over!! I’ll love y’all forever!!





Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect ending to the Saxon Chronicles. Beautifully written and an emotional farewell to some of historical fiction's greatest characters. FRTC.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the last book in the Saxon Stories. In this book, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, fights at the Battle of Brunanburh. The author believes that this significant battle laid the foundation for modern England. While Uhtred is a fictional character, there was an actual battle at this site. Athelstan, monarch of the kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia, defeated an army led by Anlaf Guthfrithson, King of Dyflin in Ireland, and by Constantine of Scotland. They were joined by the men of Strath Clota, by the Norse warriors of what are now the Orkneys and the Hebrides, and by sympathetic Norseman of Nothrumbria.
This is evidently the last book in the series, and like my Goodreads friend Rob, I am sad to see it end. Cornwell writes such vivid battle scenes that is as if you have a front row seat.
I read this library book in 3 days.
Uhtred was being raised as a Christian, until he was 8. But his father was killed in a Viking raid, and his father's killer took a liking to Uhtred and adopted him. So Uhtred believes in Norse gods.
Two quotes: Uhtred; "We look for omens. Even Christians search the world for such signs. We watch the flight of birds, fear the fall of a branch, look for the wind's pattern on water, draw breath at a vixen's cry, and touch our amulets when a harp string snaps, but omens are hard to read unless the gods decide to make their message plain."
Conversation between Uhtred and a priest: "Swithun opened the small box reverently. 'It is the toenail of Lazarus, whom our Lord rose from the dead."
"I'll swear it on your toenails, " I said, "but you won't believe a pagan's oath so I wonder why you bothered to come at all?"

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

While War Lord may not be the best entry in Bernard Cornwell's Last Kingdom series it is still a strong novel.
As always there are epic battles, excellent characters and even a touch of humour here and there. After 13 wonderful stories, brilliantly mixing fact and fiction, I will very much miss the adventures of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. However, I knew that it had to end one day. After all, Wyrd bio ful araed.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not ashamed to admit… I fell in love with The Last Kingdom show on Netflix. Alexander Dreymon. Need I say more? But after devouring the first few seasons, I realized I had to read the book series, because the book is ALWAYS better.

I listened to this entire series via audiobook, and although I wish they all had the same narrator (to pronounce things properly and consistently), I still adored this amazing series.

From the first chapter Uhtred, Son of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, commanded my attention. A young Saxon boy, raised by Danish Vikings, grows to love his lively Pagan upbringing and yet still respects the training and order of the Saxons.

It’s difficult to describe all of my favorite aspects of Uhtred’s journey. But overall the importance of honor, dedication to family, loyalty, and retribution are a few. Not to mention the incredible cast of side characters, especially Finan, Leofric, Steapa, Ragnar, Gisela, Stiorra, and Bernadetta. This is historical fiction at it’s best, and at times I thought I was reading fantasy because of the elements of Norse and Celtic mythology, and the way it’s just so beautifully written. It should go without saying, Bernard Cornwell’s battle scenes are extraordinary. I still get goosebumps and probably always will, whenever I hear or think of a “SHIELD WALL!”

Not to be dramatic, but finally finishing this series feels like I’ve closed a chapter in my life and almost like I lost a family member. Hands down, another all time favorite series. I might even need to buy a Thor’s hammer necklace, in honor of Uhtred.

“Wyrd bið ful āræd. Fate is inexorable.”

[H (no longer expecting notifications) Balikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prologue
I read this book a short time ago. Some might question why I am reading it again so soon. The questioners would not include a significant group of my GR Friends and most particularly, Marta. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The simple explanation is that I wanted to hear it brought to life by Matt Bates, who has done such brilliant work in bringing an extra dimension to this series. There was not a moment of disappointment. See below at * for a discussion of that “extra dimension.”

Cornwell (as you will read) has known from the start what he wanted to accomplish with these historical novels and he has achieve a visceral experience of what it must have been to live in that place during those events that led (not inevitably) to the creation of England.

From before he started writing The Last Kingdom, Bernard Cornwell
- has shown a sure hand with the voice of his protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg;
- has dug through the bits and pieces of chronicles to weave a coherent narrative of this period;
- channels the natures of the various peoples and their leaders into dialogue that just pops with wit and passion;
- provides understandable motivation for a host of characters;
- does not give all the good lines to Uhtred but makes him age in his speech and thoughts that explain his insights and his blind spots and his cognitive challenges;
- provides (for me) the perfect companion to Uhtred in Finan who is loyal and fierce and full of humor and life; and,
- gives the audio book a rare extra dimension that make for rapt listening

"“Are you a king?” I asked.
He laughed. “I am Ravn,” he said, “and once I was an earl and a warrior, but now I am blind so I am no use to anyone. They should beat me over the head with a cudgel and send me on my way to the nether-world.”
I said nothing to that because I did not know what to say.
“But I try to be useful,” Ravn went on, his hands groping for bread. “I speak your language and the language of the Britons and the tongue of the Wends and the speech of the Frisians and that of the Franks. Language is now my trade, boy, because I have become a skald.”
“A skald?”
“A scop, you would call me. A poet, a weaver of dreams, a man who makes glory from nothing and dazzles you with its making. And my job now is to tell this day’s tale in such a way that men will never forget our great deeds.”"

REVIEW

Many of us who have followed this massive and engaging saga have wondered how it would conclude. Cornwell has placed Bebbanberg between two giant ambitions, that of a newly constituted Christian south and the ambitious King of Scotland to the north. Northumbria is the grist between two mill wheels and Bebbanberg is the key to either side’s success. How will Uhtred be able to survive?

