251:), is dying. There are three strong candidates to succeed him: Edward's vicious adult son Ælfweard by his second wife; Æthelstan, Edward's eldest son by his first wife (though many incorrectly believe he is illegitimate); and Edmund, Edward's infant son by Queen Eadgifu of Mercia. Uhtred has raised Æthelstan and trained him to be king, so Æthelhelm had tried to preemptively remove Æthelstan's most effective supporter.
25:
270:
Uhtred's party hides, then steals a ship and flees. By bad luck, Waormund sees him and sets out in pursuit with a large force. Eventually, Uhtred is trapped. He gives himself up so his men (as well as women and children he took responsibility for) have a chance to get away. Waormund humiliates him,
266:
Uhtred heads to
Lundene (London), which is held by Æthelstan's men. He spots Waormund there, but Waormund gets away. Uhtred becomes concerned when he discovers that Merewalh, the commander of the garrison, has taken most of his men and marched east, having been deceived into believing that an enemy
239:
A fishing ship from
Bebbanburg goes missing. Then the body of one of its crew washes ashore; it is clear the fisherman had been tortured before being killed. Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg, goes to sea to investigate, then sets a trap for those responsible. He and his warriors kill or capture the crews
254:
Eadgifu sends a message to Uhtred, begging for his help. Over the objections of his wife and friends, he heads south, as he also gave his oath to kill Æthelhelm upon the death of Edward (though he knows only that Edward is in very poor health), accompanied by Finan and a handful of his men. They
274:
Uhtred persuades
Merewalh to give him 180 of his warriors and to agree to his plan to attack Lundene, despite being seriously outnumbered. They have no real choice, as Æthelhelm keeps growing stronger as reinforcements continue arriving. Messengers are sent to fetch Æthelstan's army, which is
316:", highlighting how "Cornwell paints vivid images of the filth in the Temes and in cities like Lundene". They noted that "few women are active characters", though "the action is believable if often gruesome and loathsome, and it never lets up for long".
87:
287:
and have no real stomach for battle; as Uhtred had hoped, they stay out of the fighting. Æthelstan wins. Æthelhelm is killed trying to flee, while Ælfweard is captured and personally executed by his half-brother Æthelstan.
1082:
255:
rescue
Eadgifu from capture by Æthelhelm's men and flee. Then Uhtred receives the news that Edward is dead. Edward's will gives the kingdoms of Wessex and East Anglia to Ælfweard and
244:Æthelhelm ordered Waormund, a huge, sadistic warrior and one of his most trusted men, to try to kill Uhtred. Waormund tortured the fisherman and was aboard the ship that got away.
46:
271:
but does not kill him immediately, as he wants to do so before a much larger audience, in
Lundene. Fortunately, some of Merewalh's cavalrymen show up and free Uhtred.
416:
267:
army is approaching. Before Uhtred can do anything, Waormund and his men open one of the city's gates, letting in Æthelhelm's army. The city falls.
223:. This novel begins with his investigating the murder of fishermen under his protection. He then gets drawn into an expected succession struggle in
1292:
1242:
1287:
35:
275:
supposed to be nearby. Uhtred and his men ride boldly into the city, masquerading as some of Æthelhelm's allies. They seize a city gate -
1203:
1168:
1189:
1126:
64:
1154:
1140:
1112:
1175:
1161:
1133:
1119:
1147:
409:
435:
1297:
1277:
1235:
740:
341:
1251:
838:
937:
1282:
763:
402:
291:
Uhtred is told that an outbreak of the plague in the north has claimed his wife, son-in-law and grandchildren.
