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Lords of the North
Saxon Stories
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LotN: Part One: The Slave King - Chapters 1-4
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Page 1. Uhtred has a new woman. That didn't take long!And a hoard gets buried. I like hoards. I also want a hoard.
Chapter Two:I had forgotten who Hardicnut was, since he didn't play a role before. His son Guthred seems to be an idiot, but he might prove dangerous if even the Saxons want to ransom him back as their king. He seems to inspire something in his followers.
I was also confused by that as well, I thought I had missed something with Hardicnut. You're right, Guthred is an odd character initially. It's interesting that he keeps trying to figure out how Alfred would handle certain situations.
Kat wrote: "Page 1. Uhtred has a new woman. That didn't take long!And a hoard gets buried. I like hoards. I also want a hoard."
It's interesting how there aren't many details on this relationship, just some casual references. I thought it might get more intense but after they meet Eadred and "Saint Cuthbert" seems like she'll be heading back to the church.
Nice try Kat, I've seen your bookshelves....you'll have a hoard shortly :)
Really loved when Guthred & Uhtred initially meet Abbot Eadred and he thinks Uhtred is the king.
Yes, that was a great moment!Also, Guthred peeing on Sven - I opened a beer to celebrate that :)
I just got to the end of the section, and I have to say I did NOT see that coming!I KNEW Guthred was dangerous the moment we learned that Saxon monks wanted to ransom him from Sven.
Obviously this is not the end of the story, so I'm very much looking forward to what happens next.
I also think Ivarr should have bloody died from his wounds. I bet we'll have to deal with him again at some point. When he betrayed the black magic outside Dunholm I could have murdered him, it was such a good plan with the heads and all that.
Kat wrote: "Yes, that was a great moment!Also, Guthred peeing on Sven - I opened a beer to celebrate that :)"
Cheers!
I didn't see it coming either! So far, this book is very interesting and hard to put down. Nice to see Uhtred back in Northumbria, I liked his Dead Warrior ploy, a pity Ivarr spoiled it and it didn't work out! Another one of my favourite moments was when he spared Kjartan's bastard boy when he saw that he was brave and tried to die with sword in his hand.
Teanka wrote: "Another one of my favourite moments was when he spared Kjartan's bastard boy when he saw that he was brave and tried to die with sword in his hand"Agreed. I'll be interested to see if the boy(can't remember his name right now)hangs around for the next book. It seems like Cornwell adds secondary characters that I like only to see them disappear later on.
Ctgt wrote: "Teanka wrote: "Agreed. I'll be interested to see if the boy(can't remember his name right now)hangs around for the next book. It seems like Cornwell adds secondary characters that I like only to see them disappear later on. ."I just peeked into the first chapter of the next volume, and (view spoiler)
Teanka wrote: "Ctgt wrote: "Teanka wrote: "Agreed. I'll be interested to see if the boy(can't remember his name right now)hangs around for the next book. It seems like Cornwell adds secondary characters that I li..."Hey! No peeking;)
Glad to see at least one secondary character I like will be continuing on in the story.
Weeeeeeeeell...............This is Cornwell, not GRR Martin.
Sorry, I've put it in spoilers now. BTW, I'm very happy this isn't GRRM. And as for the 'peeking', it's going to prove very difficult for me to wait long before I start reading the next book. I care a lot about the story by now and would love to continue. I just read the first few pages to see where and when the next book takes place. But I'll wait, in fact I've started another book already.
Me toooooo, especially since I bought the next few books already!I made my own goodreads group, set it to "secret" and make threads for myself, where I put my thoughts for sections of books as I read them. That way I can copy them over accordingly if/when one of my "real" groups reads that book.
See, this is why I hate trying to have a discussion online, it's impossible to show you the look of mock horror on my face when I wrote that response. I really did not mean to make it sound like it was a problem Teanka, it really was not a spoiler IMO. I was just having a little fun. Sorry to give you the wrong impression.I'm with you on the story, I enjoyed this one more than the first two and it's probably a direct result of not having the TV show running in the back of my mind the whole time.
Wow, a secret GR group. Didn't know you could do that.
Ctgt wrote: "See, this is why I hate trying to have a discussion online, it's impossible to show you the look of mock horror on my face when I wrote that response. I really did not mean to make it sound like it..."Oh no, you didn't really give me a wrong expression, it was just that I was already wondering whether or not to put spoiler tags there :).
