Bernard Cornwell
The Pagan Lord, Book 7 of Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Series, continues the adventures of the intrepid warrior, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, as he becomes embroiled in the conflicting factions fighting for control of England during the Middle Ages. This action-packed historical fiction doesn’t disappoint.
In the opening, Uhtred accidentally kills an abbot, disowns his eldest son for becoming a priest, and returns home only to find his hall has been burned down. This sets him on a series of adventures involving sea skirmishes, political intrigue, subterfuge, shifting alliances, harrowing escapes, family feuds, and gory battle scenes. His adventures culminate in a battle of epic proportions.
The novel unfolds in the gritty, coarse, first-person narrative of the aging Uhtred. He emerges as a complex character. A warrior who relishes violent confrontations and unabashedly looks death in the eye, he has no qualms about slashing his enemies and dismembering their body parts. His dream is to regain control of his beloved home in Bebbanburg and live in peace. But he puts his dream on hold. In spite of his rough exterior of grunts, foul language, and the metaphorical chest-thumping and display of male bravado, he operates with his own code of ethics: he will not kill women and children and is a man of his word, committed to doing the honorable thing. It is a testament to Cornwell’s skill as a writer that he is able to portray this hulking hero, an aging and cranky warrior with blood on his hands, with compassion and sympathy.
But where Cornwell excels is in his immersive depiction of battles. The climactic battle explodes with thrilling detail. Armies line up in formation as the battle lines are drawn. Men hurl taunts and insults across the shield walls as they prepare to advance. The deafening sound of pounding metals can be heard as swords and shields clash. Dismembered body parts litter the battle field. The smell of sweat, blood, and fear mingle with the stench of filthy, mud-splattered bodies. Cornwell’s very effective use of descriptive details and vigorous verbs thrust the reader into the chaos of battle.
A well-researched and immersive historical fiction that successfully recreates a turbulent period in the history of England. Highly recommended.