I'll admit, I was a little concerned after reading the sample Scribd gave me, but knowing how much I've enjoyed the past three books I gave it a shot anyway. 
 Uhtred is 28 and married with children now, and I think the author did a good job of making Uhtred a more mature, more respectful man. There was little of Uhtred's antagonistic behavior here but still lots of mischief and lots of plotting on Uhtred's part. 
 I find my feelings toward Alfred torn in Sword Song. I disliked him in the first book, liked him in the second, there wasn't much of him at all in the third, and in the fourth I found myself losing respect for Alfred. He married his daughter, whom he loves dearly, to a weasel named Aethelred, and then defends Aethelred's behavior toward her when I think he must be smart enough to know it is wrong. Although Alfred frequently goes out of his way to humiliate Uhtred, who it seems to me is exceedingly integral to Alfred's dream of England, when his son in law loses his daughter to Danish captives because he is a complete idiot, he does nothing (that we are told of) to punish or reprimand him for being stupid. 
 All that said, I still loved this book. The ending was fantastic, and I'm already looking forward to the next.