A review by bookbelle5_17
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Review of The Last Kingdom
By: Bernard Cornwell
Uhtred was born a Saxon, but during another one of the many battles with the Danes, Uhtred is taken by Dane Earl Ragnar after his father is killed.  He is raised as a Dane grows to see Ragnar as a father.  King Alfred, a Christian, takes the throne intending to either convert the Danes to Christianity or slaughter.  He meets Uhtred and sees how skilled of warrior he is and wants to use him, but Uhtred is still loyal to the Danes.
Uhtred’s journey was exciting and fascinating as he learns to be a warrior and struggles with identity.  He still wants to claim his home castle Bebbanburg, but he cares for the Danes seeing them as his family.  Later, he ends up having to join Alfred’s army for his own survival.  He stays loyal, but he must make compromises pretending he’s on the Saxon side, particularly because he wants to continue being a warrior.  Cornwell knows how to write a thrilling battle scene.  The scenes were chaotic and bloody, but you can feel Uhtred’s passion for the fight.  I like the relationship between Uhtred and Ragnar.  Ragnar shows compassion for Uhtred and saw something in him, though he could have killed or held him as prisoner.  Cornwell does a wonderful job weaving fiction and actual history.  He leaves a note at the end letting the reader know what parts of history he changed for the narrative and what facts he included. 
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