The Pale Horseman (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 2) (The Last Kingdom Series) - Softcover

Cornwell, Bernard

4.31

55,727 ratings by Goodreads

9780007210466: The Pale Horseman (The Last Kingdom Series, Book 2) (The Last Kingdom Series)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007210469 ISBN 13: 9780007210466

Publisher: Harpercollins Pb, 2005

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

Continuing the outstanding success of The Last Kingdom, this is the second installment of Bernard Cornwell's fantastic series, following the fate of Alfred the Great ,and the forging of Britain. It is the lowest time for the Saxons. Defeated comprehensively by the Vikings who now occupy most of England, Alfred and his very small group of surviving followers retreat to the trackless marshlands of Somerset. There, forced to move restlessly to escape betrayal or detection, using the marsh mists for cover, they travel by small boats from one island refuge to another, hoping that they can regroup and find some more strength and support. Only Uhtred remains resolute. Determined to discover the enemy's strategies, he draws once again on his Viking upbringing, and attempts to enter the Viking camps. His plan is to become accepted by their leaders, and to sit in their councils and uncover their plans. But once there, the attractions of his many friends among the Vikings coupled with his disillusion with the Saxons' leadership and anger at Alfred's criticism of his own conduct, draws him back again to his allegiance to the Vikings. The Pale Horseman, an even more powerful and dramatic book than The Last Kingdom, brings both Uhtred and the Saxons' dilemmas vividly to life.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From the Back Cover:

As the last unvanquished piece of England, Wessex is eyed hungrily by the fearsome Viking conquerors. Uhtred, a dispossessed young nobleman, is tied to the imperiled land by birth and marriage but was raised by the Danish invaders—and he questions where his allegiance must lie. But blood is his destiny, and when the overwhelming Viking horde attacks out of a wintry darkness, Uhtred must put aside all hatred and distrust and stand beside his embattled country’s staunch defender—the fugitive King Alfred.

New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell’s The Pale Horseman is a gripping, monumental adventure that gives breathtaking life to one of the most important epochs in English history.

“Cornwell’s characters are vividly drawn, betrayals lurk around every corner, the humor is as sharp as the swords, and the action is non-stop.” —NPR

About the Author:

Bernard Cornwell worked for BBC Television for seven years, mostly as a producer on the Nationwide programme, before taking charge of the Current Affairs department in Northern Ireland. In 1978 he became editor of Thames Television's Thames at Six. Married to an American, he now lives in the United States.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.