Book Review: The Last Kingdom

I was intending to read A Passage to India after finishing Sherlock Holmes, however unexpectedly found myself in yet another Viking phase. This is due to my recent inspiration from the film, The Northman starring Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Taylor-Joy. The film is a story of vengeance set in Iceland during the Viking age. It is without the question the best Viking movie I have ever seen, with it's mountainous backdrop, old Norse music, and intense drama. It was everything I could have asked for in a Viking movie, loaded with the cultural stereotypes. I would put this right up there with some other popular Viking TV shows, including Vikings, Vikings Valhalla, and The Last Kingdom. 

Its been several years since I watched The Last Kingdom on Netflix, but I do remember enjoying it's historical setting. I remember it's main character Uhtred, the wild blonde woman by his side, and King Alfred of England. I did not know however that it was a popular book series of 13 novels written by Bernard Cornwell. The first book in this Saxon Series was The Last Kingdom published in 2004. It was a New York Times Best Seller and considered one of the best Viking historical fictions. I knew it had to have been a popular book if it was adapted into a television series. So since I believe there is no better way to emerge yourself into a historical period then thru a book, I decided to take this one on. 

Book Premise

The setting takes the reader to England 866 AD, at the start of the Danish Viking invasions. The young protagonist Uhtred is son to a lord of Northumbria, where they dwell at the castle of Bebbanburg. Uhtred loves this land by the coastline, however one day he witnesses it invaded by Danish Vikings. Their leader Ragnar the Fearless kills Uhtred's brother and later his father in at battle at York. With everything taken from him Uhtred charges at Ragnar, who comes to admire the boy's bravery. Ragnar decides to spare the young English boy and take him as their prisoner at first. Uhtred's cruel uncle Alfric takes the castle of Bebbanburg and chooses not to free Uthred from the Danish captivity.

Uhtred grows up with the Viking tribe, learns their ways, and befriends many of them. He comes to see Ragnar the Fearless as a father, and admires his sense of humor and courage in battle. As a young teenager Uhtred joins the Viking raids on Mercia and East Anglia, and he meets their leaders Ubba and Ivar the Boneless (the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok). He proves to be a valuable asset to the Vikings, for his knowledge of English. One night he is able to infiltrate the English war camp and spy on their King Alfred and his boyhood priest Beocca. The English later become aware that he is an ealdorman prisoner and are able to kidnap him from the Danish tribe (along with his friend Brida). However this is only for a brief period and the two are able to escape and return to Ragnar. 

Despite being English, Uhtred prefers the Danish over his own people and continues to aid them in their raids. After conquering Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia all that remains in England is the kingdom of Wessex. This is the most wealthy of the regions in England ruled by the clever King Alfred the Great. Uhtred later meets the mighty Viking war chiefs Halfdan (son of Ragnar Lodbrock) and Guthrum the Unlucky. Together they plan to split Wessex into two from the north and the sea. However one night Ragar's tribe is attacked by a rival Kjartan and his son Sven. The entire hall is burned and Ragnar and his family are killed that night in the fire. Uhtred is able to escape the raid and travels to Wessex to serve King Alfred.

King Alfred takes a quick liking to Uhtred's pride and stubbornness and offers him a post with the navy. Uhtred serves under the fierce captain Leofric and helps them fight off many Viking raids. King Alfred also makes Uhtred learn to read, so that one day he may be able to lead men and understand the king's written orders. Uhtred comes to enjoy his new found life as an Englishman once again, fighting to defend Wessex. Since Uhtred is a lord, Alfred decides to arrange a marriage with an orphan woman named Mildrith, who owes great debt to the church. In return for this Uhtred is granted the command of a fleet and helps defend a siege from Guthrum. In the peace discussions, King Alfred chooses to send Uhtred as a neutral hostage, since he is already close with the Vikings. 

As a hostage of Guthrum, Uhtred is reunited with his friend Brida and her new lover Ragnar the younger. Uhtred tells Ragnar the younger what happened to his father that night, and the two swear to one day take vengeance against Kjartan and Sven. However one night Guthrum decides to kill his hostages and luckily Uhtred is saved by Ragnar the younger. Uhtred escapes back to Wessex to return to his wife and newborn son, however finds they have gone missing. He discovers that she was taken by the Wessex lord Odda escaping a raid from Ubba Ragnarrson. Uhtred joins the English fortification and fights with them against' Ubba's vikings at the Battle of Cynwit (878 AD). He takes part in his first proper shield wall and confronts the mighty Ubba in open battle. Uhtred proves to be a great warrior by defeating Ubba and leading the English to victory. He is reunited with his wife and son.

Book Analysis

The past few books I have read were classics written some 100 years ago, so it was quite refreshing to read a fairly modern and much easier to read book. The author Bernard Cornwell does an incredible job at creating a fictional character and story set in a historical setting. Uhtred is the iconic warrior hero very skilled in battle, yet he is his own man fighting for both the English and the Danes. I think this independent character allows the author to take the reader into both the English and Danish settings. This is great historical insight and there's two topics here that I came most inspired by; King Alfred of Wessex and the Great Heathen Army of the Danes.

In my past writings concerning Vikings  I have touched before on the Great Heathen Army of 865-878 (Historical Study of Vikings). This was the most notable of the Viking conquests, which invaded most of England, except for Wessex. That is the premise of this book, and also the premise of the video game AC: Valhalla I should add. In this book the writer takes us thru the early invasions where the Danish cannot be stopped. That is until they come to Wessex, which is as the title suggests the Last Kingdom. It appears the first part of the book glorifies the Vikings while the 2nd part glorifies King Alfred. It's quite interesting how Uhtred switches sides various times for various reasons. But I believe at his true heart, is to side with his countrymen the English.

I made a deep study on the English Monarchy several years ago and began with Alfred the Great as the first king of the Anglo-Saxons (Anglo-Saxon Kings). However I still know very little of this king who quite interestingly is the only English monarch to have the title "Great". That is because he is the only one who was able to defend against the Viking conquest and essentially established the English kingdom. In 878 King Alfred made a treaty with the Danish, that they could occupy much of the northern lands, however Wessex was to remain an English kingdom. I intend to later have a more in-depth study of King Alfred, but I also intend to read several more books in this story. I don't think I will read all 13 of the novels, but I did buy the first 3 books and intend to finish them all.