The Empty Throne (The Saxon Stories #8) by Bernard Cornwell

The Empty Throne (The Saxon Stories #8) 

by Bernard Cornwell 

Blurb:
The eighth installment of Bernard Cornwell’s 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 BBC America television series.

My name is Uhtred. I am the son of Uhtred, who was the son of Uhtred . . .’

Britain, early tenth century AD: a time of change. There are new raids by the Vikings from Ireland, and turmoil among the Saxons over the leadership of Mercia. A younger generation is taking over.

When Æthelred, the ruler of Mercia, dies, he leaves no legitimate heir. The West Saxons want their king, but Uhtred has long supported Æthelflaed, sister to King Edward of Wessex and widow of Æethelred. Widely loved and respected, Æthelflaed has all the makings of a leader—but can Saxon warriors ever accept a woman as their ruler? The stage is set for rivals to fight for the empty throne.

With this eighth entry in the epic Saxon Tales series, we are reminded once again why New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell is “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today” (Wall Street Journal).

MY REVIEW: 

A Viking and Saxon Addiction that just won’t quit! 

There is so many details to this series to explain and talk about so I just took notes to reflect back on. A new approach to starting out this installment. We start with the reason why Uhtred’s young son Osbert gets a new name.

“I was once named Osbert, but when my elder brother became a priest I was given his name.”

I really loved the insight Osbert, now Uhtred gives about his father. The author is great about keeping his readers memories refreshed with the reminders behind each character. Which by the way let’s just say right up front that the development of every one of these characters are extremely detailed to the point that it seems you’ve known them for a life time. Here is a refreshed insight about Uhtred’s father Uhtred:

“father was a pagan, a warlord”

“Many folk claim that our country would be called Daneland and we would all be worshipping Thor and Woden if it had not been for my father”

“True and strange because he hated the Christian god, calling him “the nailed god,” yet despite his hatred he spent the greatest part of his life fighting against the pagans.”

“The church will not admit that Englaland exists because of my father, claiming that it was made and won by Christian warriors”

Even after reading these 8 installments, it still amazes me that Uhtred still fights for the Christians. However, even Uhtred still doesn’t really understand it but understands what it means to take an oath.

"Saxon armies march still farther north, ever north until every man, woman, and child who spoke the Saxon tongue would be ruled by one of their own. That was Alfred’s dream, and it had become mine even though I loved the Danes and worshipped their gods and spoke their language. So why did I fight them? Because of the oaths I had taken to Æthelflaed."

I loved the descriptions of warriors and the meaning behind the swords. Here is the son Uhtred’s description of his sword.

"I called her Raven-Beak because Sigurd’s banner had shown a raven. She had been the sword Sigurd carried when he fought me and when my seax had ripped his belly open."

"I suppose she had another name before that because she had belonged to Sigurd Thorrson"

"At first I thought the sword was called Vlfberht because that strange name was inscribed on the blade in big letters."

"I carried Raven-Beak and my seax, Attor. Attor means venom and she was a short-sword, for the crowded work of a shield wall."

"I carried my round shield on which was painted the wolf’s head, the emblem of our family. I wore a helmet crested with a wolf’s head, and a coat of Frankish mail above a leather jerkin, and above it all a cloak of bear fur. I am Uhtred Uhtredson, "

"I led the war-band. I was just twenty-one years old"

"I was the son of Uhtred, a lord, and so I commanded."

It’s interesting to learn about the Viking and Saxon ancestry:

"I sent a silent prayer to Woden. I am half a pagan, maybe less than half, but even my father had been known to say a prayer to the Christian god. “There are many gods,” he had told me so often, “and you never know which one of them is awake, so pray to them all.”

"So I prayed to Woden. I am of your blood, I told him, so protect me, and I was indeed of his blood because our family is descended from Woden. He had come to earth and slept with a human girl, but that was long before our people crossed the sea to take Britain."

It is always great to read about The lady Æthelflaed (in her mid-40s during this time), daughter of Alfred who had been King of Wessex. And most importantly, I couldn’t resist feeling thrilled about her husband dying – much like a Happy Dance.

"And Æthelred was dying. He had been struck by a spear on the back of the head at the battle of Teotanheale and the spear had pierced his helmet and broken through his skull."

Sad though that Uhtred (senior) had been wounded in the last battle. Cnut was dead and his army destroyed.

"Now, almost two months later, I could ride a horse and walk a mile or so, yet I had still not regained my old strength, and Serpent-Breath felt heavy in my hand"

"Cnut Longsword had near killed me with his blade Ice Spite and it was small consolation that Serpent Breath had sliced his throat in the same heartbeat that his sword had broken a rib and pierced my lung."