This book is a clash of Kings (five, six or seven depending on how you count them) and Uhtred is at his best and worst as he frantically tries to outrun the “fate” that he believes will take all he has worked to achieve. Each of the Kings wants something of him and offers something to him. Can he trust any of them? His experience tells him not to. Can any alliance not put him and his precious Bebbanberg at risk from the others? It is only by going back over the previous books that I can understand the warp and the woof that Cornwell had established from the start when all the remaining Saxons came within a hair’s breadth of becoming vassals of the Norse and Danes.

* The arc of this series is how Alfred the Great and, later, his grandson have attempted to realize the unification of “kingdoms” to form what became known as England. After a dozen books covering many decades, this has not been fully realized and Uhtred’s Northumbria is a “piece in play.” Uhtred only wants his Bebbanberg to endure and when he is “invited” to a gathering of kings he knows that if he doesn’t go, they will make decisions without him that will determine his future. So he goes. When he arrives at the encampment and his encounters over the next 24 hours run through a wild mélange of human emotions involving Uhtred, Finnan, King Athelstan, King Hewell, a courtier named “Freckles,” and many others. Bates keeps the voices separate and distinct and endows them with the anger, cunning, humor and distrust that makes each one unique and discernable.

You must judge whether this was the point to which Cornwell should have brought us. As for me, I am content, happy and amazed at this epic.





As a final note, I will leave you with this wonderful quote from The Last Kingdom:

"These days, so long after that battle at Cynuit, I employ a harpist. He is an old Welshman, blind, but very skillful, and he often sings tales of his ancestors.
He likes to sing of Arthur and Guinevere, of how Arthur slaughtered the English, but he takes care not to let me hear those songs, instead praising me and my battles with outrageous flattery by singing the words of my poets who describe me as Uhtred Strong-Sword or Uhtred Death-Giver or Uhtred the Beneficent.
I sometimes see the old blind man smiling to himself as his hands pluck the strings and I have more sympathy with his skepticism than I do with the poets who are a pack of sniveling sycophants."


It’s been a long journey:
The Last Kingdom
The Pale Horseman
The Lords of the North
Sword Song
The Burning Land
Death of Kings
The Pagan Lord
The Empty Throne
Warriors of the Storm
The Flame Bearer
War of the Wolf
Sword of Kings
War Lord


But a very enlightening one. Cornwell deserves the 5 star rating for this series, one that brings the full measure of England’s emergence from a clash of Danes, Franks, Saxons, Celts, Norse, Scots and the Irish. A tremendous vision, well executed.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

the battle that created England

⚔️ I binged on the Netflix series last fall, my sword bright in the dawn, but then discovered the producers of The Last Kingdom had used volumes 1-10 primarily, but not 11, 12 or 13, so now here I am, sword drawn once again, to read the story to its ultimate conclusion.

⚔️Before the battle that is the climax of War Lord, what is now England was still divided into several kingdoms. The 10th century battle dramatized here ended the era of the separate kingdoms and made England one country. The battle Cornwell describes is huge.

⚔️In that respect the brutality in the text matches the fighting brutality you see in the Netflix show. The shock is that suddenly our hero is not in his 20s 30s 40s or even 50s, but in his 60s or 70s, yet still fit and well-muscled and roaring like a Lion.

⚔️What I did miss was fiery romance. None of that here.

⚔️A fast-paced tale. Too much reliance on he growled he snarled he growled he snarled he growled he snarled. That’s what happens when you have so much to write. Cheers, Mr. Cornwell!🍻

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 13 and the last book in the Last kingdom series published 2020.

This could only be 5 stars.

This was a thrilling conclusion to a highly memorable series.

Right from the start when Uhtred was still a very young boy and he was captured by the Vikings, a prisoner to begin with, but soon to be the adopted son of one of their most powerful War Lords, Uhtred has had only one driving obsession and that was to take back his ancestral home of Bebbanburg from his lying, thieving uncle.
Now many years later his fight is how to maintain his independence in Northumbria from King Æthelstan who also has an obsession and that is to see his grandfather’s dream of an united England come true.
But the Scots to the north also have their eyes set on making Northumbria their own.
So Uhtred now finds himself being the meat in the sandwich. There is an army of Scots descending from the north and a Saxon army ascending from the south both armies with one purpose only, to make Northumbria their own.
Being nobodies fool Uhtred knows there is no way he can face two over whelming armies and come out the winner. He has to choose a side to align with but no matter which way he goes he realises that his home of Bebbanberg and his country of Northumbria will truly never be his again.
So here I am again standing side by side with Uhtred and Finan a they fight their last fight for all the wrong reasons.

So last but not least my thanks go to the author Bernard Cornwell for educating and thrilling me for the last sixteen years, 2004 to 2020. It’s been one hell of a journey.

Highly recommended

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an other great book in this series. I recommend all of this authors works.

[Sarah Mazza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I would be sad when the Saxon Stories came to an end. It is the only series where I eagerly waited for the next release every December. This conclusion was so satisfying that I don’t even mind that such a beautiful thing has concluded, mostly because I know I will reread this series again and again and it will never truly be over.

Mostly, I love the way that Uhtred has changed and grown over the years/books, from a landless and arrogant young man, into a warlord and leader that is more wise than impulsive. His strength and unyielding mindset stay with him the entire way.

