"The Saxon Tales" immerses us in the story of how Alfred the Great's vision of a united England came to be. It is narrated by Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a character who embodies the complex historical, cultural, linguistic, economic, warrior, and chivalric aspects of his time. Mr. Cornwell has us see through Uhtred's eyes as he navigates these often conflicting forces from his early years to his reflections as an elderly man, a seasoned participant in Alfred's frequently threatened but never-conquered vision.

We have had few authors with Cornwell's imaginative reach. He is a scholar of historical detail, possessing a deep and nuanced understanding of human nature and what drives us to achieve great things. He comprehends how human relationships develop over time, for better or for worse, and how the technologies of an era are often used by human beings to significantly impact the outcome of events.

Cornwell combines all of this in a masterful storytelling style that sweeps the reader's imagination up into the epic and carries them along the tumultuous, racing tide of consequential history.

“Sword of Kings” is the 12th novel in this saga. It is as rich and viscerally engaging as the previous eleven. Mr. Cornwell never disappoints.