For Lord and Land was set three years after the Fortress of Fury. I’m still reeling with the lingering bittersweet conclusion of the last book, but I decided to pile on so I could catch up to Forest of Foes before Book 10 is out. I’m excited to read about Beobrand’s new adventure in East Anglia to rescue Coenred. I don’t recall we’ve covered the East Anglian landscape in depth before, so this is one thing I look forward to.
I hope to catch up quickly with Forest of Foes (Book 9) after this book because my instincts tell me that Book 10 is already on the horizon. As for For Lord and Land, I originally planned to write a review focusing on a particular theme, but while reading, I discovered something that made me shift my approach.
Contents
Tides of Change and Some Dampened Mood
For Lord and Land was set in 651 AD, three years after the Fortress of Fury. Beobrand is sailing southwards to a place called Cnobheresburg to save Coenred from Penda’s attack. This year, Penda focused his campaign efforts on the territory of East Anglia.
Beobrand welcomes a new, young, and green Cuthbert into his gesith circle. Cynan is now a lord of his own name, living at Stagga Hall and has Eadgyth (Acennan’s widow) all over him, eager to be wedded.
In his absence, the tranquillity of Stagga and Ubbanford was once more shaken by the arrival of one old enemy: Sulis. A pregnant Sulis. The womenfolk of Ubbanford were ready to kill her because of what she had done in the past, but Cynan put a lid on it until Beobrand returned from Cnobheresburg.
For Lord and Land, it felt a bit slower-paced to me. Maybe it’s got something to do with Beobrand getting old? There’s nothing wrong with ageing, considering I am going through it myself right now. My physical abilities are diminishing compared to when I was in my 20s. Now, reflecting on Beobrand, who was a warrior, I bet his back hurts more than mine.
I do miss the fast-paced battle scenes, but most of all, I miss enjoying how Beobrand basked in the thrills of shield wall combats. I was in Chapter 27 when the feeling gripped me. I miss the excitement Beobrand oozed in the previous books. Perhaps having to fight his Deiran friends had also dampened the mood.
But maybe it’s not because of his ageing that For Lord and Land seemed slow-paced. Maybe the circumstances made Beobrand tread lightly, considering Oswiu’s even-so-big ego. Like it or not, Beobrand still has Octa under the wings of the current Bernician king.
It’s also disappointing to see Octa grow up adhering to the example of Oswiu and his household. I guess this is the nature versus nurture debate on someone’s upbringing. Sunniva would not be happy to find out what Octa has become. I hope there’ll be a shift in his character in future books.
About Cynan, Sulis, and Cuthbert
For Lord and Land assigned more parts telling stories about Cynan and Cuthbert. Is it a forging of new and upcoming warriors and hlaford in preparation for when Beobrand dies or retires?
Since the beginning of her introduction, I did not like Sulis, and my dislike was proven further by what she did to Reaghan. Just like what Oswiu felt towards Oswine, I have the same feeling towards Sulis. Unfortunately, she was granted more scenes because she’s the apple of Cynan’s eye. Still, there’s something about her existence that bothers me.
Sulis entered the picture once more in this book, asking for Cynan’s help to rescue her husband and child from a villain called Sidrac. I remember skimming the pages quickly because I’m sorry. I disliked her so much that I didn’t think her parts merited my reading time.
Truthfully, I didn’t even note down how her story went down. Yes, I hate her that much.
And then there was this Cuthbert lad. I really think he shouldn’t be among Beobrand’s gesitha or anyone’s gesitha for that matter. He’s clumsy, uncalculated, and weird. I don’t know if the latter actually described him accurately, but that’s my opinion. He should take the robe and join Coenred instead.
Cuthbert already caused too many fuck-ups, and for Beobrand’s sake. In the scene of Oswine’s death, it was his stupid actions that led to Oswine’s being killed by Beobrand’s sword. Of course, in the real event, it was Ethelwin, the Warmaster, who killed Oswine, as recorded by Bede. But seriously, I don’t think Cuthbert should cause any more fuck-ups in the future.
I had the suspicion that this clumsy lad was to become St Cuthbert later on. I remember his name to be significant in the history of Edinburgh. I also remember St Cuthbert was once a soldier before entering Magilros, a.k.a. Melrose monastery.
For Lord and Land: Final Chapters
My mood was further dampened by Eanflæd’s anguish upon learning of her cousin’s death. As recorded in Bede’s writing, I think Oswine’s death can be classified as a murder ordered by Oswiu. Eanflæd then demanded that Oswiu build a church at the site of Oswine’s killing to atone for his sins. The place is now known as Gilling Abbey, built as the wergild for Oswine’s murder, who was then venerated as a saint.
The last part of For Lord and Land didn’t help to lift my mood. More lovable characters died and brought my mood to mourn with those who were left bereft.
The last chapter revealed that Beobrand and Cynan were under Eanflæd’s command to pick up a monk named Wilfrid in Cantwareburh. They were to continue their journey to Rome.
St Wilfrid, another familiar name in English history, was indeed contemporary with St Cuthbert’s lifetime. Wilfrid would play a significant part in the Synod of Whitby (664) and had a whole book written about him, Vita Sancti Wilfrithi. But that’s for later.
Aftertaste
Verdict
For Lord and Land reads a little bit differently for me because it feels like the story is now all over the place. This episode of Beobrand’s life left me feeling dull, dampened, old, and bland. I must confess, this is the first book of the series where I am unsure of what and how the story would go.
I decided to abandon my usual review template because For Lord and Land gave me an unusual feeling after reading it. For Lord and Land reads a little bit differently for me because it feels like the story is now all over the place. There were sub-stories that shifted back and forth from Cynan’s to Beobrand’s point of view.
The proportion of this shifting POV made it feel as if Beobrand was no longer the main character in this book. I feel there’s a transfer of power occurring now between Beobrand and Cynan’s characters, which I find a bit weird.
I never built a strong bond with Cynan’s character since his emergence. I only thought of him as a Waelisc thrall of Lord Grimbold, who was freed by Beobrand and fell in love with Sulis and nearly messed things up when Sulis ran amok in Ubbanford. I sincerely thought that Cynan would be dead by now. Errata: I thought Cynan should be dead by now.
This episode of Beobrand’s life left me feeling dull, dampened, old, and bland. Diving deep into the history of how Oswine died and incorporating it with Beobrand’s friendships with the Deirans left an unsavoury taste on my reading palate.
I have loved and adored Beobrand’s story from the beginning. I was always mesmerised by how reading his story is similar to summarising Bede and Barbara Yorke, which gave me a complete comprehension of the history of northern England.
I must confess, this is the first book of the series where I am unsure of what and how the story would go. In the past books, I could tell Beobrand would go slay, stab, and cut through the shield wall. I guess we’re just getting older now, Beo. I feel you, man.
Another thing I discovered is that I am less forgiving of Sulis. Matthew Harffy mentioned in his note how he wondered what should happen to her. NOTHING, Matthew. NOTHING. She killed one of the most promising characters, and that upsets me even more than Sunniva’s death.
I’d be more curious how Reaghan would respond and navigate her changing social status. But no, Sulis happened, and she still hasn’t paid her bloodprice.
All that being said, I have followed Beobrand’s saga for so long now and I will not stop. It’s time to move on to Forest of Foes and I hope there’d be more excitement on the way to Rome. Or at least pizza. Maybe I should get some pizza now.