Throughout this whole series, I love the psychological thoughts that the author gives the reader to ponder on and an insight of how a pagan would think. However, I can totally relate to him and how he feels.

"We live in a world where the strongest win, and the strongest must expect to be disliked. Then I am a pagan, and though Christians teach that they must love their enemies, few do."

"Pride, I suppose, is the most treacherous of virtues. The Christians call it a sin, but no poet sings of men who have no pride."

"Christians say the meek will inherit the earth, but the meek inspire no songs."

Oh the deceptions and conniving Uhtred has to do in order to trick the dumb priest just to help The lady Æthelflaed out. The priest try to push The lady Æthelflaed out by stating she must go to a convent because her husband is dying which leaves the ruling of Mercia up for grabs, but Uhtred always comes to the rescue.

“Baptize you?” Father Penda managed to ask. “I have seen the wickedness of my ways,” I said humbly, “and I wish to return to God’s church.”

"Yet the priest was also hopeful. My conversion and baptism would make Penda famous.

So we took Penda to the river and there he ducked me, and that was the third time I had been baptized."

The baptizism gives Uhtred a Mercian claim as his mother was a Mercian and therefore a claim to become ruler of Mercian. Uhtred once gains the rulership then turns and puts The lady Æthelflaed on the Mercian throne as ruler.

Æthelflaed did succeed her husband as the ruler of Mercia, though she was never proclaimed queen of that country. She was known as the Lady of the Mercians."

The drama and actions of these characters keep the readers enchanted with their craziness. Here we have The lady Æthelflaed’s husband’s (Lord Æthelred) mistress Eadith helping Uhtred retrieve the stolen sword Ice-Spite and healing him.

"The ivory hilt of Ice-Spite was unmistakable. I bent down, wincing from the sudden pain, and pulled the blade free."

"Cnut had always claimed that the blade had been forged in a sorcerer’s fire that burned colder than ice in the frost caverns of Hel. He said she was a sword of the gods, she was the sword that had pierced me, and that Bishop Asser had charmed with Christian sorcery to torment me. "

“Is that the sword?” Eadith asked me.

"Yes.” “Give it to me,” she said.

“The sword will cure you, lord.”

“I know what to do, lord.”

“What?” I asked. “What do you do?” “I cure you.”

I looked down at Ice-Spite. I had wanted her so badly, I had traveled to the end of Britain to find her, yet I had no idea how the possession of her would help me.

“Lean against the ship,” Eadith ordered me and I obeyed her.

“Now show me the wound, lord,” Eadith said.

Eadith closed her eyes. “This sword almost killed you,” she said in a slow, singsong voice, “and now this blade will heal you.”

"and before Finan or any of my men could stop her, she stabbed me."

"I gasped, staggered against the ship’s bows, and saw Finan moving to snatch at Eadith’s arm,"

"she had already pulled the sword back. Now she was staring at my wound with a look of horror. And as the blade left me so the stench came."

"A foul stench, and I felt liquid pouring from my rib. “It’s the evil,” Eadith said, “coming out of him.”

"saw a mixture of blood and pus pulsing from the new wound,"

"It was bubbling, swelling, trickling away, and as I watched the filth erupt so the pain subsided."

"I looked up at Eadith in disbelief because the pain was flowing out of me, it was vanishing."

“There was evil inside you, lord,” she said slowly, “and it had to be let out.”

“Then why didn’t we use any sword?” “Because this was the sword that caused the evil, of course.”

A battle is fought and won and an enemy becomes an ally and a family member.

"The ship waited for Sigtryggr, but close to it, standing where the grass turned to the river bank’s mud, was Stiorra. Her maid, Hella, was already aboard the dragon-ship."

“I saw,” she said simply, “and I was stricken.”

“And so was he?” I asked, and she just nodded.

“And the last two nights,” I asked, “after the feasting was over?” I did not finish the question, but she answered it anyway by nodding again."

“You are your mother’s daughter,”

"I spoke louder as I stepped back, “is Eardwulf’s money.” I saw I had smeared her pale linen dress with Eardwulf’s blood. I looked at Sigtryggr. “I give her to you,” I said, “so don’t disappoint me.”

This whole series is just awesome and I seem to not be able to get enough of it. I am wearing thin though with the fact that Uhtred hasn’t won back his inheritance. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to see where the journey takes Uhttred.

  Excellent Read!