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It's a time for change. There are new Viking raids on Ireland and turmoil among the Saxons over the leadership of Mercia. This is the setting for The Empty Throne , the eighth volume of the New York Times bestselling saga The Saxon Chronicles , which spawned the TV series The Last Kingdom , co-produced and broadcast by Netflix.
Mercia is divided. And its greatest threat comes not from the savage Irish warriors or the pagan Norse, but from an internal dispute. Æthelred, the lord of Mercia, is languishing, close to death, and will leave no legitimate heir.
This scenario paves the way for disputes over the throne. Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Mercia's greatest warrior, has always supported Lady Æthelflaed as the successor to the throne. But although Lady Æthelflaed, his wife and enemy, is a formidable fighter and a great leader, Mercia has never been ruled by a woman. Will the nobility accept Æthelflaed as their leader? Even though she is Æthelred's widow and sister of the King of Wessex?
The environment becomes increasingly hostile, and she is without her most powerful warrior, the infamous Uhtred of Bebbanburg, gravely wounded in his last battle. To help his lady, he must first recover, and to do so, he must pursue the sword that pierced him, further diverting himself from political matters.
The entire stage is ripe for fierce battles between powerful men. The empty throne also leaves a dangerous opening for the West Saxons, who, as allies of the Mercians, see an opportunity to completely annex the neighboring kingdom. And while Mercia is preoccupied with internal disputes, its pagan enemies have a new chance to conquer its territories.
The future is uncertain, and the dream of Saxon unification grows ever more distant. A hero is needed, a hero capable of annihilating the threat to Mercia, a hero capable of deciding the fate of a kingdom.
Due to its immense success and rich historical content, the Saxon Chronicles saga spawned the BBC television series The Last Kingdom , which premiered in 2015. The second season was co-produced by Netflix, which then began streaming the series. The series follows the adventures of protagonist Uhtred as he searches for his identity in this great war.
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