Finished: The Last Kingdom (Cornwell) The first book in a series of thirteen about a ten year old Saxon boy, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, who goes with his father to face the Vikings attacking their land, and watches as the ferocious leader of the Danes, Ragnar, kills his father in the great battle loss. When the young boy runs to try and kill Ragnar with his wooden sword, Ragnar is so impressed with his bravery that he takes him and raises him as his own son, as a Viking and a Paegan. Uhtred lives with Ragnar and his family for years and loves them as his own. Not until he's in his late teens, and Ragnar and most of his family is killed by a rival Dane leader does Uhtred find his only choice to be to make his way to Wessex, the last remaining English stronghold that has not been defeated by the Danes. This is where Uhtred begins his love/hate relationship of service to King Alfred (as in the Great). Torn between his Sussex birthright and roots, and his deep love for his Danish family and his Paegan beliefs, Uhtred spends years as a warrior meant to fight against the Danes for King Alfred, all the while staying in touch with his "brother", Ragnar the Younger, Ragnar's oldest son. The book is very good and goes into so much more detail than the television show on which it's based. This first book ends long before the ending of the last season of the show I watched, so I don't know if I'll continue reading the series, but I think I probably will. :-)