I knew Brida would eventually stir up trouble, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity. I held a tiny sliver of hope she would rekindle the friendship with Uhtred, but again, asking too much. Uhtred created a true enemy there. After what she did to those poor girls and all those Christians, I can’t really feel any remorse for her. She was a twisted woman, and she got what she deserved. I’m just glad to see Stiorra be the one to give it to her.

It’s been two years since I last read a volume in this series. I just started to grow tired of it and the formulaic approach to novel writing. Although a series, each story is quite self-contained and follows a similar pattern of development. So I definitely needed a break from Uhtred of Bebbanburg for a short while. The narrator isn't as good as the guy that did Cornwell's King Arthur series. I don't know how old this fellow is, but his VOICE makes him sound like he's in his early-mid twenties. Since this story is told from Uhtred's point of view, and Uhtred is an older man, the whole thing just seems off. To his credit though, he reads well and has a good range of accents, even if some of them don't quite come off every time!One quote: "Thirty paces, twenty, and you can see the eyes of the men who will try to kill you, and see the spear blades, and the instinct is to stop, to straighten the shields. We cringe from battle, fear claws at us, time seems to stop, there is silence though a thousand men shout, and at that moment, when terror savages the heart like a trapped beast, you must hurl yourself into the horror." A fragile peace reigns in Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia. King Alfred's son Edward and formidable daughter, Aethelflaed, rule the kingdoms. But all around the restless Northmen, eyeing the rich lands and wealthy churches, are mounting raids. He’s not human but he has gentle eyes that are comforting and familiar. And she feels safe with him. She is genuinely confused by all her feelings and thoughts. Ragnall Ivarson. I had never met him, but I knew him. I knew his reputation. No man sailed a ship better, no man fought more fiercely, no man was held in more fear. He was a savage, a pirate, a wild king of nowhere, and my daughter Stiorra had married his brother.”

For once, there is peace. Uhtred has orchestrated a time where he can rest, with the rest of the country. That’s until the Northmen and the Irish turn up and start killing people. That’s when Uhtred must draw his sworn, and he does in magnificent fashion. The ninth 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 BBC America television series. The Athena Storm duo has been writing paranormal romantic fiction for a lengthy time. Together they have built a generous universe in which readers can explore and joyfully get lost in. My friends rave about Uhtred. This is my first outing with him and, while he is a traditional hero with a particularly nice turn of phrase at times, I wouldn’t say there is much about him that makes him outstanding to me. That didn’t matter, though, because the supporting cast were so vivid and fascinating that I could deal rather easily without a deep fascination with the hero.Aliens don’t fall in love with humans. Do they? Especially ones from a simple, country village. Do they? Worldly, beautiful, and sexy aliens. Do they? King Alfred’s son Edward and formidable daughter, Æthelflaed, rule Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia. But all around the restless Northmen, eyeing the rich lands and wealthy churches, are mounting raids. Aethelflaed, the daughter of King Alfred who rules Mercia and Wessex, is impressive and powerful, with flaws and uncertainties that make her a far more vivid character than Uhtred. The priests Ceolnoth and Ceolberht were fun and memorable for all their small role, the bishop Leofstan was simply superb, and of Uhtred’s own cadre of warriors, the Irishman Finan was one of the most interesting. Most men want to follow, and what they demand of their leader is prosperity. We are the ring-givers, the gold-givers. We give land, we give silver, we give slaves, but that alone is not enough. They must be led. Leave men standing or sitting for days at a time and they get bored, and bored men make trouble. They must be surprised and challenged, given tasks they think beyond their abilities. And they must fear. A leader who is not feared will cease to rule, but fear is not enough. They must love too. When a man has been led into the shield wall, when an enemy is roaring defiance, when the blades are clashing on shields, when the soil is about to be soaked in blood, when the ravens circle in wait for the offal of men, then a man who loves his leader will fight better than a man who merely fears him. At that moment we are brothers, we fight for each other, and a man must know that his leader will sacrifice his own life to save any one of his men.

Some suggest that Lord Uhtred is getting too old to continue the protagonist role in these novels—too long in the tooth, some reviewers have said. My own feeling is that he is too cantankerous and smart to get too old. Cornwell imbues him with plenty of wit and wits, lots of courage, and enough irascible stubbornness to keep him interesting. A fragile peace governs the kingdoms of Wessex, East Anglia, under the rule of the late King Alfred’s son, King Edward, and Mercia, under his daughter Aethelflaed.

Publication Order of Fated Mates of the First Ones Books

I personally believe this series has gone on for too long. It should have been tied up, with Uhtred retaking Bebbanburg at least four books ago. Several characters from previous novels show up again in this one. You may enjoy rediscovering them and their qualities, developed to their eventual limits. Athena Storm is the creative name of a blend of two authors. Who fell in love. With each other. Writing science fiction. Writing romantic science fiction. She’s the Athena. He creates the Storm. She’s hoping the story of Athena and Storm will evolve from girlfriend/boyfriend to wife/husband. She’s patient. But writing “Happily Ever After” (HEA) every day has got to create some pressure! After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean. I can't believe that I've made it through book nine already. You see I have a great weakness for all things medieval and dark. It's a childhood passion I've had since I'd lived in Sicily and Denmark in my boyhood. America is just a baby when it comes to holy wars and bloodshed. We've not drank from the bitter cup of war often, and it amazes me how bloodthirsty this new administration is gearing up! This is a book review, so I'll behead my political Cornwell fed moralizing.