• The Empty Throne

  • The Last Kingdom Series, Book 8
  • By: Bernard Cornwell
  • Narrated by: Matt Bates
  • Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (137 ratings)

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The Empty Throne  By  cover art

The Empty Throne

By: Bernard Cornwell
Narrated by: Matt Bates
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Publisher's summary

The new novel in Bernard Cornwell's number-one best-selling series "The Warrior Chronicles", on the making of England and the fate of his great hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

In the battle for power, there can be only one ruler.

England is fractured, torn apart more by internal fighting than the threat of Viking invasion. The ruler of Mercia is dying, leaving no legitimate heir. His wife is a formidable fighter and great leader, but no woman has ever ruled over an English kingdom. And she is without her strongest warrior and champion, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

So the scene is set for an explosive battle between elders and warriors for an empty throne. The vacant throne leaves a dangerous opportunity for the rival West Saxons to seize Mercia. But Edward of Wessex is distracted by the succession of his own throne, with two heirs claiming the right to be West Saxon king. And while the kingdoms are in disarray, the Vikings, this time coming from the west, will go on the rampage once more.

The very future of England hangs in the balance. A hero is needed, a hero who can destroy the threat to Mercia, a hero who will ultimately decide the fate of a nation…

©2014 Bernard Cornwell (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

Praise for Bernard Cornwell:

"The best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive" (George R.R. Martin)
"Cornwell is always in full command of his material" (Sunday Times)
"Like GAME OF THRONES, but real" (Observer)
"Tense, powerful, compulsive" (The Times)
"He's called a master storyteller. Really he's cleverer than that" (Telegraph)
"Nobody in the world does this better than Cornwell" (Lee Child)

What listeners say about The Empty Throne

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

Still a very interesting book, especially for anyone who has listened to the previous books in the series. Not as good as some of the previous books, but keeps on telling the story of saxons and their viking enemies through the remarkable character of Uhtred, in a narrative that is always well built and enthralling.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So very very good

Fantastic series and truly excellent narrator - listened to the whole series and now beginning again with the first book

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Eight books in and still well worth a credit.

Where does The Empty Throne (The Warrior Chronicles, Book 8) rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the chronicles it is in the top half

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Empty Throne (The Warrior Chronicles, Book 8)?

As always, the ending was the best part!

What about Matt Bates’s performance did you like?

Good but not great

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Every book Cornwell has written is a "one-sitter". Stretching it out is always a challenge.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Overall a good story

The later books are not as gripping as the first ones but the stories are still entertaining.

Bates is growing on me as a narrator, although for me he will probably always be the second best Uthred.

Well worth a listen if you enjoyed the previous books in the series.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

good story, horrible narrator

I find it extremely difficult to listen to Matt Bates.Of all the wonderful narrators out there also those who have read narrated Bernard Cornwell's books, the choice was made to use someone who cannot do accents, who has almost no difference in character voices. Good story, frustratingly Bad narration.

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