It's the one about duty.

The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've begun noticing a pattern in these novels. They seem to each have a theme. The first was about family, the second about learning to be a warrior and leader, and in this one, the message is honor.

Picking up shortly after the events in The Pale Horseman, Uthred travels by ship to Northumbria, accompanied by the former nun Hild. He finds the area in chaos, as a Saxon uprising has occurred while the main Danish force was away fighting in Scotland. Fearing reprisals when the Danes return, Uthred agrees to escort a merchant and his family to the north, where he becomes entangled with a slave-turned-would0be king named Guthred. Uthred trains Guthred's personal guard but is betrayed and sold into slavery. Events develop from there and reach a satisfying conclusion that still teases the next novel.

I say this book is about honor because we seeing the importance of oaths and how, especially in Danish lands, they are vital. When Uthred is betrayed, he makes his betrayer swear an oath to pass his swords, mail, and helmet to Hild. That Oath is kept. When Uthred is freed, he tells his rescuer where he can find a great treasure, but that man swore an oath to return Uthred to King Alfred. And so it goes, as oaths and promises overlap and drive the action.

Once again, this was a fun book to read. The depth of research is there but never flaunted. There is a historical note at the end where Cornwell explains his research, and which parts he made up, and I was looking places and people up as I read. I love a book where I learn a little history along the way.

finally, as we're seeing the world through the eyes of a man from the 9th century, Cornwell does a great job of infusing a sense of magic into the book without veering off into true fantasy. Uthred believes in spirits and sorcerers, and that view influences how he tells his stories.



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