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An action-packed historical adventure from Bernard Cornwell’s enthralling series on the Napoleonic Wars.

A daring, impossible mission might just be their last hope.

A year after the victory at Talavera, things are looking bleak. With Wellington outnumbered, the bankrupt army’s only hope of avoiding collapse is a hidden cache of Portuguese gold. Only Captain Richard Sharpe is capable of stealing it—and it means turning against his own men. **

Review

[Sharpe is] a hero in the mold of James Bond. -- The Philadelphia Inquirer

About the Author

Bernard Cornwell ’s Richard Sharpe series takes its hero to the battle of Waterloo—and beyond. Several novels are the basis of a television miniseries. He was born in London and lives in Chatham, Massachusetts.

From New York Times* *bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the tenth installment in the world-renowned * *Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty’s Army at the siege of Seringapatam.

Sharpe’s job as Captain of the Light Company is under threat and he has made a new enemy, a Portuguese criminal known as Ferragus. Discarded by his regiment, Sharpe wages a private war against Ferragus – a war fought through the burning, pillaged streets of Coimbra, Portugal’s ancient university city.

Sharpe’s Escape begins on the great, gaunt ridge of Bussaco where a joint British and Portuguese army meets the overwhelming strength of Marshall Massena’s crack troops. It finishes at Torres Vedras where the French hopes of occupying Portugal quickly die.

The year is 1811 and the French appear to have won their war in Portugal and Spain, with Spain fallen to the invader except for the sea-wrapped city of Cadiz. Captain Richard Sharpe has no business being in Cadiz, but an attack on a French held bridge goes disastrously wrong and Sharpe finds himself in a city under French siege and political rivalry. Some Spaniards believe their country's future would he best served by forging a friendship with Napoleon's France, and their cause is helped when some letters, written to a whore by the British ambassador, fall into their possession. They resort to blackmail, and Sharpe is released into the alleys of Cadiz to find the whore and retrieve the letters. Yet defeating the blackmailers will not save the city. That is up to the charismatic Scotsman, Sir Thomas Graham, who takes a small British army to attack the French siege lines. The attack goes horribly wrong, Sir Thomas's outnumbered army is trapped, and Richard Sharpe finds himself embroiled in one of the most desperate infantry struggles ever to have been fought. In a bloody and stirring battle, Sharpe and the English get their revenge and their victory, but at a terrible cost. A triumph of both historical and battle fiction, Sharpe's Fury will sweep both old and new Sharpe fans into their hero's incredible adventures. Performed by Paul McGann **

From New York Times* *bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the twelth installment in the world-renowned * *Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty’s Army at the siege of Seringapatam.

Quartered in a crumbling Portuguese fort, Richard Sharpe and his men are attacked by an elite French unit, led by an old enemy of Sharpe’s, and suffer heavy losses.

The army’s high command blame Sharpe for the disaster and his military career seems to be ruined. His only hope is to redeem himself on the battlefield. So with his honour at stake, against an overwhelming number of French troops, Sharpe leads his men to battle in the narrow streets of Fuentes de Oñoro.

The greatest threat to Wellington's Salamanca Campaign is not Napoleon's Army but France's deadliest assassin.  He's already failed to kill Captain Richard Sharpe once.  Now, he's getting a second chance. **

From Library Journal

This powerful, exciting novel, the fourth in Cornwell's fine series on the Napoleonic Wars (e.g., Sharpe's Honour, Audio Reviews, LJ 5/15/95), focuses on a key turning point: Wellington's defeat of the French in the Battle of Salamanca. Sharpe, who embodies the heroism of the common soldier, dies a dozen deaths in his struggle against Colonel Leroux, the man responsible for killing Britain's top spies. Sharpe falls into the beguiling Marquesa's web, blissfully unaware that the actions of this passionate beauty will determine victor and vanquished. The author details military strategy, pits infantry against cavalry, and shows how class considerations impact the entire conduct of the war, including medical treatment of wounded officers and low-born soldiers. A valuable epilog reveals how closely the recording captures the historic individuals and locations. The television miniseries and reader Frederick Davidson's performance will provide a large audience for this outstanding work. Highly recommended.
James Dudley, Copiague, N.Y.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Consistently exciting... these are wonderful novels. -- Stephen King

A band of renegades led by Sharpe's vicious enemy, Obadiah Hakeswill, holds a group of British and French women hostage on a strategic mountain pass. Outnumbered and attacked from two sides, Sharpe must hold his ground or die in the attempt. **

Review

"Frederick Davidson performs superbly. For fans of the series, Davidson's readings may be definitive."

