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    The Burning Land (Last Kingdom Series, Book 5): In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born
    Unavailable
    The Burning Land (Last Kingdom Series, Book 5): In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born
    Unavailable
    The Burning Land (Last Kingdom Series, Book 5): In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Burning Land (Last Kingdom Series, Book 5): In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born

    Written by Bernard Cornwell

    Narrated by Stephen Perring

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The fifth novel in Bernard Cornwell’s epic and bestselling series on the making of England and the fate of his great hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.BBC2’s major Autumn 2015 TV show THE LAST KINGDOM is based on the first two books in the series.In the last years of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in failing health, and his heir is an untested youth. The Danes, who have failed so many times to conquer Wessex, smell opportunity…First comes Harald Bloodhair, a savage warrior leading a Viking horde, who is encouraged to cruelty by his woman, Skade. But Alfred still has the services of Uhtred, his unwilling warlord, who leads Harald into a trap and, at Farnham in Surrey, inflicts one of the greatest defeats the Vikings were ever to suffer.This novel, the fifth in the magnificent series of England's history tells of the final assaults on Alfred's Wessex, that Wessex survived to become England is because men like Uhtred defeated an enemy feared throughout Christendom.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK Audio
    Release dateOct 1, 2009
    ISBN9780007315550
    Unavailable
    The Burning Land (Last Kingdom Series, Book 5): In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born
    Author

    Bernard Cornwell

    BERNARD CORNWELL is the author of over fifty novels, including the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales, which serve as the basis for the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina.

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    Reviews for The Burning Land (Last Kingdom Series, Book 5)

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    • 4/5
      I had not read a book in this series in a few years, and I now regret waiting so long. I was sucked right back into the world and actions of Uthred and enjoyed this story very much. Cornwall's ability to mix history with fun adventure and exciting (if not unrealistic) characters is outstanding. Looking forward to the next one.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyed this installment of Uhtred as much as any others. Maybe even a little more on account of some good evil characters!
    • 4/5
      Cornwell is a master story teller, no doubt about it! Uhtred is telling the story, so we know he must survive somehow, but still the narrative has the momentum to keep the reader glued to the pages!What I am loving now is how Uhtred finds his inspiration or his suggestive clues in auguries, in little details that trigger his thinking, that show him where and how to proceed. It's a beautiful touch to his character. That's the kind of open attention that really does create greatness in those times and in these.
    • 3/5
      Uhtread of Bamburgh continues to do good things against his bitter judgement. The series has a good period flavour, and is on a par with his Richard Sharpe works. we are involved with the education of one of king Alfred's few bastard children, and the attendant military business is well described.
    • 5/5
      Uhtred is getting older, it's time for him to leave Wessex and reclaim his birthright of Bebbanburg. Fate however has other plans and he finds himself breaking one oath only to be honour bound by another! Bernard Cornwell has a master skill to make gruesome, violent battle scenes not only readable and very believable but so exciting that he holds me in rapt anticipation in spite of nail biting tension! This series just gets better and better.
    • 4/5
      This fifth instalment of the Saxon Stories is set during the early 890s when Alfred the Great is ailing yet is still the most powerful man in the divided England that he hopes to unite.As usual, the tale is narrated by the anti-hero of the piece, Lord Uhtred, who is a Saxon warrior with a liking for his countrymen’s enemies, the Danes. At one time or another he has fought on both sides, as he does is this tale, though he’s predominantly – and unwilling – on the Saxon side in this episode.By now Uhtred is in his mid-thirties with a renowned reputation as a great warlord. He is a pagan but is also good friends with three Christian priests. His conversation with them is often amusing, as are his confrontations with priests who he doesn’t get along so well with.Uhtred is also a man who honours his pledged oaths. This leads to him leading more great battles against the Danes, first on behalf of King Alfred – who he doesn’t like – and lastly on behalf of Alfred’s daughter Æthelflæd – who he likes well.As always, Bernard Cornwell’s depictions of battle scenes are vivid and believable. This is one of the author’s greatest talents. Confrontation of all varieties, be it physical or verbal, is expertly portrayed. The characterization and plotting are also superb.The thing that, in my view, prevents Mr Cornwell from being an even better writer than he is – and he’s one of my favourites – is his dialogue attribution. The actual dialogue is excellent, but for 90+ per cent of the time he interrupts the flow by needlessly reminding the reader who’s speaking, more often than not inserting this pointless information (pointless because it’s obvious who’s speaking) in the middle of sentences, as the following excerpt shows:“He’s only doing it,” Æthelflæd said, “so my father doesn’t attack him.”“He’s a weasel’s earsling,” I said.“He wants East Anglia,” she said. “Eohric’s a weak king and Haesten would like his crown.”“Maybe,” I said dubiously, “but he’d prefer Wessex.”The reader knows whether it’s Uhtred or Æthelflæd speaking, not only because there are no other characters taking part in the conversation, but also because these are two strong characters. Mr Cornwell maybe does not realise that the strength of his characters make it clear to the reader who’s talking, just as he fails to grasp how irritating is to have his well-written dialogue swamped with superfluous attribution.This is the best example of needless dialogue attribution, plus it’s the stupidest line in the book: “I am Ragnar Ragnarson,” Ragnar said.Anyway, apart from this pet hate of mine, this is a great read by a great author. I really like Uhtred, Alfred, Ragnar, Haesten, Æthelflæd, and most of the priests. I also like a character new to this series, namely Skade – beautiful but brutal.
