Welcome to Litsy!

Good old Uhtred, he never lets me down!
These past few years I've got into the habit of spending some time in his company over the winter solstice. This year he had to return early, his presence being requested elsewhere.

In this outing, England teeters between becoming a Christian Saxon kingdom and a pagan Danish one: Uhtred is instrumental in determining which. (As if his monstrous ego were not sufficiently inflated already, God love him! 🤣)

This was definitely my favorite so far in the series. I‘m pleased to have Sitrich and Finan in the story finally.

Having been a fan of the show, I must say in reading about the taking down of Kjarten and his son, Sven was much more brutal in the book! I loved it!!! Nothing beats a good revenge story and they did it proper!

These books do differ from the show in many spots but I love them both separately so it all works for me.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟the fluidity of the writing makes these books incredibly immersive. We fall in love with both sides of this bitter war between Saxon and Danes.

Good old Uhtred; he never fails to deliver! He struts about, trips over his humongous ego at least once per book, gets all uppity with King Alfred, does "the right thing" in spite of himself, and always saves the day.

In recent years it has become a tradition of mine to read the next in the series between the winter solstice and New Year.
(Whatever floats your longboat...) I'm much obliged to BorrowBox this year. ?

At last, Uhtred son of Uhtred!
The presents are wrapped: now nothing can come between us... until tomorrow when I need to make the Christmas pudding (it's a "magic" recipe, done in the microwave: worked a treat last year)!

Happy Solstice, all ye who celebrate!
I made a caraway rye bread, rum and raisin fruitcake, and a spiced apple hot toddy. And, to top it off, BorrowBox had my next "Uhtred book" (tagged) available, so I can partake of another of my Solstice traditions! ?

Two nuns are attacked on their way back to their priory in Maldon. Fortunately the commissioners arrive on the scene in time for Ralph and Gervase to fight off the attackers. But how is the attack related to the irregularities detected by the first Domesday Book commission and the murder of a local magnate's son?

For the side mystery, my guess was that Humphrey was a pawnbroker but the author's explanation was more fun.

#coffeeandabook

Story of England

I love Bernard Cornwell as a storyteller. This book is packed with adventure but the battle scenes can be a bit gory. 🪓