The plotline in each of these books is very clever, with unexpected surprises along the way, and this final installment is no different. Bernard Cornwell managed to wrap up the series in a brilliant way, actually drawing a couple of tears from me at one point. I look forward to starting the series from the beginning, and enjoying each stage in Uhtred’s life all over again.

[Javir11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

8.5/10

Pues por fin llegó el final de esta saga épica que me ha acompañado y entretenido los últimos 12-14 años. Cuando me adentré en ella nunca pensé que este iba a ser un viaje tan largo y que a pesar de su argumento algo repetitivo, la iba a disfrutar tanto. Gracias a Bernard Cornwell y al gran Uhtred de Bebbanburg, siempre tendréis un hueco dentro de mi corazoncito lector.

Con respecto a la novela en sí, pues lo cierto es que la he disfrutado bastante, supongo que ser consciente de que iba a ser la última, ha hecho que la apreciara más y no quisiera que el final llegara, pero como todo en la vida llegó.

Lo que más me ha gustado de ella es ver a un Uhtred más maduro y por fin consciente de su edad, un anciano para aquella época, rehuyendo la batalla y los muros de escudos, con temor y respeto a una muerte a la que ha esquivado tantas veces. Es algo que en algunas novelas he echado en falta, un protagonista más humano y menos super heroico. La trama a pesar de sus vaivenes me ha gustado y me ha parecido mejor trabajada que novelas anteriores, esta todo muy bien hilvanado para el cenit final. Los personajes están muy bien en general, tanto los más protagonistas, Finnan también te echaré de menos, como los más secundarios, ha sido genial volver a saber del gran Steapa. El desenlace cumplió mis expectativas, repleto de acción y con una gran batalla bien narrada, en eso Cornwell es un maestro, y que no se hizo demasiado larga.

En el aspecto negativo, la verdad es que hay poco que decir, si noté algo destacable para mal, mi vena sentimental lo enterró detrás de un muro de escudos, y como Uhtred, ya estoy mayor para meterme en jaleos de ese estilo.

Resumiendo, final de una saga sobre como se creo Inglaterra, escrita por un tipo que no será el mejor escritor del mundo, pero que sabe contar historias repletas de acción y que además domina como pocos la historia británica. Recomendable si te gusta la novela histórica y quieres descubrir un periodo bastante desconocido en general.

[Clemens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantastic novel is the 13th and final instalment of the amazing "The Last Kingdom" series, from the acclaimed author, Bernard Cornwell.

At the beginning of the book you'll find a List of Place Names concerning this historical tale, and a well-drawn map of Northumbria and its surrounding countries, and those countries will play a magnificent part, especially Northumbria, in this terrific story.

At the back of the book you'll notice an Author's Note and Historical Note, where the historical details concerning this cracking story a superbly documented and explained by the author.

Story-telling is as ever of a top-notch quality from this author, the atmosphere, living conditions, and hostile surroundings in and out of Northumbria come superbly off the pages, while all characters, whether real historical or wonderful fictional, come vividly to life within this wonderful tale about history in the making.

The book is divided into three parts, and we find ourselves at the hand of our protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, beginning with the year AD 924 and that will finally end until the year AD 937.

In part one everything is set for the confrontation to come, and where all parties are searching for allies and enemies for the ultimate prize that is Northumbria, and all that in an effort to establish the strengths and weaknesses of each adversary, and those parties are, King Athelstan of Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia, assisted by Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his Wolves, and King Hywel of Dyfed, against his counterpart King Constantine of Alba (Scotland), assisted by forces from Strath Clota, King Anlaf of Dyflin and several other mercenaries from the Hebrides and Orkney Islands.

What will follow in parts two and three is a gripping and thrilling historical story, with loyalty, backstabbing, fame, disaster, political intrigue and the ultimate glory at the final great battle at Brunanburh in AD 937, the place where it will be decided whether King Athelstan, with the immense help of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, can finally establish his grandfather's ultimate goal, being the creation of one Englaland.

Highly recommended, for this is an excellent finale of a fantastic series in which we say goodbye to Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his Wolves, and to highlight this fact I would like to call this last episode as: "A Fabulous Conclusion Towards Creation Eng(la)land"!

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernard Cornwell at his best!

This was perfect conclusion to my favorite historical series. 13th book in the series and it still kept me on the edge od my seat. No one can write historical action fiction better than Mr.Cornwell!

I loved it and I definitely plan to re-read it in the future.

[Uhtred · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe it's all over. I have read the thirteenth and final book of the Uhtred saga. How sad I am…..
How sad I am to know that I won't read more of his adventurous life, of his amazing deeds. That I will no longer imagine waving his wolf-headed war banner; that I won't see him use Wasp Sting or Serpent Breath again. Of course, I will be able to re-read his books, but now I can only imagine him on the ramparts of Bebbanburg as he scans the sea, knowing that England is now born and that it will no longer be necessary for him to fight in shield walls. In this last chapter of his story, Uhtred is an old warrior (perhaps in his fifties?) but he fights his last battle like a true Viking, with his Mjiollnir around his neck. Finan, the Irishman, has always been with him, for many seasons now, and everything takes place as usual in Cornwell's books, that is, there are phases of explanation, phases of real life, phases of bloody battle. So, everything as expected, no disappointments. Uhtred is a certainty. It seems like yesterday when I met him as a child, when his father was killed by the Danish Vikings and he was kidnapped by them. Who raised him as a real Viking, making him what he has become. The story of Uhtred, who is obviously a fictional character, intertwines with the true story of the birth of England, with the story of Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, and his ambition to unite all English speakers in one kingdom.
Uhtred was the son of a Saxon lord who ruled from the fortress of Bebbanburg in Northumbria. Danish Vikings killed his father when he was a small boy of 6 or 7 years old. The lord of the Vikings, Ragnar the Fearless, was amused when the child attacked him with a small wooden sword and recognizing in him the soul of a warrior, he took the boy with him and raised him as one of his own children. Uhtred therefore grows pagan, together with Thor, Odin, the Norns and all the other elements of the Viking cosmogony. In all the books of the saga there is the famous phrase that has become his motto, i.e. "Wyrd bið ful āræd" ("Fate is inexorable").
When he is an adult, fate leads him to serve Alfred the Great, whom he respects but not esteem, to help him fight to unify England. Uhtred thus finds himself saving Alfred's Christian kingdom of Wessex from the Danish Vikings, despite the fact that he feels more Danish than Saxon.
However, Uhtred's main objective remains that of reconquering Bebbanburg, which in the meantime had been taken by his uncle, an odious man, and in short, the whole saga revolves around these two great objectives, the unification of England and the reconquest of Bebbanburg. Really a beautiful saga, masterfully written and full of mythical characters, first of all of course Uhtred. Five stars, only because I can't give six.

[Ace · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to write this without spoilers? Well I guess you can't change history, but you can certainly jazz it up. Bernard Cornwell is simply a gifted storyteller and with his mighty Parker-Serpent Breath-Pen he has shaped these chronicles to bring us the bravest and the cleverest sword wielding hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

This series been the highlight of my reading year over the last decade or so. I have eagerly awaited each instalment and am always enthralled when I finally read it. I will admit to shedding a few tears this morning and am grateful to both Uhtred and Mr Cornwell for bringing me such reading excitement and pleasure.

5 stars of course.

[Zahra · Rating 4 out of 5]

این مجموعه هم تموم شد و چه پایانی!! واقعا در خور این مجموعه بود که با نبرد برونانبور تموم بشه. یه نبرد خونین که میشه گفت باعث بوجود اومدن انگلستان متحد شد. متاسفانه این نبرد با وجود مهم بودن و عظیم بودنش، یه نبرد فراموش شده محسوب میشه و حتی محلی هم که اتفاق افتاده. مشخص نیست. یه پنج شیش تا محل رو در نظر دارن تاریخ دان ها ولی هیچکدوم صد در صد محل اصلی نیستن.
و اما درباره خود مجموعه باید بگم که به هرکسی که دوست داره درباره تاریخ انگلستان و وایکینگ ها بخونه پیشنهادش میکنم. توصیفات کرنول فوق العادس. از بوی پهن و خون و عرق و زوال تدریجی همه چیز تو قرون وسطی و فساد وحشتناک کلیسا و زندگی و بدبختی رعایا گرفته تا سفرهای دریایی و مارش نظامی و جنگ سپرها!! کرنول جوری توصیف می‌کنه که انگار خودمون همون لحظه همراه کاراکترهاشیم!! داستان، جنگ های مهم و شخصیت های واقعی زیادی داره اما صد در صد به تاریخ وفادار نیست. کتاب هایی که زمان سلطنت آلفرد هستن از همه بیشتر به تاریخ نزدیکن احتمالا چون از زندگی آلفرد منابع تاریخی بیشتری باقی مونده درحالی که از سلطنت ادوارد و اثلستان (خصوصاً ادوارد) چیز زیادی در دسترس نیست. ولی با این وجود بازم این مجموعه برای آشنایی کلی با یه دوره‌ای از تاریخ انگلستان که احتمالا تو خود انگلیس هم خیلی معروف نیست، اطلاعات خیلی خوبی میده و از همه مهمتر اینه که تعادل بین واقعیت و داستان رو خوب حفظ کرده و کشش زیادی داره. از همین الان دلم برای کاراکترهاش داره تنگ میشه😭
پ.ن۱: بنظرم سریال و کتاب ها رو باید دوتا داستان جدا در نظر گرفت و هرکدوم بجای خودشون قشنگن و خیلی همدیگه رو اسپویل نمیکنن.
پ.ن۲: مثل اینکه از زمان هنری دوم دیگه همه شاه ها و ملکه های انگلستان از نسل آلفرد و خاندان وسکس میشن. حس لاکچری‌ای داره آدم شجره نامه خاندانش رو از قرن شیش میلادی (دوازده تا شاه وسکس قبل از آلفرد) بدونه.

[Dana Ilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

War Lord is the final triumphant book in the series and it isn’t a spoiler to say that Uhtred ends it sitting victorious in his beloved castle of Bebbanburg. Since the very first novel, we have known that he would live to the close; he is an old man from that first moment, narrating the story of his life. So in a very real way, we readers are like Uhtred’s men; we know what is coming, but we are transfixed anyway. Cornwell’s strength as an author is building a world so realistic, and characters so real, that even armed with the knowledge we have, the suspense never really goes away.
War Lord concerns the build up to the Battle of Brunanburh in 937AD, and of course the battle itself. Brunanburh was a battle that was for many generations after called The Great Battle, until memory faded and until very recently, historians haven’t even been sure where the battle actually took place. What is fascinating about the Brunanburh is that the battle really defined the countries that still exist today: England, Scotland and Wales. It is an incredibly important piece of history that was all but forgotten. Cornwell has always been leading up to Brunanburh with his Uhtred story; from the very first mentions of a united England made by King Alfred back in the earliest books, it was always going to come to this.

