Review: Death of Kings (The Last Kingdom #6) by Bernard Cornwell

5 stars for Death of Kings (The Last Kingdom book 6) by Bernard Cornwell.

After book 5 The Burning Land, I contemplate giving The Last Kingdom series a break, but the Norns at the foot of Yggdrasil, the tree of life, obviously feel otherwise and thus, propel me ever forward to be a witness to the Death of Kings. And so here I am again at the mercy of Uhtred's sword Serpent-Breath and his dagger Wasp-Sting.

Six books in tow. I have come a long way with Uhtred of Bebbanburg. I have literally watched him grow up, from a pagan childhood to the fight in his first great shield wall, to the mistakes he makes as an arrogant, foolish and headstrong young warrior following his battle with the great Danish leader, Ubba Lothbrokson, to his return from Wessex in the South to Northumbria in the North only to discover chaos, civil war and treachery, to his return from Dunholm in the North back again to Wessex in the South where he becomes a builder, a trader, and a father, to how he leads the Saxon army and defeats the Danes as they launch a final assault on King Alfred's Wessex. And now, Uhtred is an old man of forty-five years.

In Death of Kings, Uhtred continues his story of how men feared him even though he is no great lord in terms of land or wealth or men, of how the death of a king brings uncertainty and in uncertainty lies opportunity for the enemies, and last but not least, of how the warriors scream their war songs as axes fall, spears stab, swords cut and shields block in the winter battle.

Having travelled so far alongside Uhtred, I feel as if I have majored in History all over again, only that it is Britain's history this time; for at the back of Uhtred's tales is the story of how England comes into existence.

In the winter of 898, there is no England. There is Northumbria and East Anglia, Mercia and Wessex, the first two are ruled by the Danes, Wessex is Saxon while Mercia is a mess, part Danish and part Saxon. It is Alfred the Great who lays the foundations on which his son Edward, his daughter Æthelflæd, and Edward’s son, Æthelstan, succeed in taking back the three Northern kingdoms and so, for the first time, unite the Saxon lands into one kingdom called England.

But as with most storytellers, author Cornwell imparts his knowledge to readers by peppering the history lessons with fiction and soaking them in generous doses of humour. These are what give shape to his historical fiction and breathe life into the characters such that they leap out of the pages alive.

And now that the characters have obediently returned to their rightful places inside the book, it is time for me to have a break, have a KitKat. As pointed out by book buddyson Sean who ever so politely puts it that I am reading this Saxon tales at the speed of a freight train, and that I should take a break from this long-running series. So, right now, I shall put aside the Uhtred in me. And open up a whole new world of possibilities.

Wyrd bið ful āræd

Review: The Burning Land (The Last Kingdom #5) by Bernard Cornwell

4.5 stars for The Burning Land (The Last Kingdom book 5) by Bernard Cornwell.

It has been a really long while since I read a series in succession, five books in a row. If my memory serves me right, the last was The Walk series by author Richard Paul Evans (book 1 The Walk, book 2 Miles to Go, book 3 The Road to Grace, book 4 A Step of Faith, book 5 Walking on Water), and I remember feeling deeply inspired for starting off the Year 2015 with the Walk series as it has brought along hope, faith and a sense of peace at that time.

Before I rattle off with reviews of old, let me get back to the topic at hand, the gathering of my thoughts and feelings on book 5 of The Last Kingdom series.

More years have passed and Uhtred, the pagan in service to a Christian king, is now in his mid-thirties. He longs to go North, back to his ancestral home besides the Northumbrian sea, to Bebbanburg, a home usurped by his father's brother.

As the title dictates, The Burning Land is mostly about fire and skirmishes. Burn Wessex Burn. Besides the burning, the killing and the plundering, it is interesting to note that the fights and battles are not just about men or food supplies, it is also about the hills and valleys, the rivers and marshes, as well as the places where land and water will help defeat the enemies. To this end, the author has done an impressive job propelling Uhtred to ever-greater heights as a strategist. A scheming man he is not, yet Uhtred has earned the readers' trust to have the best-laid plans.

In a time where a man is judged by his deeds, his reputation, the number of his oath-men, his generosity and his gold, to gain everything a man must risk everything. Dressed in his war-glory, mail and helmet and sword and arm rings, the Uhtred as we have come to know so well so far, is all about hopes, futures and dreams (of freedom).

Once again, the story and adventures of Uhtred, an exile and a warrior who straddles two worlds, the Danish North and the Saxon South, checked all the right boxes.

Treachery checked
Betrayal checked
Inferno checked
Chaos checked
Oath checked
Duty checked
Love checked
Devotion checked
Courage checked
Battle checked
Pride checked
Allegiance checked
Loyalty checked
Honor checked

Notwithstanding the above, I do have one grievance, and that is, I start to see the emergence of a certain pattern to the happenings and it somewhat dries up and slowdown the development of the story by this fifth instalment. Perhaps that is also the reason why I take much longer to finish this book.

Regardless of my grievance, I am still awed by author Cornwell in his choice conclusion of this tale. Indeed, I cannot help but do a double take when I reach the end of this story for the final scene of book 5 The Burning Land and the last act of book 4 Sword Song mirrors each other. How cool is that!

Book 5 The Burning Land

The long oars dipped, the river banks closed on us, and in the west the smoke of Lundene veiled the sky. As I took Æthelflæd home.

Book 4 Sword Song

The long oars dipped, the riverbanks closed on us, and in the west the smoke of Lundene smudged the summer sky. As I took Æthelflaed home.

Uhtred takes Æthelflæd home. The endings are the same but yet they are different. Why? Because the state of Æthelflæd's mind is at odds with each other in both instances. Well.. I'm not going to tell you the details. If you want to know, read this Last Kingdom series to find out for yourself.

Fate is inexorable. Wyrd bið ful āræd.