279:- and hold it long enough for Æthelstan to charge through. During the ensuing battle, Uhtred kills Waormund in
724:
677:
667:
945:
830:
714:
693:
878:
685:
444:
1210:
988:
701:
606:
550:
929:
1023:
732:
646:
598:
590:
534:
502:
220:
1196:
1182:
654:
582:
526:
470:
1102:
1031:
996:
630:
566:
558:
518:
494:
968:
1217:
1063:
1047:
1004:
822:
804:
622:
574:
542:
510:
486:
478:
454:
205:
118:
1055:
976:
910:
886:
870:
846:
814:
775:
638:
614:
462:
426:
370:
248:
210:
200:
184:
128:
100:
894:
783:
753:
313:
171:
862:
854:
346:
300:
1271:
1039:
309:
280:
219:
is set in 10th-century
England and continues to follow the fortunes of the fictional
791:
284:
276:
394:
308:"is historical adventure on a grand scale" and compared it to "the works of
260:
241:
159:
155:
86:
376:
320:
256:
228:
224:
1083:
Waterloo: The
History of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles
259:
to Æthelstan; Uhtred realises that this will inevitably result in
240:
of three ships, but the fourth vessel gets away. He learns that
398:
18:
42:
1227:
1100:
1093:
1074:
1015:
960:
921:
802:
751:
712:
665:
442:
179:
166:
150:
142:
134:
124:
114:
106:
96:
369:
283:. A sizeable part of Æthelhelm's forces are from
410:
8:
79:
1097:
417:
403:
395:
213:. It was first published in October 2019.
85:
78:
65:Learn how and when to remove this message
333:
7:
247:Edward, King of Wessex (and son of
14:
23:
1293:Novels set in the 10th century
1032:Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC
34:consists almost entirely of a
1:
16:2019 book by Bernard Cornwell
1288:Novels set in Northumberland
1314:
433:
324:also reviewed the novel.
84:
668:The Starbuck Chronicles
831:The Lords of the North
715:The Warlord Chronicles
879:Warriors of the Storm
1243:Seven Kings Must Die
221:Uhtred of Bebbanburg
1298:HarperCollins books
1278:2019 British novels
922:With Susannah Kells
81:
43:improve the article
1211:Sharpe's Challenge
607:Sharpe's Trafalgar
551:Sharpe's Christmas
350:. 1 September 2019
47:real-world context
1283:The Saxon Stories
1265:
1264:
1261:
1260:
1204:Sharpe's Waterloo
1169:Sharpe's Regiment
1064:Fools and Mortals
823:The Pale Horseman
805:The Saxon Stories
769:The Archer's Tale
702:The Bloody Ground
647:Sharpe's Assassin
599:Sharpe's Skirmish
591:Sharpe's Fortress
535:Sharpe's Waterloo
503:Sharpe's Regiment
206:The Saxon Stories
192:
191:
143:Publication place
119:The Saxon Stories
75:
74:
67:
1305:
1236:The Last Kingdom
1197:Sharpe's Justice
1190:Sharpe's Revenge
1183:Sharpe's Mission
1127:Sharpe's Company
1098:
930:A Crowning Mercy
887:The Flame Bearer
871:The Empty Throne
847:The Burning Land
815:The Last Kingdom
655:Sharpe's Command
583:Sharpe's Triumph
527:Sharpe's Revenge
471:Sharpe's Company
427:Bernard Cornwell
419:
412:
405:
396:
389:
388:
386:
384:
373:
371:"Sword of Kings"
366:
360:
359:
357:
355:
342:"Sword of Kings"
338:
249:Alfred the Great
211:Bernard Cornwell
201:historical novel
180:Followed by
167:Preceded by
129:Historical novel
101:Bernard Cornwell
89:
82:
70:
63:
59:
56:
50:
27:
26:
19:
1313:
1312:
1308:
1307:
1306:
1304:
1303:
1302:
1268:
1267:
1266:
1257:
1252:The Winter King
1223:
1155:Sharpe's Battle
1141:Sharpe's Honour
1113:Sharpe's Rifles
1089:
1070:
1011:
956:
951:The Aristocrats
917:
895:War of the Wolf
798:
754:The Grail Quest
747:
725:The Winter King
708:
661:
631:Sharpe's Escape
567:Sharpe's Ransom
559:Sharpe's Battle
519:Sharpe's Rifles
495:Sharpe's Honour
438:
429:
423:
393:
392:
382:
380:
368:
367:
363:
353:
351:
340:
339:
