Tag: adventure

#BookReview The Scarlet Code by C. S. Quinn @CorvusBooks

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20200716_094106About the Book

England’s best spy. France’s deadliest conspirator.

Paris, 1789. The Bastille has fallen and Parisians pick souvenirs from the rubble. A killer stalks the lawless streets. His victims are female aristocrats. His executions use the most terrible methods of the ancient regime.

English spy Attica Morgan is laying low in Paris, helping nobles escape. When her next charge falls victim to the killer’s twisted machinations, Attica realises she alone can unmask him. But now it seems his deadly sights are set on her.

As the city prisons empty and a mob mobilises to storm Versailles, finding a dangerous criminal is never going to be easy. Attica’s only hope is to enlist her old ally, reformed pirate Jemmy Avery, to track the killer though his revolutionary haunts. But even with a pirate and her fast knife, it seems Attica might not manage to stay alive.

Format: Hardcover (400 pages)       Publisher: Corvus
Publication date: 6th August 2020 Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Find The Scarlet Code on Goodreads

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*links provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme

My Review

The Scarlet Code is the second book in C. S. Quinn’s Revolutionary Spy series featuring female spy and trained assassin, Attica Morgan. It was published as an ebook on 4th June 2020 and is now also available in hardback. Although I wish I’d had time to read the first book in the series, The Bastille Spy, I’m pleased to say The Scarlet Code works perfectly well as a standalone read.

Attica Morgan makes a feisty and engaging heroine. She’s brave, smart, resourceful and is handy in a tight spot; not surprising when you’ve been trained as an assassin. And believe me, Attica gets herself into plenty of tight spots. Given her African heritage and keen sense of justice, Attica is passionately opposed to the slave trade and committed to doing whatever she can to end it. This includes rescuing abolitionists from the clutches of those whose wealth and power are threatened by the idea of equality for all. Despite her position in English society – she is, after all, Lady Morgan – Attica remains an outsider. “I do not fit anywhere. I am too dark to be English, too fair to be African.”

I really liked Attica’s friendship with dashing pirate Jemmy Avery, himself the product of “dockyard alliances and foreign flings“. It’s a partnership of equals based on mutual regard and fuelled by light-hearted banter with just a hint that something more than friendship could lie beneath the surface. He’s certainly the person who understands Attica best. “Some people are born to talk and flatter, others are bred for action.” No prizes for guessing which category Attica falls into.

Attica’s relationship with mentor and spy-master, Atherton, is equally intriguing. He’s a key figure in an organisation known as the Sealed Knot, “a partially legal hinterland of spies, crooks and thieves” which secretly pursues the interests of the British government at home and abroad. Atherton is an inventor of all sorts of gadgets useful for espionage; an 18th century version of ‘Q’ from Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, if you like.

Set against the backdrop of revolutionary France, Attica finds herself beset by enemies on every side. Not just ruthless killers on the streets of Paris and those opposed to the abolition of slavery but an old adversary, none other than Robespierre himself. The contrast between the wealth and excesses of the nobility and the poverty of the citizens of Paris is stark, making for exciting scenes as the populace rise in protest. Add to the mix an evil villain described as “A hunter… a man who stalks by night“, plenty of narrow escapes and some fantastic set pieces in locations such as the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles and you have all the ingredients for an exciting page-turner. Or perhaps, on reflection, a white water ride might be a better description, with dangerous undercurrents and treacherous obstacles hidden beneath the surface.

Can Attica turn the tables on those out to thwart her? She’d not be worth her salt if she can’t. Perhaps, though, there is one enemy who knows her weaknesses better than she does herself. The trap is set. Will she swallow the bait? It’s going to be a battle of wits.

From its dramatic opening chapter, The Scarlet Code moves along at a terrific pace. A glorious mixture of intrigue and swashbuckling action worthy of a golden age Hollywood movie starring Errol Flynn, it will delight readers who like their historical fiction to come with a generous helping of adventure. As for me… I may just have found a new series to fall in love with.

My thanks to Corvus and Readers First for my advance review copy.

In three words: Action-packed, thrilling, adventure

Try something similar: Traitor (Mercia Blakewood #3) by David Hingley

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-tjv5EVe_400x400About the Author

C. S. Quinn is a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, the Guardian and the Mirror, alongside many other magazines. Prior to this, Quinn’s background in historic research won prestigious postgraduate funding from the British Art Council. Quinn combined this with her first-hand experiences in far-flung places to create her bestselling The Thief Taker series. The Scarlet Code is the second novel in her new Revolutionary Spy series featuring Attica Morgan. (Photo credit: author Twitter profile)

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Lionheart by Ben Kane #BookReview #BlogTour @orionbooks

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EYXtb37XsAAnCYXWelcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Lionheart by Ben Kane, which will be published by Orion on 28th May 2020 but is available to pre-order now. My thanks to Virginia at Orion for inviting me to take part in the tour and for my proof copy.