"The charm of the Sharpe novels is that of meticulously researched stories, books with a passionate correctness as to the details of military organization... and an old-fashioned devotion to heroic conduct."

"This superbly produced, unabridged audiobook edition featured the magnificent narrative skills of Frederick Davidson who truly brings alive the thrills, dangers, and plot twists that are the hallmark of Bernard Cornwell's historical adventures."

About the Author

Bernard Cornwell , born in London, worked for the BBC and Thames Television before coming to the United States to write full time. His sweeping historical novels, including the acclaimed Richard Sharpe series, make him a number one bestselling author in the United Kingdom and around the world. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod.

Frederick Davidson (1932-2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile 's Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.

An unfinished duel, a midnight murder, and the treachery of a beautiful prostitute lead to the imprisonment of Sharpe. Caught in a web of political intrigue for which his military experience has left him fatally unprepared, Sharpe becomes a fugitive--a man hunted by both ally and enemy alike. **

Review

''Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.'' --Sunday Telegraph

''Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.'' --Daily Mail

''Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer 'The best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.'' --George R.R. Martin

About the Author

Bernard Cornwell was born in London, raised in Essex, and now lives mainly in the USA with his wife. In addition to the hugely successful Sharpe novels, Bernard Cornwell is the author of the Starbuck Chronicles, the Warlord trilogy, the Grail Quest series and the Alfred series.

"Apart from the rousing battle scenes, the author is as his best in evoking a long-gone era through clever detail."-- The New York Times Book Review

A corrupt political enemy is determined to disband the South Essex Regiment -- and to destroy Major Richard Sharpe.

Sharpe returns to England and discovers an illegal recruiting ring that sells soldiers like cattle to other divisions. The ringleaders know Sharpe is on their trail, and they try to kill him at every turn. But Sharpe is fighting for his command, and as he moves from the dark slums of London to the highest courts of political power, Sharpe will risk charges of treason and death for a final chance at revenge.

"A ripping yarn."-- The Washington Post

"Consistently exciting . . . these are wonderful novels."--Stephen King **

From Library Journal

In the eighth volume in this superb series on the Napoleonic Wars (Sharpe's Siege, Audio Reviews, LJ 11/1/96), Sharpe must return from Spain to London to investigate why his supply of recruits has dried up. It's 1813, and Sharpe discovers a corrupt political enemy has diverted his recruits to sell them at auction. When he gets close to the source, the ring leaders try to kill him. Sharpe risks charges of treason to expose corruption at the highest level. The novel exposes the recruiting practices that, in fact, scandalized England and brought down prominent royal advisors. As usual, past and present sweethearts try to save Sharpe when danger threatens. Narrator-supreme Frederick Davidson provides the flavor of British life in the early 19th century on the lowest and highest levels as well as battlefield excitement as British troops cross into France from Spain. For young and old alike, this program is highly recommended.?James Dudley, Copiague, N.Y.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' ObserverThe best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.' George R.R. Martin

Richard Sharpe, abandoned in enemy territory, has to trust in assistance from a hostile American privateer. The invasion of France is under way, and the British Navy has called upon the services of Major Richard Sharpe. He and a small force of Riflemen are to capture a fortress and secure a landing on the French coast. It is to be one of the most dangerous missions of his career. Through the reckless incompetence of a naval commander, Sharpe finds himself abandoned in the heart of enemy territory, facing overwhelming forces and the very real prospect of defeat. He has no alternative but to trust his fortunes to an American privateer – a man who has no love for the British invaders. Soldier, hero, rogue – Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears. **

Review

"Frederick Davidson performs superbly. For fans of the series, Davidson's readings may be definitive."

"The charm of the Sharpe novels is that of meticulously researched stories, books with a passionate correctness as to the details of military organization... and an old-fashioned devotion to heroic conduct."

"This superbly produced, unabridged audiobook edition featured the magnificent narrative skills of Frederick Davidson who truly brings alive the thrills, dangers, and plot twists that are the hallmark of Bernard Cornwell's historical adventures."

About the Author

Bernard Cornwell , born in London, worked for the BBC and Thames Television before coming to the United States to write full time. His sweeping historical novels, including the acclaimed Richard Sharpe series, make him a number one bestselling author in the United Kingdom and around the world. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod.

Frederick Davidson (1932-2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile 's Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.

When his honor and reputation are at stake, Sharpe seeks revenge--at any cost

It is 1814, and the defeat of Napoleon seems imminent--if the well-protected city of Toulouse can be conquered. For Richard Sharpe, the battle turns out to be one of the bloodiest of the Peninsula Wars, and he must draw on his last reserves of strength to lead his troops to victory.

