stub title9780060787127
stub subtitle
by Stub Auth and Stub Ill
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Stub Cat Disp Cat |
| Price: |
$15.99 |
| On Sale: |
7/05/2005 |
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stub SubFormatTitle0 | stub SubFormatTitle1
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Author Extras
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Critical Praise for
stub title9780060787127
"Great stuff, as always, from the master."
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Kirkus Reviews
"Superior entertainment that is both engaging and enlightening ... Cornwell’s battle scenes ... are superb ... smart and vigorous."
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Washington Post
"A suavely rendered tale … [brings] turbulent times to vivid life."
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Philadelphia Inquirer
"Entertaining"
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Arizona Republic
"Filled with bawdy humor, bloodlust, treachery and valor, this stirring tale will leave readers eager for the next volume in this Alfred the Great series."
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Publishers Weekly
"Filled with bawdy humor, bloodlust, treachery and valor, this stirring tale will leave readers eager for the next volume ."
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Publishers Weekly
"A crackerjack adventure tale from a master of the craft."
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Booklist
"[A] ripping good tale of a man fighting to overcome his past and establish himself as a trusted warrior and protector of his country and people. Highly recommended."
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Library Journal
" [A] big-bellied, bushy-bearded tale ... [Cornwell] endows the book with an unexpectedly complex, thoughtful soul."
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Time Magazine
Reader Reviews from First Look
"This is the second novel in what I assume will be a trilogy, sequel to The Last Kingdom. This is just as good as the first book, if not better. Unlike many trilogies (particularly epic fantasy) where most middle books feel like treading water, this book is full of event and character. I will not soon forget Iseult, shadow queen and Uhtred's love, or Hild, the violated nun out for revenge on the Danes. Or the mighty Steapa, whose duel to the death with Uhtred is interrupted by an attack by the Danes. And Pyrlig, warrior-turned-priest, who loves the joy of battle. And there are plenty of battles in this book, both small skirmishes and epic encounters. A worthy successor to The Last Kingdom, and a precursor to the third book. I'm ready!"
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Charles (Whitter, CA)
"This is the second novel in what I assume will be a trilogy, sequel to The Last Kingdom. This is just as good as the first book, if not better. Unlike many trilogies (particularly epic fantasy) where most middle books feel like treading water, this book is full of event and character. I will not soon forget Iseult, shadow queen and Uhtred's love, or Hild, the violated nun out for revenge on the Danes. Or the mighty Steapa, whose duel to the death with Uhtred is interrupted by an attack by the Danes. And Pyrlig, warrior-turned-priest, who loves the joy of battle. And there are plenty of battles in this book, both small skirmishes and epic encounters. A worthy successor to The Last Kingdom, and a precursor to the third book. I'm ready!"
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Charles (Whitter, CA)
"This book was a great sequel to The Last Kingdom. Cornwell's book are well researched and he brings the characters to live."
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Kimberly (Springfield, OH)
"Filled with excitement, impossible to put down! The saga of Uhtred is interesting not only historically, but also as a well written novel."
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Diane (Cedar Rapids, IA)
"If you have read Bernard Cornwell's 'The Last Kingdom' do not miss his sequel, 'The Pale Horseman.' This historical fiction is a wonderful opportunity to become reacquainted with Alfred the Great, King of England and the exhilarating adventures of the Vikings."
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Laurie (Farmington Hills, MI)
"a good book to read."
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Pam (Grovetown, 1)
"This was a thoroughly engaging book. I found myself wondering just what Uhtred would do next. He is a very realistic character and his adventures probably don't stray that far from fact. I think that is one of the things I like best about this book. It is well grounded in fact and any conjectures the author makes are totally believable. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially early British history."
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Ann (Martin, GA)
"Bernard Cornwell has brought history to life again. Although a little difficult to follow at times the story is wonderfully told."
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Anthony (Galesburg, MI)
"The true test of a series of books occurs when the second volume is published. Either the author rehashes the plot and characters of the first book, or he/she expands and deepens the plot and the world in which the series takes place. In The Pale Horseman, Bernard Cornwell passes this test with flying colors! The uneasy relationship between Uhtred and Alfred is developed and deepened, Uhtred’s loyalty is clarified, and the battle scenes are rousing. Cornwell's regular additions to the Sharpe series are always welcome, but he really excels as an author when he brings the older, savage, pagan, chaotic Britain to life! It's a shame we have to wait a full year for the next volume!"
