The Burning Land: a Heathen’s tale continues
In today’s Wall Street Journal, Tom Shippey reviews the latest installment in Bernard Cornwell’s “Saxon Tales” series set in Anglo-Saxon England. The Burning Land continues the story of Uhtred Uhtredsson, a ninth-century Northumbrian who was brought up as a Heathen by the occupying Danes and as a grown man becomes an unwilling vassal of King Alfred (who is anything but “Great” in this anti-history).
The Burning Land concerns the battle for Mercia, which was partly occupied by the Danes. Uhtred has finally joined his Danish blood-brother Ragnar in the North, but Alfred’s family pleads with him to fight for the English. Uhtred has saved Alfred’s skin any number of times, but is always rejected and betrayed afterward because he is not a good obsequious Christian. For Uhtred still has a Heathen soul, and that’s why I love him.
Most of this series is enjoyable historical fiction, with an emphasis on the “fiction” part — Cornwell uses the gaps in the historical record to rewrite history with a starring role for his fictional hero Uhtred. But The Last Kingdom, the first book in the series which treat’s Uhtred’s boyhood and coming of age, is really something special. In a tale of adventure, with blood and guts interspersed with lyrically moving passages on the Heathen worldview, Uhtred grows up into a Heathen warrior, with a understanding of fate and honor and a fierce love for his adopted family.
I’ll read the latest book because of the vivid writing and my continuing interest in Uhtred and his adventures, but if I really want to be moved, I’ll go back and reread the beginning of Uhtred’s story, a tale that truly sings.
Chris on 24 Jan 2010 at 3:44 pm #
This sounds very similar to Tim Severin’s Viking trilogy. I follows the protagonist from child hood to old age. Starting in Iceland and traveling the ancient world. It is solidly set in historic events and has a deciedely Heathen perspective. Well worth the read. I am going to check out this series as well thanks for the book tip!
The Wizardess on 22 Mar 2010 at 1:52 pm #
I just read The Burning Land on my Kindle. I love Cornwell, and the Uhtred series is a good one. However, my very favorite work of his is his Arthur series: The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur. They are simply wonderful in all ways, plot, characterization, writing style, weaving the history in, but not leaving out what the reader wants in a narrative…but it’s all v British, so it may not be for you!