Blurb
THE HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR COMES TO LIFE WITH DAVID GILMAN
The first novel in the breathtaking historical fiction series set during the Hundred Years’ War.
Amid the carnage of the the bloodiest conflict in medieval history, a young English archer confronts his destiny…
England, 1346: For Thomas Blackstone the choice is easy – dance on the end of a rope for a murder he did not commit, or take up his war bow and join the king’s invasion of France.
As he fights his way across northern France, Blackstone learns the brutal lessons of war – from the terror and confusion of his first taste of combat, to the savage realities of siege warfare.
Vastly outnumbered, Edward III’s army will finally confront the armoured might of the French nobility on the field of Crécy. It is a battle that will change the history of warfare, a battle that will change the course of Blackstone’s life, a battle that will forge a legend.
My Review
To me, this book was very much like reading an epic. There were so many adventures in a relatively short period of time that I felt totally immersed in this character’s life. We are at the beginning of the hundred years’ war, and the fateful battle of Crecy—a huge event by any standard– actually took place only about one-seventh of the way into the novel. By its nature Crecy was a huge influence on Blackstone’s future, but so many things happened subsequently that it faded into the background. Blackstone was quite the formidable archer and even managed to save the Black Prince’s life, so when he was terribly wounded during the battle, he was placed in the tender care of a French nobleman whose family favored the English. The Prince demanded it, and Jean de Harcourt reluctantly obliged, torn between loyalties. And so began several months of Blackstone’s convalescence, nursed by the charming Christiana, whose interests were more than casual. Initially, the relationship between the two men was awkward:
‘You’re impertinent.’
‘So I have been told, my lord.’
De Harcourt could see that Blackstone showed no sign of fear, and his size and strength defied his age.
‘What am I to do with you, young Thomas Blackstone?’
‘I don’t know, my lord, but my wounds are healing and in another month I’ll be strong enough to go back to the army.’
‘You will only leave when I tell you to leave,’ de Harcourt said. ‘Has Christiana told you why you are here? Why the English King commanded the marshal of the army, my uncle, who fought for him against his own family, to have you brought here?’
‘I can only think my King wished to irritate Sir Godfrey,’ Blackstone said.
De Harcourt suddenly laughed. ‘Yes, that’s a distinct possibility.’
De Harcourt came to appreciate Blackstone’s qualities, low-born though he was. He took an interest in the lad and taught him how to fight, for Blackstone could no longer draw a bow due to his injuries. The nobleman had a budding idea how to utilize his unasked-for lodger, which leads us into another whole subplot. See what I mean? It’s complicated. There are times I had a bit of difficulty understanding the purpose of de Harcourt’s schemes, and there are a lot of questionable loyalties involved, but I couldn’t put the book down. I’m amazed that there are so many sequels.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Master-War-Book-ebook/dp/B00BOE1E6U/
