The Flame Bearer

Treachery and trickery mark the tenth volume in Cornwell's always exciting "Saxon Tales," set in tenth-century England. Uhtred Uhtredson has his sights set on his ancestral castle of Bebbanburg, now in the hands of his cousin. But who are those mysterious horsemen observing him watching? Why does his son-in-law, King Sigtryggr of Eoferwic (York), then demand his immediate return? Changing alliances among the Danes, Saxons, Scots, and others, and a mad self-ordained bishop, crisscross the story. Meanwhile, Uhtred marches to and sails fro in order to protect his liege lady, support his royal relative, and regain his home. While the various "Aethelsomebodies" may confuse readers unfamiliar with early Anglo-Saxon history, Uhtred successfully engages a combination of rough humor, occasional introspection, and gut instinct. The book's final battle reveals the thin line between success and failure in war.