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tomasthanes's review against another edition
5.0
I like history. That may make me different. Perhaps the doctor dropped me on my head as I was being born. I still like history.
I like European history, especially that involving the movement of people between the British Isles and Scandanavia. From the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Normans to the Svear, Norse, and the Danes - it's all good.
The Danes were approaching the time when their "empire" would be at its largest: most of England (Anglaland - "land of the Angles"), parts of Ireland, Norway, and southern Sweden with Denmark itself larger than it is today (encompassing all of Jutland).
This is the story of Uhtred, son of Uhtred, son of Uhtred (yada, yada, yada) who is the ealdorman of Bebbanburg (modern day Bamburgh) in Northumbria. However in this novel he never rules from Bebbanburg. At the age of 10, he is kidnapped by raiding Danes and becomes more or less an adopted son of Ragnar the Fearless. He is taught the Danish way of life, pagan, fighting, but with honor. His uncle steals the ealdormanship of Bebbanburg.
[a:Bernard Cornwell|12542|Bernard Cornwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1240500522p2/12542.jpg] does an admirable job of laying the underlying foundation of Roman cities and fortifications, left to moulder by the Anglo-Saxons who preferred to build with wood, who contend with the Welsh and Scottish tribes on their borders, and the Danes who come across the North Sea in their ships.
It's not only the layers of buildings that he uncovers but the culture and speech that move back and forth between the cultural groups. Religion, too, but that doesn't spread well as the Danes hate the dour Christians who pray rather than fight and the Christians hate the Norse paganism of the Danes. Other than Brother Willibald, the Christians in the 9th century did nothing to woo unbelievers to their faith.
This is the first of nine books. I'm looking forward to working my way through them.
I like European history, especially that involving the movement of people between the British Isles and Scandanavia. From the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Normans to the Svear, Norse, and the Danes - it's all good.
The Danes were approaching the time when their "empire" would be at its largest: most of England (Anglaland - "land of the Angles"), parts of Ireland, Norway, and southern Sweden with Denmark itself larger than it is today (encompassing all of Jutland).
This is the story of Uhtred, son of Uhtred, son of Uhtred (yada, yada, yada) who is the ealdorman of Bebbanburg (modern day Bamburgh) in Northumbria. However in this novel he never rules from Bebbanburg. At the age of 10, he is kidnapped by raiding Danes and becomes more or less an adopted son of Ragnar the Fearless. He is taught the Danish way of life, pagan, fighting, but with honor. His uncle steals the ealdormanship of Bebbanburg.
[a:Bernard Cornwell|12542|Bernard Cornwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1240500522p2/12542.jpg] does an admirable job of laying the underlying foundation of Roman cities and fortifications, left to moulder by the Anglo-Saxons who preferred to build with wood, who contend with the Welsh and Scottish tribes on their borders, and the Danes who come across the North Sea in their ships.
It's not only the layers of buildings that he uncovers but the culture and speech that move back and forth between the cultural groups. Religion, too, but that doesn't spread well as the Danes hate the dour Christians who pray rather than fight and the Christians hate the Norse paganism of the Danes. Other than Brother Willibald, the Christians in the 9th century did nothing to woo unbelievers to their faith.
This is the first of nine books. I'm looking forward to working my way through them.
books_with_style's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Thoroughly enjoyable. Similar is storytelling to the Warlord Chronicles. I have read/watched some history on the earlier British monarchs so some of the names and history were familiar to me.
limerickreads's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
gatorelgato's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
reydeam's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this book, very much so. The narrator's storytelling drew me into the characters, events, and cultures. The narrator's storytelling kept my attention throughout each page. I wanted to keep coming back to the story each chance my life would allow me. Actually, I set aside a few things in life in order to read the book, that's how much I wanted to know what would happen next. I was brought into the narrator's world, his full world and not just the action part of it. And actually, this is not as action packed as one would think. Yes there are battles, but the story centers itself around the people and who they are and what they want and how they live which does include battles. The Danes has far more order and likability than I would have thought prior as I had a preconceived idea of them as just brutes. They are brutes, this is so, but they are more than that. I was intrigued by the English outlook on the overtaking by the Danes. And Alfred did pique my interest too. What makes this story fantastic is the narrator, he lived in both worlds of Danes and English. His storytelling truly did a fabulous job giving me detail without boredom. He drew me into the lives of those on each side; engaging, indeed.
I will continue on in the series, I look forward to the next book.
I will continue on in the series, I look forward to the next book.
blackhobbit's review against another edition
5.0
Great start of a series
The story was great. The characters was great. It was a well paced story. I wasn't bored at all during reading this.
