I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series (Blood's Game) and was very pleased to see that the quality of the story and writing was just as high in this latest outing from Angus Donald.
Centred around the character of Holcroft Blood, the novel brilliantly spans the tricky balance of mixing historical facts with fiction. There is a sufficient amount of historical fact to make some of the assumed fiction seem extremely plausible and probable.
With a fantastic cast of characters (I especially loved his booming wife Elizabeth) the story moves at a cracking pace - from the Battle of Sedgemoor to the overthrow of King James.
A basic knowledge of French will mean that you can work out who Holcroft's nemesis, Narrey, is before it is revealed in the book. This revelation though is only one strand of a storyline in a book full of different angles.
From French spies, his outlaw of a brother, an avowed enemy in the ordnance and a brotherhood in the lawless Liberty of the Savoy the pace never stops from beginning to end. Holcroft is such a likeable character, full of integrity amongst a viper's nest, that you really root for him and will him to succeed.
A really cracking read - I can't wait for the next instalment!
Centred around the character of Holcroft Blood, the novel brilliantly spans the tricky balance of mixing historical facts with fiction. There is a sufficient amount of historical fact to make some of the assumed fiction seem extremely plausible and probable.
With a fantastic cast of characters (I especially loved his booming wife Elizabeth) the story moves at a cracking pace - from the Battle of Sedgemoor to the overthrow of King James.
A basic knowledge of French will mean that you can work out who Holcroft's nemesis, Narrey, is before it is revealed in the book. This revelation though is only one strand of a storyline in a book full of different angles.
From French spies, his outlaw of a brother, an avowed enemy in the ordnance and a brotherhood in the lawless Liberty of the Savoy the pace never stops from beginning to end. Holcroft is such a likeable character, full of integrity amongst a viper's nest, that you really root for him and will him to succeed.
A really cracking read - I can't wait for the next instalment!