    • 4/5
      I'm becoming a fan of historical fiction but have not read enough to offer comparisons or to have developed a distinguishing palate. Nonetheless, I found The Last Kingdom interesting. There was gore galore, and very little romanticism of the age. One gold nugget I'll take away from this story is its insight into the psyche of a warrior--the drive, the blood lust of battle, the song of the sword -- I can't say I've understood as well as after having read this novel.

      The central theme of The Saxon Stories revolves here, around King Alfred. This was a fascinating period of history--the invasion of England by the Danes. The brutality of the age has sharpened my appreciation of the difficulty with civilizing our species. Every gain in an evolved and peaceful consciousness has been hard fought. This fictional walk through history has whetted my appetite for more.
    • 4/5
      This book was great fun to read and I am definately going to read the other parts in the Saxon Chronicles.The final battle was very exciting to read, but I did feel that some parts of the book lacked a bit of feeling. Like the hall burning. The main character seems very distant from everything even though it is his family being burnt.
    • 4/5
      I love historical fiction. Granted, my definition of the category is fairly broad – covering pretty much any piece of fiction that delves into a realistically historical past. I love the more literary works, but also love good historical action and adventure. I cut my teeth on Conn Iggulden’s “Conquerer” series, which provides a fascinating look at the lives and conquests of Genghis Khan and his immediate successors. I’m a big fan of Roman historicals as well, and so Simon Scarrow’s military-focused “Eagle” series does the trick. What I’d read from both Iggulden and Scarrow is that they look to Bernard Cornwell as one of their own authorial heroes. With their recommendations, there was little to hold me back, so I finally jumped into Cornwell’s world with “The Last Kingdom” – a story follows the invasion of what will become England by the Danish, (aka Vikings). Cornwell focuses his story around the young Uhtred, inheritor of an Earl-dom in the North who’s abducted and eventually adopted by the Danes. Uhtred’s allegiances vary over the course of the novel but he never loses his foundational character elements born from both his English and Danish upbringings. Cornwell deftly balances these characteristics without forcing all-too-easy clichés. Through Uhtred’s eyes, we visit a world in transition – between early British settlers, or what the Roman’s would’ve considered barbarians, and those that would become ‘English’, with the Danes/Vikings making a significant play for outright ownership of the British Isles. Being a fan of Roman history, I liked Cornwell’s integration of the ghosts of Roman existence throughout the locations in the story. Roman ruins exist throughout the kingdoms, some only as ruins, and some as the foundation for current inhabitants. Cornwell also explores the role of religion through the comparisons of the monotheistic world of the English and the pagan world of the Danes. And again we see world in transition. While few Danes start adopting Christianity, we see many in England who still hold tightly to the pagan gods of the North. Some of Cornwell’s funniest exchanges revolve around religion, and usually delve into its most practical impact on their lives. King Edmund and the Danes are negotiating a peace and he states, “There is only one god, and you must serve him.” A Danish leader responds rather pragmatically, “But we’re winning,” Ivar explained patiently, almost as if he talked to a child, “which means our gods are beating your one god.”In the most practical sense, the Danes are invading England as a play for more land and more territory, but Cornwell also imbues the story with a more cosmic view, “There’s a war between the gods, Uhtred, war between the Christian god and our gods, and when there is a war in Asgard the gods make us fight for them on earth.”Another running theme is the role of fate in the lives of these characters. While they’re free to make decisions and run with their own lives, characters on both sides of the religious divide believe, in the end, that “fate is unstoppable”. Cornwell writes with the fluidity of the seas that surround the islands that he clearly loves. He develops believable characters, and personalities that are intimately relatable despite the great width of time and circumstances that lies between the pages and the readers. The story lines are dramatic and heavy, but Cornwell doesn’t mind poking fun either, as evidenced in this introduction to one of Uhtred’s more distant uncles: “I found another uncle, this one called Ealdorman Æthelred, son of Æthelred, brother of Æthelwulf, father of Æthelred, and brother to another Æthelred who had been the father of Ælswith who was married to Alfred, and Ealdorman Æthelred, with his confusing family, grudgingly acknowledged me as a nephew…”“The Last Kingdom” succeeds, as all good historical action novels do, by permeating its blockbuster scenes of battle and blood, with good characters and effectively threaded plotlines. I’m a Cornwell convert and have already placed his next Saxon Chronicle on my wishlist.