The Burning Land

Title: The Burning Land

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 2009
Pages: 384
Series: The Last Kingdom/ The Saxon Stories #5
Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading Time: 16 - 18 June

Binding: Kindle
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★★

Blurb:

 To King Alfred he is 'lord of battles'. He has gained rickes, loyal men and a beloved wife. But Uhtred is dogged by betrayal and tragedy.

 The ailing Alfred presses Uhtred to swear loyalty to his son and heir Edward, preventing the warrior lord from taking vengeance on those who stole his home at Bebbanburg. Now Uhtred will once again defend the Christian kingdom - in a battle which could smash the growing power of the deadly Danes.

 In do doing he meets a woman more dangerous than any warlord. A killer, a schemer with a dark power over men's hearts: Skade.

 Uhtred of Bebbanburg's mind is as sharp as his sword. A thorn in the side of 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.

Review:

 I'd say this is only the second book in the series so far in which we see some real vulnerability in Uhtred, the first being The Lords of the North. Uhtred is now in his mid-thirties, being around five years after the events of Sword Song. I have to say that for a few books now I've been questioning whether some character's ages have been carried across correctly from when they were first introduced and I'm still not sure they're quite right. Uhtred has remained in Lundene with his friends and family and continues to fight for Wessex.

 There are at least two battles in each of these books so far and the first is quickly paced compared to others that we have seen on this scale so far. With it comes the introduction of a new female character, Skade. What a witch. This character is brimming with strong female characters with very different traits. Tragedy strikes for Uhtred early in this book and it sets us in to a new series of events that will continue in to the next book. Uhtred sets sail again and reverts to some of his bachelor days, keep it in your pants Uhtred!

 There are characters that were missed in Sword Song and we are welcomed back to them with open arms, Ragnar and Brida are strong and will be seen again. Alfred is weakening and preparing Wessex for the ascension of Edward. Asser is a troublesome little bastard that Uhtred really should have killed years before. Relationships are being tested unlike they have before and it leads a real question to how their story will progress. We are also reminded heavily in this book of Uhtred's wish to return to Bebbanburg as he travels north for the first time in years before having his loyalties tested once again.

 The battles noted in this book have true inspirations, I always rely on the historical note to help me separate what comes from the history and Cornwell's imagination. He also notes that he does not think Aetheflaed is a woman from our history with enough recognition and I have to agree, it's wonderful to see him pushing her forward as heroin in these stories even if Cornwell notes he's likely giving Aethelred the short end of the stick.

 If you're on your way here from the Netflix adaptation then do not expect this one to line as closely to the series as previous books. It's still very well lifted but I was certainly trying to search my memory to remember if certain elements were completely changed or only inspired by.