War of the Wolf

Uhtred of Bebbanburg has won back his ancestral home but, threatened from all sides by enemies both old and new, he doesn’t have long to enjoy the victory.

In Mercia, rebellion is in the air as King Edward tries to seize control. In Wessex, rival parties scramble to settle on the identity of the next king. And across the country invading Norsemen continue their relentless incursion, ever hungry for land.

Uhtred – a legendary warrior, admired and sought as an ally, feared as an adversary – finds himself once again torn between his two heritages: fighting on what he considers the wrong side, cursed by misfortune and tragedy and facing one of his most formidable enemies. Only the most astute cunning, the greatest loyalty and the most spectacular courage can save him.

For decades, Uhtred has stood at the intersection between Pagan and Christian, between Saxon and Viking, between the old world he was born into and the new world being forged around him. But as the winds of change gather pace, the pressure on Uhtred as father, as politician and as warrior grows as never before.

Bernard Cornwell

War of the Wolf

Saxon Stories - 11

ePub r1.1

Titivillus 20.11.2018

Original title: War of the Wolf

Bernard Cornwell, 2018

Cover design: Stephen Mulcahey

ISBN: 9780062563194

Digital editor: Titivillus

ePub base r2.0

War of the Wolf

is dedicated to the memory of

Toby Eady,

my agent and dear friend.

1941–2017

PLACE NAMES

The spelling of place names in ninth- and tenth-century Britain was an uncertain business, with no consistency and no agreement even about the name itself. Thus London was variously rendered as Lundonia, Lundenberg, Lundenne, Lundene, Lundenwic, Lundenceaster, and Lundres. Doubtless some readers will prefer other versions of the names listed below, but I have usually employed whichever spelling is cited in either the Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names or the Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names for the years nearest or contained within Alfred’s reign, AD 871–899, but even that solution is not foolproof. Hayling Island, in 956, was written as both Heilincigae and Hæglingaiggæ. Nor have I been consistent myself; I have preferred the modern form Northumbria to Norðhymbralond to avoid the suggestion that the boundaries of the ancient kingdom coincide with those of the modern county. So this list, like the spellings themselves, is capricious.

• Bebbanburg - Bamburgh, Northumberland
• Berewic - Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland
• Brunanburh - Bromborough, Cheshire
• Cair Ligualid - Carlisle, Cumbria
• Ceaster - Chester, Cheshire
• Cent - Kent
• Contwaraburg - Canterbury, Kent
• Dunholm - Durham, County Durham
• Dyflin - Dublin, Eire
• Eoferwic - York, Yorkshire (Saxon name)
• Fagranforda - Fairford, Gloucestershire
• Farnea Islands - Farne Islands, Northumberland
• Gleawecestre - Gloucester, Gloucestershire
• Heagostealdes - Hexham, Northumberland
• Heahburh (fictional name) - Whitley Castle, Alston, Cumbria
• Hedene - River Eden, Cumbria
• Huntandun - Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
• Hwite - Whitchurch, Shropshire
• Irthinam - River Irthing
• Jorvik - York, Yorkshire (Danish/Norse name)
• Lindcolne - Lincoln, Lincolnshire
• Lindisfarena - Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Northumberland
• Lundene - London
• Mædlak - River Medlock, Lancashire
• Mærse - River Mersey
• Mameceaster - Manchester
• Monez - Anglesey, Wales
• Ribbel - River Ribble, Lancashire
• Ribelcastre - Ribchester, Lancashire
• Snæland - Iceland
• Spura (fictional name) - Birdoswald Roman fort, Cumbria
• Sumorsæte - Somerset
• Tamweorthin - Tamworth, Staffordshire
• Temes - River Thames
• Tine - River Tyne
• Usa - River Ouse, Yorkshire
• Wevere - River Weaver, Cheshire
• Wiltunscir - Wiltshire
• Wintanceaster - Winchester, Hampshire
• Wirhealum - The Wirral, Cheshire