Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) |
Buy Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) here, one of 1500 Denmark History books offered for sale at discount prices here in the history books section at R bookshop. There are currently 88564 history books in our history books section, and over 1,000,000 books listed in our book store. We greatly appreciate your patronage at R bookshop and look forward to offering you a large selection of great books at discount prices now and in the future. Thank you for shopping at R Bookshop!
|
You Are Here: Home > History Books > Denmark History > Item 10
|
Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4)
|
by Bernard Cornwell
Sales Rank: 3172
|
List Price: $25.95
$17.13
At Amazon
on 9-14-2008.
|
|
|
|
Features
Cover Type: Hard Cover with 336 pages
Published by: Harper January 22, 2008
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0060888644
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0060888640
Book Dimensions:
8.9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
Weighs: 1.3 pounds
Reader Reviews
"...Nor doom one doom to your friend; another to your foe!" King Alfred in the Doom Book or Code of Alfred. Bernard Cornwell has given us another smashing tale of war and love from 9th century "England". The year is 885 CE and King Alfred of Wessex struggles to consolidate his control of the Saxon lands as defined in the treaty with Guthrum that divided the island between Saxon and the Danelaw. Cornwell's once again uses the narrative voice of Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg as he reflects on his life in extreme old age (probably around 940 CE). Uhtred, now 25, is a Saxon raised as a Dane, pagan serving a most Christian king. Uhtred worships the old Norse gods and looks forward to long days of battle and nights of song, drink, and women at Odin's Death Hall (Valhalla). In Uhtred's eyes, Alfred worships the `Christian nailed god', a god who fences men in with laws and rules so limiting that a man is not allowed to lust after his neighbor's wife! Alfred needs Uhtred because as Lincoln said of Grant, `he fights' and exceedingly well. Alfred seeks to reclaim Mercian Lundene (London) and that battle forms the centerpiece of the first half of the book. The latter half centers on battles on the lower Temes (Thames) at Beamfleot (Benfleet), including some crashing marine assaults. Sword Song does not lack for ringing swords, shield walls, smashed skulls, splintered oars, battle fear and death - and also broken hearts. Uhtred requires assistance and Cornwell supplies with him familiar friends from earlier volumes: Steapa, the warrior priest Pyrlig, and most necessary of all, Uhtred's wife Gisela. Uhtred is a simple man, violent in battle, bound by his sense of honor, an esteemed and rightly feared warrior, and a loving and loved husband. Gisela and Uhtred have a relationship that struck this reader as perhaps a bit too modern in its mutual respect. Uhtred never seems to be fighting for his own interests. He longs to return and take Bebbanburg in Northumbria, but cannot or will not break his oath to Alfred. (One hopes that Cornwell will keep the Saxon stories going until Uhtred fights that battle.) The heroic Uhtred is offset by Alfred's son-in-law Aethelred, a cowering and grasping little weasel who Alfred elevates to Earl of Mercia precisely because he wants a weak ruler there - Alfred's aim is to be King of the Anglo-Saxons, King of `England', a place that doesn't even exist yet. Aethelred also turns out to be a vicious husband. (By the way, Cornwell's Aethlered is based on an historical figure, but is not to be confused with the later Aethelred unfairly tagged the Unready.) Uhthred's worthy battle opponents are Danes with their pagan amulets (like his own), their shields and battle axes. He understands these Danes, respects them, is comfortable with them. Some of the Danes do prove to be a bit treacherous, but what do you expect from a bunch of 9th century pagan warriors?! Cornwell's historical note admits that he has probably been very unfair to Aethelred. The fact is the historical record for this era is thin indeed. Cornwell's telling captures a plausible feel for the era, mostly limited to the perspective of a warrior lord. A small quibble: The image on the book cover shows warriors heaving lighted spears from a broken stone bridge over the Temes, an image unsupported by the historical record in at least one detail. The first stone bridge over the Thames at London was not completed until the early 14th century. Cornwell might have explored why the Christian god with all his rules and restrictions had broader appeal than the free-spirited Norse gods. Indeed, Alfred's Christian religion eventually prevailed more effectively than warfare in uniting England. Why? Was this because the nailed god's church offered some salvation to every man whereas the Norse gods really only appealed to the warrior class? Or that the Christian church had organized proselytizers? The nailed god seems to have not only demanded more, but also offered more and to more people than Odin. Sword Song is a compact, exhilarating tale of historical adventure that entertains a lot, informs a little, and won't overtax your noggin. Stoke the fire in your hearth and settle in for a good story. A fine addition to the Saxon Stories and Cornwell promises that "Uhtred and his story will continue."
Comments (5) | |
(Report this)
Back To Top
|
Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4)
Available from Amazon
Price: $17.13
Updated on 9-14-2008.
|
NOTICE: All prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
| We offer Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) and other related Denmark History Books here at Rbookshop.com. To view more books about Denmark History please use the previous and next buttons near the top of this page.
|
|
Search for books at
