This story didn't work for me. Since Outlaw, I've been a major fan of Angus Donald's work. I read the Outlaw Chronicles as they came out, and I appreciated the mix of action and historical background. When Blood's Game became released, I grabbed a copy as quickly as I could. It was tough for me to grasp the primary character. He's socially awkward, but principled and self-assured enough to battle. He becomes involved with an actress who has some sort of deceptive agenda... I also had problems keeping track of the storylines and subplots. The family dynamic is deteriorating. Backstabbing and gamesmanship, but few likeable individuals.With a couple of narrative threads to follow and numerous point-of-view shifts, it takes a while to come together, but patience is rewarded, and it is a cracker good read once it all comes together. Young Holcroft Blood, socially awkward, gifted with cyphers and patterns, and yearning to be a soldier, makes for an intriguing swashbuckler protagonist. I will undoubtedly watch this series as it progresses.