disclosure: we were sent the item mention for the purpose of review
I’m a bit behind with reviews at the moment but that’s no reflection on this wonderful historical fiction novel from J C Harvey. The Dead Men was published in February through Allen & Unwin and it’s the second of the Fiskardo’s War trilogy set during the Thirty Years War in Europe. You may recall, the first book in the series, The Silver Wolf which i reviewed last year.
In The Dead Men, we meet up again with Jack Fiskardo and his company of scouts in July of 1630. Whereas The Silver Wolf covers a twenty-year period, this novel looks at a period of just over a year, ending in November 1631.
It is well worth familiarising yourself with both the map and cast of characters shown at the front of the book before you delve into this latest installment of the trilogy. It’s helpful as a refresher as you reach each new part of the story and different geographical areas. The Dead Men has a large number of characters with a compelling, storyline.
As Jack and his men scout through Germany, ahead of the Swedish army they face many adventures as he continues to search for answers regarding the death of his father and seeks his revenge. But he will face challenges and must decide whether to put his vengeance to one side to help a young child. He also faces his sworn enemy once more, Carlo Fantom. We also meet a new and rather interesting character in the form of Rafe Endicott who is working on behalf of Nathaniel Butter as a correspondent for the Swedish Intelligencer.
If you love a historical fiction novel, with a wealth of descriptive scene settings and characters that you become totally invested in, then The Dead Men, is for you. It’s a hefty read, but it’s such a good one. I look forward to the final novel in the series with interest!
