Hi Bernard,
I’ve have always been a fan of the Sharpe series but until recently but not really read much of late. The Google Play store has changed that and whle looking for the next book to read I came across The Last Kingdom. I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying this book, quarters of the way in and not wanting it to end really!! I was delighted to find out that this is part of a series of books which I can guarantee I will read all of!
I don’t know what’s coming in the other books in the series, I’ll enjoy them all the more for it but I really wish these books could be made into a TV series, one that finally starts to bust the Norman myths about the Anglo-Saxons being a primitive race. What I enjoy most is the same thing that I enjoy about the Sharpe series, the attention to detail and the putting front and centre the day to day minutiae of the ordinary lives of the ordinary men. Understanding how advanced the Saxon Blacksmith was or the Danish shipbuilder is the key to truly realising that these were intelligent and ingenius people who could match their modern day counterparts in every department. As a lifelong amateur historian it’s very rare that I find an author reach the levels of authenticity that you do so once again, congratulations on such a great job.
Paul Smyth