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book, to a point, but I didn't particularly enjoy the bloody and repeated battle scenes. This is the beginning of the history of Alfred the Great and early English history, and I know the era was a bloody one with a lot of fighting as the English battled the Danish invaders. I appreciate tremendously the scholarship and research that went into the writing of this novel, because it is intense. My gut feeling tells me this is very realistic historic fiction. It was just a bit too realistic, I guess!
    • 4/5
      While I don't usually care for violence and blood, this book is thrilling. For once, the violence really means something, and, somehow, unreasonable though it may be, it happened over 500 years ago and doesn't seem as horrible somehow as violence in the present or recent past does. This is a personal story of a boy, whose father, gave him little affection or attention, who was captured by the Danes as he watched the battle in which his father was killed. He learned to like the Danes, especially the man who captured him, Ragnar, who treated him so well and gave him so much attention that he began to look upon Ragnar as his father. He spied for the Danes and fought for them, came to know Alfred while he still lived with the Danes, and saw the English way of life as restrictive and weak, as he thought their God was. Yet he always remembered that he should have been Elderman of a Northumbrian English city, but his deceitful uncle had stolen the title and land and held it for himself and his own son. Part of the reason that Uhtred returned to the English camp was to avenge the death of his Viking "father" and partly, he wanted Alfred to declare in his favor for the city and title he should rightfully hold, as proven in documents. The book gives a lot of insight into war, especially into war in those days. Much of the insight applies to events and actions of today. The story is well told, with good character studies, and an vast, but easily followed, array of characters. I will definitely look for more books in the series and by the author.
    • 4/5
      Uhtred, second born son of Uhtred, was to inherit the title of Ealdorman (or Earl); lord of everything south of the Tuede and North of the Tine but the Viking invasion by the Danes changed all that. Was he being punished by God or were the pagan gods on his side?During the attack, Uhtred is taken alive by Ragnar the Fearless, who instead of ransoming the boy intends to raise him as a Dane, as a mighty Viking. Uhtred reaches manhood living among the Vikings and becomes like a son to Ragnar, but where do his loyalties lie? When Alfred the Great, King of England calls on him for help which side will he choose? Is he a Dane or is he English? The choice he must make is not an easy one.Overall a detailed story of the Viking attacks on England in the 9th century; pillaging villages and monasteries along the English coast, taking up arms against the English and the eventual rise of Alfred the Great. This is book one of a series and started out a bit slow at times for me but have high hopes for the rest of the series. Great read for history buffs interested in the Viking invasions.
    • 5/5
      Another rousing historical fiction tale from Cornwell! No chick lit here: it's all about men and war and blood feuds. But he does know how to create strong women characters as well even if they play small roles. I really enjoyed this one, the next one is queued up on the Nook and I'll work my way through to the newest one.
    • 4/5
      Cornwell weaves a compelling tale of shield walls, sieges, and the spread of christianity through the pagan lands. Definitely best to read the other books first before this one, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be half as enjoyable without the background of the characters. I was really kind of hoping this would be the last book and there would be closure but it looks like poor Utred has more work to do before he settles into his ancestral home.
