The Saxons

[Darcy]

http://www.archaeology.org/news/3281-...

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

That's very interesting, Darcy.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Sounds like a very interesting dig. Like those working on it are discovering lots of valuable information about the local people and their lives.

[Andy]

Not a book but went to a place called escot yesterday

http://www.escot-devon.co.uk/

& although not featured in their brochure they had an Anglo-Saxon village working recreation which was very good to see, they had a smith & woodworker as craftsmen in the village with working forges & fires which gave it a very earthy smell along with the hens & chicks runnign around the village too.

A lot to see & do there as well in terms of wildlife, entertainment, outdoor activities, falconry, a maze plus a highly recommend you try the "swamp walk" :)

[Linda]

It sounds like you are having a good time, Andy!

[Andy]

Was my niece's 7th B'day so got a good ol runaround! :) luckily I was too old/big to go up the rigging on the pirate ship.....

[Linda]

Too old! Too big! I don't believe it!lol

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Sounds like a great place for a day out!

[Mark]

Saxon Dawn by Griff Hosker found these on amazon, by an indy author. not sure what they are like. new to me.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I finally bought it! The latest book in that Saxon series by Bernard Cornwell.

Warriors of the Storm

Usually I pre order them before they come out, but this year I had other things on my mind and I didn't get around to it.
Today I was at the shops doing some Christmas shopping, saw it on sale and bought it. Happy.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Read Warriors of the Storm last week. I thought it to be one of the best in the series...if you follow the series. Plenty happened that would mean a lot to anybody who reads the series.

I see in my post before this one, I had only just bought it. Nov 2015.
That is how long it has taken me to finally read the book!

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

But I'm sure it was worth the wait. :)

[Jerry]

I have recently read the first two books in the "Bernica Chronicles" series by Matthew Harffy. I was quite impressed and will certainly read the next in the sequence.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Margaret wrote: "But I'm sure it was worth the wait. :)"

Sure was!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

New release from Conn Iggulden.
Dunstan

Apparently a stand alone.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I have started reading .

I know nothing about Dunstan so this should be a learning experience.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I enjoyed it, Terri. There's a link to my review in the Conn Iggulden thread. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I'm 50 pages in and the writing is excellent. I am very impressed.
I haven't read anything by Iggulden since his Mongol books because I found his writing quality slipped in the last two in that series.
Then I tried and failed with the first in his Rome series.

I am glad I have given the author another chance. As long as the writing stays this kind of quality, I'll be open to reading his War of the Roses series (which I own book one in).

[Renata]

I liked it too Terri. Glad you're enjoying it. Books 2 & 3 of the War of the Roses series were quite good also :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I'm going to try book one and if I like it I'll jump and buy the rest. They are cheap. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

On Dunstan
Writing is good, story is good, however, I'm having a bit of trouble making myself want to pick it up at night when I go to bed and read.
Not the book's fault and it is still a terrific book. It's just that the monastic world is not something I have any interest in. It usually makes me angry. So I'm having to push myself to read it. I know Dunstan will move to new scenery eventually. I hope for less horrid religious characters soon.

[Renata]

Terri, I'm being redundant I think, but Dunstan was tough in that I found the book quite good, including the writing, but the man just awful! Made for a somewhat tough read ;)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

He certainly treats his little brother poorly. That's still where I am at in the book. He has moments of compassion for him, but mostly he sees his little brothers humanity as weakness, I feel. Be interesting to see if the author makes that a 'thing' for Dunstan. Don't tell me though! :-)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I keep forgetting to mention..I put Dunstan aside for a while. It was well written and the story was chugging along, but I need to get through the childhood part before the adult part and i struggled to keep interest with the childhood of Dunstan.

This is a common hurdle for me with novels. Obviously the childhood needs to be in a book like this. I do not fault the book at all. It is just that I prefer to read about adults so I lose interest in a book pretty quick during the childhood part. Struggle to want to pick the book up.

