This was the perfect ending to an amazing series. Much like other books in this series the author does not disappoint in his epic high action battle scenes, but what will win you over much like it did myself was the emotion behind the series and its farewell. The author did a great job at balancing the sadness with humor and the brutalness of battle with humanity. Definitely a 5 star book and amazing ending to this series.

Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg once again must fight for his beloved fortress. Uhred is pitted against the Northerners and Athelstan, the king he raised as a son, but who betrayed him. Good book, very well written with as much drama, glory and bloodshed as in the first book. Thank you.

This is a brilliant end to a beloved series. Having been on this extraordinary journey with Uhtred, one of the most memorable characters in historical fiction, I am sad to see it end. Cornwell has spent 12 books detailing the making of England from its early days under King Alfred to the final book where we finally see that ambition realized. Uhtred is there every step of the way, pulled in by his refusal to break his oath (although reluctantly much of the time). This final volume we get older Uhtred who is just ready to lay down the sword and live out his days in peace at Bebbanburg, but he soon realizes he must choose sides one more time in order to make that happen. Loved it and will recommend this series to anyone who loves historical fiction.

The 13th and final installment of the book series that inspired the TV show, The Last Kingdom, is a sad but necessary conclusion to such a great and epic tale. Uhtred is now in his 70s, and while that's not impossible even for the era (average life expectancy if one survived childhood in the Middle Ages was in the 60s), it is starting to get a bit unrealistic, especially as a warrior who still engages in combat. For the last few books, I've been wondering how long Cornwell could really stretch this out, but now that it's finally come to an end, I will miss it, of course. I think that's why I took so long to finish it, I didn't want it to end.
Uhtred's epic journey was such an enjoyable way to detail the turbulent establishment and unification of the country of England and it's monarchs and leaders who made it happen, starting with Alfred the Great, all the way through the reign of his grandson, Athelstan. While Uhtred's relationship with each of them was always rather grudging at best, I think he secretly wanted to believe in Alfred's vision, and it also brought a lot of humor to the series.

In some ways, I wish the story could continue, following succeeding monarchs, perhaps through Uhtred's son's voice, but I know it wouldn't be the same. All good things come to an end, and this was a fitting and worthy ending to Uhtred's story.

War Lord by Bernard Cornwell is the newest in the series depicting the life and struggle of Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the 13th in the Last Kingdom series. There is not much to say about the plot of the story. Uhtred has recaptured Bebbanburg and is living there with Benedetta, who has negative views of marriage, so her and the e-slave have not gone through the ceremony but are married in every other way. Everyone wants to take Bebbanburg away from Uhtred, with by war, or bribery, or deceit. He is determined that will never happen.

Amazingly, given the dearth of unpronounceable names, and constant warfare, Cornwell manages to keep his books very readable. The reader need not be a scholar or a historian to keep up. He also explains the reality at the end of the book. Many of the characters are fictional, many are not, and most of the battles are historically accurate, if somewhat obscure. War Lord was an excellent example of historical fiction and of the life of a noble in the Middle Ages circa, 1000 CE. It was an enjoyable read and this come from a person who is not overly fond of warfare. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of War Lord by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #warlord

Thank you, Bernard Cornwell, HarperCollins Publishers, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I am not okay. This is the definition of bittersweet. I love the Saxon Stories series more than words can say and War Lord by Bernard Cornwell is the 13th and final book. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD if you have not read the previous books! Uhtred is an old man now, but he has reclaimed his home and just wants to live his days at Bebbanburg and not be bothered by kings, earls, and lords. Aethelstan is King over Mercia, East Anglia, and Wessex but wants what his grandfather, Alfred the Great wanted: a united Britain–And King Aethelstan would be, Monarchus Totius Brittaniae. That presents trouble. King Constantine of Scotland has allies and they ride from the North. Uhtred must now be dragged into another decisive war to protect his family and his home. The Battle of Brunanburh is inevitable…

“Wyrd bið ful aræd”

My emotions were slaughtered before I even started the book. Bernard Cornwell dedicated the book to Alexander Dreymon, the actor who portrays Uhtred in The Last Kingdom. It is not often that an author portrays that kind of appreciation to those involved in their adaptations.

As for the book itself, it could not have had a more perfect conclusion. This series is about the making of a United Britain and it concludes with the decisive Battle of Brunanburh. There are poems and legends of this battle and I love that Bernard Cornwell’s intense historical research brought it to life. The battle itself is a quarter of the book… WHICH IS FANTASTIC. So many historical fictions give a brief description of the battle then move onto the political aspects. Not this book. This book shows all the terror, the courage, the blood, and the death that occurred. It will make you feel as if you are there. It is impossible to stop reading during the last 75% of the book because no one is safe.

