Hi Bernard Hope the weather’s not to bad over with you. Its getting pretty nippy over here in Blighty!! I’m really looking forward to reading “Death of Kings” soon, which I’ve asked for off my Sister for Christmas. As much as I love old Dick Sharpe, and hope you will return to him one day, I do think that Uhtred’s adventures are your best. I’m just reading “the Burning Land” now, and am really enjoying getting back into that world, because its been a while since I read “Sword Song.) It suddenly occurred to me to ask you if you have come across a book called Havamal? In case you haven’t the title means “Sayings of the High One”, he of course being Odin. Its included in the Edda, but is also available separately. Havamal is a book of Viking Age Proverbs, like a Norseman’s I-Ching, and is full of homely wisdom. Its not really about Battles, but about the practical aspects of daily life, and Uhtred would have certainly been very familiar with many of them. The reason I’ve suddenly thought of this is because I’ve just reached the bit where Uhtred has just crushed the Danes at Fearnehamme and as usual gets no credit for it. It reminded me of this proverb from Havamal. “Cattle die, kinsmen die All men are mortal Words of praise shall never perish Nor a noble name.” I think that makes Uhtred’s situation so much more bitter. He does great things, he is renowned and feared in his own day, and yet because he is written out of history, those “Words of Praise” will wither away, and no-one will remember him or his deeds. So, I was curious if you have read Havamal and whether that was in your mind when you created Uhtred, and a world where he would be constantly slighted? Anyway I must get back to him now, because he’s about to break his oath to Alfred and go up North! Regards Matt in England