War Lord is, of all 13 volumes, the most heavy on the battle content; much of the plot involves getting all of the pieces into place for Brunanburh, and admittedly that can weigh quite heavily at times. There have always been a lot of names in the series, but this time round there felt like even more who were key to have a handle on. All of this came at the expense of some of the character moments that have really defined Uhtred and his companions. The moments we do see –such as Uhtred and his ever faithful Finan discussing old age or Uhtred’s defence of his little ward –are great, and I wish there could have been more of them. Uhtred hasn’t gone soft in his old age, but he has softened, and if War Lord is lacking one thing, it’s a bit more of the personal.



Cornwell’s grasp of the history, and the way he blends it into his novels, has always been his strength. The period of time that this series covers, with War Lord ending in 938, is one that is neglected in British history lessons, and by creators in general. Schools would have you believe that the Romans left and then nothing happened in the vast expanse of time before William the Conqueror turned up in 1066. What books like War Lord, and authors like Cornwell do, is show us that there is a lot we don’t know.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually a 10 star read for me. I am heartbroken that it is the last book of the series but what an amazing finish. Cornwall gave us such a fitting end that tied the series together beautifully. The Last Kingdom, the first book in the series, had one of my favorite scenes in a book ever. Alfred the Great and Uhtred held a small piece of a marsh and it was all that was left of England as we know it now. How they fought their way way out just captivated my imagination. This book ties back to that scene and what Alfred's grandson was able to accomplish.

Uhtred is old now (maybe 50) and has achieved his life's ambition of taking back the family fortress of Bebbanburg (no spoiler- it was in the last book). He is content to live out his days at home with his lady and old friends. But Aethelstan, Alfred's grandson, has other ambitions and Uhtred is drawn back into the fray. The story culminates at the Battle of Brunanburh. At first I thought Cornwall made it up because it was so good and tied up so many loose ends. But no, it is a real battle and Cornwall is such a brilliant writer of historical fiction that he made his story fit into historical accuracy. Why the Battle of Brunanburh is not a national holiday is beyond me. Without this battle there would be no England and yet it is largely unheralded. It's a shame.

This entire series has been a real history lesson for me. I knew nothing about this time period and I have learned so much. It has been a real eye opener. Historical authors should read this series about how to write really good historical fiction. It is a masters class in writing. If you have not read this series then do yourself a favor and start reading. You will not be disappointed.

I can not thank NetGalley enough for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and delighted review. Mostly I want to thank Bernard Cornwell for giving me such a wonderful series and a great character of Uhtred. Thank you.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back-to-back Last in the series reads……

Before I start I must say this is a series ive mostly enjoyed although I do feel its been over long after the grand adventure & excitement of the opening books. I also feel that after Alfred exited, the series lost a great character (as a foil) for Uhtred. So although I will miss the series I think it’s not before time that we come to the end…..

Aftermath…… It all came together in the end, as we knew it would one day, with King Athelstan of Wessex, Mercia & East Anglia moving to bring Northumberland into the fold to create England as we still know it. This book brings all the main players to the table be they the Welsh, the Scots, the Vikings in Cumbria, More Norse in Ireland the Orkneys & York, King Athelstan & finally Uhtred himself who controlled the piece that everyone desired, that of the fortress of Bebbanburg.

Not going to go into any detail…… have to say I found it decidedly ordinary, which means standard fare/formulae for a book in this series where perhaps I was expecting summit different, or out of the ordinary for the finale which we certainly didn’t get. In that I was disappointed. It did though give a satisfactory conclusion to the series but when I think back on the series as a whole, this book could have come a lot sooner for sure but I guess the author had waaaaaay too much fun with Uhtred & jus didn’t want to let go…..

3.5 stars jus rounded upto a four, the whole series I’d weigh in with a solid four which was balanced on a lot of earlier books being straight 5’s whilst the later hitting the 3’s for the most part.

[James Tivendale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Warrior. Pagan. Legend. War Lord. During his twilight years, he rests behind the castle's mighty walls with his partner, Benedetta, his warrior companions (including the formidable Irish swordsman Finan), and his subjects. The restful and uneventful air surrounding Bebbanburg is pierced by two foreboding omens: a dragon flying south and a star falling. A struggle is coming, an altercation with consequences that will be felt for a significant time. At the centre of events will be an elderly Uhtred. Respected and feared by those on both sides of the strife and the most experienced warrior living, Uhtred knows that he has to grant his allegiance to one side and that his influence could help decide the fate of Englaland. He also knows that he wants nothing to do with the politicking or the warfare of this looming conflict. Uhtred may have affiliations and deep histories with those on both sides of the hostility, but he wants to die undisturbed behind Bebbanburg's walls.

War Lord is the 13th and final entry in the popular and engaging The Saxon Stories, written by Bernard Cornwell. The novel's first-person perspective narration, and the conflict, confrontations, and conclusion structure work nicely to build up the stakes. At this point, we have followed Uhtred's thoughts across the 12 previous books, approximately 70 years of history. There is a sense of trust and familiarity that heightens emotional engagement, as if I am going into this showdown alongside Uhtred and his loyal companions.

Throughout The Saxon Stories, Cornwell has crafted some phenomenal characters. Certain players are a joy to follow, whereas others are despicable and devious. Many of War Lord's sizeable cast will be familiar to readers of the series, including the warriors and fan favourites, Finan and Egil Skallagrimsson, and royalty, Æthelstan and Constantine. That being said, there are some new additions. One in particular highlights the author's proficiency in effective characterisation. When introduced to the Irish ruler Anlaf, I quickly felt in awe of him and fearful, with his dangerous presence reverberating off the page.

