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The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom

Historical FictionMedieval
Pages
368
Published
2004
Language
English

Synopsis

In the year 866, nine-year-old Uhtred is the son of a Saxon lord who rules the great northern fortress of Bebbanburg. When a Danish army sweeps into Northumbria and his father is killed, Uhtred is captured and, over the years that follow, is raised as one of the invaders — learning the Danes' language, their gods, and their savage skill at war, until he is no longer sure which world he belongs to.

Torn between the people of his birth and the people who raised him, Uhtred comes of age as Alfred, the pious young king of Wessex, fights to hold the last unconquered English kingdom against the Danish tide. Uhtred's sword, his cunning, and his divided loyalties will make him invaluable — and dangerous — to both sides.

The Last Kingdom opens Bernard Cornwell's acclaimed Saxon Stories, a sweeping, blood-soaked historical saga of the making of England, seen through the eyes of one of historical fiction's most memorable warriors.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

GrittyAdventurousTenseDark
Coming of Age

Genres

Historical Fiction Medieval Adventure Thriller Military

About the author

B
Bernard Cornwell

Bernard Cornwell (born February 23, 1944) is an English author of historical novels, known for his meticulous research and engaging storytelling. Born in London, England, to a Canadian airman father and a mother in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, he was adopted by a family in Essex belonging to the Peculiar People sect. Cornwell attended London University and worked as a teacher before joining the BBC, where he spent a decade, eventually becoming Head of Current Affairs in Northern Ireland....

Characters

UhtredProtagonist
Uhtred of BebbanburgProtagonist

A Saxon-born, Dane-raised warrior torn between two peoples.

Earl RagnarSupporting

The Danish lord who raises Uhtred as his own.

Prince AlfredSupporting

The pious young king of Wessex fighting to hold the last English kingdom.

All characters in The Last Kingdom

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