Bernard Cornwell is one of the most brilliant and prolific authors working today. He is the author of several series and close to 40 novels. He is best known for the Richard Sharpe series, a British soldier fighting France during the Napoleonic wars. 15 of these novels have been made into movies staring Sean Bean. A second series features 9th century England. The Saxons have controlled the lands for about 500 years when England is attacked by the Danes who gain control of three of the four kingdoms. King Alfred the Great is able to lead divided lands and win back much of what has been lost. The Pale Horseman is story telling of the highest order. Cornwell's ability to combine real history(most of the lead characters really lived) with outstanding entertainment and adventure separates him from nearly all other writers. Uhtred, the lead character and great warrior of The Pale Horseman is like Richard Sharpe, simply one of the finest fictional creations I have ever read. Cornwell makes the reader feel that they are truly visiting the time period he writes about. The adventure novel as modern literature.

Richard