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The Last Kingdom #5-8
The Saxon Tales Collection 4 Book Set
A collection of the fifth through eighth installments of Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit BBC America television series.
This ebook collection includes The Burning Land, Death of Kings, The Pagan Lord, and The Empty Throne.
1032 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2014
191 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
536 books19.1k followersCornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his birth mother's maiden name, Cornwell.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 18, 2016
Review of The Saxon Tales Collection by Bernard Cornwell
This book is a collection of books 5-8. Usually I begin to lose interest in series that seem to start dragging and authors who grab at straws trying to draw out their plots. Bernard Cornwell did a superb job of showcasing Uhtred of Babbenburg's part in the melding of the kingdoms that would eventually become England. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good tale of Norsemen, Danes, Angles, Saxons, Welshmen, Scots and Irishmen!
This book is a collection of books 5-8. Usually I begin to lose interest in series that seem to start dragging and authors who grab at straws trying to draw out their plots. Bernard Cornwell did a superb job of showcasing Uhtred of Babbenburg's part in the melding of the kingdoms that would eventually become England. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good tale of Norsemen, Danes, Angles, Saxons, Welshmen, Scots and Irishmen!
September 19, 2020
A fantastic read
Probably the best series I have read, bar none. I loved each and every book. It tells a story that few people are familiar with. If you are interested in hours of good reading, this series is for you.
Probably the best series I have read, bar none. I loved each and every book. It tells a story that few people are familiar with. If you are interested in hours of good reading, this series is for you.
July 26, 2025
Absolutely needed to be read, wether you watch series or not.
Absolutely the best of the countless historical fictions I’ve read in my short life. BRAVO!!! I think older teens and college age folks that don’t like history books in general. Seriously need to be introduced to the good authors of historical fictions. Yes the base character might be made up but they’ll learn far more about culture, laws, lifestyles and how things happened. Not just like a classroom textbook but far more interesting ways.
Absolutely the best of the countless historical fictions I’ve read in my short life. BRAVO!!! I think older teens and college age folks that don’t like history books in general. Seriously need to be introduced to the good authors of historical fictions. Yes the base character might be made up but they’ll learn far more about culture, laws, lifestyles and how things happened. Not just like a classroom textbook but far more interesting ways.
June 4, 2019
Cornwell is a fantastic author. His skills are honed to an incredibly high level. He asserts that his books are historically based. I believe these describe the culture of the time very inaccurately. My opinion is based upon reading publications of the time. I am sure his research is way beyond mine, but I do not believe him culturally accurate. However, the stories are very entertaining.
December 12, 2023
Great read
I have enjoyed the world of Utred . what makes it even more enjoyable is how the writer uses real historical battles and historical characters to intertwine with Utred making the stories more entertaining.
I have enjoyed the world of Utred . what makes it even more enjoyable is how the writer uses real historical battles and historical characters to intertwine with Utred making the stories more entertaining.
December 5, 2019
Must read
!Love these books. So hard to put down they keep you wanting to know what will happen next. Very well written.
!Love these books. So hard to put down they keep you wanting to know what will happen next. Very well written.
July 13, 2023
awesome
I love how we are entwined into the beginnings of England and it’s fragile start as a country very historically accurate
I love how we are entwined into the beginnings of England and it’s fragile start as a country very historically accurate
sff-ok-ab-r
February 22, 2025Rokp
January 10, 2018
I loved the whole Saxon Tales collection (aka The Last Kingdom series). Bernard Cornwell creates the most vivid battle scenes throughout the books. It's pretty gruesome at times, but I loved it! Good humor, great characters, great read and listen!
January 12, 2017
The whole series were hard to put down. I enjoyed delving into the story of England in the 800's.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews