I started to watch the TV Series „The Last Kingdom“, which is based on the first 2 novels of Bernard Cornwell’s book series. And since I just published a review of the latest book, I thought I could also add some of my impressions of the show.

This may contain spoilers! So I advise you to not continue reading if you haven’t watched the show or read the books yet!

So far I like the series. Of course now some scenes I thought rather funny in the books about the christian/pagan-conflict looked way more cruel. And also the scene of Earl Ragnar’s death was way more dramatic, as it was not shown from Uhtred’s perspective only like it was in the book. It has been some years that I have read the first 2 books, but was far as I can tell it follows the books’s storyline quite well. I was missing the blacksmith who was a good friend of Uhtred’s and who made his sword Serpentbreath.
Also I was a bit confused at the first encounter with Svein of the white horse, who is here apparently called Skorpa. Okay, this shows that I have already watched quite far 😉

One litte thing I am missing. But maybe I am also wrong here. In the latest books of the series, Uhtred keeps saying „Wyrd bið ful āræd. Fate is inexorable“. And I was missing this in the series, because as far as I remember he has been saying this ever since the first book. And he says it a lot. But I reread a a bit and found the quote „Destiny is all, Ravn liked to tell me, destiny is everything. He would even say it in English ‚Wyrd bið ful āræd’“ . The TV series picks up this „destiny is all“, so well.. maybe he changes from saying this to saying „fate is inexorable“.  Or they just replaced it because it is easier. Who knows. Maybe someone can help me out here 😉 .

Anyways. I like these series. And I hope they won’t mess it up like Game of Thrones. I really dislike bad screed adaptions of books I love.

What I like most about the Last Kindom TV series is the portrayal of the characters. Especially Uhtred, King Alfred, Leofric and Ragnar the Younger come very close to what I had imagined them to be. Maybe not from their looks, but from the way their personality and behavior is portrayed.