Through Uhtred's familiar and pensive narration, Cornwell skilfully reminds readers of past events and how character paths have crossed previously. For example, 'I was furious because Æthelstan had sworn an oath that he would never invade Northumbria while I lived' (p. 12). This is helpful as it elegantly brings me back up to speed, without spending too much page time repeating summaries of the earlier books. Interestingly, I felt that Uhtred was dwelling on the past and his accomplishments more than in prior volumes of The Saxon Stories. He is reflecting whilst being mindful of his mortality. There are poignant moments when Uhtred recounts his relationship with Alfred and that Æthelstan may complete his grandfather's ambitions. In War Lord, Cornwell presents the ideal amount of homage and tribute, whilst remaining believable, with the events, therefore, being powerful. There are interactions in the later stages of the novel between Uhtred and a forgotten yet undeniably important character from earlier entries in the series. These felt right, rewarding, and made sense organically within this story arc.

Reviewing War Lord as a standalone story and on its own merits, I would rate it 4 stars. The dialogue is excellent, set-pieces are intelligent and convincing, and the mystical elements surrounding omens, religion and magic transport me to a well-realised 937AD. As the finale of a well-loved series and one that I have spent many hours in, War Lord gets 5 stars. It is realistic, with an almost 80-year-old Uhtred not overwhelming dozens of warriors like his younger self might have. His role, importance, and impact are undeniable whilst remaining convincing. Important characters get fitting last encounters and engagements, and the final battle sits alongside some of the finest from the series. War Lord does not change the formula that has been so successful for The Saxon Stories. It perfects, polishes and enhances it to a rewarding and memorable final outing for Uhtred and his companions. Alfred, Edward, Æthelstan, and Æthelred may live on in history yet characters such as Uhtred, Finan, Egil, Sithric, and Osferth share a place in my head. I have fought with them in shield walls across many dangerous skirmishes. Now it is time for them to rest and feast in the Valhalla of my mind.

[Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

An acceptable but sadly mediocre ending to a series that could have been perfected by ending three books ago. I understand the wish to complete the story of England's formation, but in the end it is the story of Uhtred which made the Saxon Stories what they are, and that story was drawn out with 15 final years crammed into three unnecessary sequels. I could not take my mind off how much better it would all have been if book 10 had simply concluded with an extended narrated epilogue from Uhtred's perspective, concisely detailing his experience of his final years.

[John McDermott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end!

I jumped into this series at the perfect time. Really enjoyed this final book & definitely excited to one day reread the story of Uhtred of Bebbanburg!

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series and blew threw it on audio in less then a month. It is very entertaining and addictive. So much happens in each book that it is hard to see the big picture. Only by standing at the end the overall arc of the story emerges.

Cornwell stated in an interview that he long wanted to write a story about Saxons and Danes, but ” most historical novels have two stories; a big story and a little story. Think of Gone With the Wind – the big story is the Civil War, the little story is can Scarlett save Tara? The trick is to flip the stories, putting the big one in the background and the small one in the foreground.” So when he found out that he has an ancestor named Uhtred the Bold, a warlord whose family fought the Danes to retain the castle of Babbenberg - he had his “small” story. While he based several events in Uhtred’s life on the real Uhtred , he placed him about a hundred years earlier, into the the saga of Alfred and Engleland.

(I have gone through a long session of reading up on the main characters on Wikipedia and inserted many links. Fascinating and little known history.)

Historical background: Alfred the Great and the origin of England

The long life of fictional Uhtred, lord of Babbenberg, spans the time frame of the founding of England from the four medieval kingdoms of Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria, roughly from the 880ies through 930ies. The first book is called “The Last Kingdom” because England is under relentless attacks by the Danes (a. k. a. Vikings), whose military might has subdued three of the kingdoms already. Only Wessex is still standing - barely. At this point in history England almost disappeared and we might call it Daneland now if it was not for Alfred the Great.

Alfred lost his big battle to the Danes and went into hiding, like the other three kings before him. But unlike them, he did not flee abroad - he stayed and organized the Saxon resistance that eventually put him back on the throne. Alfred built a network of buhrs (forts) and built local armies which proved effective in defending against the Danes who had no patience for sieges. He also built a fleet and a strong support of the nobles. His big dream was uniting all the English speaking countries in one great “Engleland” - which was a very radical idea at the time. By the time he died, Wessex was a powerful kingdom, and Mercia and Easy Anglia were back under Saxon rule, albeit still under separate rulers.

Alfred’s son, Edward ruled for a long time in Wessex. He continued fighting the Danes, as did his warrior queen sister Aethelfled, Lady of Mercia. Christianity continued to spread. After Aethelflead’s death, Edward united Mercia and Wessex, and East Anglia. Only Northumbria was still independent and mostly pagan. Edward left two sons who both aspired to the throne which resulted in civil war. Eventually Aethelstan emerged as victor and defeated the Danes at the epic battle of Brunanburh that finally realized Alfred’s dream and became “the origin of English nationalism” (per Wikipedia).

