A review by stormlightreader
The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell

3.5

The book focuses a lot on Uhtred’s role to provide for his men despite being poor, which is good to address. It's one thing I always think about when watching the show - how loyal his followers must be to follow him through thick and thin for little reward. He attempts to take back Bebbanburg but is unsuccessful. He's very cold in this book (

disowning Uhtred, his attitude of women

). I missed how much of my favourite characters (Finan, Æthelflaed) that we got in the previous book. This book was also less atmospheric. Normally I get a real sense of the story and how the Saxon and Norse influences on Uhtred are very much at odds, but this feels lacking in this book. Despite feeling like a filler, this book still had some great battle scenes. I just wish Alexander Dreymon narrated these books.