Part of The Last Kingdom, book 4
First published 2008
England stands divided in 885. The Danes control the north while King Alfred rules Wessex in the south. Uhtred, a dispossessed Northumbrian lord raised by Vikings, guards the Thames frontier for Alfred. He has found stability with land, a wife, and children. Then Vikings seize the crumbling Roman city of London. They want to conquer Wessex, and they want Uhtred's sword to help them do it. A dead man walks among them, stirring old loyalties. Uhtred faces an impossible choice. His oath binds him to Alfred, but his Viking blood calls to these new invaders. The political landscape shifts around him as deadly power games unfold. Alfred depends on Uhtred as his finest warrior, yet the Viking offer tempts with promises of glory and revenge. Uhtred must decide which path to take, knowing his choice will shape England's destiny.
Genres: historical-fiction, military-fiction, adventure, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, loyalty-conflict
Setting: Wessex, London, Northumbria
Period: 885 AD
314 pages · Hardcover · Harper