This is right up my street. A novel about the 30 years war with an engaging (possibly) anti-hero. Okay Jack/Jag/Jacques Is a coldhearted killer but he’s nice to women, children and animals. And he definitely has reason to be the way that he is .Redemption must surely be on the way. The most extraordinary thing is trying to remember how young the character is meant to be, a battle hardened veteran almost before his teens. Yes it’s complicated -as was the war itself.. but it rattles along and the reader must definitely identify with the hero. Fantastic descriptions of the chaos and tragedy, not to mention the farce, of war .Was very glad that I knew from the start that this is part one of a trilogy so was quite prepared for the relatively abrupt end. Still not entirely sure that this child would have been so important to Carlo Le Fantom , but who knows where Richelieu is involved. Very, very fond of Milano and his contribution – hope that he survives! Bring on volume 2