Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) [Hardcover]

Bernard Cornwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 2008

The year is 885, and England is at peace, divided between the Danish kingdom to the north and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south. Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord—warrior by instinct, Viking by nature—has finally settled down. He has land, a wife, and two children, and a duty given to him by King Alfred to hold the frontier on the Thames. But then trouble stirs: a dead man has risen, and new Vikings have arrived to occupy the decayed Roman city of London. Their dream is to conquer Wessex, and to do it they need Uhtred's help.

Alfred has other ideas. He wants Uhtred to expel the Viking raiders from London. Uhtred must weigh his oath to the king against the dangerous turning tide of shifting allegiances and deadly power struggles. And other storm clouds are gathering: Ætheleflæd—Alfred's daughter—is newly married, but by a cruel twist of fate, her very existence now threatens Alfred's kingdom. It is Uhtred—half Saxon, half Dane—whose uncertain loyalties must now decide England's future.

A gripping story of love, deceit, and violence, Sword Song is set in an England of tremendous turmoil and strife—yet one galvanized by the hope that Alfred may prove an enduring force. Uhtred, his lord of war and greatest warrior, has become his sword—a man feared and respected the length and breadth of Britain.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cornwell's fourth entry in the popular Saxon Tales (following Lords of the North) is a rousing romp through the celebrated ninth-century reign of Alfred the Great. Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a 28-year-old pagan Saxon lord of war, has pledged to serve Alfred by commanding the defensive frontier forts (burhs). Trouble arises when the Norse Viking brothers Sigefrid and Erik Thurgilson capture and occupy London, threatening Alfred's border and his control of the Thames River port. The Christian Alfred directs Uhtred to raise a Wessex army, expel the pagan Thurgilsons and resecure London. Commanding Uhtred is his vain, abusive cousin Ethelred, who is married to Alfred's eldest daughter, Ethelflaed. Plying his swords Serpent-Breath and Wasp-Sting, Uhtred is a stirring, larger-than-life action hero conflicted by ambition, fidelity and thirst for violence. All the major characters are well drawn, and the London battle scenes unfold quickly and vividly. A deft mix of historical details and customs authenticates the saga. And Cornwell drops in a slick twist precipitating the climatic battle to wrest control of London for the Saxons, paving the way for the story to continue. (Jan.)
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Review

Praise for 'The Lords of the North': 'Beautifully crafted story-telling, complete with splendid set-piece battles and relentless derring-do, so gripping that it rarely stops to catch a breath. It demonstrates once again Cornwell's enormous skill as a historical narrator. He would have graced Alfred's court entertaining the guests with his stories.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell takes the spectres of ninth century history and puts flesh back on their bones. Here is Alfred's world restored -- impeccably researched and illuminated with the colour and passion of a master storyteller.' Justin Pollard, author of 'Alfred the Great' Praise for Bernard Cornwell: 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer --This text refers to the Unknown Binding edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harper (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060888644
• ISBN-13: 978-0060888640
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bernard Cornwell was born in London in 1944 - a 'warbaby' - whose father was a Canadian airman and mother in Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted by a family in Essex who belonged to a religious sect called the Peculiar People (and they were), but escaped to London University and, after a stint as a teacher, he joined BBC Television where he worked for the next 10 years. He began as a researcher on the Nationwide programme and ended as Head of Current Affairs Television for the BBC in Northern Ireland. It was while working in Belfast that he met Judy, a visiting American, and fell in love. Judy was unable to move to Britain for family reasons so Bernard went to the States where he was refused a Green Card. He decided to earn a living by writing, a job that did not need a permit from the US government - and for some years he had been wanting to write the adventures of a British soldier in the Napoleonic wars - and so the Sharpe series was born. Bernard and Judy married in 1980, are still married, still live in the States and he is still writing Sharpe.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Doom [Judge] very evenly! Do not doom one doom to the rich; another to the poor....,, January 26, 2008

By 

Douglas S. Wood "Vicarious Life" (Monona, WI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) (Hardcover)

"...Nor doom one doom to your friend; another to your foe!" King Alfred in the Doom Book or Code of Alfred.

Bernard Cornwell has given us another smashing tale of war and love from 9th century "England". The year is 885 CE and King Alfred of Wessex struggles to consolidate his control of the Saxon lands as defined in the treaty with Guthrum that divided the island between Saxon and the Danelaw.

Cornwell's once again uses the narrative voice of Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg as he reflects on his life in extreme old age (probably around 940 CE). Uhtred, now 25, is a Saxon raised as a Dane, pagan serving a most Christian king. Uhtred worships the old Norse gods and looks forward to long days of battle and nights of song, drink, and women at Odin's Death Hall (Valhalla). In Uhtred's eyes, Alfred worships the `Christian nailed god', a god who fences men in with laws and rules so limiting that a man is not allowed to lust after his neighbor's wife!

