The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cornwell

The Last Kingdom

By Bernard Cornwell

  • Release Date: 2009-03-17
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
4.5 Score: 4.5 (From 1,177 Ratings)

Book Synopsis

The first 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.

This is the exciting—yet little known—story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms.

The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed nobleman, who is captured as a child by the Danes and then raised by them so that, by the time the Northmen begin their assault on Wessex (Alfred’s kingdom and the last territory in English hands) Uhtred almost thinks of himself as a Dane. He certainly has no love for Alfred, whom he considers a pious weakling and no match for Viking savagery, yet when Alfred unexpectedly defeats the Danes and the Danes themselves turn on Uhtred, he is finally forced to choose sides. By now he is a young man, in love, trained to fight and ready to take his place in the dreaded shield wall. Above all, though, he wishes to recover his father’s land, the enchanting fort of Bebbanburg by the wild northern sea.

This thrilling adventure—based on existing records of Bernard Cornwell’s ancestors—depicts a time when law and order were ripped violently apart by a pagan assault on Christian England, an assault that came very close to destroying England.

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Latest Impressions

  • Historical Fiction at its peak.

    5
    By vantacrocs
    Magnificent. Truly well written, incredible story and great main character. I cannot wait to finish the rest of the books.
  • Pure fun and fury

    5
    By karenindixie
    I’ve started reading this series because I loved the Netflix series by the same name. Books are way better than the film version as usual, but it does take a bit of time to adjust to the names and sites. The fast pace is great, the modernized wording is fun, and the fury of battle is palpable. On to the next!
  • It’s a must read if you watched the series or not

    5
    By bugsjeep
    Very well Detailed
  • Beautifully written

    5
    By Yolanda Lampole
    I see now why this book gets such high reviews. The battle scenes are intense. They always say the book is better, and although I love the show, the book is definitely better.
  • Fantastic history and novel

    5
    By joematthews29
    One of the best historical novels that I have read. Well written. Well documented in history. Well worth the time to read.
  • R. Elmer McCartney

    5
    By Duke Swissvale
    I enjoyed the book. I watched the series on Netflix as well. As usual, the book is better. However, the film is well done too. This really captures the period well. A great writer and another great book of Historical fiction!
  • Poor Apple

    5
    By Anonymous Eric
    This is an excellent NOVEL! Apple chooses to sell it as history. It is NOT history and should not be sold that way.
  • The Last Kingdom

    5
    By boots saddle
    Great oldtimey yarn of wooden ships and iron men. Very entertaining window of life fifteen hundred years ago in one of today’s most prominent European areas.
  • The book that started it all

    5
    By BD Earl
    Bernard Cornwell’s masterpiece starts here.Uhtred’s story captivates and Cornwell’s writing brings the ninth and tenth century struggle between the Saxons and Danes alive like few authors can. It made me look deeper into my own Anglo-Scandinavian heritage. Cornwell tops the list of the great historical fiction writers.
  • Great series

    5
    By Staypuffed
    I've read all of this series to date, and each book gets better. I don't want the story to end, as Cornwell builds such wonderful characters and settings that I will be sad to let them go. Also, no one does a battle scene better that Bernard.