About the Book
1368. Amidst the Hundred Years’ War, alliances must be brokered. The Duke of Clarence, second son of King Edward III, journeys from Paris to marry the daughter of the powerful Lord of Milan. Little does he know that he is heading into a trap.
Luckily the Duke is preceded on the road to Milan by Sir Thomas Blackstone, Master of War, on an urgent mission of his own. Blackstone must get his hands on the gold the Prince of Wales needs to wage successful war in France.
But there is a price on Blackstone’s head, and assassins willing to risk everything to claim it before he even gets to Milan. He must outwit a succession of ever deadlier enemies, and the Master of War has other foes to the ambitions of his son Henry, who has inherited his father’s knack of getting into scrapes. Scrapes that could end in a hangman’s noose…
Format: ebook (532 pages) Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication date: 6th November 2025 Genre: Historical Fiction
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My Review
Rage of Swords is the ninth book in David Gilman’s ‘Master of War’ series which has seen Thomas Blackstone rise from humble stonemason’s apprentice, to skilled archer fighting the French at the battle of Crécy, to King Edward III’s Master of War. Between the first book and now there’s been a lot of blood spilt and Blackstone (now Sir Thomas Blackstone) has fought many battles, lost many comrades, suffered personal tragedy and defied death on numerous occasions.
At the end of my review of the previous book, To Kill A King, I posed the question: will Blackstone live to fight another day? Well, unquestionably he has but you can’t fight as many battles as Blackstone has without succumbing to serious injury. However, when has Blackstone ever let a little thing like that get in the way of fulfilling a mission he’s been given?
This time Blackstone and his band of loyal followers find themselves caught up in the rivalry and intrigue between the various dukedoms of Northern Italy. It’s a world where alliances are regularly made and broken, assassination is a path to power and ruthless men rule through fear. Add to that the presence of roving bands of routiers, mercenary soldiers happy to fight for the highest bidder or to change sides when they get a better offer.
Safe to say Blackstone’s mission to ensure the safe arrival of Prince Lionel, Duke of Clarence in Milan to forge an important alliance through marriage doesn’t go entirely to plan. And he has two additional things to worry about. Firstly, he needs to find a way of transporting the huge dowry the marriage will bring to the Prince of Wales in France, something that will take all his cunning to achieve. And secondly Blackstone’s son Henry is riding in the Prince’s escort under an assumed name for his protection. Henry is the chink in his father’s armour (if you’ll pardon the pun), a reminder of the woman Blackstone loved and lost under tragic circumstances, although the father and son relationship is to say the least testy.
It gets even more strained when Henry becomes obsessed with searching for someone he believes to be in danger. Although, as it turns out, Henry’s time studying at Oxford proves just as useful as his swordmanship.
As in previous books, there is plenty of full-throated, bloody action: a riverside ambush, one-to-one combat in an underground vault and a battle against seemingly impossible odds. Fortunately, such is Blackstone’s leadership, his men will follow him anywhere. ‘A swarm of armed men followed him, driving their bodies for a last effort. Ignoring exhaustion. Dry-mouthed, Barely able to bellow defiance.’
On plenty of occasions Blackstone has to rely on his ill-natured ‘bastard horse’, his trusty Wolf Sword or his sixth sense for danger to dodge death. ‘”You risked everything.” “A common failing of mine,” said Blackstone.’ And at the end of the book there remains an implacable enemy who now has even more reasons to want Blackstone dead. As his trusty companion Sir Gilbert Killbere observes, ‘Our path is paved with the dead.’ To which Blackstone responds, ‘It always will be.’
Whether you’ve followed Thomas Blackstone’s adventures from the beginning or you’re looking for a new series where the action comes thick and fast, you’ll find Rage of Swords a thrilling read.
I received a digital review copy courtesy of Head of Zeus via NetGalley.
In three words: Action-packed, authentic, compelling
Try something similar: Essex Dogs by Dan Jones
About the Author
David Gilman has enjoyed many careers, including paratrooper, firefighter, and photographer. An award-winning author and screenwriter, he is the author of the critically acclaimed Master of War series of historical novels, and was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for The Last Horseman. He was longlisted for the same prize for The Englishman, the first book featuring ex-French Foreign Legionnaire Dan Raglan. David lives in Devon.
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What Cathy Read Next... 
This does sound like a lot of fun!
Thanks for sharing your review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.
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