Uhtred: A Warrior Straddling Two Cultures

Cornwell places Uhtred in the middle of all these happenings. He is a Saxon, raised by the Danes, so he knows both languages and customs. He is a warrior and serves first the Danes, then Alfred and all the other kings up until the battle of Brunanburh. He knows all important players intimately: he grows up among the Danish war lords; he is there to save Alfred when he needs it and makes him king again. He puts Aethelflaed on the throne (and into his bed). He raises Aethelstan and teaches him to be a king, and later makes him king, too. It seems every king and queen owes the throne to Uhtred yet they are mostly ungrateful and suspicious about him (a theme that wears a bit thin eventually).

Uhtred’s life is shaped by several blood feuds which were common at the time. The biggest one is with his uncle who usurped his inheritance, the castle of Bebbanberg. To retake it and rule as Lord of Bebbanberg is Uhtred’s life’s ambition, which he attempts several times, but only succeeds late in his life. Another is to avenge the death of his adoptive father Ragnar, who is killed by a rival Dane in a hall burning. A third blood feud involves Ethelhelm, the greatest lord of Wessex; this stems from being on opposing political sides.

Uhtred’s personal life is just as adventurous as his warrior side. He falls in love with multiple women in succession and loses them; he marries some, and raises children. He loves the children who meet his expectations, especially Stiorra, the strong-willed daughter who is most like him. He is a terrible father to his first son, however, who decides to become a priest instead of a warrior, incurring Uhtred’s unrelenting wrath and disownment. Uhtred faces tough losses over his life, losing several wives, lovers and children; but also gains friends, in-laws and grandchildren.

The Setting

The historical setting is very well researched and Cornwell has a special talent for putting us right in the scene in great detail but without long, tedious descriptions. For example he tells once a stable boy feed a very tired horse but not too much and walk it before letting him rest - a great detail that just sort of comes mid-sentence. Instead of explaining life in exposition, he shows us what the characters ate, how their swords were made, where they stayed for the night, what was their entertainment.

And those battle scenes. Cornwell clearly relishes writing about the warriors’ life, their mindset, battles, camaraderie, fear and joy of fighting. Battles are gruesome and we are treated to many visceral gutting, the gurgling sound of swords and how it feeks when the axe crunches bone or how hard it is the severe a head. We learn how much the warriors fear a battle, how they psyche themselves up for a fight, and how much the battle smells of blood, sweat, vomit and shit. Especially shit.

Plot and the Formula

Cornwell sets a formula in the first book that all of them follow. I usually get tired of formulas but this one worked for me. In each, Uhtred is instrumental at a major political event which often involves clever intrigue and/or treachery and double crossings. They all end with a major battle and contain at least one minor battle. All have a “boss fight” where Uhtred defeats a great warrior in single combat (except one where he befriends him). There are many smaller adventures that both serve as character development and entertaining side plot. There is at least one attempt at Uhtred’s life, and somewhere Uhtred has a very clever plan to win a battle or free someone or get a political victory. All have one or two love interests or relatives which serve as “strong female character”.

Major themes

Cornwell explores the spreading of Christianity vs. the old pagan beliefs in the Norse Gods. Uhtred is raised as a Christian until he is ten, when he is abducted by the Danish warlord Ragnar, who raises him as his son. He becomes a Pagan, and defiantly wears Thor’s hammer to the end of his life, despite of the pressure by his kings and the increasing number of Christians who surround him. Uhtred is deeply scornful of the “nailed God” and considers it a religion for the weak. He regularly compares Valhalla with its rounchy feasting to Heaven, and concludes that an eternity singing God’s praises would be dreadfully boring. Thus he keeps his sword, Serpentbreath, always on hand that he can die holding her hilt and ensure his place in Odin’s Corpse Hall.

Cornwell especially enjoys poking fun at the contemporary belief in relics, pointing out that some saints definitely had many heads or arms as their body parts turn up way too often. He comes up with ridiculous relics - my personal favorite is St. Magdalene’s holy toe ring. In one book we have a “mad bishop” who collects the most mundane things such as the stone from David’s sling, which is just an ordinary pebble, and no harm is done when Uhtred loses it and replaces it with another. In one story Uhtred, tired of waiting for a small army that trying to find St. Cuthbert’s corpse, “helps” them by finding a random skeleton and leaving it in a convenient spot. He is found, and reverently taken to a church where miracles start occurring. Only Finan notices that the corpse is missing its right arm, not the left…. Another fun theme is the exchange of colorful and quite witty insults before battles, or in taverns and other places where men meet and have a spat about whose dick is bigger.

Slavery was common - the Danes often would kill off the males, take all valuables, rape all women and take the women and children to sell as slaves. One of the books is devoted entirely to slavery: Uhtred is sold and spends two years chained to the oars, beaten and humiliated, underfed, cold, sick, and barely surviving. This is where he meets his life-long friend Finan, and acquires his hatred for slavers.

Cornwell examines women’s roles at the time and his female characters often lament the limited roles and terrible life they endure. Women are often simply traded as cattle - they are considered plunder, and the raping of women, and often children, is routine by any conquering force. Warriors, lords, even priests and monks often molest and rape women, especially servant girls and slaves. Noble women are not much better off: girls are married at 12 years of age, and by the time they are eighteen, they would have given birth three or four times or died in the attempt. Women are often given in marriage as a prize to strengthen treaties, bring lands, and produce children that can unite families, lands and titles. They have no choice in marriage, although to be fair, men don’t have much of a choice, either. However, men are not required to be faithful: whoring, taking lovers, raping servant girls is normal for men. Christianity is even more restrictive than Paganism: the scripture states that the woman must obey her husband, and if the husband beats her, she has no recourse - even her brother sides with the abuser. It is her fault for not being obedient when the husband is insanely jealous without any reason for it. (Which of course will eventually lead to having a reason.) It is somewhat of a miracle that Aethelflaed becomes a warrior queen in this environment, which is a testament to how charismatic she must have been.

