One of the fiction Authors that I enjoy is Bernard Cornwell, this enjoyment began with reading his Sharpe books and has continued through all his historical novels.His most recent book is Sword Song
continues the story of Uhtred a Northumbrian who was brought up by Vikings but now fights for Alfred the Great. In Cornwell's own words "There is more fiction in Sword Song than in the previous novels about Uhtred of Bebbanburg", but I found that I was still gripped by it and his descriptiveness of England in the 800's is fascinating.As with the other novels of this series I fully enjoy the background story of "christianity" (Roman Catholicism) Verses the other Pagan religions of the time. He writes of much of the mystic beliefs that the church of this era had and of the false views that it held over relics, a sort of christian magic/ritual mindset and of the corruption etc of it. He also gives a good description of the false beliefs of the Vikings etc.
If you have a good imagination the fighting (and there is alot of it) in Sword Song is quite bloody and Cornwell's descriptions are as good as watching the action on the big screen.
I'd give this book the thumbs up if you want to switch off and lose yourself in great historical fiction, though I recommend you read the first 3 books first.
