The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)

Title: The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Published in: 2004

Date read: 2nd August 2017

Score: 4/5

Genre: Historical fiction

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Last Kingdom," published in 2004, is the first novel in Bernard Cornwell's acclaimed "Saxon Stories" series (also known as "The Last Kingdom" series), which vividly reimagines the birth of England during the tumultuous Viking age. It introduces the iconic protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, and sets the stage for his epic journey caught between two warring cultures.

The story begins in the year 866 AD, in Northumbria. Our narrator and protagonist is Uhtred, a young Saxon nobleman, born into privilege as the second son of the Ealdorman of Bebbanburg. His childhood is tragically cut short when Danish (Viking) invaders attack his home. Uhtred witnesses his father's death and is then captured, becoming a slave to the Dane warlord Earl Ragnar the Fearless.

Despite his initial hatred, Uhtred is eventually adopted by Ragnar and raised as a Dane. He learns their language, their fighting techniques, their pagan gods, and their fierce, independent way of life. This period is crucial for Uhtred's development, as he grows to love his adoptive family and their customs, even as his Saxon heritage pulls at him. He becomes a skilled warrior, driven by his desire for vengeance against the men who killed his birth family and a yearning to reclaim his rightful inheritance, the fortress of Bebbanburg.

The central conflict of the novel is the ongoing Viking invasion of Anglo-Saxon England. The Danes, unified under new leadership, systematically conquer the Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia, and Mercia, leaving only Wessex, ruled by King Alfred the Great, as the last bastion of Anglo-Saxon resistance.

Uhtred, despite his Danish upbringing, finds his loyalties constantly tested. He is a pagan in a Christian land, a Dane by upbringing but a Saxon by birth. Circumstances eventually lead him to the service of King Alfred, a pious, scholarly, and cunning ruler who dreams of a unified England. Uhtred initially despises Alfred's piety and strictness but grudgingly comes to respect his strategic brilliance. Their relationship is fraught with tension, a central dynamic of the series.

"The Last Kingdom" is a gripping tale of historical fiction, filled with brutal battles, political intrigue, and personal struggles with identity and loyalty. It vividly portrays the harsh realities of 9th-century England and the clash of cultures. The climax involves Uhtred's participation in key battles against the Danes, solidifying his role as a formidable warrior caught between the two worlds that shaped him, and setting him on a path towards his destiny.

Comments:
Historical fiction + Bernard Cornwell = winner
This is a particularly winning combination, thoroughly enjoyed.

Books that we've read by Bernard Cornwell (28):
Sharpe's Eagle (Sharpe, #8) (1981), Sharpe's Gold (Sharpe, #9) (1981), Sharpe's Company (Sharpe, #13) (1982), Sharpe's Sword (Sharpe, #14) (1983), Sharpe's Enemy (Sharpe, #15) (1984), Sharpe's Honour (Sharpe, #16) (1985), Sharpe's Regiment (Sharpe, #17) (1986), Redcoat (1987), Sharpe's Siege (Sharpe, #18) (1987), Sharpe's Rifles (Sharpe, #6) (1988), Sharpe's Revenge (Sharpe, #19) (1989), Sharpe's Waterloo (Sharpe, #20) (1990), Sharpe's Devil (Sharpe, #22) (1992), Sharpe's Battle (Sharpe, #12) (1995), Sharpe's Tiger (Sharpe, #1) (1997), Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe, #2) (1998), Sharpe's Fortress (Sharpe, #3) (1999), Sharpe's Prey (Sharpe, #5) (2000), Sharpe's Trafalgar (Sharpe, #4) (2000), Gallows Thief (2001), Heretic (The Grail Quest, #3) (2003), Sharpe's Havoc (Sharpe, #7) (2003), The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1) (2004), Sharpe's Escape (Sharpe, #10) (2004), Sharpe's Fury (Sharpe, #11) (2005), The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2) (2006), Sword Song (The Saxon Stories, #4) (2007), Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3) (2007)