I´ve just finished reading the last Arthur book and am half through The Sword Song. I’m sure the similarities between Derfel and Uhtred have been mentioned a lot before with the whole pagan/raised by the enemy people/greatest warriors/oath valuing/”fate is inexorable” and so on. When you named Uthred’s daughter also “Star” I became sure it is all done on purpose. And afterall Uhtred picks up a little where Derfel left:A great pagan warrior oath bound to a christian he doesn’t like. I read both series together, one book from each at a time and I somewhat have the feeling that since the Arthur story is a legend and adding new chapters to it wouldn’t be quite right,couldn´t it be that the Saxon stories is a way of revisiting the fun you had writing the Arthur books? With the added bonus that a christian king may contribute with better plots than a christian bishop would do… Anyway,I´d like to say that one book at a time you’re getting into my small list of favourite writers next to Isaac Asimov,Conan Doyle and Maurice Leblanc. The only living one I can write to… :-)
Luis Barreto