But before Sharpe can lay down his sword, he must fight a different sort of battle. Accused of stealing Napoleon's personal treasure, Sharpe escapes from a British military court and embarks on the battle of his life--armed only with the unflinching resolve to protect his honor. **

From Publishers Weekly

The 10th in Cornwell's series ( Sharpe's Rifles , etc.) is a corker. It is early 1814 and Major Richard Sharpe is still with one-eyed Capt. Frederickson and giant Sgt. Maj. Harper. Sharpe's French nemesis Major Ducos, in the first of a series of betrayals, has stolen a fortune from Napoleon and framed Sharpe for the crime. As fugitives from the British Army and the restored French royalist regime, Sharpe, Frederickson and Harper travel across France and into Naples to find Ducos and clear themselves. They must also deal with a loyal Bonapartist general and a rapacious Neapolitan cardinal, both of whom want the treasure. Sharpe has further problems with a fickle young wife in Regency London and an unlikely romantic attachment in Normandy. Fast and gripping, the story is carried by Cornwell's easy hold on vivid period detail. After an alliance of convenience with the Bonapartist general, Sharpe's final escape is literally dazzling. Readers will relish this adventure and eagerly await Sharpe at Waterloo.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In 1814, Richard Sharp must take the well-defended city of Toulouse to secure the defeat of Napoleon. But after this bloodiest of battles, Napoleon's personal treasure disappears. Sharp, framed by a clever renegade French commander, must escape from a British military prison, find the real culprit, and recover the gold and jewels if he is to save his career and good name. This volume, a brilliant historic action, adventure, and love story, appeals to a wide audience, much like the other titles in this fabulous series (e.g., Sharpe's Regiment, Audio Reviews, LJ 9/15/94). Frederick Davidson performs an unparalleled dramatization. A fascinating and educational work that will do credit to any library.?James Dudley, Copiague, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From New York Times* *bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, another exciting adventure in the world-renowned * *Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty’s Army at the siege of Seringapatam.

Five years after the Battle of Waterloo, Sharpe’s peaceful retirement in Normandy is shattered. An old friend, Don Blas Vivar, is missing in Chile, reported dead at rebel hands – a report his wife refuses to believe. She appeals to Sharpe to find out the truth.

Sharpe, along with Patrick Harper, find themselves bound for Chile via St. Helena, where they have a fateful meeting with the fallen Emperor Napoleon. Convinced that they are on their way to collect a corpse, neither man can imagine the dangers that await them in Chile…

With The Winter King , the first volume of his magnificent Warlord Chronicles, Bernard Cornwell established himself as the storyteller who could reinvent the legend of King Arthur for our time. Now with Enemy of God , Cornwell's magical re-creation continues. Having defeated the last holdouts of civil war in southern Britain, Arthur has secured Mordred's throne. But he must still face raging conflicts between the old ways and the new, as well as foes more powerful and more dangerous--because they pose as friends. Brilliantly written and peopled with the familiar faces of legend along with new ones, Enemy of God is an immensely powerful continuation of a modern classic. **

The first installment of Bernard Cornwell’s 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 coming to Netflix in Fall 2016. This is the exciting—yet little known—story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms. The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed nobleman, who is captured as a child by the Danes and then raised by them so that, by the time the Northmen begin their assault on Wessex (Alfred’s kingdom and the last territory in English hands) Uhtred almost thinks of himself as a Dane. He certainly has no love for Alfred, whom he considers a pious weakling and no match for Viking savagery, yet when Alfred unexpectedly defeats the Danes and the Danes themselves turn on Uhtred, he is finally forced to choose sides. By now he is a young man, in love, trained to fight and ready to take his place in the dreaded shield wall. Above all, though, he wishes to recover his father’s land, the enchanting fort of Bebbanburg by the wild northern sea. This thrilling adventure—based on existing records of Bernard Cornwell’s ancestors—depicts a time when law and order were ripped violently apart by a pagan assault on Christian England, an assault that came very close to destroying England. **

From Publishers Weekly

Bestseller Cornwell leaps back a millennium from his Richard Sharpe series to tell of the consolidation of England in the late ninth century and the role played by a young (fictional) warrior-in-training who's at the center of the war between Christian Englishmen and the pagan Danes. (Most of the other principal characters—Ubba, Guthrum, Ivar the Boneless and the like—are real historical figures.) Young Uhtred, who's English, falls under the control of Viking über-warrior Ragnar the Fearless when the Dane wipes out Uhtred's Northumberland family. Cornwell liberally feeds readers history and nuggets of battle data and customs, with Uhtred's first-person wonderment spinning all into a colorful journey of (self-)discovery. In a series of episodes, Ragnar conquers three of England's four kingdoms. The juiciest segment has King Edmund of East Anglia rebuking the Viking pagans and demanding that they convert to Christianity if they intend to remain in England. After Edmund cites the example of St. Sebastian, the Danes oblige him by turning him into a latter-day Sebastian and sending him off to heaven. Uhtred's affection for Ragnar as a surrogate father grows, and he surpasses the conqueror's blood sons in valor. When father and adopted son arrive at the fourth and last kingdom, however, the Danes meet unexpected resistance and Uhtred faces personal and familial challenges, as well as a crisis of national allegiance. This is a solid adventure by a crackling good storyteller.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

