The Flame Bearer

Cornwell's latest entry in the rousing Saxon Tales series, following Warriors of the Storm (2016), will not disappoint devoted fans who can't read enough about the adventures of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. This time around, an older, wiser, and more reflective Uhtred stands front and center. Battered but never defeated, he is still determined to recapture Bebbanburg, the ancestral home wrested away by his uncle and now in the possession of his cousin. The kingdom that would be England is still partitioned, with various factions holding court in Wessex, East Anglia, and Mercia. Uhtred, as always, is focused on Northumbria, but he must outwit and outfight Danes, Norsemen, and Scots in order to reclaim his birthright. Old friends, enemies, and family members populate the pages, providing familiar touchstones as a well-seasoned Uhtred battles his way ever closer to achieving his ultimate goal.--Flanagan, Margaret Copyright 2016 Booklist

Treachery and trickery mark the tenth volume in Cornwell's always exciting "Saxon Tales," set in tenth-century England. Uhtred Uhtredson has his sights set on his ancestral castle of Bebbanburg, now in the hands of his cousin. But who are those mysterious horsemen observing him watching? Why does his son-in-law, King Sigtryggr of Eoferwic (York), then demand his immediate return? Changing alliances among the Danes, Saxons, Scots, and others, and a mad self-ordained bishop, crisscross the story. Meanwhile, Uhtred marches to and sails fro in order to protect his liege lady, support his royal relative, and regain his home. While the various -"Aethelsomebodies" may confuse readers unfamiliar with early Anglo-Saxon history, Uhtred successfully engages a combination of rough humor, occasional introspection, and gut instinct. The book's final battle reveals the thin line between success and failure in war. VERDICT Historical and military fiction aficionados will enjoy Cornwell's vivid, fast-paced novel, as he mixes historical figures and tactical movements with an assortment of lifelike fictional characters. [See Prepub Alert, 5/2/16.]-W. Keith McCoy, Somerset Cty. Lib. Syst., Bridgewater, NJ © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Cornwell (Warriors of the Storm, 2016, etc.) draws another rollicking Saxon tale from the period when the scepterd isle, soon to be Englaland, was plagued by Norse and Dane raiders.Supported by the coffers of father-in-law Lord thelhelm, Saxon King Edward rules Wessex and East Anglia. Edwards sister, though ill, controls Mercia. Half-Dane, half-Saxon, a worshipper of the old gods, Lord Uthred has allied with, and resisted, both. Now Uthred turns to his own interests: Northumbria and his fortress, Bebbanburg, stolen long ago by his uncle. Wryly told, the novel unfolds from Uthreds point of view, with back story filled in as he plots to seize Bebbanburg. He also must outwit Constantin, king of the Scots,nbsp;scheming behind Hadrians Wall, and Norseman Einar the White, blockading from the sea. In this volume, Uthred, called the Wicked by his foes, proves the most nuanced character, sometimes doubt-ridden and ruthless, always loyal and fierce. As Uthred slips north toward Bebbanburgs Sea Gate and unleashes his warrior wolf pack, blood and gore drip from the pages. Familiar charactersUthreds loyal lieutenant, the Irish warlord Finan, or his one-eyed son-in-law, Sigtryggrplay minor roles. The duplicitous cousin holding Bebbanburg is seen from afar, as is King Edward waiting to pluck Bebbanburg and Northumbria from the chaos, but mad Bishop Ieremias joins the fun. As always, Cornwell reinforces credibility with ancient place namesmodern York was then Eoferwicand the blow-by-blow details of shield warfare in a period when armies numbered a mere 50 to 500 warriors. No lit-fic pretensions here: historical fiction rendered, with little expansion, via battles and royal intrigue and portraits of day-to-day life circa 1000 B.C.E. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.