In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born. At the end of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in ill health; his heir, an untested youth. His enemy, the Danes, having failed to conquer Wessex, now see their chance for victory. Led by the sword of savage warrior Harald Bloodhair, the Viking hordes attack. But Uhtred, Alfred's reluctant warlord, proves his worth, outwitting Harald and handing the Vikings one of their greatest defeats. For Uhtred, the sweetness of victory is soon overshadowed by tragedy. Breaking with Alfred, he joins the Vikings, swearing never again to serve the Saxon king. Instead, he will reclaim his ancestral fortress on the Northumbrian coast. Allied with his old friend Ragnar-and his old foe Haesten-he aims to invade and conquer Wessex itself. Yet fate has different plans. The Danes of East Anglia and the Vikings of Northumbria are plotting the conquest of all Britain. When Alfred's daughter pleads with Uhtred for help, he cannot refuse her request. In a desperate gamble, he takes command of a demoralized Mercian army, leading them in an unforgettable battle on a blood-soaked field beside the Thames. In The Burning Land, Bernard Cornwell, "the reigning king of historical fiction" (USA Today), delivers a rousing saga of Anglo-Saxon England-an irresistible new chapter in his thrilling Saxon Tales, the epic story of the birth of England and the legendary king who made it possible.
After taking a break from his best-selling Saxon Chronicles series to write the stand-alone Agincourt (2009), Cornwell revisits ninth-century Britain to continue the story of Uhtred, the morally and emotionally conflicted Saxon-born, Danish-bred prince who was kidnapped and trained in the arts of war by his captors. Reluctantly committed to King Alfred of Wessex, Uhtred is still plagued by divided loyalties that continue to influence his actions and reactions both on and off the battlefield. After an embittered and overlooked Uhtred finally sets off on his own, determined to reclaim Bebbanburg, his ancestral home in Northumbria, Harald Bloodhair makes a play for the aging and debilitated Alfred’s throne. Called back into service by Alfred’s daughter, Uhtred meets and defeats the Viking warrior at the Battle of Farnham. Once again, Cornwell, a master of martial fiction, makes history come alive with his rousing battlefield scenes. Since the future of a united Britain is left hanging in the balance, keep on the lookout for further installments. --Margaret Flanagan
Description:
In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born. At the end of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in ill health; his heir, an untested youth. His enemy, the Danes, having failed to conquer Wessex, now see their chance for victory. Led by the sword of savage warrior Harald Bloodhair, the Viking hordes attack. But Uhtred, Alfred's reluctant warlord, proves his worth, outwitting Harald and handing the Vikings one of their greatest defeats. For Uhtred, the sweetness of victory is soon overshadowed by tragedy. Breaking with Alfred, he joins the Vikings, swearing never again to serve the Saxon king. Instead, he will reclaim his ancestral fortress on the Northumbrian coast. Allied with his old friend Ragnar-and his old foe Haesten-he aims to invade and conquer Wessex itself. Yet fate has different plans. The Danes of East Anglia and the Vikings of Northumbria are plotting the conquest of all Britain. When Alfred's daughter pleads with Uhtred for help, he cannot refuse her request. In a desperate gamble, he takes command of a demoralized Mercian army, leading them in an unforgettable battle on a blood-soaked field beside the Thames. In The Burning Land, Bernard Cornwell, "the reigning king of historical fiction" (USA Today), delivers a rousing saga of Anglo-Saxon England-an irresistible new chapter in his thrilling Saxon Tales, the epic story of the birth of England and the legendary king who made it possible.
From Publishers Weekly
Slathered in blood and gore, Saxon warlord Uhtred of Bebbanburg hacks his way through the ninth century in the exciting fifth installment to bestseller Cornwell's Saxon Tales series (following Sword Song). This action-packed novel continues the saga of warfare for supremacy in Britain, a brutal period when Saxon and Danish swords, battleaxes, and treachery ruled the day. By now, Alfred the Great is old and feeble, unwilling and unable to repel the Danish invaders. He relies on trusty pagan warlord Uhtred, but Uhtred's temper and an unexpected violent act force Uhtred to break his oath of loyalty to Alfred and flee north with his men, intending to reclaim his ancestral home. En route, they face marauding Danish armies, betrayal, battles for a pirate treasure, and the curse of a vicious Danish witch, only to eventually be manipulated back into fighting for Alfred. Vivid descriptions of merciless battlefield slaughter, rape, and destruction are artfully related by a masterful storyteller. Uhtred is victorious in some battles, but the outcome of others will have to wait for the sequel. (Jan.)
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From Booklist
After taking a break from his best-selling Saxon Chronicles series to write the stand-alone Agincourt (2009), Cornwell revisits ninth-century Britain to continue the story of Uhtred, the morally and emotionally conflicted Saxon-born, Danish-bred prince who was kidnapped and trained in the arts of war by his captors. Reluctantly committed to King Alfred of Wessex, Uhtred is still plagued by divided loyalties that continue to influence his actions and reactions both on and off the battlefield. After an embittered and overlooked Uhtred finally sets off on his own, determined to reclaim Bebbanburg, his ancestral home in Northumbria, Harald Bloodhair makes a play for the aging and debilitated Alfred’s throne. Called back into service by Alfred’s daughter, Uhtred meets and defeats the Viking warrior at the Battle of Farnham. Once again, Cornwell, a master of martial fiction, makes history come alive with his rousing battlefield scenes. Since the future of a united Britain is left hanging in the balance, keep on the lookout for further installments. --Margaret Flanagan