Historical Fiction

The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

England is at peace and Uhtred is unwanted after he kills a priest. His eldest son is accepted into the priesthood and is now known as Father Judas. Uhtred leaves to go Viking and hopefully reclaim Bebbanburg. Uhtred fails to reclaim Bebbanburg but kills his Uncle (AElfric) and takes his cousin's wife and son hostage. Alfred's bastard Osferth falls in love with her and Uhtred gives Osferth the boy.

Meanwhile Cnut has devised a scheme to usurp Mercia from Aethelred (Aetheflaed's husband). Uhtred hurries back to foil his plot. He finds where Cnut hide, his wife and children and takes them hostage. He then pretends to kill Cnut's daughter. Cnut follows Uhtred and eventually corners him. Just when all looks lost Pyrlig shows up with his Welsh warriors. Still outnumbered Uhtred's forces are managing to hold when King Edward shows up and Cnut and his men start to flee. Uhtred challenges Cnut to a duel. Cnut is killed and Uhtred is in a coma.

The ending of the book makes it sound as if Uhtred died, but in the Historical Notes Cornwell reveals that Uhtred will live.

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Book Review

When the Eagle Hunts by Simon Scarrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is unbelievable and I am totally disgusted by the number of horses/mules killed.

General Plautius' wife and children are shipwrecked behind enemy lines and taken prisoner by a fanatical set of Druids of the Dark Moon. The Druids have issued an ultimatum free the Druid prisoners captured by the Romans are the General's family will be sacrificed to Cruach at the First Budding. Cato and Macro are sent behind enemy lines with Iceni guides Prasutagus and Boudica to rescue them.

After barely escaping from an ambush, the group finally get on the trail of the Druids and their hostages. They arrive at the sacred grove not long after the Druids left to discover Diomedes (Greek trader trying to avenge his family) impaled on a stake through the anus. Before he dies he tells them the General's family is being taken to Mai Dun - The Great Fortress.

Desperate to reach them before they reach The Great Fortress and a rescue becomes impossible they push on and barely get there in time. When the wagon carrying the prisoners is temporarily separated from it's warrior escort they make their move. Macro is grievously injured in the rescue attempt, unable to free the General's wife who is chained they leave with the two children but the young boy escapes from them and runs back to his Mother. Boudica takes the unconscious Macro and the General's daughter back to Vespasian, while Cato and Prasutagus try to find a way to rescue the General's wife and son. The Druid's angered by the rescue attempt send the boy's finger to Vespasian with the threat that if another rescue attempt is make the prisoners will be sacrificed early. Cato sneaks into The Great Fortress, but is unable to free the hostages.

Vespasian leads an attack on The Great Fortress and Cato with a small band of men sneak in and rescue the General's wife and son. Cato is seriously wounded during the escape and winds up in the same hospital room as Macro. The General's gratitude extends to making Cato a Centurion. Boudica and Prasutagus return to their tribe and are married.

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Elizabeth I, Queen of England

As a child, Elizabeth was given a very impressive education. It had become popular amongst the nobility to educate daughters as well as sons and Elizabeth excelled at her studies. She was taught by famous scholars such as William Grindal and Roger Asham, and from an early age it was clear that she was remarkably gifted. She had an especial flare for languages, and by adulthood, she could reputedly speak five languages fluently.

Elizabeth was crowned Queen on Sunday 15th January 1559. In the months that followed, the new Queen re-established the Protestant Church in England and restored the debased coinage. Perhaps to appease Catholics or to appease those who did not believe a woman could become head of the church, Elizabeth became Supreme Governor of the Church of England, rather than Supreme Head as her father had been. She did not like religious extremism and did not want to persecute any of her people for their religious beliefs. However, the tenacious political nature of the Catholic/Protestant split meant that her government had to take a harsher line towards Catholics than she wanted.


Elizabeth was dedicated to her country in a way few monarchs had been or have been since. Elizabeth had the mind of a political genius and nurtured her country through careful leadership and by choosing capable men to assist her, such as Sir William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham. When she ascended the throne in 1558, England was an impoverished country torn apart by religious squabbles. When she died at Richmond Palace on the 24th March 1603, England was one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.