LionheartAbout the Book

1179. Henry II’s Norman conquerors have swept through England, Wales – and now Ireland.

Irish nobleman Ferdia has been imprisoned in Wales to ensure the good behaviour of his rebellious father. But during a skirmish on a neighbouring castle, Ferdia saves the life of the man who would become one of the most legendary warriors to have ever lived: Richard Plantagenet. The Lionheart.

Taken as Richard’s squire, Ferdia crosses the Narrow Sea to resist the rebellious nobles in Aquitaine, besieging castles and fighting bloody battles with brutal frequency.

But treachery and betrayal lurk around every corner. Infuriated by his younger brother Richard’s growing reputation, Henry rebels. And Ferdia learns that the biggest threat to Richard’s life may not be a foreign army – but Richard’s own family . . .

Format: Hardcover (400 pages)    Publisher: Orion
Publication date: 28th May 2020 Genre: Historical Fiction

Find Lionheart on Goodreads

Pre-order/Purchase links*
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*links provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme

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My Review

Lionheart is the first book I’ve read by Ben Kane although I’m aware of his reputation as a bestselling and highly regarded author of historical fiction set in the Roman period. Series such as Spartacus, Hannibal and Eagles of Rome have earned him a devoted following and I can now appreciate why. In Lionheart, the first in a new series, the author turns his attention to 12th century England and France, and in particular to that famous historical figure, Richard the Lionheart.

The narrator of the story is Ferdia, the son of an Irish nobleman defeated by the English. During his time held as a hostage, Ferdia (or Rufus, as he is nicknamed for his red hair) encounters Richard, then Duke of Acquitaine. The manner of their meeting will change the course of both their lives. Rather against his will, Ferdia finds himself drawn to Richard because of the latter’s leadership qualities, military prowess and personal charisma. Whilst held hostage, Ferdia also makes himself a deadly enemy but, luckily, acquires a loyal supporter in the shape of Rhys, a young Welsh urchin.

Over the course of the next few years Ferdia comes to appreciate the camaraderie of his fellow squires and the bonds forged in battle. He also indulges in a young man’s interests: sparring, drinking and trying to attract the attention of young ladies.

As you might expect from a book set in an eventful period of history, Lionheart is full of vivid battle scenes and details of weaponry, armour and military tactics. In the background – an element I particularly enjoyed – is the picture of a family at war between themselves. King Henry’s sons – Henry (known as the Young King), Richard, Geoffrey and John – are distrustful of one another and constantly sparring for favour. As it transpires, some are prepared to go further than others to achieve their ambitions. Poor King Henry’s attempts to create peace between his sons usually come to naught, including during one especially uncomfortable Christmas at Caen.

At this point, I’d like to mention the 1968 film The Lion in Winter, starring Peter O’Toole as Henry, Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor and Sir Anthony Hopkins as Richard. Although historically inaccurate – Eleanor was imprisoned by her husband for rebelling against him from 1173 until his death – it’s still a wonderful depiction of the strife in the family. With a screenplay by James Goldman based on his 1966 play of the same name, the film won three Oscars including one for John Barry’s glorious soundtrack.

Interspersed between Ferdia’s first person narration are occasional sections from the point of view of Sir William Marshal. A real life figure known as ‘the greatest knight in Christendom’ and attached to the household of first the Young King and then King Henry, these sections provide the reader with an up close and personal insight into the turbulent relationships within the Royal family. The book ends at a pivotal moment for the realm, for Richard and for Ferdia. God’s legs, as Richard would say, the author knows how to leave his readers with both a warm feeling and wanting more.

Full of adventure, action and intrigue, Lionheart is a thrilling read. But don’t just take my word for it, read this brilliant review by Kate at For Winter Nights who really knows her stuff when it comes to historical fiction. Or check out some of the other stops on the blog tour.

I’m really looking forward to the next in the series, due in 2021, especially since the author promises us an appearance by Eleanor! Fans of classic films may want to get ready for the next instalment by watching Ivanhoe (1952) and/or The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

In three words: Dramatic, immersive, exciting

Try something similar: Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman

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contributor-ben-kane-56About the Author

Kenya born, Irish by blood and UK resident, Ben Kane’s passion for history has seen him change career from veterinary medicine to writing, and taken him to more than 60 countries, and all seven continents. During his travels and subsequent research, including walking hundreds of miles in complete Roman military gear, he has learned much about the Romans and the way they lived. Ten of his thirteen novels have been Sunday Times top ten bestsellers, and his books are published in twelve languages; a million copies have sold worldwide. In 2016, his research was recognised by Bristol University with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. Kane lives in Somerset with his wife and children, where he writes full time. (Photo/bio credit: Publisher author page)

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