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

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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.

Fictional history is not real history, novelists leave that to real historians, but our books must be authentic, and authenticity is in the mundane details: What did they wear? How did they travel? What did they eat?’ 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…). 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'.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. Definitely a book for those who want to complete their Uhtred collection but by no means one of the best ones. It is exactly as advertised, so no complaints there. I knew going in that a lot of the book was going to be factual food information and associated recipes. I’ve always found that topic mildly interesting without being fascinated by it, so the fact that it fills about half the book meant it was never going to get 5 stars from me. I’m sure the recipes are fine and that those really interested in such things will thoroughly enjoy them.

Here’s the official description of Uhtred’s Feast from Cornwell’s publisher HarperCollins, which sheds a bit more light on what exactly readers (or aspiring medieval chefs) can expect: As for the three short stories themselves -my own view is that Bernard Cornwell's writing is at its best in the novel-length genre. They're good, but not quite of the same standard as the longer works; the style has changed slightly, with something of a Sharpe influence, intented or otherwise, and the Uhtred is more that of Sword of Kings (arguably the weakest in the series, with a slightly off-key shift in character). The last of the three stories however, doesn't disappoint fans, with the excellent battle-scene Cornwell is probably the all-time master at depicting. Salting has also been used for thousands of years. Soon after the Romans came to England in AD 43 they started developing saltworks along the east coast. …Later, Hellath du got the Anglo-Saxon name Northwich, meaning 'northern saltworks'. (The Anglo- Saxons called a saltwork a 'wich', so any place in England with 'wich' at the end at one time produced salt.)’ 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. The Saxon Stories are arguably Bernard Cornwell's greatest work (and having read his entire output I certainly think they are), and in Uhtred, he has created not only one of his greatest characters, but one of the great characters of English literature, fully deserving to be mentioned in the same breath as many of the classics. While the books, as popular historical fiction, will never win 'literary' prizes, the quality is by no means inferior, and the absence of pretention compared to many (not all, but many) such 'literary' novels frankly works in their favour. A remarkable achievement, they will stand the test of time for their storytelling, their atmosphere, frequent jabs of sardonic humour, extraordinary battle-scenes (nobody has ever written them even remotely as well as Cornwell) and generally wonderful characterisation. Although not perfect, even the slightly weaker offerings stand up well. So it was nice to see one last return to Uhtred's world, in the slightly unusual form of a book including three short stories, what amount to a short essay or two, and a series of recipies.

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I 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! 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." 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.

My name is Uhtred. I am the son of Uhtred, who was the son of Uhtred and his father was also called Uhtred . . . 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.

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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 . .

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. A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism.I was mostly interested in the recipes and they didn't disappoint me. They were adapted to our modern palates and they were easy. And since a lot of people don't eat turnips or liver anymore, they could even find 'new' foods in this book. 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 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! 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