    • 4/5
      The Burning LandFifth novel in this series. Like the others, this is a good page turner, but Uhtred remains, for me, as unsympathetic as ever. It is odd that an author who clearly, to judge by his historical afterword, and rightly in my view, regards Alfred as truly deserving the title "the Great", continues to portray the King is such an unsympathetic light. His son, the future King Edward the Elder, is treated in the same way, though Uhtred's opinion of the Aetheling is improving by the end of the novel after the Vikings are defeated at Benfleet. As in earlier novels, the relentless slaughter is described graphically and is a little wearisome.
    • 1/5
      How frustrating! After having suffered from insomnia for years I now discover that all along there was a big selection of turgid tomes by Bernard Cornwell to choose from!I have had more fun watching wood warp!
    • 5/5
      All the blood and guts a girl could ask for! Why didn't I read this series sooner I shall never know. Highly recommended!!
    • 4/5
      Good yarn, based apparently reasonably accurately on history. Easy reading (except for some of the historic placenames.)
    • 4/5
      The latest book in Cornwell's Saxon series. If you've read any of the others there's not much to say - Vikings, shield walls, axes, death, Thor, dismemberment... A good time. I continue to enjoy the series.
    • 4/5
      Violent but vivid. Cornwell does his research and produces historical novels that offer a plausible glimpse inside the heads of, in this case, leading warriors in the age of Alfred the Great.
    • 5/5
      In his fifth book of the Saxon series “The Burning Land” Bernard Cornwell strikes gold once again. Chock full of all the candor and brutality I have come to expect from Mr. Cornwell, “The Burning Land” entertained me from vicious beginning to its bowel loosening ferocious bloody end. What I truly enjoy about Mr. Cornwell’s stories are the modest vignettes he paints with his primary and ancillary characters. Such as when Uhtred gave the crying milkmaid a silver coin after she spilled the contents of her cans trying to bow to the warlord. According to his website, Mr. Cornwell is currently working on the next Saxon installment hopefully he can keep the streak going.
    • 5/5
      I’m on a mission to read all the Cornwell books in my library and that’s a rather long list so it may take me a while. The good news is that I will be entertained by the challenge I’m setting for myself. This latest series I’m starting features Saxons and that’s a topic I fully enjoy.Uhtred, a boy of ten, joins his father in battle against the invading Danes. He’s the son of a nobleman and, thanks to the death of his oldest brother during the battle, heir to his father’s English lands. In the same battle that leaves his father and brother dead, Uhtred is captured by the Danes. Earl Ragnar, the Danish chieftain that defeated his father, raises Uhtred as his own teaching him to fight like a Viking. Expected to fight the English alongside his Danish tribe, he fights an internal battle between his loyalty to Ragnar, who loved him as a son, and to his English heritage and the new king, Alfred. Uhtred feels little loyalty toward Alfred and doesn’t like him on a personal level, but he clings to his dream of ruling his homelands someday. Fortunately for Uhtred, he prefers battle to loyalties and would rather fight than worry about the person on the other side of the shield wall or political implications.The Danish way of life portrayed in this book is brutal but it’s hard to dislike the Danes simply because of the love they show for Uhtred, and even when he decides that he must fight for the English, don’t hold it against him as they value his sense of loyalty which they instilled in him. Alfred is a thoroughly unlikable person, and along with Uhtred, I had trouble liking him but you still have to appreciate his cunning. Uhtred managed several times to get caught up in Alfred’s plans and being young, cocky, and willing to think with his fists instead of his brain, he walks right into situations that get him in trouble. That’s also what makes him extraordinarily likable. He’s flawed, frequently irrational, and single minded in his thinking sometimes, but he believes what he’s doing is right and you agree with him.Cornwell, and I have probably said this before, has an amazing talent for writing historical fiction. The details make his stories and each time I finish a book I immediately want to pick up the next in the series. I have been trying to pace myself so I don’t burn out because while I always enjoy his books, they tend toward the violent aspects of war and I sometimes find myself needing a break to forget the sound of swords crashing against bone.Religion plays a large part in this story as Alfred is extremely pious but Uhtred, who veers more toward the pagan, is an equal opportunity believer who is happy to let his king think he has found god and secretly prefer to ask Thor and Odin for their assistance in battle. It’s an amusing side-story and I’m sure one that will be developed more as these types of religious battles seem to always find a place in Cornwell’s books. It’s never overpowering but always presents enough of an internal battle for a character to be an interesting element.There are five books in the Saxon series and I’m looking forward to more.
