Bernard Cornwell - The Last Kingdom TV series

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**Wolfstan**

With Game of Thrones due back on the screen I wondered what was happening with the books about Uhtred of Bebbanburg, so I had a nose around. This is the company producing the series: http://www.carnivalfilms.co.uk/news/filming-begins-last-kingdom

Two main characters Uhtred & Ragnar are going to be played by Alexander Dreymon (Uhtred) and Tobias Santelmann (Ragnar Snr I presume). Pictures below:

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Reds8n

**Darkjim**

I was on holiday in Nefyn, North Wales last week, they were filming part of this on Whistling Sands beach. I can reliably report it has got horses in it.

**obsidianaura**

That's pretty cool, I liked those books, his archer books were good too.

My favourite book series Name of the Wind (The King Killer Chronicles) by Patrick Rothfuss is getting a series, its being done by Fox though...

**reds8n**

Finally !

http://www.bbcamerica.com/the-last-kingdom/

The Last Kingdom premieres Saturday, October 10 at 10/9c. The Last Kingdom is a contemporary story of redemption, vengeance and self-discovery set against the birth of England.

This historical drama comes from BBC America, BBC Two and the Golden Globe® and Emmy® award-winning producers of Downton Abbey, Carnival Films. The series is an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series of books “The Saxon Stories”, by BAFTA nominated and RTS award-winning writer Stephen Butchard.

Alexander Dreymon (American Horror Story, Blood Ransom) heads up the cast, which also includes Rutger Hauer (True Blood, Blade Runner), David Dawson (Ripper Street, Road to Coronation Street), Emily Cox (The Silent Mountain, Circle of Life), Matthew Macfadyen (Anna Karenina, MI-5), and Ian Hart (Boardwalk Empire, The Bridge.

9th century AD; many of the separate kingdoms of what we now know as England have fallen to the invading Vikings, only the great Kingdom of Wessex stands defiant under its visionary King Alfred the Great (Dawson). It is the last kingdom.

Against this turbulent backdrop lives Uhtred (Dreymon). Born the son of a Saxon nobleman, he is orphaned by the Vikings and then kidnapped and raised as one of their own. Forced to choose between the country of his birth and the people of his upbringing, his loyalties are ever tested. What is he — Saxon or Viking? On a quest to claim his birthright, Uhtred must tread a dangerous path between both sides if he is to play his part in the birth of a new nation and, ultimately, recapture his ancestral lands.

The Last Kingdom is a show of heroic deeds and epic battles but with a thematic depth that embraces politics, religion, warfare, courage, love, loyalty and our universal search for identity. Combining real historical figures and events with fictional characters, it is the story of how a people combined their strength under one of the most iconic kings of history in order to reclaim their land for themselves and build a place they call home.

**obsidianaura**

Cool! I'm looking forward to watching this then.

Also on the Name of the Wind front apparently now every network is trying to get rights from Patrick Rothfuss to make a movie/tv series

How do you reckon they'll pronounce Utred?

**kronk**

Uh-Tred? Said fast.

Dunno.

**obsidianaura**

In my mind it's OO-Tred.

**kronk**

That sounds like a brand of tire!

**obsidianaura**

Yeah, or shoe maybe?

**kronk**

Has anyone read Bernard Cornwell’s series? Is it any good?

**Alpharius**

It is!

The author's story about how he came to write the books is pretty interesting too!

**Wolfstan**

It's a brilliant series and if you go to his site there is now a short snippet of the show under the news section

**obsidianaura**

If anyone liked the TV series Sharpe that was a series of books written by Cornwall.

He wrote a cool set of books about an archer called Tom which were good too.

**Do_I_Not_Like_That**

Darkjim wrote:
I was on holiday in Nefyn, North Wales last week, they were filming part of this on Whistling Sands beach. I can reliably report it has got horses in it.

I could be wrong, I usually am, but I thought horses weren't properly introduced en mass to England, until the Norman Invasion?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

obsidianaura wrote:
If anyone liked the TV series Sharpe that was a series of books written by Cornwall.

He wrote a cool set of books about an archer called Tom which were good too.

I've got most of the Sharpe DVDs and the archer books you refer to starts with Heretic or Vagabond, or something. Good books.

If anybody's interested, they're about an archer during the 100 years war, which actually lasted 130 years or something

But yeah, good books.

**Bomster**

Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
Darkjim wrote:
I was on holiday in Nefyn, North Wales last week, they were filming part of this on Whistling Sands beach. I can reliably report it has got horses in it.

