Tag Archives: Bernard Cornwell

Book review: Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell

Posted on by
Reply

Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3)Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the 3rd book in the Saxon series (I know–I am way behind), and this one is my favorite so far. (Which is not to say that I disliked the other ones.) But by book #3, Uhtred’s personality is well-established as one where he knows perfectly well what he should do but often ignores it in favor of what he wants to do. (Trust me, so far there is no moral lesson to be derived from Uhtred’s behavior.) He continues to be snarky and sarcastic and irreverent, and I love him.
This book also deals very little with Alfred. Alfred the Great is one of my favorite characters in history and so I’m not always thrilled with the treatment he gets in this series (suffice it to say that Uhtred is not a fan). That being said, I like the fact that the author is willing to go against the commonly held conceptions about Alfred even as I cling to my illusions.
As always, the book is quintessential Cornwell. It is gritty and violent and gory, with no attempt to prettify the historical context. You can almost hear the grunts and screams of the men in battle and feel their swords slice into flesh.
If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend you do so (but do it in order). I very much look forward to reading the next installment!

View all my reviews

Book review: The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell

Posted on by
Reply

The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In “The Pale Horseman,” we follow the continuing adventures of Uhtred, a snarky Saxon-raised-as-a-Dane-who-is-now-a-reluctant-subject-of-King-Alfred. (Emphasis on the “snarky” part.) Alfred has been caught by surprise by the Danes and has fled to the swamps where he plots his comeback. Uhtred is caught between his desire to regain his lost land, his family loyalty to the Danes, and his oath of loyalty to Alfred.
I do love Bernard Cornwell’s description of battle scenes–they are gritty, gory, and vivid. I also delight in his depiction of Alfred, whom Uhtred clearly dislikes and distrusts. (My favorite description of Alfred in this book is when Uhtred says, “Once we returned to the swamp, Alfred did what he does best–write letters.”)
I agree with some of the reviewers that female characters are not the author’s strong point (a common failing in male authors). But since the book is written in first person by Uhtred, the weakness does not significantly affect the book or the story. Uhtred’s flaws make him all the more appealing as a character, and the events covered in the book are well-paced and well-written.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!

View all my reviews

Book review: The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

Posted on by
Reply

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having only recently launched into Bernard Cornwell books (see my review of “Agincourt”), I decided to tackle the author’s Alfred the Great series. This book was not at all what I expected, and despite this (or maybe because of it), I enjoyed it immensely.
The main character is Uhtred, an “English” boy who is captured by the Danes and then ultimately pulled into Alfred’s orbit. Uhtred is sarcastic, irreverent, and has an outsider’s perspective of Alfred. He is disdainful of Alfred’s piousness but respects his intelligence.
The tone of the book is gritty and realistic–no romantic notions of battle will be found here. There is none of the lyrical work found in the books of my favorite historical fiction author (Sharon Kay Penman), but the author is equally effective with his sharp, terse prose and his unsparing portrayal of Danish society and the tension between the old gods and Christianity. The author’s understated style creates a surprising amount of drama, and the pacing is well done.
I look forward to reading #2 in the series soon!

View all my reviews

Book review: Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell

Posted on by
1

AzincourtAzincourt by Bernard Cornwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am late to the Bernard Cornwell fan club (many historical fiction fans have long since discovered him), but I am thrilled to have finally read one of his books, which has been on my to-be-read pile for much too long. “Azincourt” or “Agincourt” (the English name of the battle) describes the march towards this fateful battle that made Henry V’s reputation through the eyes of an archer in Henry V’s army. This is not the rousing, patriotic, lyrical battle of Shakespeare’s play. This is a gritty, violent and bloody description of life and warfare in the trenches. No less eloquent than Shakespeare in its way but with all the romanticism taken out.
“Agincourt” is not only a fascinating book on the battle itself, but the author takes the time and does the research regarding the history and use of the longbow, the weapon that made such a crucial difference not only at Agincourt but in other pivotal battles as well. And while the characters aren’t always likeable, they are realistic and interesting and three dimensional.
For those who think historical fiction is written mainly for women (and it often is), this is a very “male” historical fiction book. The book focuses much less on character and romance (although both exist) and more on battle and action. I enjoyed it immensely.

View all my reviews