The Burning Land is a captivating tale set at the end of the ninth century. King Alfred of Wessex is in failing health, and his heir is an untested youth. The enemy, the Danes, led by the savage warrior Harald Bloodhair, see their chance for victory.

Uhtred, Alfred's reluctant warlord, proves his worth by outwitting Harald and handing the Vikings one of their greatest defeats. However, the sweetness of Uhtred's victory is soon overshadowed by tragedy, forcing him to break with the Saxon king. He joins the Vikings, allied with his old friend Ragnar—and his old foe Haesten—and devises a strategy to invade and conquer Wessex itself.

Yet, fate has different plans. As the Danes of East Anglia and the Vikings of Northumbria plot the conquest of all Britain, Alfred's daughter pleads with Uhtred for help. In a desperate gamble, Uhtred takes command of a demoralized Mercian army, leading them in an unforgettable battle on a blood-soaked field beside the Thames.

This is the making of England brought magnificently to life by the master of historical fiction, Bernard Cornwell.