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When We Were Vikings
When We Were Vikings
Andrew David MacDonald | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I enjoyed When we were Vikings, but I had to take breaks from reading it, so it wasn't the fastest read for me on a personal level. I'm a parent of a special needs child, and personally, after dealing with my son all day, sometimes I could only read a couple of pages before needing a break. Like I said, that's just a personal thing. I did enjoy the story, and once I hit the major part of the story about halfway in, I didn't have to take as many breaks. Then there were more things going on in the story, rather than only focusing on Zelda's way of seeing things. I did not like the character of Marxy's mother at all, though. For me, I was almost ready to stop reading at one point because of her. Thankfully, she's wasn't a main character, that takes up a lot of time in the book. To me, what she was doing felt borderline abusive, if not fully abusive, considering the situation. I could've done without her part in the book, though I know it lays groundwork for other things down the road.
  
The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories #1)
The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories #1)
Bernard Cornwell | 2006 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
9
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
225 of 230
Book
The Last Kingdom ( book 1)
By Bernard Cornwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last Kingdom is set in the England of the ninth and tenth centuries. These were the years when the Danish Vikings had invaded and occupied three of England's four kingdoms, and when King Alfred, his son and grandson fought back and won the freedom of the country again. The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed English nobleman. Captured as a child and raised by the Danes, he now finds his allegiances divided. But the one thing he knows is that he wants to recover his father's land, the fort by the wild northern sea that we now know as Bamburgh.

Although this took me a while I absolutely loved it. I didn’t realise till I started reading that it was the inspiration for the tv show. I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and this was the perfect book. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. I’m extremely grateful for the translation at the front of the book I would never have known those towns and cities in the old language.
  
37 of 220
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The Lords of the North ( The Last Kingdom 3)
By Bernard Cornwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The year is 878 and the Vikings have been thrown out of Wessex. Uhtred, fresh from fighting for Alfred in the battle to free Wessex, travels north to seek revenge for his father's death, killed in a bloody raid by Uhtred's old enemy, renegade Danish lord, Kjartan. While Kjartan lurks in his formidable stronghold of Dunholm, the north is overrun by chaos, rebellion and fear. Together with a small band of warriors, Uhtred plans his attack on his enemy, revenge fuelling his anger, resolute on bloody retribution. But, he finds himself betrayed and ends up on a desperate slave voyage to Iceland. Rescued by a remarkable alliance of old friends and enemies, he and his allies, together with Alfred the Great, are free to fight once more in a battle for power, glory and honour.

Another really good book in this series I think this is my favourite so far. Uthred is a sold as a slave and we follow his journey. So glad there is a directory at the start of the book these places get a little confusing.