An acknowledged master of rousing battlefield fiction as evidenced by his crackling Richard Sharpe series, Cornwell also deserves praise for his mesmerizing narrative finesse and his authentic historical detailing. Here he introduces a new multivolume saga set in medieval England prior to the unification of the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, and Wessex. Weakened by civil war, Northumbria is invaded by the fearless Danes, and Uhtred, the rightful heir to the earldom of Bebbanburg, is captured by the enemy. Raised as a Viking warrior by Ragnar the Terrible, his beloved surrogate father, Uhtred is still torn by an innate desire to reclaim his birthright. Fighting as a Dane but realizing that his ultimate destiny lies along another path, he seizes the opportunity to serve Alfred, king of Wessex, after Ragnar is horribly betrayed and murdered by Kjartan, a fellow Dane. Ever watchful and ever practical, Uhtred awaits his chance to settle the blood feud with Kjartan and to seize Bebbanburg from his treacherous uncle. Leaving his hero suspended on the threshold of realizing his desires, Cornwell masterfully sets up his audience for the second volume in this irresistible epic adventure. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

The second 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.

This is the exciting—yet little known—story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms.

At the end of The Last Kingdom, The Danes had been defeated at Cynuit, but the triumph of the English is not fated to last long. The Danish Vikings quickly invade and occupy three of England’s four kingdoms—and all that remains of the once proud country is a small piece of marshland, where Alfred and his family live with a few soldiers and retainers, including Uhtred, the dispossessed English nobleman who was raised by the Danes. Uhtred has always been a Dane at heart, and has always believed that given the chance, he would fight for the men who raised him and taught him the Viking ways. But when Iseult, a powerful sorceress, enters Uhtred’s life, he is forced to consider feelings he’s never confronted before—and Uhtred discovers, in his moment of greatest peril, a new-found loyalty and love for his native country and ruler.

The fourth 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.The year is 885, and England is at peace, divided between the Danish kingdom to the north and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south. Warrior by instinct and Viking by nature, Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, has land, a wife and children—and a duty to King Alfred to hold the frontier on the Thames. But a dead man has risen, and new Vikings have invaded the decayed Roman city of London with dreams of conquering Wessex... with Uhtred’s help. Suddenly forced to weigh his oath to the king against the dangerous turning tide of shifting allegiances and deadly power struggles, Uhtred—Alfred’s sharpest sword—must now make the choice that will determine England’s future.

The enemy is massing on the borders, a united force for once.

The king, a man of many victories, is in failing health, and his heir is an untested youth.

Uthred, the king's champion, leads his country's forces to war, but his victory is soured by personal tragedy and by the envy of the king's court. So he breaks with the king and takes off for the land of his birth, determined to resist all calls for his return. That is, until one unexpected request...

This is the making of England brought magnificently to life by the master of historical fiction.

The master of historical fiction presents the iconic story of King Alfred and the making of a nation. As the ninth century wanes, England appears about to be plunged into chaos once more.

For the Viking-raised but Saxon-born warrior, Uhtred, whose life seems to shadow the making of England, this presents him with difficult choices. King Alfred is dying and his passing threatens the island of Britain to renewed warfare. Alfred wants his son, Edward, to succeed him but there are other Saxon claimants to the throne as well as ambitious pagan Vikings to the north.

Uhtred's loyalty - and his vows - were to Alfred, not to his son, and despite his long years of service to Alfred, he is still not committed to the Saxon cause. His own desire is to reclaim his long lost lands and castle to the north. But the challenge to him, as the king's warrior, is that he knows that he will either be the means of making Alfred's dream of a united and Christian England come to pass or be responsible for condemning it to oblivion.

This novel is a dramatic story of the power of tribal commitment and the terrible difficulties of divided loyalties. This is the making of England magnificently brought to life.

