The Last Kingdom tells the story of Uhtred son of Uhtred, who was born in Northumbria and captured by Danes as a child, but raised by them as one of their own. He later becomes an advisor to the King of Wessex and fights against the Danes to try and win back his homeland from them. The show is based on the historical fiction novel series The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell and differs from the book in that it does not follow the plot or characters exactly, but contains many of the same characters and places, although it also adds some new ones. The Last Kingdom- A Review
Table of Contents
Intro The Last Kingdom A Review
The Last Kingdom is a new British television series based on Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories novel series. Set in Anglo-Saxon England at the end of 8th century AD, three seasons have already been produced and a fourth season has been commissioned. This review will discuss in detail how they executed their vision in an attempt to bring to life an era that many people today don’t know much about.
Characters The Last Kingdom A Review
The main character of The Last Kingdom is Uhtred of Bebbanburg, son of a Saxon nobleman and a Briton slave. He was born in Mercia during Edward’s reign, when it was still known as Wessex. However, his mother did not survive his birth, and he soon became fatherless after both of his sisters died at an early age. His other notable companions are Brida who is a Danish warrior that accompanies him as a shield maiden to England.
Plot (spoiler free)
Uhtred is a young warrior taken in by a nobleman and raised to be heir to his estate. However, as Uhtred grows older he begins to feel more connected with his biological family who are considered heathens by most of society. This conflict sets up tension between various factions throughout much of The Last Kingdom and eventually Uhtred must make a decision on where his loyalties lie.
Overall Thoughts
The Last Kingdom is an engaging show with a great plot, authentic feel and amazing characters. The series is a historical fiction based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories series of novels. It does an amazing job at creating a story around interesting characters and bringing life to characters that would have otherwise been forgotten about. If you like action, adventure, history or just being lost in a good book then I highly recommend checking out The Last Kingdom!
