Review: The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Last Kingdom is the 17th book in the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry.  While it references things that happened in previous books, you could pick this up on its own and not have trouble understanding what is going on.  If you haven't read these before, I highly recommend the series!  It is a good blend of history and thriller.  

This story revolves around King Ludwig II of Bavaria and a rumored "last kingdom" that would have allowed Bavaria to break off from Germany completely.  Ludwig II had the unfortunate nickname "The Mad King" and is best known maybe for building the castle that Walt Disney would later use as the inspiration for Cinderella's Castle in Disneyworld.  Ludwig II was much more than that.  Were he alive today and able to avail himself of the mental health treatments we have, he might have continued successfully as King.  There is a surprising amount of history about the Hawaiian islands and the dirty deeds against their royal family.  Even if you are rooting for Cotton and Luke to get themselves out of this pickle, no country comes out looking very good.    

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