Sword of Kings - (Last Kingdom (Formerly Saxon Tales)) by Bernard Cornwell (Paperback)

About the Book

"Uhtred of Bebbanburg is a man of his word. An oath bound him to King Alfred. An oath bound him to 2thelflµd. And now an oath will wrench him away from the ancestral home he fought so hard to regain. For Uhtred has sworn that on King Edward's death, he will kill two men. And now Edward is dying. A violent attack drives Uhtred south with a small band of warriors, and headlong into the battle for kingship. Plunged into a world of shifting alliances and uncertain loyalties, he will need all his strength and guile to overcome the fiercest warrior of them all. As two opposing Kings gather their armies, fate drags Uhtred to London, and a struggle for control that must leave one King victorious, and one dead. But fate - as Uhtred has learned to his cost - is inexorable. Wyrd bid ful äarµd. And Uhtred's destiny is to stand at the heart of the shield wall once again..."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

The twelfth installment of Bernard Cornwell's New York Times bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England--"superior entertainment that is both engaging and enlightening" (Washington Post), and the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit Netflix series.

It is a time of political turmoil once more in the 10^th century as the fading King Edward begins to lose control over his successors and their supporters. There are two potential heirs--possibly more--and doubt over whether the once separate states of Wessex and Mercia will hold together. Despite attempts at pulling him into the political fray, Uhtred of Bebbanburg cares solely about his beloved Northumbria and its continuing independence from southern control.

But an oath is a strong, almost sacred commitment and such a promise had been exchanged between Uhtred and Aethelstan, his onetime companion in arms and now a potential king. Uhtred was tempted to ignore the demands of the oath and stay in his northern fastness, leaving the quarrelling Anglo-Saxons to sort out their own issues. But an attack on him by a leading supporter of one of the candidates and an unexpected appeal for help from another, drives Uhtred with a small band of warriors south, into the battle for kingship--and England's fate.

Review Quotes

"Historical adventure on a grand scale." -- Kirkus

"Nobody does the Saxon period better than Cornwell, and readers will find themselves happily immersed in the muck, mire, and machinations of the Early Middle Ages." -- Booklist

"One of the great joys of the series is Cornwell's skill in aging his warrior- hero who now creaks as he fights and is haunted by those he has loved and lost." -- The Times (UK)

"The master returns with this latest addition to his wonderful Saxon chronicles." -- Sunday Times Magazine (UK)