Bibliography

Date first published	22 May 2006
ISBN Number	0007219687
Page Count	366 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

Uhtred is disenchanted with Alfred. Having played a major part in the defeat of the Danish he is disappointed with the reward that he has been given. So Uhtred decides to head back up North to recapture his home of Bebbanburg. Travelling North he runs into the son of his mortal enemy Kjartan, and in typical style totally humiliates the man. So starts a strange odyssey for Uhtred, from high Lord to lowly slave, and then the meteoric rise back to power and influence, and of course battle.

No matter what he does always lurking in the background is Alfred, and the much hated priests, trying to bring Christianity to his untamed soul. Alfred rescues Uhtred from slavery, and sends him up North as an Ambassador to negotiate with Guthred, who sold him to slavery.

Uhtred helps Guthred to capture Dunholm, fortress of Kjartan. During the battle, Ragnar kills Kjartan in revenge for his father and mother. However the army led by Uhtred and Ragnar is only small, and they face a much more powerful foe, Ivarr. Uhtred forces Ivarr into one on one combat, and after a short battles kills the last of the Northern Warlords, to bring peace to the North. Knowing Cornwell, the peace will be short lived.

Review

Uhtred is off on his adventures, and is away from the pious (and somewhat boring) Alfred, and the story improves. Faster paced than the Pale Horseman, it proves a roller coaster of a ride. The book drops a pace for a short period when Uhtred is made a slave. All done for his own good! His release occasioned by Alfred reunites him with his great friend Ragnar.

Alfred does not do anything without good reason, and he knows that Uhtred will stir things up and help bring down the last of the Northern Warlords, and so it proves.

Once again meticulous attention to detail, a strong narrative and good story line make this a great book. Unlike the Starbuck Chronicles, and to a lesser extent the Grail Quest, Uhtred is a very likeable character, he may be blood thirsty, but he has a strong code of right and wrong, and bears a grudging respect for those on the point of his sword. Cornwell has created a great array of characters around Uhtred, from Ragnar to Alfred, and Uhtreds teacher Beocca.

Like many of Cornwells leading men Uhtred has a healthy taste for women, and meets the latest in a line of great loves, just to make things interesting.

Like Pale Rider I cannot really fault the book, and felt quite sad when I reached the end of the book - always a good sign for me.

So until the next one..

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