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Stanley (Farmville, NC)
"The Pale Horseman is an extremely enjoyable and eagerly awaited return to the world of King Alfred the Great and Uhtred of Bebbanburg. As in the first book, Mr. Cornwell vividly brings to life the world that would become the England we know today. As the Duke of Wellington is reported to have said about the Battle of Waterloo, 'It was a near run thing.' The Pale Horseman shows just how near England came to never existing at all, and Mr. Cornwell's immense talent as a storyteller kept me in suspense even though I knew full well what actually happened. Mr. Cornwell's akill in creating this sense of suspense and tension is one of the reasons I keep reading his books with such pleasure and anticipation. I don't believe that anyone who read The Last Kingdom and enjoyed it will be disappointed in this addition to Uhtred's story. The most disappointing thing about this book is that I have to wait at least a year before the next book will be published. I usually won't begin a series of any kind until all the books in the series are available. But I couldn't resist these, so now I learn about the virtues of patience. Write faster, Mr. Cornwell!"
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Sylvia (Myrtle Beach, SC)
"The story of Uhtred, Alfred the Great, and the very survival of England continues... In The Pale Horseman Bernard Cornwell picks up where The Last Kingdom leaves off. Robbed of his rightful glory from the battle at Cynuit, Uhtred is bitter and contemplating abandoning Alfred and Wessex and fight for the Danes. A tenuous peace between the Danes and Wessex leaves Uhtred without a convenient way to switch sides, so he starts to raise money and men to one day take back is home in Northumbria. Uhtred is having some success when the Danes break the peace and attack Wessex, scattering the people to the wind. Uhtred is forced to flee and finds himself in the swamps where he meets up with other West Saxons fleeing the Danes – one of whom is King Alfred himself. The kingdom of Wessex has now been reduced to a few acres of swamp. But Alfred is not content to hide out in the swamps. Realizing that he must strike back soon and hard, he turns to Uhtred for help as a scout, a raider, to train his small but growing army, and to protect his family, which Uhtred takes an oath to do. As Alfred's army grows, so does the Danes and the two armies meet at the brutal battle at Ethandun in another horrid shield wall. Bernard Cornwell shows why he is the master of historical fiction! Telling stories of real people and events through the eyes of fictional people is Bernard Cornwell's gift and in The Pale Horseman, Mr. Cornwell is in top form. No one does it better. With terrific characters, a wonderful story, and, as always, amazing battle scenes, The Pale Horseman is quintessential Bernard Cornwell and should not to be missed!"
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Tom (Lincoln, NE)
"A most enjoyable read and journey into the Dark Ages -- a must read for lovers of historical fiction. Even though I had not read The Lost Kingdom, this book was complete, interesting and stands alone! Wonderful writer...excellent research."
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Mary Ann (Geneva, IL)
"Pale Horseman, Bernard Cornwell's continuing saga of Alfred the Great's struggle to wrest control of England from Danish Vikings, is another testament to Cornwell's huge talent and mastery of epic story-telling. As with every other book by Cornwell I've had the pleasure of reading, Pale Horseman left me hungry for more. Through the eyes of our fictional protagonist, Uhtred, Mr. Cornwell most skillfully weaves the tale of this dispossessed English nobleman into meticulously researched and detailed documentation of the era between 800 and 900 A.D. when England was nearly lost to the invading Danes. In The Last Kingdom, the first book of this promised trilogy, Uhtred is captured at the age of ten and raised as an adoptive son of the mighty warrior and Danish lord Ragnar. In The Pale Horseman, the middle-tale of the trilogy, Uhtred's sometimes thorny relationship with Alfred the Great is full of twists, turns and treachery as he seeks to resolve his divided loyalties. While seeking to reclaim his birth rights, Uhtred discovers his love for his native country and he offers his sword in defense of King Alfred. While fighting to repel the Danes, Uhtred is presented with many opportunities to fulfill his youthful dream to fight in a shield wall. Readers share this experience as Cornwell reigns supreme as the master of battle fiction. His pen vividly conveys the reality of rage, fear, horror and gore of ancient battles fought by spearmen and the swordsmen. As has become the mark of a Bernard Cornwell novel, the significance of this book is its link to the epoch in which the story occurs. In The Pale Horseman, Cornwell gives us a larger-than-life hero in the form of Uhtred, a warrior who so easily fits within the moment in time, one who also embodies the essence of the period and conveys the historical events in manner that leaps from the pages. If you've never read Bernard Cornwell's novels, this is an excellent series to begin. For those familiar with Cornwell, this book will not disappoint."
