Set in a post Elizabethan world, James is on the throne and still the adversity with Spain rages on. Raleigh is in the tower and Cecil is the real wielder of power. With intelligencers on both sides of the English / Spanish "disagreement", one born of a religious divide and a greed for both territory and riches, about to be pitted against each other in the New World we enter a world of squalor, fear and death.
With Realm and Hardy rushing to meet each other in this New World we have the background of Cpt. Smith tentatively making inroads with the native peoples. Back in his settlement at Jamestown martial law holds full sway but it cannot stop the fever and bloody flux from cutting a swathe through the populace.
Although set in a turbulent time the book itself is rather dry and as we sre scene setting in this first impression it skitters from protagonist to protagonist at a seeming whim and it is quite difficult to keep it straight in your mind. The sections with Captain Smith both in battle against invading natives and imprisoned by a separate tribe are, so far the highlights of this book.
From these first few chapters I am not encouraged to read on but, hopefully, once the tale gets into its stride and the characters tales become moreentwined it will become a more enjoyable read
With Realm and Hardy rushing to meet each other in this New World we have the background of Cpt. Smith tentatively making inroads with the native peoples. Back in his settlement at Jamestown martial law holds full sway but it cannot stop the fever and bloody flux from cutting a swathe through the populace.
Although set in a turbulent time the book itself is rather dry and as we sre scene setting in this first impression it skitters from protagonist to protagonist at a seeming whim and it is quite difficult to keep it straight in your mind. The sections with Captain Smith both in battle against invading natives and imprisoned by a separate tribe are, so far the highlights of this book.
From these first few chapters I am not encouraged to read on but, hopefully, once the tale gets into its stride and the characters tales become moreentwined it will become a more enjoyable read