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Author Archives: Patricia

The Great Famine

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Patricia

I have been doing some research while I shelter in place, dipping into books that I’ve been meaning to read but haven’t had the time to until now. One of them is The Third Horseman by William Rosen. The title … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 10

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Patricia

The final episode of this season’s The Last Kingdom is set in Winchester where events cascade breathlessly one after another. Winchester has been under siege for 30 days, and the no man’s land between the Saxon camp and the city … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 9

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Patricia

Episode 9 opens in Aylesbury where Edward is lingering (too long) to witness Aethelflaed become Lady of Mercia in what looks like a wedding ceremony. Eventually we learn that the king is going to return to Wessex (finally) and Aethelflaed … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 8

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Patricia

Episode 8 of The Last Kingdom 4 begins in Wales. And by the way, these Welsh segments of the series are unique to the tv drama. They are not based on events in Bernard Cornwell’s books, and this is one … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 7

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Patricia

Early in Episode 7 of The Last Kingdom 4 Uhtred arrives in Aylesbury, a town beset by hunger, fear, sickness, mistrust and a lack of leadership. The ealdormen who should be running the place are at odds with the king … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 6

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Patricia

  Episode 6 brings us right into the present day as Uhtred and his company, on the road to Chester with 4 children in their midst, discover that folk in Mercia are dying of The Sickness. The showrunners couldn’t possibly … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 5

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Patricia

The first four episodes of this 4th season were based on Bernard Cornwell’s novel The Pagan Lord, and they followed its two major story lines: Uhtred’s attempt to seize Bebbanburg and Cnut’s attempt to seize Mercia. The Netflix series, however … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 4

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Patricia

In this episode of The Last Kingdom, women are the prime movers behind the events that lead to the Battle of Tettenhall. Kudos to this production for imagining the role of women as something more than hapless victims needing rescuing. … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 3

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Patricia

Episode 3 of Season 4 of The Last Kingdom is permeated with threat, devastation and loss. There is no place in the dialogue for ribald humor or even wry jests among Uhtred’s companions. The father/son theme continues, and the contrast … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 4, Episode 2

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Patricia

Episode 2 of this season’s The Last Kingdom picks up right where the first episode left off, following the two story lines of 1) Uhtred’s effort to re-take Bebbanburg and 2) Cnut and Brida’s effort to conquer Mercia and Wessex. … Read More →

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