About the Book
Thomas Chayne has never managed to impress his overbearing father, and when a small act of rebellion has lasting consequences, Thomas finds himself exiled in disgrace. But with England on the brink of civil war, a larger revolution is in the air and Thomas has an opportunity to prove his worth by rallying a troop of royalists to defend Oxford from the escalating violence.
But he soon faces an impossible choice between honouring his family and his loyalty to the crown …
Format: Hardcover, ebook (384 pages) Publisher: Allison & Busby
Publication date: 21st November 2019 Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase links*
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Find The Honourable Life of Thomas Chayne on Goodreads
My Review
The book follows Thomas Chayne through childhood, adolescent love affairs and university where he forms what will be a life-long friendship with fellow student, Richard, although that friendship will be tested at times.
With the outbreak of the Civil War, as well as taking part in skirmishes between the forces of the King and Parliament, Thomas gets into all sorts of scrapes often involving narrow escapes from death. All are described in meticulous detail which, on occasions, I felt did affect the pace of the book.
Similarly, the reader witnesses Thomas’s mental turmoil as he continually questions his own motives, ponders options and wrestles with decisions to the point, it has to be said, of self-absorption. (In this regard, he is similar to Abel Morgan in the author’s previous book.) “Life’s journey is so often a matter of small decisions.”
As the war progresses and loyalties are tested, Thomas finds himself facing a moral dilemma. His solution will bring a moment of recognition for those who have read The Outrageous Fortune of Abel Morgan. For readers who haven’t, never fear, because the final chapter of The Honourable Life of Thomas Chayne very neatly connects the two books.
I received an advance review copy courtesy of Allison & Busby via NetGalley.
In three words: Detailed, dramatic, adventure
Try something similar: The Outrageous Fortune of Abel Morgan by Cynthia Jefferies (read my review here)
About the Author
Cynthia Jefferies is a long-established writer for children, whose work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. She was born in Gloucestershire and her love of history was encouraged by regular family outings to anything of interest, from great cathedrals to small museums. Having moved to Scotland and back to Stroud, she has always made time to write and her abiding interest in Restoration England has never left her. The Outrageous Fortune of Abel Morgan was her first historical novel for adults.
