Uhtred’s Feast: Inside the world of The Last Kingdom

Product Information

My name is Uhtred. I am the son of Uhtred, who was the son of Uhtred and his father was also called Uhtred . . . A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism. Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia. As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.

The birth of England has been and is one of my great interests,” Cornwell said in a statement. “After two decades immersed in Anglo-Saxon history – an intense period of warring kingdoms and political rivalry – it is a pleasure to share some new stories of Uhtred throughout this time and present sides of life even beyond battle” For fans of Uhtred, the meat or mead of this book is a chance to return, however briefly, to much-missed characters." — Historical Novel SocietyI am such a fan of Uhtred and Bernard Cornwell’s, Last Kingdom series, I will read anything - even a recipe book! I will say from the outset that it is disappointing reviewers are unhappy with only short stories, or that there are recipe’s included - did they not read the blurb? If you go in with your eyes open, then I think this is a fantastic book that lovers of Saxon times are sure to revel in!

As the book states at the start, in terms of the history of the times, England did NOT start at 1066, as we are still discovering through various archaeological digs throughout the country. In the small town where I live the evidence of an Iron Age settlement has recently been found, a Roman villa once existed, we know the area was previously ruled over by King Raedwald of Sutton Hoo fame, and John of Gaunt (the son of King Edward111) had estates close by! So much for William the Conqueror, who largely simply ravaged the area, leaving almost nothing behind! It's fascinating stuff, and not just about the hard-fought battles of the heroes of the times. I've been a Bernard Cornwell fan for years and have every one of his books and have enjoyed them all. This is definitely not one of his best. It is time to let the character of Uhtred rest. For anyone interested in trying a recipe from the Dark Ages, Uhtred’s Feastoffers a sundry of recipes for a celebration steeped in rich traditions and engaging tales about a pagan warrior’s first victory in childhood, his relationship to the Christian King Alfred, and a battle in his later years.”— Historical Novels Review HarperCollins has landed a “fascinating” companion to The Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell and chef Suzanne Pollak. He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to readers who love this time period, wish to learn about the history and cuisine and especially lovers of The Last Kingdom. I looked up at the stars and thought I had fought my last fight, faced my last shield wall, and was racing home to a loving woman, to good ale, and to Bebbanburg." When he met renowned chef Suzanne Pollak, the idea for Uhtred’s Feast was born. And here Bernard Cornwell tells those additional Uhtred stories, showing us the man behind the shield – as a young boy, as Alfred’s advisor, and as prince – while Suzanne brings his world to life through beautifully crafted recipes which open a door into the Anglo-Saxon home . .

The publisher said: “When Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom (HarperCollins) was published in 2004, it was the beginning of a series that would reach millions of readers, tell the epic story of the birth of England, and forge one of the greatest ever fictional heroes: the iconic Uhtred of Bebbanburg. The final Last Kingdom novel published in 2020, but for Bernard Cornwell the story felt unfinished: there were Uhtred tales he still wanted to tell, and over the course of writing the novels he’d become fascinated by the rich social history of the Anglo-Saxons. Almost all the recipes were preceded by a small text about the importance of the ingredient (leeks for example) for the Saxons, how they obtained it and/or preserved it. And also by three veeery small essays about Early Medieval food titled 'Home', 'Land and Water' and 'Storage'. I would divide this little gem of a book into three sections - Cornwell’s nonfiction historical discussion, the joy of more time with Uhtred through a few short stories and some really interesting links and shared knowledge on Saxon cuisine and cooking techniques - what a veritable feast! I anticipated a good day, or two day’s-worth of reading, but finished it all in a couple of hours one morning, so I guess it was an anti-climactic and abrupt end to my relationship with this wonderful character.In this engaging social history New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today” ( Wall Street Journal ), completes his epic Last Kingdom series with this companion book featuring three exclusive short stories and sixty recipes that bring Uhtred’s world to life as never before. The short tales included are well written, as always, but left me wanting more. One recounted an episode with lessons from his childhood, another an episode when priests question him to determine whether King Arthur merits Sainthood, and finally (what appears to be) the last battle we readers know of (up to this point…). The Last Kingdom is one of the most successful historical fiction series of our time, telling the epic story of the birth of England, and introducing one of the greatest ever fictional heroes: the iconic Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Saxon-born, Norse-raised, warrior and rebel. After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean. In this engaging social history New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today” (Wall Street Journal), completes his epic Last Kingdom series with this companion book featuring three exclusive short stories and sixty recipes that bring Uhtred’s world to life as never before.

Three woman who join together to rent a large space along the beach in Los Angeles for their stores—a gift shop, a bakery, and a bookstore—become fast friends as they each experience the highs, and lows, of love. For fans of Uhtred, the meat or mead of this book is a chance to return, however briefly, to much-missed characters." — Historical Novel Society Product Details The first section provided a fascinating introduction of a brief overview of the history of England. This was especially with regards to how it tied in with the Last Kingdom books. It is wonderful to be provided with the author's thoughts and feelings towards this character that we have all grown to love so much. This book gave Cornwell the opportunity to investigate further into the day to day living of the time.In this engaging social history New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today” ( Wall Street Journal), completes his epic Last Kingdom series with this companion book featuring three exclusive short stories and sixty recipes that bring Uhtred’s world to life as never before.