Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #878 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-03
• Binding: Hardcover
• 366 pages

Synopsis
The fourth in the bestselling Alfred series from number one historical novelist, Bernard Cornwell. Our hero, Uhtred, has been made Governor of London. This fourth book in the series will mostly be set in London and will cover Alfred's building of fortified towns to hold Wesssex and his push into Mercia.

From the Inside Flap
The year is 885 and England is at peace, divided between the Danish kingdom to the North and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south. Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, warrior by instinct, Viking by nature, appears to have settled down. He has land, a wife, two children and a duty given to him by Alfred to hold the frontier on the Thames. But trouble stirs, a dead man has risen and new Vikings have arrived to occupy London. Their dream is to conquer Wessex, and to do it they need Uhtred's help.

Alfred has other ideas. He wants Uhtred to expel the Viking raiders from London. It is a dangerous time and Uhtred must decide how much his oath binds him to the king. Other storm clouds are gathering. Æthelflæd - Alfred's daughter - is now married, but a cruel twist of fate means that her very existence becomes a threat to Alfred's kingdom. It is Uhtred, half Saxon, half Dane, whose uncertain loyalties must now decide England's whole future.

Sword Song tells the story of the making of England and, like all Bernard Cornwell's previous novels, is based on true events. It is a gripping story of love, deceit, and violence, set in an England of tremendous turmoil and strife, yet one galvanised by a small flicker of hope that Alfred, the great king of Wessex, may prove a force that lasts. Uhtred, his greatest warrior, has become his sword, a man feared and respected the length and breadth of the land, his Lord of War.

Customer Reviews

His mind is not on this book
I am a huge fan but you get the feeling that his mind is elsewhere when reading this. I heard the author give a talk a while ago (when this book came out) and he didn't want to talk about it, but did seem really excited about his new Agincourt book he was working on.
The good news is this new book sounds great and I'm looking forward to it, the bad news is Sword Song just feels rushed and too short and bit lazy from the author

Not bad but the weakest so far
We're back on the warpath with Uhtred. Except we're not really.
There isn't much of an arc to this book. Uhtred is in pretty much the same position at the end as at the start.

Cornwell himself states in the epilogue that this is the most fictional of the books so far and I think this shows. I suppose there are only so many battles of that period for him to fight. It does feel like a stop gap book.

It's not a bad book though. The story such as it is romps along. Ragnar is not present but Pyrlig, Steepa and a few others join the fun.

Well worth £7 but I hope the next book is back to the form of the others. 3.5 really.

Exellent again.
This may be the best book yet as there is a major fight as Uhtred and Steapa and others take London and you dont have to wait til the end of the book. New Vikings have arrived from Norway and it is up to Uhtred to save the Kingdom. King Alfreds daughter is now married to Uhtreds cousin and in a twist of fate here very existence becomes a threat to King Alfred and Uhtred must decide who's side he is really on as he decides the whole future of England. This book tells the story of the making of England and is based on real events. A gripping story of love, deceit and lots of violence told through the eyes of Uhtred, Alfreds 'Lord of War'.The next installement is due out on 5th Oct 2009.