I could be wrong, I usually am, but I thought horses weren't properly introduced en mass to England, until the Norman Invasion?

According to Wikipedia horses were put to use quite a lot, just not that much for cavalry units: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_horse_in_Britain#Roman_Britain_to_the_Norman_Conquest

So, maybe they filmed an overland journey or something like that.

And, yes Cornwall's books about Uhtred are quite good - they might be especially interesting for any Darklands players who want to get in the proper mood. There's an Uhtred model for it, after all.

I'm planning to get to his Arthurian novels, too; I really love those pseudo-'historical' Arthur stories and prefer them to the classic 'chivalry' tales (I'm one of the few people who genuinely enjoyed that film by Anthony Fuqua...)

**reds8n**

His Arthur series is superb IMO, well worth picking up.

There's an Uhtred model for it, after all.

huh, might have to hunt that down cheers

**Stompzilla**

Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
Darkjim wrote:
I was on holiday in Nefyn, North Wales last week, they were filming part of this on Whistling Sands beach. I can reliably report it has got horses in it.

I could be wrong, I usually am, but I thought horses weren't properly introduced en mass to England, until the Norman Invasion?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

obsidianaura wrote:
If anyone liked the TV series Sharpe that was a series of books written by Cornwall.

He wrote a cool set of books about an archer called Tom which were good too.

I've got most of the Sharpe DVDs and the archer books you refer to starts with Heretic or Vagabond, or something. Good books.

If anybody's interested, they're about an archer during the 100 years war, which actually lasted 130 years or something

But yeah, good books.

Harlequin is the one you're thinking of.

**Alpharius**

reds8n wrote:
His Arthur series is superb IMO, well worth picking up.

There's an Uhtred model for it, after all.

huh, might have to hunt that down cheers

Does he...remind you of anyone?

I think Uhtred might be a KS Exclusive though?

Maybe for the first or second (or both?) campaigns Mierce did?

They might want to sculpt up a non-exclusive version if that's the case though - take advantage of the upcoming show!

Unless I'm mistaken of course, and he's already available for general sale?

Sometimes the Mierce website is a bit clunky...

**reds8n**

http://www.bernardcornwell.net/bbc-america-announces-premiere-of-the-last-kingdom-tv-series/

The TV series The Last Kingdom premieres Saturday, 10 October 2015 at 10/9c in the US. The Last Kingdom is a contemporary story of redemption, vengeance and self-discovery set against the birth of England.

This historical drama comes from BBC America, BBC Two and the Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning producers of Downton Abbey, Carnival Films. The series is an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series of books ‘The Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories’ by BAFTA nominated and RTSD award-winning writer Stephen Butchard.

**eddieazrael**

Quick question - if this is premiering in the US, when does the Uk get it?

**obsidianaura**

It's a BBC show, why would it premier in the US?

**Orlanth**

obsidianaura wrote:
It's a BBC show, why would it premier in the US?

Not unusual to co-launch programs to minimise the impact of piracy and net spoilers.

**obsidianaura**

Orlanth wrote:
obsidianaura wrote:
It's a BBC show, why would it premier in the US?

Not unusual to co-launch programs to minimise the impact of piracy and net spoilers.

That makes sense, although a premier in US makes it sound like it'll be out earlier?

**motyak**

I can't see any arm rings...although I did only give the image a quick glance

**alanmckenzie**

Since reading the series I've started to notice a lack of arm rings on nearly all Norse/Dane miniatures. Strange, since the books make them sound like a significant part of the culture.

Mierce also do a "Finan" too. The books were definitely an influence.

Really looking forward to this series. Wonder how they'll handle the aging of all the characters over the course of the show. I think there's maybe about 40 years between the young Osbert and the Uhtred in The Empty Throne?

Hope they at least cover some of the early years, he meets a lot of important characters in his childhood.

**Ghazkuul**

I am a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell. I own every book in the Grail quest series, the Sharpe's Series and the Last kingdom series.

**obsidianaura**

I'm looking forward to seeing Serpent's Breath and Wasp Sting being forged

**Ghazkuul**

obsidianaura wrote:
I'm looking forward to seeing Serpent's Breath and Wasp Sting being forged

Im looking forward to seeing how they portray the rather rocky relationship between Uhtred and Alfred.

**zedmeister**

Really looking forward to this. Need to get through the books at some point. As has been pointed out, Mierce's Darklands takes a lot of inspiration from the series:

**Shadow Captain Edithae**

Can't fething wait!

But I'm on holiday in Spain when it premieres.

[Rings up EasyJet, cancels flight].