Character Development

As the book is written in first person from Uhtred’s point of view, we explore his views and feelings throughout in great detail. His concerns and viewpoint change as he ages, falls in love, gets married and raises children; also as he develops as a warrior, leader of men, and seasoned political manipulator. However, his basic character is pretty much set from the first book and does not really change, even if his concerns change over the years. His friends and lovers, while often fun, witty and/or admirable, are somewhat cookie cutter. The enemies are often generic cruel butchers or sly treacherous snakes and are quite interchangeable.

Cornwell, however, draws a nuanced picture of the kings and queens. Alfred is especially compelling, possibly because he has the most historic information available. Cornwell makes him into an exacting, pious, sickly and studious man; at the same time he is intelligent, relentless, humble, and regards kingship as a great service to his people. He feels responsible for feeding his people and keeping them safe. He hates fighting but he does it because he has to. Uhtred does not like Alfred - the feeling is mutual - yet he acquires a grudging admiration for the man, and after hus death, when Uhtred compares him to his successors, his admiration grows further. Alfred put always his subjects’ welfare as his top priority, he was decisive, brave, humble yet commanding. His son, Edward was often indecisive; his grandson vain. Even though Uhtred likes both more personally, he comes to see how they were a poor substitute for Alfred’s embodiment of kingship as a service to the people.

The Ending

As for the last book, it is enough to say that it follows all the goodness of the series and wraps up Uhtred’s long life as a kingmaker with the decisive battle of the creation of England. In the epilogue, we learn for our satisfaction that Uhtred lives out his final days fulfilling his life ambition as the Lord of Babbenberg, surrounded by his life long friends and his final companion. He is finally appreciated and rewarded by his king, and trusted as the greatest warlord of the united Engleland.

Loved the series and I am listening again - I cannot part with Uthred yet. When I listen on audio, I miss more than reading - the upside of which is that re-listening is perfectly enjoyable as there will always be parts I don’t remember.

I give the series five stars.

[Adam Lofthouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that's that then.

For thirteen books Bernard Cornwell has brought to life the making of England. Fourteen years ago this was a period in history barely touched by historical fiction writers, and now there are countless telling stories set in Saxon Britain, this is entirely down to this series.

Uhtred of Bebbenburg is such an engrossing character. From the scared child thrust into the life of the Northmen, to the hard and weather beaten old warrior he has become. It has been enthralling to watch him grow as a character, to see him fight not always for what he wants, but for what or who he believes in.

These books seem to lose their way for a while, somewhere in the middle, but the last two have been a reminder as to just how good they have been as a whole, and why they remain so popular. I for one am gutted that this is the last one, there will never be another quite like Uhtred, son of Uhtred.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ✨

“The waves give us rhythm, I thought, an endless sound that rises and falls. I had been born to that sound and soon I must die. I touched my hammer amulet and prayed that I would die to the sound of Bebbanburg’s waves and to the cry of her gulls.”

Well, it’s finally time to say goodbye to this beloved series and it’s characters. I regret nothing. Cornwells writing is phenomenal and magical , no one will ever write battle scenes like him. This book, no matter it’s content - could only be 5 stars for me. With that being said, this was a thrilling ending and didn’t disappoint . I was very impressed with the way things ended, and only crying happy tears.

I can’t do this review without mentioning Benedetta , what a savage little Italian she turned out to be, she brought a freshness in the last two books of the series and a comedic relief in serious moments. I was so proud of Uthred for making peace with certain things. I will thoroughly miss the banter between Him and his band of warriors. (Especially Finan)

If you like Vikings, shield walls, epic battle scenes, and enjoy a main character driven story with amazing side characters, I highly recommend this series. After 13 books these characters became like family and will forever be ingrained in my mind. I also learned so much while enjoying the stories. My hat goes off to the author and his literary sorcery. I will genuinely miss this world and everything in it.

Destiny is All! ⚔️🛡

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #13 in the Saxon Stories series, but the series is now sporting a new name, which is now called The Last Kingdom series. This book is also the very last book in this series, so I am in a little mourning right now because I have LOVED, LOVED this series. It has been a great series that leaves me wanting more. I highly recommend this type of historical fiction. It was worth the read.

The MC, Uhtred, is such a dynamic character. I liked that he was constantly trying to rise to meet his responsibilities and oaths, but he also didn't think twice about whatever it took to see that happen, even if it wasn't a good thing.

I also loved the humor. There are so many things about this series that I loved. I have even binge watched the series on Netflix twice. Also worth doing. So 4 stars for this final installment.

[Diana Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read/listened to this years ago but for some reason didn't mark it so am reading it again. This is the final book in the Saxon Tales or The Last Kingdom and I certainly enjoyed the series, especially the narrators where they yell "shield wall". I really hate war but it is definitely exciting when it's done well. Also I should add when the country is not the aggressor but defending their land.
The 13th and final book in The Saxon Tales or The Last Kingdom series. This was a captivating series featuring Uhtred of Bebbanburg as we followed him through his life from young lad to older warrior. It was a well written and researched time period from King Alfred to his grandson King Athelstan who would unite the separate areas to become the first King of England.
I thought it was an excellent work of Historical Fiction and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys history and a excellent story.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does he still manage to fight in a battle and not break a hip at that age?