Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2012
336 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
The fate of a young nation rests in the hands of a reluctant warrior in the thrilling sixth volume of the New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales series. Following the intrigue and action of The Burning Land and Sword Song, this latest chapter in Bernard Cornwell's epic saga of England is a gripping tale of divided loyalties and mounting chaos. At a crucial moment in time, as Alfred the Great lays dying, the fate of all - Angles, Saxons, and Vikings alike - hangs desperately in the balance. For all fans of classic Cornwell adventures, such as Agincourt and Stonehenge, and for readers of William Dietrich's Hadrian's Wall or Robert E. Howard's Bran Mak Morn, the stunning Death of Kings will prove once again why the Wall Street Journal calls Bernard Cornwell "the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today."
"Readers should prepare for pulse-pounding action and rousing battle scenes as the martially evocative Cornwell makes the swords sing and the flesh fly as he reimagines major military skirmishes." - Booklist
"Unfortunately for Edward, no skirmish proves decisive enough to unify England. Fortunately for Cornwell fans, that means more 'tales of warriors and swords and shields and axes' to come." - Publishers Weekly
"A master of historical fiction has produced another great read." - Library Journal
"Starred Review. The surprise is that Cornwell's love scenes are as deft as his action scenes, though far fewer, of course - all driven by a hard-shelled, sporadically soft-hearted, always charismatic protagonist." - Kirkus
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Bernard Cornwell was born in London in 1944 – a 'warbaby' – whose father was a Canadian airman and mother in Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force.
He was adopted by a family in Essex who belonged to a religious sect called the Peculiar People (and they were), but escaped to London University and, after a stint as a teacher, he joined BBC Television where he worked for the next 10 years.
He began as a researcher on the Nationwide programme and ended as Head of Current Affairs Television for the BBC in Northern Ireland. It was while working in Belfast that he met Judy, a visiting American, and fell in love. Judy was unable to move to Britain for family reasons so Bernard went to the States where he was refused a Green Card. He decided to earn a living by writing, a job ...
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