335:
330:
314:Minette Walters
297:
237:
199:is the twelfth
172:War of the Wolf
151:Media type
92:
80:Sword of Kings
71:
60:
54:
51:
45:by adding more
40:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1311:
1309:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1270:
1269:
1263:
1262:
1259:
1258:
1256:
1255:
1248:
1247:
1246:
1231:
1229:
1225:
1224:
1222:
1221:
1218:Sharpe's Peril
1214:
1207:
1200:
1193:
1186:
1179:
1176:Sharpe's Siege
1172:
1165:
1162:Sharpe's Sword
1158:
1151:
1144:
1137:
1134:Sharpe's Enemy
1130:
1123:
1120:Sharpe's Eagle
1116:
1108:
1106:
1095:
1094:TV adaptations
1091:
1090:
1088:
1087:
1078:
1076:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1068:
1060:
1052:
1044:
1036:
1028:
1019:
1017:
1013:
1012:
1010:
1009:
1001:
993:
985:
973:
964:
962:
958:
957:
955:
954:
942:
934:
925:
923:
919:
918:
916:
915:
907:
903:Sword of Kings
899:
891:
883:
875:
867:
863:The Pagan Lord
859:
855:Death of Kings
851:
843:
835:
827:
819:
810:
808:
800:
799:
797:
796:
788:
780:
772:
759:
757:
749:
748:
746:
745:
737:
729:
720:
718:
710:
709:
707:
706:
698:
690:
682:
673:
671:
663:
662:
660:
659:
651:
643:
635:
627:
623:Sharpe's Havoc
619:
611:
603:
595:
587:
579:
575:Sharpe's Tiger
571:
563:
555:
547:
543:Sharpe's Devil
539:
531:
523:
515:
511:Sharpe's Siege
507:
499:
491:
487:Sharpe's Enemy
483:
479:Sharpe's Sword
475:
467:
459:
455:Sharpe's Eagle
450:
448:
440:
439:
434:
431:
430:
424:
422:
421:
414:
407:
399:
391:
390:
361:
347:Kirkus Reviews
332:
331:
329:
326:
306:Sword of Kings
301:Kirkus Reviews
296:
293:
236:
233:
217:Sword of Kings
196:Sword of Kings
190:
189:
181:
177:
176:
168:
164:
163:
152:
148:
147:
146:United Kingdom
144:
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
126:
122:
121:
116:
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
98:
94:
93:
90:
73:
72:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1310:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1275:
1273:
1254:
1253:
1249:
1245:
1244:
1240:
1239:
1238:
1237:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1226:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1213:
1212:
1208:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1192:
1191:
1187:
1185:
1184:
1180:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1166:
1164:
1163:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1152:
1150:
1149:
1148:Sharpe's Gold
1145:
1143:
1142:
1138:
1136:
1135:
1131:
1129:
1128:
1124:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1115:
1114:
1110:
1109:
1107:
1105:
1104:
1099:
1096:
1092:
1085:
1084:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1073:
1066:
1065:
1061:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1045:
1042:
1041:
1040:Gallows Thief
1037:
1034:
1033:
1029:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1007:
1006:
1002:
999:
998:
994:
991:
990:
986:
983:
982:Killer's Wake
979:
978:
974:
971:
970:
966:
965:
963:
959:
952:
948:
947:
943:
940:
939:
938:Fallen Angels
935:
932:
931:
927:
926:
924:
920:
913:
912:
908:
905:
904:
900:
897:
896:
892:
889:
888:
884:
881:
880:
876:
873:
872:
868:
865:
864:
860:
857:
856:
852:
849:
848:
844:
841:
840:
836:
833:
832:
828:
825:
824:
820:
817:
816:
812:
811:
809:
807:
806:
801:
794:
793:
789:
786:
785:
781:
778:
777:
773:
770:
766:
765:
761:
760:
758:
756:
755:
750:
743:
742:
738:
735:
734:
730:
727:
726:
722:
721:
719:
717:
716:
711:
704:
703:
699:
696:
695:
691:
688:
687:
683:
680:
679:
675:
674:
672:
670:
669:
664:
657:
656:
652:
649:
648:
644:
641:
640:
639:Sharpe's Fury
636:
633:
632:
628:
625:
624:
620:
617:
616:
615:Sharpe's Prey
612:
609:
608:
604:
601:
600:
596:
593:
592:
588:
585:
584:
580:
577:
576:
572:
569:
568:
564:
561:
560:
556:
553:
552:
548:
545:
544:
540:
537:
536:
532:
529:
528:
524:
521:
520:
516:
513:
512:
508:
505:
504:
500:
497:
496:
492:
489:
488:
484:
481:
480:
476:
473:
472:
468:
465:
464:
463:Sharpe's Gold
460:
457:
456:
452:
451:
449:
447:
446:
441:
437:
432:
428:
420:
415:
413:
408:
406:
401:
400:
397:
379:
378:
372:
365:
362:
349:
348:
343:
337:
334:
327:
325:
323:
322:
317:
315:
311:
310:Conn Iggulden
307:
303:
302:
294:
292:
289:
286:
282:
281:single combat
278:
272:
268:
264:
262:
258:
252:
250:
245:
243:
234:
232:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
212:
208:
207:
202:
198:
197:
188:
186:
182:
178:
175:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
130:
127:
123:
120:
117:
113:
109:
105:
102:
99:
95:
91:First edition
88:
83:
77:
69:
66:
58:
55:February 2024
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
21:
20:
1250:
1241:
1234:
1216:
1209:
1202:
1195:
1188:
1181:
1174:
1167:
1160:
1153:
1146:
1139:
1132:
1125:
1118:
1111:
1101:
1081:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
1016:Other novels
1003:
995:
987:
981:
975:
967:
950:
946:Coat of Arms
944:
936:
928:
909:
902:
901:
893:
885:
877:
869:
861:
853:
845:
837:
829:
821:
813:
803:
790:
782:
774:
768:
762:
752:
739:
733:Enemy of God
731:
723:
713:
700:
692:
684:
676:
666:
653:
645:
637:
629:
621:
613:
605:
597:
589:
581:
573:
565:
557:
549:
541:
533:
525:
517:
509:
501:
493:
485:
477:
469:
461:
453:
443:
436:Bibliography
381:. Retrieved
375:
364:
352:. Retrieved
345:
336:
319:
318:
305:
299:
298:
290:
273:
269:
265:
253:
246:
238:
235:Plot summary
216:
215:
204:
195:
194:
193:
183:
170:
138:October 2019
76:
61:
52:
41:Please help
36:plot summary
33:
1075:Non-fiction
694:Battle Flag
285:East Anglia
1272:Categories
997:Stormchild
839:Sword Song
686:Copperhead
383:2 February
354:2 February
328:References
277:Crepelgate
209:series by
1048:Azincourt
1005:Scoundrel
989:Crackdown
969:Wildtrack
961:Thrillers
764:Harlequin
741:Excalibur
425:Works by
304:said the
295:Reception
261:civil war
242:Ealdorman
160:paperback
135:Published
1056:The Fort
984:) (1989)
977:Sea Lord
953:) (1986)
911:War Lord
776:Vagabond
771:) (2000)
377:Booklist
321:Booklist
185:War Lord
156:hardback
107:Language
1024:Redcoat
784:Heretic
154:Print (
110:English
1103:Sharpe
1086:(2014)
1067:(2017)
1059:(2010)
1051:(2008)
1043:(2001)
1035:(1999)
1027:(1987)
1008:(1992)
1000:(1991)
992:(1990)
972:(1988)
941:(1984)
933:(1983)
914:(2020)
906:(2019)
898:(2018)
890:(2016)
882:(2015)
874:(2014)
866:(2013)
858:(2011)
850:(2009)
842:(2007)
834:(2006)
826:(2005)
818:(2004)
795:(2012)
787:(2003)
779:(2002)
744:(1997)
736:(1996)
728:(1995)
705:(1996)
697:(1995)
689:(1994)
681:(1993)
658:(2023)
650:(2021)
642:(2006)
634:(2004)
626:(2003)
618:(2001)
610:(2000)
602:(1999)
594:(1999)
586:(1998)
578:(1997)
570:(1995)
562:(1995)
554:(1994)
546:(1992)
538:(1990)
530:(1989)
522:(1988)
514:(1987)
506:(1986)
498:(1985)
490:(1984)
482:(1983)
474:(1982)
466:(1981)
458:(1981)
445:Sharpe
257:Mercia
229:Mercia
225:Wessex
187:
174:
158:&
115:Series
97:Author
1228:Other
980:(aka
949:(aka
767:(aka
678:Rebel
125:Genre
792:1356
385:2024
356:2024
312:and
227:and
203:in
1274::
374:.
344:.
263:.
231:.
418:e
411:t
404:v
387:.
358:.
162:)
68:)
62:(
57:)
53:(
49:.
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.