| The Pale Horseman | |
 Cover to the UK first edition |
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| Author | Bernard Cornwell |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Saxon Stories |
| Genre(s) | Historical novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Publication date | 3 October 2005 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) and Audio book |
| Pages | 400 pp (hardback edition) & 432 pp (paperback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-00-714992-1 (hardback edition) & ISBN 0-00-714993-X (paperback edition) |
| Preceded by | The Last Kingdom |
| Followed by | The Lords of the North |
The Pale Horseman is a novel based in 9th Century Wessex and Cornwall. 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 Last Kingdom is the first book in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. The Lords of the North is a novel based in 9th Century Anglo-Saxon kingdoms Wessex and Northumbria. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar The book starts where The Last Kingdom left off. The Last Kingdom is the first book in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg arrives at King Alfred of Wessex's court to proclaim his victory over the Danish Chieftain, Ubba Lothbrokson, only to find that Ealdorman Odda the Younger of Defnascir has taken the glory for himself and been named leader of Alfred's bodyguard. Bebbanburg is an old name for Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe It is the second book in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories. Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English Historical novelist He is best known for his It is the sequel to The Last Kingdom. The Last Kingdom is the first book in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell.
Plot summary
876 - 878: Uhtred, bored with the peace with the Danish King Guthrum, goes off raiding Cornwall, and kills a British king named Peredur, and carries off his wife Iseult. Events Births Deaths Louis the German, King of East Francia Map-bms876 Simple876 Events By Place Europe May 21 — After a siege of eight months Syracuse is captured by the Muslims of Sicily. A Monk, by the name of Asser goes to Dyfed in Wales to escape. Dyfed ('dɪ ved is a preserved county of Wales. Dyfed was created by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974. Uhtred and the ship's crew joins forces with the Danish chieftain Svein of the White Horse. The two of them, along with Uhtred's second-in-command Leofric, sail up the coast to Land's End where they go their own ways. Svein goes to Cynuit, where Ubba was killed previously, and Uhtred to the coast of Wales where he raids a ship laden with treasure. He returns to his estate and pious wife Mildrith, using his hoard of treasure to build a great hall and relieve his debt to the church.
The Witan summons Uhtred to an audience with King Alfred in Cippanhamm, where he is accused of using the king's ship to raid the Britons with whom Wessex is at peace, and wrongfully accused for attacking the Cynuit abbey. Chippenham is a Market town in Wiltshire, England, located at, some 21 km (13 miles east of Bath and 163 km (96 miles west of London To settle the dispute a fight to the death is ordered between Uhtred and Wessex's Goliath, Steapa Snotor, the second-in-command of Odda the Younger. Goliath ( גָּלְיָת, Standard Hebrew Golyat, Tiberian Hebrew Golyāṯ, Arabic: جالوت Jalut (Muslim During the duel Uhtred only carries his sword, Serpent-Breath and his shield, whereas Steapa is carrying all his armour. The duel is cut short when Guthrum's Danes attack and the crowd is scattered. Uhtred, Leofric, and Iseult hide in the fields until nightfall when they enter Cippanhamm and free their friend Eanflæd at the Tornake Tavern. The four of them wander for a few weeks until they reach the Swamps of Athelney. Athelney is located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. As they enter the marsh Guthrum himself attacks Uhtred. As Uhtred gets onto a boat to carry him, Leofric, and another passenger to an island within the swamp, the passenger insists that Uhtred should have left a Danish warrior alive, only to find out that this man is King Alfred. Uthred becomes Alfred's bodyguard and for a few months they hide in the swamp until enough men have joined Alfred's army. They then fight at the Battle of Edington and Alfred takes back Wessex, with Uhtred killing Svein of the White Horse. The Battle of Edington (May 878) was a Battle which took place near Edington (then known as "Ethandun" in the county of Wiltshire
Characters in "The Pale Horseman"
- Uhtred - the Protagonist, narrator
- King Alfred of Wessex (Alfred the Great) - the King of Wessex
- Leofric - Captain of the Heahengel, one of the ships of Wessex
- Iseult - A Briton Shadow Queen from Cornwall
- Father Beocca - priest and family friend
- Guthrum the Unlucky - Danish King
- Svein the White Horse - Danish Chieftain
- Haesten - Captured Dane freed by Uhtred, later joins Guthrum. 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. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar Guthrum (died c 890 christened Æthelstan, was king of the Danish Vikings in the Danelaw. Hastein (also recorded as Haesten, Hæsten, Hæstenn or Hæsting and alias Alsting) was a notable Viking chieftain of the Haesten is a historical character.
- Earl Ragnar - Uthred's former Master's son, Uthred's Best friend
- Odda the Younger - Son of Odda the Elder, Ealdorman of Defnascir
- Steapa Snotor (the Clever) - Odda the Younger's bodyguard
- Father Pyrlig - British priest and former warrior
- Ælswith - Alfred's wife who dislikes Uhtred
- Eanflæd - whore rescued by Uhtred in Cippanhamm
- Ethelfleda - Alfred's daughter
- Æthelwold - Alfred's nephew and friend of Uhtred
- Hild - Nun rescued by Uhtred in Cippanhamm
- Mildrith - Uhtred's pious West Saxon wife
- Brother Asser - Welsh monk and enemy of Uhtred
Release details
- 2005, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-714992-1, Pub date 3 October 2005, hardback
- 2005, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-721098-1, Pub date 3 October 2005, audio cassette (Kati Nicholl editor, Jamie Glover narrator)
- 2005, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-721099-X, Pub date 3 October 2005, audio CD (Kati Nicholl editor, Jamie Glover narrator)
- 2006, UK, HarperLargePrint ISBN 0-06-087892-4, Pub date ? January 2006, paperback (large print)
- 2006, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-714993-X, Pub date 22 May 2006, paperback (forthcoming edition)
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