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The Saxon Chronicles — by Bernard Cornwell
The Saxon Chronicles Series in Order: 13 books
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The Last Kingdom
Book - 1
In the middle years of the ninth century, the fierce Danes stormed onto British soil, hungry for spoils and conquest. Kingdom after kingdom fell to the ruthless invaders until but one realm remained. And suddenly the fate of all England--and the cour...
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The Pale Horseman
Book - 2
The last unvanquished piece of England, Wessex is eyed hungrily by the fearsome Viking conquerors. A dispossessed young nobleman, Uhtred is tied to the imperiled land by birth and marriage but was raised by the Danish invaders--and he questions where...
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Lords of the North
Book - 3
The year is 878. Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, has helped the Saxons of Wessex defeat the invading Danes. Now, finally free of his allegiance to the victorious, ungrateful King Alfred, he is heading home to rescue his stepsiste...
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Sword Song
Book - 4
The year is 885, and England is at peace, divided between the Danish kingdom to the north and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south. Warrior by instinct and Viking by nature, Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, has land, a wife an...
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The Burning Land
Book - 5
In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born. At the end of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in ill health; his heir, an untested youth. His enemy, the Danes, having failed to conquer Wessex, now see their chance for victory. Led by the sw...
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Death of Kings
Book - 6
The fate of a new nation rests in the hands of a reluctant warrior in this thrilling sixth volume in the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales series. As the ninth century wanes, Alfred the Great lies dying, his dream of a unified Engla...
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The Pagan Lord
Book - 7
New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell returns to his epic Saxon Tales saga with The Pagan Lord, a dramatic story of divided loyalties, bloody battles, and the struggle to unite Britain. At the onset of the tenth century, England is in...
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The Empty Throne
Book - 8
This eighth entry in New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell's epic Saxon Tales series brings to life the harrowing and turbulent tale of a nation torn apart by sectarian and religious strife, a political struggle dominated by dynastic riv...
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Warriors of the Storm
Book - 9
The ninth installment of Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, "like Game of Thrones, but real" (The Observer, London) -- the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit BBC America television series. A ...
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The Flame Bearer
Book - 10
Britain is in a state of uneasy peace. Northumbria's Viking ruler, Sigtryggr, and Mercia's Saxon Queen Aethelflaed have agreed a truce. And so England's greatest warrior, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, at last has the chance to take back the home his traitoro...
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War of the Wolf
Book - 11
His blood is Saxon His heart is Viking His battleground is England "Perhaps the greatest writer of historical adventure novels today" (Washington Post), Bernard Cornwell has dazzled and entertained readers and critics with his page-turni...
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Sword of Kings
Book - 12
The twelfth installment of Bernard Cornwell's New York Times bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England It is a time of political turmoil once more as the fading King Edward begins to lose control over his successors and...
Series Premise
The Saxon Chronicles series is a historical fiction series set during the Viking invasions of Anglo-Saxon England. The story follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon nobleman captured and raised by Danes, whose divided loyalties shape much of his life. As kingdoms battle for survival and power, Uhtred becomes involved in major military campaigns, royal politics, and the struggle to unite England under a single crown.
The Saxon Chronicles Series Reading Order
🔴 Must Read in Order · Start with Book 1: The Last Kingdom
Read in order—each book builds directly on the previous one.
The Saxon Chronicles series must be read in publication order because it tells one continuous story spanning decades of Uhtred's life. Each book advances both the historical conflict between Saxons and Danes and Uhtred's personal quest to reclaim his ancestral home of Bebbanburg. Relationships, political alliances, military victories, and personal losses carry directly from one novel to the next. Reading out of order will create confusion, reveal major spoilers, and reduce the impact of important character and historical developments.
Explanation of reading order types
The Saxon Chronicles Series Characters
Uhtred of Bebbanburg is the central protagonist throughout the series. Born a Saxon but raised among Danes, he often finds himself caught between competing cultures and loyalties. Important recurring figures include King Alfred of Wessex, Alfred's successors, Danish warlords, priests, warriors, family members, and companions who influence Uhtred's journey. These relationships evolve significantly over the course of the series.
Setting of the The Saxon Chronicles Series
The series takes place across Anglo-Saxon England during the ninth and tenth centuries. Key locations include Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria, and the fortress of Bebbanburg in northern England. Battles, royal courts, monasteries, villages, and fortified settlements provide the backdrop for both political struggles and military campaigns. Real historical events and locations are woven closely into the narrative.
Tone & Themes of the The Saxon Chronicles Series
The Saxon Chronicles combines historical fiction, military adventure, and political drama. Common themes include loyalty, identity, destiny, honor, faith, family, and the cost of war. Much of the series explores the tension between Saxon and Danish cultures through Uhtred's unique perspective. The tone is gritty, action-oriented, and grounded in historical detail.
Is the The Saxon Chronicles Series Worth Reading?
The Saxon Chronicles series may appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction with large-scale battles and long-term character development. It is particularly suited to readers interested in Viking history, medieval England, military strategy, and political intrigue. Fans of historical epics that follow a single protagonist across many years are likely to find the series engaging.
Content Warnings and Heat Level
Readers can expect frequent battle scenes, warfare, violence, injuries, executions, and discussions of slavery and religious conflict. The series reflects the realities of its historical setting and includes mature themes related to power, revenge, and survival. Romantic relationships appear throughout the books but are secondary to the historical and military storylines, resulting in a low-to-moderate heat level.
The Saxon Chronicles series follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg through a continuous historical narrative that mirrors the creation of a unified England. Readers looking for The Saxon Chronicles books in order should begin with The Last Kingdom and continue sequentially. The series rewards long-term reading through its evolving characters, interconnected events, and detailed historical setting.
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