Essex Dogs Series

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We creep behind them, cut their throats, and stick their crossbows up their arses, stirrup-end first. We see it especially in the Dogs' dealings with the noblemen who lead them, particularly people like Warwick and Northampton. It follows a band of men-at-arms during King Edward III's invasion of France during the early years of the Hundred Years War, starting with a scene that is essentially 'Omaha Beach'. This ending almost knocked the book down to three stars but for a first time novel this did keep me hooked until the end so four stars it is.

A historical saga about a motley crew of English fighters making life miserable for the French during the early days of the Hundred Years’ War.The events at the outset of the Hundred Years’ War are thrillingly brought to life through the escapades of the fictional Essex Dogs, a group of men of different ages, from different parts of what is today Great Britain and who speak different languages even. He did manage to portray a grim and realistic picture of medieval warfare which kept me reading, but, like that warfare, this book was a bit of a grind. Heading ever deeper into enemy territory toward Crecy, this band of brothers knows they are off to fight a battle that will forge nations, and shape the very fabric of human lives. Another torrent of rocks hurled from the clifftop hit a boat being hauled out of the surf, scattering the archers dragging it.

I will freely admit to a dearth of knowledge about The Black Prince's personality but I'd not expected this version. Lovejoy and a couple others of the Dogs were more well defined, but with their being 10 Essex Dogs, some of them are just.Then, as if lifted by the hand of the Lord, Loveday was up, grabbing his sword and heaving himself over the side of the pinnace, into the saltwater, losing his breath for a second time as the cold hit him and his clothes became heavy.

You were a good little liar,” Udo later tells Nico, and delights in the prospect of breaking the boy’s spirit, which is more fun and a greater challenge than killing him outright. Dan Jones debut into the fictional world brings to life a period in real life history through the lives of well developed fictional characters.Dan Jones' debut novel is an impressive work of historical fiction set in the Hundred Years' War and, more particularly, during the Crecy Campaign. If you hesitate before picking up a novel based on historical fiction, don’t dither over dropping this one into your holiday reading bag – author Dan Jones has brought the past vividly, gloriously, and sometimes hilariously to life. Few books manage to be as compelling on every level as Essex Dogs: it’s adventure, history, and heart. As the Welshmen hauled the oars and Loveday tried to position the bow of the landing craft to ride the tide in to the beach, he could feel a strong current was pulling them hard north, towards the highest point on the bluff.

For ten years Dan wrote a weekly column for the London Evening Standard and his writing has also appeared in newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, GQ and The Spectator. The main characters are fictional, but Jones includes many real people from history including a very interesting take on Edward The Black Prince. The first instalment in a new Hundred Years War trilogy, following a tight-knit group of soldiers fighting the 1346 Crécy campaign in medieval France.The great battle of Crecy, supposed to be the high light of the history, has less than a chapter and almost no description of it.