GUERREROS DE LA TORMENTA (SAJONES, NORMANDOS Y VIKINGOS, 9)

Novena novela de la saga de Bernard Cornwell sobre la creación de la actual Inglaterra, donde su protagonista Uthred de Bebbanburg tiene que hacer frente a una invasión vikinga proveniente de Irlanda en el reino de Mercia.

Esta invasión está compuesta también por habitantes de la Isla Esmeralda y hombres del norte reclutados en Northumbria por el jarl Ragnall Ivarson, el hermano del marido de su hija Stiorra que no le acompaña en esta incursión por estar en guerra contra él, para atacar Ceaster, que está defendida por Uthred, y después toda Britania.
Tienen una primera refriega tras la llegada de Etelfleda para consagrar al obispo de Ceaster, pequeña licencia histórica que se permite el autor como aclara en la nota histórica del final del libro, Leofstan. Durante la misma, Ragnall había pasado a Northumbria para proclamarse rey del norte. Pero a su vuelta se encuentra con la destrucción de su bastión en Mercia y la muerte del siempre esquivo Haesten. Por ello se dirige a las puertas de Ceaster y amenaza a Uthred y Etelfleda con su muerte.
Entre estas amenazas, Uthred se encuentra que tienen a su hijo Judas, también llamado padre Osvaldo, y para mayor sorpresa también aparece Brida entre los aliados de Ragnall, la cual aparte de castrar al padre Osvaldo, lanza una maldición a Uthred y todos los sajones.
Tras esto, Uthred aprovechando una gran tormenta, elimina a gran parte del ejército de Ragnall, y tras ello un desertor del ejército enemigo le cuenta el motivo por el que su hijo estaba allí. Este no era otro que había sido mandado por Stiorra para negociar una paz con Ragnall en la lucha fratricida que tienen.
Al conocerlo, Uhtred viaja a Irlanda para ayudar a su familia, desobedeciendo a Etelfleda, y consigue revertir el asedio que sufría Stiorra y hacerse con una flota y un ejército para invadir Northumbria, aprovechando que Ragnall está saqueando Mercia, y entregársela a Etelfleda baja el mando de su yerno. Para ello, al arribar en la costa de Northumbria se dirigen a Eoferwick (actual York) para hacerse con la ciudad y eliminar a Brida.
Seguidamente, viajan al sur para enfrentarse a Ragnall y derrotarle porque cree que Etelfleda le ayudará, pero tiene que componérselas solo para lograrlo.
Finalmente, con Mercia a salvo, vuelve al norte para recuperar Bebbanburg mas eso es otra historia.

Gran nota histórica sobre la creación de la actual Inglaterra.

Recomendable la serie "The last kingdom" basada en la saga de Uthred.

DATOS BIBLIOGRÁFICOS

• Título: Guerreros de la tormenta
• Nº de páginas: 512 págs.
• Editorial: Edhasa
• Idioma: Español
• ISBN: 9788435063081

THE PAGAN LORD

That is the first time that I post in English.

This is the seventh novel of Uthred's series. In this novel is narrated the war between saxons of Mercia and Wessex against Danes of Northumbria. Moreover the author tells us the attemp of Uthred to recover Bebbanburg.

The story is divided in four parts.

The first one is told how our hero killed or slaughtered by a mistake to one abbot, so for this is damned and condemned by the Christian priests, and of course, they cursed him. And their folk try to kill him for this reason, too.
In addition, Uthred renamed his younger son due to the fact that he was told his elder one off, who was named as his father, since Uthred's elder son is got a Christian priest.
Apart from that, Uthred is judged as guilty of Cnut's wife and children kidnap. For all these reasons, our main character escapes from his field and made a settlement with Cnut to try to discover where is Cnut's wife and children.

In the second part, our hero and thirty men are got a war-ship and travel to Bebbanburg to conquer it, but this fortress is dominated by his uncle who had robbed long time ago to Uthred. While they did their attemp, Aethelred, the king of Mercia, invaded East Anglia, and Cnut and his ally Sigurd are marching to Mercia to conquer it.
At the same time, Uthred knows who had captured Cnut's family and he kill his uncle and kidnap his cousin's son and wife to escape from Bebbanburg's failed attack with live.

During the third part of the novel, our heroes come back to Britain from Frisia and they're helping Mercian in the close war, after they thought about offering their help to Mercian, Uthred and their garrison attack Ceaster, one of the most important Cnut's allies fortresses.
But of all this is made by Wulf Ranulfson, Uthred's nickname to be able to save from his enemies.
During the assault, Uthred and his small army defeat Ceaster's garrison and they have been their captives to Cnut's wife, Frigg who was the sorceress from Buchastane, and their twins. Besides Haesten's wife, a treachearous womas as her husband is.
All things considered, Ceaster is burned in its totality, but it's remained the Roman ruins and buildings. After that, Uthred send a message to Cnut, no war.
At the end of this part, Uthred send more messages to Cnut to avoid the war, while our main character is coming to Gleawecestre, where the invasor army is defeated without fighting and go back to Cnut. After that, Uthred takes the control in the walled city and he, his oath-men, and Aethelflaed, the Queen of Mercia, decide to seek and fight against Cnut and his allies in a battle where the fate of England will be decided.

All in all, in the last part of the story, Uthred forces Cnut to not battle against due to the fact that Uthred gives Cnut's wife and daughter back, but manteinance as a prisoner to Cnut's son.
Meanwhile, he's waiting for Aethelred and Edward's help, destroying and burning Cnut's land and war-float. After that, Cnut persues Uthred till they have the final battle in Teatenheale where Uthred almost has been defeated by Cnut, our heroe receives the help of his son, father Judas, and his Welsch friend, father Pyrlig as well as King Edward's army. However, Uthred and Cnut fight in a single sword-fight where the winner decides the fate of England.

The novel also contains an interesting historical note where it's explained its plot.

Futhermore, I post a link of a TV series as far as this book serie is concerned:

http://ororo.tv/en/shows/the-last-kingdom



DATOS BIBLIOGRÁFICOS

• Título: The pagan lord
• Nº de páginas: 243 págs.
• Editorial: Harper Collins
• Idioma: Inglés
• ISBN: 9780007331918