(Review) The Pagan Lord

THIS book is the latest in the Saxon Stories chronicles from author Bernard Cornwell, who has written historical adventure novels for over three decades.
The ‘pagan lord’ in question here is Uhtred, a famed Saxon warrior who is caught in the middle of the changing times.
His former lord King Alfred is dead, leaving the nation in turmoil and Uhtred with few allies.
Trouble starts early for Uhtred when he accidentally kills a priest, thus making enemies of the Church and causing him and his followers to be banished.
At the same time his longtime enemy, the Danish warlord Cnut Longsword, accuses him of kidnapping his wife and two young children.
Realising that there is a conspiracy against him, Uhtred resolves to get to the bottom of things.
What he finds is a sinister plot hatched by the Danes and some Saxon traitors, leading up to a climactic battle that will determine the fate of the country, its people, and Uhtred himself.
As far as historical adventure novels go, Pagan Lord is excellent. The story does involve some real-life historical figures and events, and Cornwell manages to create a rich, complex world of his own.
Uhtred himself, while appearing to be a simple, barbaric warrior, is actually an intelligent man full of loyalty and honour, as seen in his interactions with his retainers and his family.
As I mentioned before, Pagan Lord is the latest book in a series, and although I have not read any of the previous six novels, it is able to stand on its own.
Uhtred’s narration often recounts past events, which keeps the uninitiated reader in the loop regarding people and events.
In fact, being given hints of all the exciting things that happened to Uhtred over the years makes me want to go and pick up the other books and follow the saga from the beginning.
Definitely worth a read, and who knows, you might also become a fan.