Just as he is about to perish from boredom on his farm, Uhtred’s old pal Leofric reappears, and the two chums hatch a plan to go plundering in the West, disguised as Vikings. The bad career move puts Uhtred way outside the sanctimonious Saxon power circle, to the disappointment of the increasingly religious Mildrith. Pious King Alfred is always ready to believe the worst of the pagan Uhtred, who should have skipped rest and recovery at home with beautiful wife Mildrith-now a serious whiner-and gone straight to His Majesty to take credit for the death of the Danish warrior Ubba.

Uhtred of Begganburg, Northumbrian narrator of Cornwell’s series opener, The Last Kingdom (2005), returns to court from his triumph at the battle of Cynuit to find that his rightful glory has been usurped by his weasely nemesis, Odda the Younger. But once there, the attractions of his many friends among the Vikings coupled with his disillusion with the Saxons' leadership and anger at Alfred's criticism of his own conduct, draws him back again to his allegiance to the Vikings.The Pale Horseman, an even more powerful and dramatic book than The Last Kingdom, brings both Uhtred and the Saxons' dilemmas vividly to life.Cornwell’s tough medieval saga continues after King Alfred’s realm is reduced to one swamp and a handful of believers. His plan is to become accepted by their leaders, and to sit in their councils and uncover their plans.

Determined to discover the enemy's strategies, he draws once again on his Viking upbringing, and attempts to enter the Viking camps. There, forced to move restlessly to escape betrayal or detection, using the marsh mists for cover, they travel by small boats from one island refuge to another, hoping that they can regroup and find some more strength and support.Only Uhtred remains resolute. Defeated comprehensively by the Vikings who now occupy most of England, Alfred and his very small group of surviving followers retreat to the trackless marshlands of Somerset. Description: Continuing the outstanding success of The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman is the second installment of Bernard Cornwell's fantastic series, following the fate of Alfred the Great ,and the forging of Britain.It is the lowest time for the Saxons.

The pale horseman by bernard cornwell