Death of Kings
A Novel
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4.4 • 726 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
The sixth installment of Bernard Cornwell’s New York Times 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 television series.
As the ninth century wanes, Alfred the Great lies dying, his lifelong goal of a unified England in peril, his kingdom on the brink of chaos. Though 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.
Torn between his vows to Alfred and the desire to reclaim his long-lost ancestral lands in the north, Uhtred, Saxon-born and Viking-raised, remains the king’s warrior but has sworn no oath to the crown prince. Now he must make a momentous decision that will forever transform his life and the course of history: to take up arms—and Alfred’s mantle—or lay down his sword and let his liege’s dream of a unified kingdom die along with him.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The sixth installment of Cornwell's Saxon series (after The Burning Land) returns to the days before there was an England or an English sense of fair play when Saxons, Danes, and Vikings, Christians and pagans alike, fought relentlessly and ruthlessly for control of Wessex. It's 898: ailing King Alfred, hoping to unify English-speaking Christians under one crown, asks loyal if stubbornly pagan Uhtred to make one last stab at peace. Armed with his trusty sword, Serpent-Breath, Uhtred bushwhacks, bedevils, and beats the living daylights out of scheming plotters, while Edward, "not quite the perfect heir," risks all for the love of a bishop's daughter. thelflaed, Edward's beloved sister and Uhtred's former lover, unwilling to be ruled by her husband, brother, or anyone, joins Uhtred in battle brought to bloody life by Cornwell, whose historian's understanding of military strategy blends well with a novelist's ability to envision weapons of the past and the ways in which they're wielded. Ninth-century combat lacks the grandeur of large armies, but Uhtred's cunning, courage, and a few acts of calculated cruelty make for a compelling read. Unfortunately for Edward, no skirmish proves decisive enough to unify England. Fortunately for Cornwell fans, that means more "tales of warriors and swords and shields and axes" to come.
Customer Reviews
Love the history
I have read all of the Saxon stories and enjoyed them all. I have been waiting for this one to come out for some time. I had forgotten one thing though, the distracting typosand selling errors. For me it takes away from he excitement and that is why I gave it 4 stars and not five. What's the deal? It's being translated from English to English not Chinese to English. Get a new editor!
Must
It’s an addicting reading
Excellent!
Watched the show before reading the books, and it doesn’t do justice to the books. Very good read.