Lords of the North

Executive Summary: Another excellent entry in this series, and probably my favorite one yet. This is likely in part due to finally being past the part of the series that was adapted for television.

Full Review
If nothing else, I think this book solidifies my opinion that reading the book before watching a movie or TV show based on it is always the way to go. Not that I needed any convincing on that front really.

It was nice to get past the point where I knew what was coming though. The first book had a lot of stuff that was cut from the show, but the second book had very little new. There were no surprises or twists. I kept comparing the book and the show rather than just enjoying the book I was reading.

So here we are into fresh story territory, and finally away from Alfred. Mostly. Uhtred continues to be a fascinating and compelling character. He's young and arrogant, but he has a tendency to back up his boasts. Things don't always go his way however.

I know very little of England's history, but Mr. Cornwell continues to combine fact and fiction in a way that has me wondering which parts are which.

The other thing this series has going for it are great supporting characters. From Ragnar to Beocca and many others along the way. It may be Uhtred's story, but those he encounters are what makes it great.

This series continues to be a lot of fun. It often approaches the feel of a fantasy book, while never quite crossing that line. I can't wait to jump into the next book.