Alfred needs Uhtred because as Lincoln said of Grant, `he fights' and exceedingly well. Alfred seeks to reclaim Mercian Lundene (London) and that battle forms the centerpiece of the first half of the book. The latter half centers on battles on the lower Temes (Thames) at Beamfleot (Benfleet), including some crashing marine assaults. Sword Song does not lack for ringing swords, shield walls, smashed skulls, splintered oars, battle fear and death - and also broken hearts.

Uhtred requires assistance and Cornwell supplies with him familiar friends from earlier volumes: Steapa, the warrior priest Pyrlig, and most necessary of all, Uhtred's wife Gisela.

Uhtred is a simple man, violent in battle, bound by his sense of honor, an esteemed and rightly feared warrior, and a loving and loved husband. Gisela and Uhtred have a relationship that struck this reader as perhaps a bit too modern in its mutual respect.

Uhtred never seems to be fighting for his own interests. He longs to return and take Bebbanburg in Northumbria, but cannot or will not break his oath to Alfred. (One hopes that Cornwell will keep the Saxon stories going until Uhtred fights that battle.) The heroic Uhtred is offset by Alfred's son-in-law Aethelred, a cowering and grasping little weasel who Alfred elevates to Earl of Mercia precisely because he wants a weak ruler there - Alfred's aim is to be King of the Anglo-Saxons, King of `England', a place that doesn't even exist yet. Aethelred also turns out to be a vicious husband. (By the way, Cornwell's Aethlered is based on an historical figure, but is not to be confused with the later Aethelred unfairly tagged the Unready.)

Uhthred's worthy battle opponents are Danes with their pagan amulets (like his own), their shields and battle axes. He understands these Danes, respects them, is comfortable with them. Some of the Danes do prove to be a bit treacherous, but what do you expect from a bunch of 9th century pagan warriors?!

Cornwell's historical note admits that he has probably been very unfair to Aethelred. The fact is the historical record for this era is thin indeed. Cornwell's telling captures a plausible feel for the era, mostly limited to the perspective of a warrior lord. A small quibble: The image on the book cover shows warriors heaving lighted spears from a broken stone bridge over the Temes, an image unsupported by the historical record in at least one detail. The first stone bridge over the Thames at London was not completed until the early 14th century.

Cornwell might have explored why the Christian god with all his rules and restrictions had broader appeal than the free-spirited Norse gods. Indeed, Alfred's Christian religion eventually prevailed more effectively than warfare in uniting England. Why? Was this because the nailed god's church offered some salvation to every man whereas the Norse gods really only appealed to the warrior class? Or that the Christian church had organized proselytizers? The nailed god seems to have not only demanded more, but also offered more and to more people than Odin.

Sword Song is a compact, exhilarating tale of historical adventure that entertains a lot, informs a little, and won't overtax your noggin. Stoke the fire in your hearth and settle in for a good story. A fine addition to the Saxon Stories and Cornwell promises that "Uhtred and his story will continue."

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Chronicles of Uhtred, January 30, 2008

By 

Dennis J. Buckley (Harrisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) (Hardcover)

Having flown through the preceding books in this series, I was delighted to find this latest work available before leaving for a trip. No spoilers, here, but this volume continues the tale of Uhtred, the half-Saxon, half-Danish warrior who reluctantly serves at the behest of Alfred, King of Wessex, known to us as "Alfred the Great."

Cornwell's command of a relatively little-known period of British history is excellent and more importantly, entirely plausible. His characterizations are rich in detail and well-drawn. Cornwell's development and exposition throughout the series of Alfred the Great is compelling, putting flesh on the bones of a monarch who is mostly the stuff of legends.

Cornwell has found his personal "medium," in the character of Uhtred who, while appropriately grim for a warrior, has a certain sardonic sense of humor and a penchant for pointed social commentary. Cornwell's idea of creating Uhtred as a "pagan" instead of a Christian is brilliant and allows us a far more insightful hero than what might otherwise have been the case.

The narrative is clear and concise, and we are easily able to follow what the characters are doing, where and why.

Altogether an excellent novel by one of the masters of the craft.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ' I was death come from the morning.', March 19, 2008

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sword Song (The Saxon Chronicles, Book 4) (Hardcover)

'Sword Song' is set in a 9th century England divided between the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south and the Danish kingdom of the north.

As in the preceding three novels, Uhtred dominates this story. While his heroic actions are generally physical, his capacity to analyse situations and act quickly endow him with some very attractive leadership qualities. I enjoy the action in these novels and while I have a different mental picture of Alfred the Great, I can accept the picture as painted through Uhtred's eyes.

These are good novels in an historical setting, and breathe life into a time long past.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Note: this review was first posted for the hardcover edition on 26/11/2007