The seventh novel in Bernard Cornwell’s number one bestselling series on the making of England and the fate of his great hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. BBC2’s major Autumn 2015 TV show THE LAST KINGDOM is based on the first two books in the series. Uhtred – sword of the Saxons, bane of the Vikings – has been declared outcast. Peace in Britain has given Uhtred time to cause trouble – for himself. Branded a pagan abomination by the church, he sails north. For, despite suspecting that Viking leader Cnut Longsword will attack the Saxons again, Uhtred is heading for Bebbanburg, fearing that if he does not act now he will never reclaim his stolen birthright. Yet Uhtred’s fate is bound to the Saxons. To Aethelflaed, bright lady of Mercia and to a dead king’s dream of England. For great battles must still be fought – and no man is better at that than Uhtred. Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s mind is as sharp as his sword. A thorn in the side of the priests and nobles who shape his fate, this Saxon raised by Vikings is torn between the life he loves and those he has sworn to serve. **

From Booklist

Uhtred of Bebbanburg rides into battle once again in the seventh installment of Cornwell’s stellar Saxon Tales series. This time it is a decidedly older but no less ferocious Uhtred who, after the death of King Alfred, is determined to reclaim his birthright—the Northumbrian fortress of Bebbanburg—once and for all. Of course, this being the tangled tale of the bloody birth of England, nothing is as straightforward as that. The Danes (who incidentally raised the Saxon-born Uhtred) are poised and ready to expand their territory in the north, threatening the sanctity and safety of all the Saxon kingdoms. Although on the outs with the Saxon kings and Christian priests currently wielding the real power, a warrior as cunning and as skillful as Uhtred is always in demand when the Vikings come to call. Cornwell excels at depicting gloriously gory battle scenes as well as the inherent religious, political, and martial conflicts upon which a great nation was born. --Margaret Flanagan

Review

“A violent, absorbing historical saga, deeply researched and thoroughly imagined.” ( Washington Post )

The 11th book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions.

A hero will be forged from this broken land.

As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world. Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg knows that peace is far from reach. Though he has won the battle for his ancestral home, rebellion looms in Mercia and invading Norsemen appear at every turn.

With the country in turmoil, Uhtred comes face-to-face with King Skoll, a violent Norseman leading an army of úlfheðinn, or wolf warriors, hellbent on seizing a kingdom – and killing any in his path. Surrounded and outnumbered by new enemies, Uhtred must call on all his skill and courage to survive, and prevent his beloved Northumbria from falling to the Viking hoards. **

Review

“Once again, Cornwell has placed his irascible and cunning hero in the midst of personal and political conflict and provided another exciting story.   VERDICT For those who enjoy their historical fiction told with verve and imagination.” ( Library Journal )

“A series that never seems to run out of blood, gore, and glory.” ( Booklist )

“The most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today.... Mr. Cornwell writes as if he has been to ninth-century Wessex and back.... Much has changed since the ninth century, but some things, and some feelings, are timeless.” ( Wall Street Journal )

“A rousing, bloodthirsty tale of tumult in early-days Britain.... Great entertainment for fans of historical epics.” ( Kirkus )

A page-turning thriller of ancient historical times.... Like the Netflix series “The Last Kingdom,” which is based on this series, the books are definitely binge-worthy. ( The Oklahoman )

“Uhtred is back where he belongs, in the shield-wall, and telling the story of fame and heartbreak, blood and tears, sword against sword. Whether you believe it all or not is up to you; the good news is that Cornwell, once again, makes it easy to do so.” (Curtis Edmonds, Bookreporter)

“Our hero is Uhtred, a good-hearted lout with a pleasantly sour disposition; he’s like a 9th century Han Solo.” ( Time )

From the Back Cover

At the fortress of the eagles, three kings will fight. . . . Uhtred of Bebbanburg has won back his ancestral home, but, threatened from all sides by enemies both old and new, he doesn’t have long to enjoy the victory. In Mercia, rebellion is in the air as King Edward tries to seize control. In Wessex, rival parties scramble to settle on the identity of the next king. And across the country, invading Norsemen continue their relentless incursion, ever hungry for land. Uhtred—a legendary warrior admired and sought as an ally, and feared as an adversary—finds himself once again fighting on what he considers the wrong side, cursed by misfortune and tragedy, and facing one of his most formidable enemies. Only the most astute cunning, the greatest loyalty, and the most spectacular courage can save him. For decades, Uhtred has stood at the intersection between pagan and Christian, between Saxon and Viking, between the old world he was born into and the new world being forged around him. But as the winds of change gather pace, the pressure on Uhtred as father, politician, and warrior grows as never before. Bernard Cornwell’s epic story of the making of England continues to enthrall in this stunning chapter of the bestselling Saxon Tales series—“like Game of Thrones , but real” ( Observer) —the basis of the hit Netflix television series The Last Kingdom.