    • 4/5
      In book 5 of the Saxon Chronicles, our hero, Uhtred of Northumbria, is once again manipulated to do the bidding of Alfred the Great. Now an ancient man close to death (he is "well over 40"), Alfred is conspiring to obtain Uhtred's oath to serve his son, Edward, who he hopes will succeed him as king. Uhtred, still upset with himself for swearing an oath to Alfred in the first place, avoids this, but Alfred uses a back-door, Edwards sister, Aethelflaed, who Uhtred had sworn to protect. In the midst of this political maneuvering of fealty, the Danes once again are getting ambitious, this time a chieftain called Haeston attempts to divide the strength of Wessex by enticing Northumbrian Danes to attack as well. A curious character in the form of a Frisian beauty named Skade, meanwhile, is playing her own games of treachery, self-interest, and proves as capable as any marauder when it comes to committing atrocities.
    • 3/5
      Uhtred, a Danish hired sword for King Alfred, fights against his own kind and trains the future King Edward to be a leader. Uhtred is a wise and wiley warrior who always find a way to turn long odds to his favor, using diversion, old sailcloth, bee hives, and his understanding of ambition to his advantage.
    • 3/5
      This is the first book in a trilogy about King Alfred in the middle of the 9th century, defending England from the Danish invasion. This is the first book I've read by Bernard Cornwell, and I found it to be well researched and well written, but a little repetitive as the whole book is one bloody battle after another. I may eventually read the other books in the series, but they aren't at the top of my TBR pile.
    • 5/5
      I listened to this to and from my drive to NYC a few weeks ago. Needless, to say the drive seemed shorter than usual. Cornwell did not disappoint me with this book. The subject is the Dane's invasion of England, the last kingdom being that of Alfred, in Wessex. Definitely 5 stars.
    • 4/5
      The saga of Uhtred,a Dane employed by King Alfred to defend Wessex from other Danes, continues. Cornwell has written another great work of historical fiction. This time, Uhtred abandons Alfred and travels north to visit his good friend, Ragnar. Alfred tricks Uhtred into returning to Wessex to defend it against a Dane named Haesten who has launched an invasion.My only problem with Cornwell's books is they come to an end and I have to wait for the next one to get published.four out of five stars for this book. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell is a work of historical fiction detailing the Saxon-Dane clashes during the Tenth Century over Northumbria and Wessex.I haven’t read much in the genre of historical fiction before- if ever. However, I do read quite a bit of epic fantasy. I was surprised by how closely Cornwell’s book resembled some of my favorite authors like George R.R. Martin. The only difference is that Burning Land’s setting is within our realm of reality.The novel is full of detailed battle scenes and fast-paced action. However, Cornwell takes enough time to flesh-out his characters. By the end of the book, you fairly well understand Uhtred’s motivations and why he was torn between keeping his oath and leaving to reclaim what had once been his family’s home.One theme spread throughout the story is the corruption of the Catholic church during that time period. Conversions were used as political tools and “relics” were sold in limitless supply to enrich the church. Women’s power over men, much to the dismay of the church, is also a focus. The book ends in a traditional good v. evil battle with Æthelflæd opposing Skade.This book was a bit of a “blind date” in that it was given to me by a co-worker to read. I was pleasantly surprised to find a new author to add to my reading list.
    • 4/5
      A quick entertaining read. I want to say 'bro-lit", but I know that doesn't quite hit the mark. Not to deep, especially after coming off of Neal Stephenson, but Cornwell incorporates a unreliable first person narrator who tells this story in the past tense. Typical of Cornwell. In fact, my main disappointment with this first volume of the Saxon Chronicles is that it starts off very similarly to the first volume of The Warlord Chronicles: main character is a kid who is born in one culture, but raised in a different culture, allegiance issues, warrior focused, Pagan vs. Christian, shield walls, shallow family issues to work out. On the plus side, it is fun to read this with a highly detailed map of the British Isles nearby. Matching up the place names and geography gave me a sense of scale that fleshed out the story for me. Also, I like that Cornwell puts a bit of historical perspective into his afterwords. He knows what I want there. A lightning read all the same, but I hope the next ones get a little bit more interesting.
    • 5/5
      Another excellent addition to the series from Cornwell. The Burning Land was a return, in ways, to the main thrust of the series after what seemed a departure in the fourth book. While there is much in this work that could be called the same as the previous installments, I think the sense of what we know is inevitable is closing in on Uhtred, causing him to become more of a sympathetic character even as he cleaves people's skulls.