I'm the same with the enjoyment of this volume. The second one was very good too, but this one was so much more interesting because I had no idea what would happen next.
Yes, the unexpected turns are great in this one.Bleak outlook, everything's drag.... BAM something good happens.
Everything goes to plan, we're close to achieving something... BAM you get cast out as a slave.
I think I was more horrified of the fact that they took serpent-breath away from him than of him being made a slave.
We know he gets her back somehow, because the old Uhtred who"s telling the story mentioned several times that he still has her now, but the thought of her being given to who-knows-who and ending up who-knows-where was appalling to me.
Mod
Anyone else keep thinking of the Dark Tower every time Cuthbert is mentioned?
Kat wrote: "Chapter Two:
I had forgotten who Hardicnut was, since he didn't play a role before. His son Guthred seems to be an idiot, but he might prove dangerous if even the Saxons want to ransom him back as ..."
So who is Hardicnut, apart from Guthred's father apparently? I'm awful at names, and you never clarified :) Was he a minor character in one of the first 2 books?
Kat wrote: "Also, Guthred peeing on Sven - I opened a beer to celebrate that :)"
I laughed so hard at that.
Kat wrote: "I just got to the end of the section, and I have to say I did NOT see that coming!"
I didn't see that coming either. Honestly I'm pretty annoyed by it. I really hope his slavery is short lived.
Ctgt wrote: "I'm with you on the story, I enjoyed this one more than the first two and it's probably a direct result of not having the TV show running in the back of my mind the whole time. "
I'm a long way from finished (especially at my incredibly slow reading pace) but I'm feeling the same way. I liked the show well enough, but I really wish I hadn't watched it first now.
Ctgt wrote: "Wow, a secret GR group. Didn't know you could do that."
Prior to my creating NABCC, I had a much smaller (~6 person) group where we did buddy reads that was set to secret. Sadly most of those folks aren't really around anymore, though I think the majority did join the group at one point.
Kat wrote: "I think I was more horrified of the fact that they took serpent-breath away from him than of him being made a slave.
We know he gets her back somehow, because the old Uhtred who"s telling the story mentioned several times that he still has her now"
Yeah. That was my thought too. I instantly wanted to know the story of how he gets his sword back.
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As far as jumping right into the next book, you all seem to read way faster than I do, but I don't really have any plans for the rest of the month, so I'd be game for reading the 4th book right away.
But since you finished this like a week ago, and I likely won't finish until late next week at the earliest, maybe you guys have moved on to other things/don't have time this month.
Rob wrote: "So who is Hardicnut, apart from Guthred's father apparently? I'm awful at names, and you never clarified :) Was he a minor character in one of the first 2 books?"He was only mentioned in passing in a previous book as being a Danish Earl who called himself King of Cumbraland. However, nobody paid him any attention at all, since nobody was interested in Cumbraland whatsoever, and he didn't interfere with the rest of the country. The other Danes didn't give a fig what he called himself. I think he was mentioned exactly once.
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I'm happy to wait for you to finish this one and then jump into 4.
I have a German one to finish that I've been "currently reading" since January (might lem it), and I started Last Train to Istanbul on the Kindle. Slow start, but if it gets as exciting as the blurb promised, I might be done with it by the time you finish LotN.
Mod
I just learned my reading time will be limited this weekend due to not one, but two betas... Doom and Overwatch.
oooooooooh, betas!I've got plenty to read until you're done. Must finish NPCs tonight after work - I carry it around with me everywhere I go, but every time I think I might sneak some reading on the bus or waiting for trains etc. I run into someone I know and have to have *conversations*. Horrible, I know.
I can start book 4 anytime at short notice, because I have no qualms dropping everything else for Cornwell.
Mod
Grr...I shouldn't have read these when I was on my phone and it's hard to comment. I am glad you all left such good comments. My favorite part in this,section was the part with Sven. I'm glad I finally started this!!.
Definitely one of the finest moments :)
I am really interested in Guthred, he is sly as Alfred but not as pious as him, and he respects his enemies and most importantly his friends. Although Guthred always keep saying to Uthred that what would have Alfred done in this situation ? but he is not a blind follower but makes his own decisions.Uthred really has three spinners weaving good fate for him because when he lands in north, he has 2/3 enemies in the land, but freeing Guthred gives him an huge opportunity to accomplish his goals.
Although Sven is dumb but his father is far cunning for Uthred.
Please keep all discussion and speculation to the events of Part One: The Slave King - Chapters 1-4.
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