I have no doubt that I will enjoy the book. I just wanted to put it aside for a bit to read a couple of different books before coming back to it. I'm kind of now looking forward to getting back to it.
Have to finish Brethren first.

[Tamara]

I read The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium. It's a delightful book with lots of interesting bits of information and quirky facts about daily life in Anglo Saxon England. Life certainly had its challenges, but there was a certain charm about it, as well.

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The follow up book to is out this year.

It is the Sea Queen

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Thanks to fellow member, NekroRider, we have ourselves a cover and release date for the next Uhtred book.

http://www.bernardcornwell.net/war-of...

But the even better news?? It says in that link that it will be released in the US at the same time as the UK! In October 2018. A miracle! That must make you happy America!?

[Jorge]

The Book of DreamsThe Emperor's ElephantThe Pope's Assassin

These are great. His Viking series is also amazing. I enjoy Tim Severin's books just as much as Bernard Cornwell's.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

His Saxon series is historical fantasy though isn't it Jorge? With dreams and premonitions etc..

[Jorge]

It was quite a while ago when I read them but I seem to remember that the supernatural element was left up to the reader's interpretation, just because some of the characters believe in the prophecy of dreams doesn't make the story itself a fantasy. The way Charlemagne is treated was good I thought.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I just read a review of The Book of Dreams that said the series is a retelling of The Song of Roland

Interesting. I did not realise that.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Just added books details and the book cover of Bernard Cornwell's new Uhtred book to Goodreads.
War of the Wolf



Now we can all add it to our Tor Read Lists! Wahoo! :)

[David]

Just pre-ordered. My wyrd is fulfilled.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

*pats David on the back*
Fulfilled for at least another year and a half. Then you must face yours fates again.

[David]

Not to worry. I have reinforcements awaiting in the next kingdom.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

In true Uhtred fashion, always good to have a backup plan.

[David]

I have been reading Matthew Harffy's excellent Bernicia Chronicles series - currently on Book Four. Book Five awaits and I just found out there will be a Book Six but it won't be released until about the same time as the next Uhtred book. By all the gods, this is a crisis of unprecedented magnitude. But, as I said, I always have reinforcements.

[happy]

For anyone interested, I typed up my thoughts onJames Aitcheson's The Harrowing

Good read, Canterbury Talesesque

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Also posted in the Norman and What Are You Reading threads

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The priest's story was my least favourite. I felt his background tale could have been shortened. And here you say the priest was your favourite!
Always interesting to see differences in people's reading taste.

[happy]

Mainly because I thought it drove a lot of the plot as they moved north. (view spoiler)[ I also liked his quest for redemption, even if his manner of redemption might be considered a little bit silly to modern readers. The minstrel was my least favorite. (hide spoiler)]

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I'm reading the new Bernard Cornwell .

So nice to be back in the comfy slippers.

RE: the start of the book. Fun to have Uhtred dealing with the Welsh again and bringing up old stories from the first books in the series. Takes me back to some good times. :)

[Linda]

Enjoy that book and those comfy shoes. It is good to hear that your days are getting brighter.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

They are brighter, Linda. Much brighter. Thankyou. :-)

I am indeed enjoying this book. 100 pages in.

[happy]

If anyone is interested, I typed up my thoughts on Cornwell's War of the Wolf

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

also posted in the "What are you reading" and "Bernard Cornwell" threads

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The new book in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories series is due out later this year.


Sword of Kings

I'll be getting in line to buy the large paperback. To go with my 11 other large paperbacks in this series. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Me neither. :] Best time of the year when these are due out.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The last Uhtred book ever is due out October 2020.

[Mark]

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/0...

[May]

Thank you, Mark! I love this stuff!

[May]

Sooo, I finished WAR LORD & have wished Uhtred a safe trip to Valhalla!! What a great series! Bill & I thoroughly enjoyed each book. Thank you, Bernard, for these years of reading pleasure.