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The Last Kingdom
Cover to the UK first edition
Cover to the UK first edition
Author Bernard Cornwell
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Series The Saxon Stories
Genre(s) Historical novel
Publisher HarperCollins
Publication date 4 October 2004
Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages 400 pp (hardback edition) & 384 pp (paperback edition)
ISBN ISBN 0-00-714990-5 (hardback edition) & ISBN 0-06-053280-7 (paperback edition)
Followed by The Pale Horseman

The Last Kingdom is first book in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English Historical novelist He is best known for his The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Saxon Stories Information The Saxon Stories is a continuing series of books written by the Historical novelist Bernard An historical novel is a Novel in which the story is set among historical events or more generally in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the Author Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view HarperCollins is a Publishing company owned by News Corporation. A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a Book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with Cloth Paperback, softback, or softcover describe and refer to a Book by the nature of its binding. The Pale Horseman is a novel based in 9th Century Wessex and Cornwall. The Saxon Stories Information The Saxon Stories is a continuing series of books written by the Historical novelist Bernard Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English Historical novelist He is best known for his The series focuses on the wars between King Alfred the Great and the Danes or Vikings. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c The term Dane may refer to People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity whether living in Denmark, emigrants or the descendants of emigrants A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas The Last Kingdom focuses on Uhtred's upbringing and early adulthood. Uhtred of Bebbanburg is the Protagonist and main character of the best selling and continuing Saxon Stories series of books The book begins when Uhtred marches with his father to war against the Danes at the age of ten. He links his destiny to the Sceadugenga or "Shadow-Walkers". The Sceadugengan (Singular Sceadugenga) or "shadow-goer" are fantastical beasts which are neither living nor dead and which can shape-shift

Contents

Plot summary

866 - 876: Osbert is 10 years old and the second son of Ealdorman Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg in Northumbria. Events By Place Asia Fujiwara no Yoshifusa becomes regent of Japan, starting the Fujiwara regentship Events Births Deaths Louis the German, King of East Francia Map-bms876 Simple876 Bebbanburg is an old name for Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England. Danes raid Bebbanburg and Ealdorman Uhtred's first son also called Uhtred is killed and his body desecrated after he is sent out to scout the raiders. Osbert is now the oldest son of Ealdorman Uhtred and is re-baptised Uhtred. Ealdorman Uhtred seeks to avenge his son's death against a Dane called Ragnar. He is killed during the battle and his second son is captured by Ragnar during the battle. Ragnar, intrigued and amused by the boy's attempted attack during the battle keeps Uhtred in his household. Uhtred's uncle, Æfric takes Bebbanburg and the title of Ealdorman for himself although the rightful heir, Uhtred, lives with Earl Ragnar of the Danes.

revised cover for the trade paperback
revised cover for the trade paperback

Uhtred describes his life among the Danes, moving to the country with Ragnar and his men, working like a slave and fighting with other boys, slaves and Danes alike. Uhtred befriends Ragnar's son Rorik and has many clashes with one boy in particular, Sven, son of Kjartan, a shipmaster in Ragnar's small fleet. One day, Ragnar's daughter, Thyra, is kidnapped by Sven out in the woods, and he tries to convince her to touch him sexually. Uhtred charges Sven from hiding, taking his sword and chopping into his thigh. He then slashes at Sven's side. Uhtred, Rorik, and Thyra make an escape back to Ragnar's hall where they each recount the tale to Ragnar. He is offended and deeply angry. He proceeds to Kjartan, and crushes one of Sven's eyes with the hilt of his sword.

Uhtred then goes Viking across East Anglia, and participates in the conquering of Mercia, East Anglia, and the invasion of Wessex. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. He is kidnapped by a priest, Beocca, a family friend. He then escapes from Wessex and joins Ragnar again.

Uhtred enjoys life with the Danes but flees after Kjartan kills Ragnar. Uhtred hopes to escape the assassins of Kjartan by sending out the lie that he died. Uhtred then joins King Alfred in Wessex. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. There he learns to read and write, and sails with Alfred's fleet of 12 ships against the Danes. Seeking to take command of the fleet, he gains it on the condition that he marry the orphaned Wessex girl Mildrith. After doing so, he besieges Guthrum in a city, and is hostaged off to Guthrum. Guthrum (died c 890 christened Æthelstan, was king of the Danish Vikings in the Danelaw. There he meets Ragnar the younger, son of Earl Ragnar, the man who adopted him. He is saved by Ragnar's son, and tells him of Kjartan's betrayal. He then escapes to find his wife. She was taken by Odda the Younger, another Wessex ealdorman (earl or noble), to the north. An ealdorman (modern Alderman) was the prior magistrate of an Anglo-Saxon shire from 900 to the time of the Danes. There he fights in the battle at Cynuit where Uhtred finds himself fighting against Ubba Lothbrokson's Danes. The book ends with Uhtred killing Ubba.

Characters in "The Last Kingdom"

revised cover for the mass-market paperback
revised cover for the mass-market paperback

Fictional

Historical

Release details

Uhtred of Bebbanburg is the Protagonist and main character of the best selling and continuing Saxon Stories series of books The Protagonist or main character is the central figure of a story. Bebbanburg is an old name for Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. The skald was a member of a group of Poets whose courtly poetry (Icelandic dróttkvæði) is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic Bebbanburg is an old name for Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England. Bebbanburg is an old name for Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c Guthrum (died c 890 christened Æthelstan, was king of the Danish Vikings in the Danelaw. Ubbe, Ubba or Hubba Ragnarsson was a son of Ragnar Lodbrok. Along with his brothers Halfdan and Ivar the Boneless, he was a leader Ivar Ragnarsson (died possibly 873 nicknamed the Boneless ( inn beinlausi) was a Danish Viking chieftain (and by reputation also a Berserker Halfdan was one of the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok. It has been suggested that he is the same person as Ragnar's son Hvitserk. Ealhswith (or Ealswitha) of the Gaini was born c 852 in Mercia. Æthelwald was the eldest son of Æthelred of Wessex. He was also the cousin of Edward the Elder of Wessex. Odda of Devon was the Ealdorman of Devon in England in the 9th century during the reign of Alfred the Great. For the 13th century Archbishop see St Edmund of Abingdon. Edmund the Martyr (841&ndash 20 November 869) was a East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles.
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