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The Pale Horseman is the second in Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon series (the 6th book – Death of Kings will be released in the US in January) and continues the story of Uhtred – the Saxon-turned-Dane-turned-Saxon who is well on his way to becoming a great warrior. But becoming a hero is not easy.


I enjoyed this one a little more than the first in the series, The Last Kingdom, as Uhtred begins to come into his own as a man and moves away from the somewhat bratty and arrogant teenager. He takes his responsibilities seriously and realizes that the fate of a country and an entire people rests on men like him. But when he gets himself into a jam (which he does often), his quick thinking and wit save him (from himself and from the Danes). And that’s what I love about Uhtred – as a hero, he is seriously flawed. And he knows it.  But as easily as he sees himself, he also sees Alfred as a man whose piety covers an ambition to be king of all the Saxons.

Uhtred struggles with where his loyalties lie. Born a Saxon but raised by the Danish, he often thinks about rejoining the Danes – after all, they appear to be winning. But somehow he gets the sense that it’s all about more than just him. So a Saxon he remains. He’s reckless, fearless (most of the time) and utterly without any regard for the proper order of things. He's the kind of guy that belongs in the men-want-to-be-him-women-want-to-sleep-with-him category.

When Alfred is forced into hiding out in a swamp, it is up to Uhtred to come up with a plan for the Saxons to fight back. But not everyone trusts Uhtred – he’s a pagan and his feelings toward the Danes are well known. Alfred is more trusting though and gives Uhtred the task of driving the two main Danish leaders together: badly outnumbered, he can only fight one battle in order to save his kingdom and his dream of a united Saxon country. They will either destroy all of the Danes at once – or be destroyed.

A good offense:  “When you are up to your arse in shit there is only one thing to do. Attack.” Uhtred as he tries to decide the best way to respond to charges made against him.

What matters:  “We make children and wealth and amass land and build halls and assemble armies and give great feasts, but only one thing survives us. Reputation.” Uhtred on why he can’t walk away from a just fight.

Show them the money:  “You have to fight with mere men, and there’s nothing quite like greed, revenge and selfishness to inspire mortals.” One of Alfred’s priests on explaining why he can rouse his men with promises of killing Danes and getting rich and not with speeches about God.


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