Publishers: HarperCollins
Pages: 320
Main Characters:
Uhtred of Bebbanburg,
Aethelfead,
Ragnall Iverson
Warriors of the Storm
is the ninth book in Bernard Cornwell's The
Saxon Tales series and picks up the saga of Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
As a fragile peace is held between the Saxons in the south
of England and the Danes in the north, Uhtred feels that his life can finally
gain some normality in his aging years. However, when news spreads from over
the sea that the Irish tribes have expelled the Viking Lords that had once ruled
there, Uhtred knows that war will soon come to England.
The Danish warlord Ragnall Iverson (who once carved out a
Kingdom for himself in Ireland) comes to England to dispose of the weakened
King of Jorvik and unite the Danes in the north of England; preparing them for
war against the Christian Saxons. By using his cunning and cruelty, Ragnall
manages to outfox Uhtred and accomplish his goals.
The Last Kingdom TV show based on these novels
However, though he is old, Uhtred is still a warrior and has
a brilliant military mind and with some bluffing, quick thinking and bullying, Uhtred
manages to outsmart Ragnall and bring him to battle. Nevertheless, a shield
wall is a place for a young man and with the fighting more intense and
desperate than ever; can Uhtred survive this epic battle?
There’s not much I can say about this novel. It was another enjoyable
Uhtred tale from Bernard Cornwell with a similar plot to most of the other
books in the series. You know: peace time, war time, looks like they’re gonna lose
time, Uhtred turns it around at the last second time. Honestly, I’m just
reading these novels out of loyalty to the author and because I have invested
so much time into reading them, I actually want to see how they finish!
 |
| Example of Saxon shield wall |
I’m starting to get a little deluded with historical-fiction
writers making these long, drawn out series. There are so many good books out
there that I want to read, but year after year I return to these types of
series to read the next installment because I always hope it will be the final
one in the series. That isn’t to say that these books are bad, it’s just that
they are getting a little predictable and because they have been going on for
so long, they are starting to make me feel a little resentful.
It’s like the
author/publisher is using these series as a cash cow, bringing out a new book
every year and not really adding any effort to develop the overall plot, which
for The Saxon Tales is Uhtred
regaining Bebbanburg. The most excited I’ve been in this series was a few books
ago when I thought Uhtred died. This is because I thought, ‘oh, the plot is
going to go somewhere totally new and different’, but it didn’t. He magically
comes back to life in the next novel and the cycle continues. I just honestly
think it’s ok to end something at its peak. It leaves fans with a sense of nostalgia
and respect for a book, movie or TV show, which I think is always lost if that form
of entertainment is constantly shoved down your throat every year!
To conclude (because I feel like I’m ranting) this was
another enjoyable book in The Saxon Tales
series. I think if you’re like me and have read all the books this far then
you will enjoy it. However, for a new reader, don’t expect to be blown away by
this book; go and read its predecessors first. In fact, if you’re totally new
to Bernard Cornwell, stay away from this series for a while and go and read
books like Azincourt, Harlequins or
even Crackdown, they are my
favourites!
For author's official website click here.
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