Synopses & Reviews
The fate of a new nation rests in the hands of a reluctant warrior in this thrilling sixth volume in the acclaimed
New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales series.
As the ninth century wanes, Alfred the Great lies dying, his dream of a unified England in danger and his kingdom on the brink of chaos. While his son, Edward, has been named his successor, there are other Saxon claimants to the throne—as well as ambitious pagan Vikings to the north.
Uhtred, the Saxon-born, Viking-raised warrior, whose life seems to shadow the making of England itself, is torn between his vows to Alfred and his desire to reclaim his long-lost ancestral lands and castle in the north. As the kings warrior, he is duty-bound, but Alfreds reign is nearing its end, and Uhtred has sworn no oath to the crown prince. Despite his long years of service, Uhtred is still loath to commit to the old kings Saxon cause of a united and Christian England. Now he must make a momentous decision, one that will forever transform his life . . . and the course of history: take up arms—and Alfreds mantle—or lay down his sword and allow the dream of a unified kingdom to fall into oblivion.
A harrowing story of the power of tribal commitment and the dilemma of divided loyalties, Death of Kings is the latest chapter in the epic saga of the making of England, magnificently brought to life by “the reigning king of historical fiction” (USA Today).
Review
“[M]asterful. . . . The surprise is that Cornwells love scenes are as deft as his action scenes, though far fewer, of courseall driven by a hard-shelled, sporadically soft-hearted, always charismatic protagonist.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Review
"There are bloody battles and political machinations and plenty of meticulously researched historical nuggets to keep readers interested. The story is likely to appeal to anyone who has enjoyed George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones series." Christian DuChateau, CNN
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“Gripping. . . . Mr. Cornwells ‘Saxon Stories subvert myths of national origin as few would dare. They are ‘unofficial historiesand all the more realistic for that.” Tom Shippey, Wall Street Journal
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“Bernard Cornwell does the best battle scenes of any writer Ive ever read, past or present.” George R. R. Martin
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“Compelling.” Publishers Weekly
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“As expected, the warfare is ferociously bloody, the sacrilege pointedly barbed, and the story expertly paced. Heck, wed even extol Uhtreds budding spells of sober reflection about life and loveif we werent certain hed slice an ear off for saying so.” Entertainment Weekly for Sword Song
Review
“[Cornwell] writes morally complicated and intricate stories, and hes won a following not just among readers but also among fellow writers.” Gregory Cowles, New York Times Book Review
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“A master of historical fiction has produced another great read.” Robert Conroy, Library Journal
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“[Cornwell] has been described as a master of historical fiction, but that may be an understatement. Cornwell makes his subject material come alive. Better, his major protagonist is totally believable and human.” Robert Conroy, Library Journal
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“Cornwell is adept at enveloping his fictional characters in British history. His use of geography, instruments of battle, strategy and ancient vocabulary is faultless….No knowledge of early British history or of his earlier Saxon volumes is necessary for a reader to enjoy his dexterous approach to historical fiction.” Dennis Lythgoe, BookPage
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“Bernard Cornwell ranks as the current alpha male of testosterone-enriched historical fiction.” Dierdre Donahue, USA Today
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“Robustly drawn characters and a keen appetite for bloodshed whip the reader along in a froth of excitement.” James Urquhart, Financial Times
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“Cornwell tells Alfreds story with wit, intelligence and absolute narrative authority.... Cornwell remains in full control of this colorful, violent material, and his steadily deepening portrait of Alfreds nascent England continues to enthrall.” Washington Post Book World for Sword Song
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“[Cornwell] possesses a gift for narrative flow and an eye of the telling detail that are the main reasons for his primacy in bringing turbulent times to vivid life.” Philadelphia Inquirer
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“History comes alive.” Boston Globe
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“Likely to appeal to anyone who has enjoyed George R. R. Martins Game of Thrones series....Cornwell is a master of historical fiction.” Christian DuChateau, CNN
Synopsis
The sixth installment of Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, "like Game of Thrones, but real" (The Observer, London)--the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit BBC America television series.
As the ninth century wanes, England is perched once more on the brink of chaos. King Alfred is dying; with his passing, the island of Britain seems doomed to renewed warfare. Alfred wants his son Edward to succeed him, but there are other Saxon claimants to the throne--as well as ambitious pagan Vikings to the north.
With the promise of battle looming again, Uhtred, the Viking-raised but Saxon-born warrior, whose life seems to shadow the making of England itself, is torn between competing loyalties. Uhtred's loyalty, and his vows, are to Alfred--not to his son--and despite long years of service to the old king, Uhtred is still reluctant to commit to Alfred's cause. His own desire is to reclaim his long lost ancestral lands and castle to the north. As the king's warrior he is duty-bound, but the king's reign is nearing its end, and his death will leave a vacuum of power. Uhtred is forced to make a momentous choice: either take up arms--and Alfred's mantle--to realize his dream of a united and Christian England, or be responsible for condemning it to oblivion.
Death of Kings is a harrowing story of the power of tribal commitment and the dilemma of divided loyalties. This is the making of England magnificently brought to life by "the best historical novelist writing today" (Vince Flynn).
Synopsis
The fate of a young nation rests in the hands of a reluctant warrior in the thrilling sixth volume of the New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales series. Following the intrigue and action of The Burning Land and Sword Song, this latest chapter in Bernard Cornwells epic saga of England is a gripping tale of divided loyalties and mounting chaos. At a crucial moment in time, as Alfred the Great lays dying, the fate of all—Angles, Saxons, and Vikings alike—hangs desperately in the balance. For all fans of classic Cornwell adventures, such as Agincourt and Stonehenge, and for readers of William Dietrichs Hadrians Wall or Robert E. Howards Bran Mak Morn, the stunning Death of Kings will prove once again why the Wall Street Journal calls Bernard Cornwell “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today.”
About the Author
Bernard Cornwell is the author of the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers 1356 and Agincourt; the bestselling Saxon Tales, which include The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, Lords of the North, Sword Song, The Burning Land, and most recently Death of Kings; and the Richard Sharpe novels, among many others. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina.