'The Last Kingdom' – Bernard Cornwell (HarperCollins)

I've never really been a big fan of historical fiction as, well... I don't know really. Actually, yes I do... As a kid, I was constantly being pushed not to read fantasy and having certain historical fiction held up as being a better read as it was about stuff that actually happened. I'm as stubborn as you like so, of course, not only did I carry right on reading what I wanted but I also stayed away from reading any historical fiction at all, just on principle really. Also, it felt like a lot of the 'swords and sandals' historical fiction was just fantasy for people who didn't want to be seen reading a fantasy book. You know, a little bit of history for context but the same old sword fights, quests and high adventure. Look, I'm not saying I was right; just that it was the way I felt at the time ;o)

So why is today all about a review for 'The Last Kingdom'? Well, loads of reasons really, most of them to do with the fact that I wanted to read something about Vikings and 'The Last Kingdom' just felt like the obvious choice. Being completely honest, I also felt like I was the only person who hadn't given it a go and I hate feeling left out ;o)

With all that in mind, I found myself a copy of 'The Last Kingdom' and got reading. That was over three months ago and I only finished reading the book last week.

In a land torn apart by conflict, an orphan boy has come of age. Raised by the Vikings, deadly enemies of his own Saxon people, Uhtred is a fierce and skilled warrior who kneels to no-one.

Alfred – Saxon, king, man of god – fights to hold the throne of the only land still resisting the pagan northerners.

Uhtred and Alfred’s fates are tangled, soaked in blood and blackened by the flames of war. Together they will change history.

The big question then is how come it took me so long to read a book that's not much over three hundred pages long. My reading speed isn't what it used to be but even these days, I can still read maybe a couple of books a week. Well, a large chunk of 'The Last Kingdom' is Uhtred growing up and if there's one thing that I don't get on with in books (apart from Tolkien's poetry), it's long passages about the main character growing up. It's like taking a long run up to the story itself and as far as I'm concerned, I just want the story to get going. There were maybe two bits, in the first part of the story, that drive Uhtred as we see him in the second part; I didn't need the rest so ended up getting a little bogged down in those chapters. Don't get me wrong, Cornwell does an amazing job of showing how the Danes lived and who they were as people; I really got into that and have to say that's what got me through Uhtred's early years. This is the only 'Cornwell book' that I've read, so far, and it's clear just from this book that Cornwell has a real gift for knowing exactly how his characters tick and getting it on the page. That's what got me through as well. The bit with the fire had me mourning a character afterwards and that doesn't happen often with this slightly jaded reader.

And then we get onto the second part of the book and everything kicks off.

We go from a fairly gentle overview (with some warfare) of Uhtred's early life to this intrigue filled, bloody slice of an England at the tipping point of being overrun completely. Uhtred must find his way through a pivotal point of English history (I'm no historian but you can tell it's a pretty big deal) if he is to survive, let alone stand any chance of getting his castle back. What I liked about this part is that Cornwell isn't afraid to show us that Uhtred is as hard as nails but also doesn't really have much of a clue about anything else and is ripe to be taken advantage of by King Alfred. Uhtred is completely played for a fool and that tells us that we're going to be with him for a while, he's in pretty deep and it's going to take more than one book to dig him out. Alfred is also an interesting character to follow in these moments, possibly the most pious man in literature but also with a hint of steel that will see him do whatever it takes to hold his kingdom together... and expand it if he can.

It's not just the intrigue though, Cornwell is absolutely brilliant at those moments where the shield walls form and warriors batter the hell out of each other with swords and axes. We all know that Uhtred is going to be around for a while yet but in these moments, you can't quite be sure and that's what makes these scenes so compelling. You're never really a hundred percent sure how it will turn out.

I think what I liked most of all though is the sense that while history is playing out around him, Uhtred is determined to go his own way and do what he needs to in order to get what he wants. We can all identify with that, I think, especially these days. Uhtred's in debt to the church and bound by a promise to the king, he's still going to have his revenge and get his castle back though. I've got to stick around and see how he does it.