Once again, the characters are just masterful. Bernard Cornwell knows how to bring historical figures to life while making fictional characters as real as possible. I love that Egill Skallagrimsson is a huge presence in this book because it is well-documented that he fought alongside Aethelstan. As always Uhtred and Finan are favorites. They are old men now and get reminded that they are no longer in their prime, which is difficult for warriors. (Does that stop them? Of course not.) But I can’t write this review without discussing Benedetta, Uhtred’s partner. She is perfect for Uhtred and after his heart was broken after the death of Gisela…he deserves a good woman. Plus, SHE IS FIERCE. I wish I could get a spinoff story of Benedetta!

This will be a series I revisit over and over. I am not ready to let it go. This series finale gets ALL THE STARS. Thank you, Bernard Cornwell, for a wonderful series! This book is available on November 24th!

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I am, contrary to my own literary leanings, a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell’s Lord Uhtred, hero of the Saxon Tales—now renamed the Last Kingdom series after the justifiably celebrated Netflix TV shows based on them. So I could hardly resist Uhtred’s final adventure. In the course of twelve books, he has gone from a child of ten to an old man. During that time, under the leadership of King Alfred the Great and his children, Wessex, the “last kingdom” of the title, has progressed from a lone survivor about to fall to the Danes to the head of an almost-unified England. The new standout is Uhtred’s own Northumberland, and once again he must decide where his loyalties lie.

I’ve talked with Bernard about this series at least three times for New Books in Historical Fiction (The Pagan Lord in 2014, The Flame Bearer in 2016, and War of the Wolf in 2018), but as we get deeper into the story it has become ever harder to avoid spoilers for the series as a whole. So Bernard has kindly agreed to answer my written questions about this last novel, which brings the story of England’s unification to its close with more than a little help from Uhtred. Watch for that Q&A by the end of November.

This is actually a 10 star read for me. I am heartbroken that it is the last book of the series but what an amazing finish. Cornwall gave us such a fitting end that tied the series together beautifully. [book:The Last Kingdom|68527], the first book in the series, had one of my favorite scenes in a book ever. Alfred the Great and Uhtred held a small piece of a marsh and it was all that was left of England as we know it now. How they fought their way way out just captivated my imagination. This book ties back to that scene and what Alfred's grandson was able to accomplish.

Uhtred is old now (maybe 50) and has achieved his life's ambition of taking back the family fortress of Bebbanburg (no spoiler- it was in the last book). He is content to live out his days at home with his lady and old friends. But Aethelstan, Alfred's grandson, has other ambitions and Uhtred is drawn back into the fray. The story culminates at the Battle of Brunanburh. At first I thought Cornwall made it up because it was so good and tied up so many loose ends. But no, it is a real battle and Cornwall is such a brilliant writer of historical fiction that he made his story fit into historical accuracy. Why the Battle of Brunanburh is not a national holiday is beyond me. Without this battle there would be no England and yet it is largely unheralded. It's a shame.

This entire series has been a real history lesson for me. I knew nothing about this time period and I have learned so much. It has been a real eye opener. Historical authors should read this series about how to write really good historical fiction. It is a masters class in writing. If you have not read this series then do yourself a favor and start reading. You will not be disappointed.

I can not thank NetGalley enough for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and delighted review. Mostly I want to thank Bernard Cornwell for giving me such a wonderful series and a great character of Uhtred. Thank you.

I opened War Lord with some reluctance, it being the thirteenth and last (following Sword of Kings) in Bernard Cornwell's enthralling Saxon Tales.

As War Lord opens, signs and wonders accumulate, the overall message being that 'evil would come from the north.' After Uhtred attends Aethelstan's 'Witan of all Britain', he finds the new king changed, surrounded by sycophants, who tell him that Uhtred can no longer be trusted.

Aethelstan needs Bebbanburg - will he betray the man who was like a father to him to get it? Will this be our hero's final fight?

A very fitting finale for The Saxon Tales series. Cornwell is the master of battle scenes and he worked his magic in War Lord. Uhtred is once again fighting for Bebbanburg as King Aethelstan fights to unite all the kingdoms into Englaland. As the Scots invade from the North it puts Bebbanburg right in the middle of the fight for power.

I can't recommend Cornwell's books highly enough and I thank #NetGalley for the opportunity to review #WarLord and give my honest review. I know this review is short, but as it's the final book I assume most people already know the basics of the series and I don't want to offer spoilers of this particular book.