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Date first published	8 October 2015
ISBN Number	978-0-00-750407-7
Page Count	298 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

King Alfred's son Edward and formidable daughter Aethelflaed, rule Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia. All around the restless Northmen, eyeing the rich lands and wealthy churches, are mounting raids.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the kingdoms' greatest warrior, controls northern Mercia from the strongly fortified city of Chester. But forces are rising up against him. Northmen allied to the the Irish, led by the fierce warrior Ragnall Ivarson, are soon joined by the Northumbrians, and their strength could prove overwhelming. Despite the gathering threat, both Edward and Aethelflaed are reluctant to move out of the safety of their fortifications. But with Uhtred's own daughter married to Ivarson's brother, who can be trusted?

In the struggle between family and loyalty, between personal ambition and political commitment, there will be no easy path. But a man with a warrior's courage may be able to find it. Such a man is Uhtred, and this may be his finest hour.

Review

The story starts off with Uhtred kicking his heals in Chester, and as Easter approaches, is alarmed to find that rather than the usual Easter festivities that it is to be the scene of the Investiture of a new Bishop.

However all thoughts of the Investiture and the new Bishop are forgotten as smoke is seen rising from Bromborough, the site of a small Burgh, which defends the river against Norse ships. Uhtred is worried as he has left Athelstan in charge of the fort.

Uhtred outnumbered contents himself in containing the enemy forces, however he becomes suspicious about the intent of of Ragnall and his forces. At Eads Byrig he leads a successful attack, and finds an old friend Jarl Haeston. Haeston conducts surrender talks with Aethelflaed and her priests. Uhtred not believing a word Haeston says attacks the fort to find that it is an elaborate trick.

Ragnall returns to find his stronghold destroyed and 43 heads on poles. Ragnall returns the favour by killing 43 hostages that he holds. Dawn the next morning sees Uhtred lead an attack on Ragnalls army, seeing many of his men killed or wounded before being able to create a shield wall. It is following the battle that a captured warrior tells Uhtred of his daughters desperate position in Ireland where she and her husband are besieged by Ragnalls men and the locals. Aethelflaed forbids Uhtred from helping but with a little bit of subterfuge heads off to rescue his daughter.

On returning to Britain he immediately sets off to Eoferwick (York) where he expects to find Ragnall, but instead finds his first love Brida in charge, and happily crucifying all the Christians she can find.

Using Stiorra as a way into the city he captures the city and installs Sigtryggr as King, then sets off to find Ragnall. Through the use of guile and luck Uhtred finally defeats Ragnall in open battle, and then tells Aethelflaed what he has done and the truce that he has made, although she is not entirely happy. Peace however has returned to the land.

I actually re-read the book to try and pick up where the TV series The Last Kingdom was based on. The series bares only a passing resemblance to the book, and bizarrely hardly features Uhtred!

Back to the book, this one for a change kicks off just as the invasion begins, so we don't have Uhtred sat around doing nothing. In fact the pace of the book hardly lets up, and we see Uhtred moving around the Northern parts of the country chasing down his foes. Thoughts of home and Bebbanburg hardly feature. There is a minor sub-story featuring Mus (or Mouse) a new prostitute who causes more than a few problems. The story also sees the end of two long standing characters - I won't spoil it for those who have not read the book.

This is another cracking story, the series has certainly got it's second wind after the rather slow 'Pagan Lord'.

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