The story was great. The characters was great. It was a well paced story. I wasn't bored at all during reading this.
skull_servant's review against another edition
1.0
Northumbria, el Último Reino es el primer libro de la saga de Sajones, Vikingos y Normandos de Bernard Cornwell. Sirven de inspiración para la serie actualmente en emisión El Último Reino. No la he visto, pero sé que tiene una buena recepción y un puntaje loable en imdb. Me enteré de la existencia de los libros mediante un comercial en Facebook y me dije: ¿por qué no? La historia está ambientada en el año 866. Uhtred, un joven anglosajón de ascendencia aristocrática, vive escindido entre dos mundos antagónicos. Desde pequeño vive entre vikingos, pues fue raptado por estos, lo que le otorga una situación privilegiada desde la que enjuiciar las costumbres, las creencias y los ritos de sajones y daneses.
Quise empezar esta saga para saber si la serie existe solo para aprovecharse de la popularidad de la serie de TV Vikings o tiene una identidad propia, y al final resultó que… no, es similar a Vikings en todo aspecto, inclusive tiene como personajes centrales a miembros de la familia Lothbrok. Sin embargo, la juzgaré por sus propios méritos.
La novela es sencilla y directa, narrada en primera persona. Examinamos paso a paso la crianza del protagonista y su afición al mundo vikingo, y no puede uno culparse por empatizar con éste. La vida de vikingo es genial, no hay un dogma estricto que seguir, todo se soluciona a golpes y no hay que rezar o arrepentirse de los pecados como en la religión cristiana. La misma novela lo describe: los dioses de los daneses le patean el trasero al de los ingleses. Como todos los eventos están vivenciados desde el punto de vista de un niño, se siente como una fantasía de empoderamiento, ya que no hay críticas al estilo de vida de los nórdicos sino sólo alabanzas, y ese mayor problema que tuve con la novela. Este libro no trajo a la mesa nada nuevo. Fue entretenido al comienzo pero seguí esperando a que el personaje creciera y sus actos fueran examinados desde un punto de vista más crítico, como la sinopsis lo indicaba. Si iba a suceder eso alguna vez, nunca lo sabré, no tuve la suficiente paciencia para esperar a eso, y menos aún cuando no hay otros personajes que no sean arquetípicos.
La historia no me contó nada nuevo o sustancioso, curiosamente el mismo problema que tuve con Vikings, y por qué perdió mi interés en cierto punto. Reitero que no vi la serie de El Último Reino, pero si sigue al pie de la letra el libro que leí, a los que le gustó Vikings seguramente les encantará este show hermano. Por ahora, mi historia de vikingos favorita sigue siendo la serie de anime Vinland Saga. En esta, en cambio, los personajes pagan por las consecuencias de sus actos, ninguno de los dos bandos es glorificado y tiene una crítica al estilo de vida vikinga sin tener la torpeza de introducir personajes e ideales modernos en un escenario histórico.
Quise empezar esta saga para saber si la serie existe solo para aprovecharse de la popularidad de la serie de TV Vikings o tiene una identidad propia, y al final resultó que… no, es similar a Vikings en todo aspecto, inclusive tiene como personajes centrales a miembros de la familia Lothbrok. Sin embargo, la juzgaré por sus propios méritos.
La novela es sencilla y directa, narrada en primera persona. Examinamos paso a paso la crianza del protagonista y su afición al mundo vikingo, y no puede uno culparse por empatizar con éste. La vida de vikingo es genial, no hay un dogma estricto que seguir, todo se soluciona a golpes y no hay que rezar o arrepentirse de los pecados como en la religión cristiana. La misma novela lo describe: los dioses de los daneses le patean el trasero al de los ingleses. Como todos los eventos están vivenciados desde el punto de vista de un niño, se siente como una fantasía de empoderamiento, ya que no hay críticas al estilo de vida de los nórdicos sino sólo alabanzas, y ese mayor problema que tuve con la novela. Este libro no trajo a la mesa nada nuevo. Fue entretenido al comienzo pero seguí esperando a que el personaje creciera y sus actos fueran examinados desde un punto de vista más crítico, como la sinopsis lo indicaba. Si iba a suceder eso alguna vez, nunca lo sabré, no tuve la suficiente paciencia para esperar a eso, y menos aún cuando no hay otros personajes que no sean arquetípicos.
La historia no me contó nada nuevo o sustancioso, curiosamente el mismo problema que tuve con Vikings, y por qué perdió mi interés en cierto punto. Reitero que no vi la serie de El Último Reino, pero si sigue al pie de la letra el libro que leí, a los que le gustó Vikings seguramente les encantará este show hermano. Por ahora, mi historia de vikingos favorita sigue siendo la serie de anime Vinland Saga. En esta, en cambio, los personajes pagan por las consecuencias de sus actos, ninguno de los dos bandos es glorificado y tiene una crítica al estilo de vida vikinga sin tener la torpeza de introducir personajes e ideales modernos en un escenario histórico.
osean93's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
maplegrey's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0