Warriors of the Storm

This historical fiction is naturally pretty bloody as it covers the period in the future ‘Engaland’ coveted by many, but mainly Anglo Christians and the Odin & Thor-worshiping Danish (engaged in Viking seizures and occupations of future UK areas of land). The period was about 880-920 AD. Forces were typically sail and oar viking style ships of legend, with strength assessed by numbers of ships and their crews. The battles were often one ‘shield wall’ slamming into another, both sides typically equipped with sturdy shields, short and long swords, axes, archers, and whatever you might imagine. Mayhem. Limbs and skulls ripped asunder. Blood everywhere. Often three to six thousand men clashing. But likely much the way it went then. Gripping. Puckers one up.
But more important than the likely quite accurate depiction from old sources about the weapons, land, peoples, battles, gore and guts over the years is the relationships and characters – Kings, princes, warriors, monks, priests, bishops, women loved and often lost. Cornwell’s story is as though he was there and saw all this, told through the eyes and brain of a vicious warrior and heroic protagonist. An angry and conflicted figure figure who had his castles and lands stolen by an uncle early in life and was always torn by whether to devote his everything to recovering his inherited kingdom in what would become far SE Scotland or battling time and time again to aid the Anglo King and others in driving the Danish (Vikings) back to Denmark so what we know today as England could be unified and consolidated; in essence be ‘created.’ The series – front to back – is bold, graphic, exciting, believable and follows what we know about the period from many chronicles. It captures one in the first of this series and holds you until the last word, and you will wish there was more.

Since I don’t do synopses of books (I hate the idea of spoilers) it is difficult to review Cornwell’s work in this series. That’s only because the writing is such high quality, the characters are so strong, the plot is complex – well developed and challenging for the reader and how many times can you say that? Well, I’ll say it for every book it’s true of. This book, according to Cornwell doesn’t have much historical event context in it so it’s just a story but it is well worth the time to read. Cornwell has become my favorite historical fiction writer because he never uses the history as a crutch and he weaves his story into the history seamlessly so that we get a good story and a glimpse of the history that goes with it. There is a lot of action in the book and the pace is fast. Expect gory details of battles but Cornwell is never obnoxious about it and only includes what sensibly moves the story along. You’ll also learn about daily life, politics, ancient military strategy, weapons, tactics, sensibilities, attitudes of victors and the vanquished and the harsh reality of war in the 9th century. I usually didn’t want to put the book down but unfortunately I just don’t have enough time to read it all in one sitting. I thoroughly enjoy this series and have enjoyed the Sharpe series for the hours of entertainment they have provided me. I highly recommend Warriors Of The Storm. As always, I suggest you begin with book one if you haven’t read the whole series and work your way up to book nine. The only disappointment you’ll experience is the waiting for the next book to be published but so far I’m convinced everyone has been rewarded for the wait with a great book. Buy it. You’ll like it.

Following The Empty Throne, Uhtred continues to fight for his Saxons, Lady Aethelflaed in particular, though his belief in the old Norse gods again adds to the difficulties he finds in relationships with the Christians he is fighting to protect. Lord Uhtred must find a way to defend Ceaster (Chester), rescue his daughter Stiorra and son-in-law Sigtryggr and their family from a siege of their island fortress in Ireland, revenge himself on his former lover Brida, and defeat the greatly superior forces of the Danish invader Ragnall Ivarson, the brother of Sigtryggr. Ragnall is a formidable fighter himself, and a clever general. Subplots involve the conflict between Uhtreds ally Finan and Finans brother; the question of the worthiness of Uhtreds son Uhtred; the possible reconciliation with Uhtreds oldest son, Oswald, a priest; and as always, the eventual goal of regaining his own fortress at Bebbanburg. Great battle scenes, a Cornwell hallmark. Dramatic confrontations, the stuff of gripping fictions. And the craft to make a hero who fears and wonders: I touched the hammer at my neck, wondering whether by saying that (he would kill Ragnall) aloud I had tempted the three Norns who weave our fate at the foot of Yggdrasil (the World Tree of the Norse). It was not a cold night, but I shivered. Wyrd Bith ful araed. (Fate is inexorable).

This is the ninth book in Cornwell’s Saxon Series. I’ve enjoyed all the books in the series, which looks like it’ll be at least 13 books. If you love historical fiction, this is truly enjoyable reading. If you’re a history buff, remember this is fiction and expect Cornwell to take liberties with timelines and relationships. This is pretty standard in historical fiction but Cornwell does it well and it’s less distracting than it could be. This series is an insightful journey into life and times in Anglo-Saxon Britain. Written from the perspective of Uhtred, son of a Northumbrian nobleman raised by Vikings, Cornwell paints a portrait inclusive of all the diverse peoples and cultures in 9th & 10th Century Britain and tells a riveting tale of the birth of England. Great reading.

This is the ninth book in the seemingly interminable Uhtred of Bebbanburg series. The historical backdrop to this book is the struggle by Ethelfleda, Lady of the Mercians (and daughter of Alfred the Great) to recapture North Mercian towns like Chester from the Danes. This was the usual course of attacks, sieges, bloodshed, betrayal and the set piece battle at the end. Having placed his son in law Sigtryggr on the throne of Northumbria, Uhtred is heading north to recapture his ancestral home, currently occupied by his cousin. That hook will keep me reading, I am sure, despite my periodic weariness with the bloodshed.

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