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Charles (Lake Wylie, SC)
"The date is 878; the place, Wessex (southern England), the king (Alfred not-yet-The Great). Uhtred, English by birth but Danish in looks and sympathies, has no loyalty to Alfred, the only remnant of English royalty. The Pale Horseman is equal parts adventure and history -- with a dash of romance thrown in. Uhtred encounters the enigmatic Iseult, a shadow queen of the Britons, and nothing is ever the same for him again. Though he thrives on chaos, given the chance to betray Alfred to the Danes, he knows 'that wherever the remnants of the Saxons gathered about their fires of exile, my name would be cursed,' and he holds his tongue. As his feelings for both Iseult and Alfred grow, Uhtred comes to understand 'that among the Danes I was as important as my friends, and without friends I was just another landless, masterless warrior. But among the Saxons I was another Saxon, and among the Saxons I did not need another man's generosity.' As Alfred, Uhtred, and their outnumbered compatriots prepare for the climactic battle, the king tells Uhtred that they have a choice: 'We can run away.... I could become a king in exile and pray that God brings me back.' 'You think God will?" 'No,' he admitted. If he ran away, then he knew he would die in exile. 'So we fight,' I said. 'And on my conscience,' he said, 'I will forever bear the weight of all those men who died in a hopeless cause. Two thousand against five thousand? How can I justify leading so few against so many?' 'You know how.' 'So I can be king?' 'So that we are not slaves in our own land,' I said. Although Uhtred has more battles to fight, The Pale Horseman leaves the reader with the hope that the dream of a united England is indeed possible."
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Karen (Arlington, VA)
"Wow! -- this book was everything I had hoped it would be -- compelling, fast-paced, thrilling. I highly recommend it!"
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Christine (Rock Springs, WI)
"Bernard Cornwell is truly a masterful storyteller. Anyone who enjoys fantasy novels about historical England, as well as many other intriguing locations and topics, will consume Mr. Cornwell's novels with delight. Many of us have a curiosity and interest in English and Viking tales, and this novel is a treat we shouldn't refuse."
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Janet (Bowling Green, KY)
"Bernard Cornwell has the ability to bring characters to life. Whether they are fictional like Uhtred or real like Alfred the great, the reader is brought into their world through The Pale Horseman and really knows the people involved. I felt as though I was experiencing the life right along with them."
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Cheryl (Angola, NY)
"Exquisite historical detail makes The Pale Horseman come to life. The characters breathe. Very readable as a stand alone book even though it is one of a planned trilogy. This time of history, such an intense time of transition and turning points, is beautifully captured by Cornwell. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction."
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Kelsey (Anderson, 1)
"This is my first Bernard Cornwell book. Although it took a few pages to get into the cadence of characters speach, I found it hard to put down. I would recommend that new readers begin with the first book in the series as I think I would have had a better handle on the relationships and story if I had read The Last Kingdom. I would also recommend the inclusion of a map as the use of historically correct place names, while bringing realism to this fictionalized account of King Alfred's reign, makes it difficult to grasp the territories and geography of the historical England."
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MELISSA (San Francisco, CA)
"This is a real page-turner -- I couldn't put it down! A terrificly crafted story including a few surprises along the way and strong, believable characters. This book is definitely a treat for Bernard Cornwell readers!"
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George (Middleburg Hts., OH)
"This book was as enjoyable as the first installment. Mr. Cornwell's gift of descriptive writing pulls you in and you honestly believe you are there, in centuries past, living the story. I am so looking forward to reading more by him, and continuing this particular saga as well."
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Donna (Bristol, CT)
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