Title: The Pale Horseman

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishing   

Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

*Warning: Mature Content. Parents please be advised*

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The second installment of Bernard Cornwell’s New York Times bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, “like Game of Thrones, but real” (The Observer, London)—the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit television series.

This is the exciting—yet little known—story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms.

At the end of The Last Kingdom, The Danes had been defeated at Cynuit, but the triumph of the English is not fated to last long. The Danish Vikings quickly invade and occupy three of England’s four kingdoms—and all that remains of the once proud country is a small piece of marshland, where Alfred and his family live with a few soldiers and retainers, including Uhtred, the dispossessed English nobleman who was raised by the Danes. Uhtred has always been a Dane at heart, and has always believed that given the chance, he would fight for the men who raised him and taught him the Viking ways. But when Iseult, a powerful sorceress, enters Uhtred’s life, he is forced to consider feelings he’s never confronted before—and Uhtred discovers, in his moment of greatest peril, a new-found loyalty and love for his native country and ruler.

Review:

I read up a storm this past weekend so be prepared for some book reviews to come your way!

Here is the second book in this series and I really enjoyed it, even a bit more than the first book! I feel like with series the first book is setting the stage and introducing you to the characters and setting, and then the second book is when you can really let the action happen! And boy was this book action packed!

Uhtred is back and continued to serve Alfred, although he is still torn between his Danish brother and his ties to Wessex! Like I said in my last post, I really like this contrast of Saxon vs Dane, and I like the comparison of cultures and religion! Uhtred is frustrated because he doesn’t understand the Saxon need to pray, where the Danes don’t waste time and act immediately, and take what they believe to be theirs. The Saxon’s believe everything is decided by god, where Uhtred believes he makes his own destiny! It’s really interesting to see him struggle with this!

Happy reading!