Alfred the Great is dead and his son Edward reigns as king, but not everyone believes Edward worthy of the crown. Cnut Longsword, a Viking and Dane to the north, stands ready to invade Wessex and take the crown. The only person standing in his way is Uhtred, an old warrior out of favor with this new king. Uhtred has nothing left to lose as his home has been burnt to the ground and he's been cursed by the Christians. He'll recapture his old family home, the impregnable fortress Bebbanburg, or die trying. With the bloodiest battle yet to come, loyalties will be divided and a nation will be forged.

THE PAGAN LORD by Bernard Cornwell is an intense, colorful, and vivid tale of loyalty, family, and honor during the turbulent times of Anglo-Saxon England. Bernard Cornwell is exceptionally skilled at pulling the reader into the life and times of his main characters by crafting vivid settings, complex characters, and amazing action sequences that leave the reader breathless. The settings is detailed, historically accurate, and seamlessly integrated into the storyline. There is no feeling that you're reading a history lesson, but instead all the details of the world are shown through Uhtred's point of view in a natural way.

I love the difference between Uhtred's inner voice, his conflicted thoughts and emotions, and that of his dialog. He is a man of few words, gruff and to the point. He is self-contained, but his actions show the hidden depths of his feelings which aren't expressed in words. It's very much in keeping with the time and this character, but author Bernard Cornwell has created a character who does feel deeply. Uhtred is a character who is standing between two worlds and can see the values and code he lived by falling to the wayside. He's a pagan in a land of Christians. A man who is feared and needed because of his skill in battle, and he knows his way of life must change, but can this warrior ever be anything other than who he is?

THE PAGAN LORD is superbly crafted and immediately draws the reader into Uhtred's world. I can't wait to read more from author Bernard Cornwell. He perfectly captures the turbulent times with fast-paced action, vivid settings, and characters who linger in the mind long after the last page is finished.