Josiah Stubb: Interim by CW Lovatt - Reviewed by Rob Bayliss

The author is kindly offering an e-format copy of this brilliant book for the draw. Be sure to comment below or on the Facebook page to be in a chance of winning. To be certain of a pleasurable read you can download from Amazon .

 

 

 

 



 

A glance at Ezra’s papers showed that he was well thought of by his commander, experienced in woodcraft, and tracking besides. All in all, a very valuable man.

“These must be presented to Captain Hume,” I told him, “but in the meantime, allow me to take the opportunity to welcome you into our fold.”

Ezra gestured with his chin. “Is that your captain - the one trying to find the shore through the wrong end of that telescope?” I nodded and his shoulders slumped dramatically. “Ain’t this just gonna be a bundle o’ laughs?”

　

When we first met Josiah Stubb his attempts to escape his abusive upbringing in the gutter of St Johns and enter into polite society has been thwarted; not to mention being denied any future with Elizabeth, the love of his life. Small wonder then, that with the encouragement of the perverse Sergeant Stockingsdale, he would take the King’s Shilling and seek solace in the comradeship of the 51st Grenadiers.

The French and Indian Wars are burning apace as France and Britain vie for dominance. Eager to end the threat to their American colonies once and for all, Britain elects to destroy Acadia – French Canada. So it is that General Wolfe takes the French fortress of Louisburg that guards the mouth of the St Lawrence River, the seaway to French Canada. The 51^st serve under Wolfe in this undertaking and Private Stubb proves himself as a capable soldier even thwarting an attempt on the general’s life by a desperate Frenchman. Not everything goes to plan however as Josiah’s best friend, Daniel Hawthorn, deserts after killing a bullying officer.




British Grenadiers at the time of the Siege of Louisburg.

With Louisburg now taken we catch up with the newly promoted Lieutenant Stubb in Interim.

After a successful campaign the bulk of the forces return to St Johns for some much needed rest and recuperation prior to advancing into Canada proper. But not so all the Grenadiers, for General Wolfe has need of them. With French resistance now centred on Quebec, the British to strangle any economic benefit that they may gain from Acadia and secure the entrance to the continental French America by mopping up any resistance from the various fishing villages along the coast.

But it is a more emotive mission that a company of the 51^st is ordered to embark upon. Word reaches the British high command that French commander of irregulars, Lieutenant Francois Lalande, has not only managed to escape Louisburg prior to its fall , but also been seen in the vicinity. Lalande is implicated in the massacre of men, women and children by Indians allied to the French after the surrender of Fort William Henry.

Interim moves us along though different points of view; most notably the main protagonist of course but also that of the deserter Daniel Hawthorn. We are also introduced to the native peoples of Canada– the Micmac Indians, through Madame Allard, a native Canadian who was married to a French Canadian. The Micmac are an Indian nation that has long been allied with France and their warriors are all too eager to win scalps.

The North American forests are a fascinating and particularly savage theatre of the Seven Years War. The forests are claustrophobic and suffocating, each tree may conceal an ambush and Mr Lovatt puts the reader on edge. As the redcoats advance, at any moment a war whoop may signal a savage attack, with the crack of muskets and the swinging of tomahawks. It’s one of those books you daren’t put down, just in case something terrible happens.

Brave warriors the Micmac are, but through the eyes of Madame Allard, also known as Rainbow, we see a people trying to adjust to a new reality and the beginnings of the Canada we now know.

Micmacs and French traders

The author, with his unique brand of both humour, creates some astounding characters, each with their own motivation and hidden depths. There is Sergeant Stockingsdale, as warped as ever but still brave and loyal. Lalande is obsessed with saving the Canada he loves but is willing to forget his sense of  honour to achieve it. There is Stubb’s immediate superior Captain Hume; a thoroughly unpleasant opponent to the capable Stubb; the lives of his men mere stepping stones on his path to glory, his hatred for the down-at-heel (but popular officer) Stubb is palpable.

Interim this book may be but you wouldn’t know it, as it’s full of action; bloody battles are fought, love is found in a savage land and in the background, a character from Stubb’s past seeks him out. From Louisburg through savage forests the ultimate goal of Quebec beckons and a debt of blood remains to be paid.

Bravo Mr Lovatt, Josiah Stubb is fast becoming one of my favourite literary characters.



About the author

CW Lovatt is the award winning author of the best-selling Charlie Smithers collection, the short story anthology "And Then It Rained," and the critically acclaimed "Josiah Stubb; The Siege of Louisburg." "Interim" is the second book in the Josiah Stubb trilogy.







Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series. Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.

Rob Reviews Clash of Empires by Paul Bennett

* The author has generously offered a copy of Clash of Empires, either ebook or paperback, to a lucky winner of the draw. To enter simply comment, either below or on our facebook page - good luck! *

“It’s as if the whole countryside is a tinderbox, ready to flare up. All that it’s waitin’ on is for someone to strike the flint to the kindling.”

Thanks to the wonders of social media I had the pleasure of making my acquaintance with the author through a mutual love of the written word. The author is an avid reader with his own blog page where he posts reviews (I’m lucky in having my own books reviewed by him). When I heard that he was working on his own project I was intrigued, even more so when I heard what the subject matter was and read some excerpts. For Clash of Empires is set during what is known in North America as the French and Indian War (1754 – 1763) but is better known in the UK as a theatre of the Seven Years’ War.  The French and Indian War could be seen as the spark that set in motion a global conflict between Britain and France (perhaps the real First World War) that dragged in other powers and colonial allies in a conflict fought in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In truth Europe was already a powder keg after the War of Austrian Succession, where different power blocks (Britain and France in opposing ones naturally!) had failed to satisfy their war aims.

North America at the onset of the French and Indian War - Wikipedia

By 1754 both the British and French empires in the Americas were well established.  However the British American colonies were hemmed in somewhat; they dominated the eastern seaboard but to the south was the Spanish colony of Florida while to the north was New France (Canada) which laid claim to vast swathes of the continent west of the colonies from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Families from the British Isles were encouraged to the New World with the promise of farm land cut from virgin forest. Of course this gave no account to the indigenous peoples who already lived there or to which far away king they gave their allegiance to.  British America wished to expand westwards while French America wished to contain them, each side courting Native American tribes with promises or gifts, while taking advantage of inter-tribal rivalry. Into this Clash of Empires the Author introduces us to the Mallorys.

Seeking freedom and opportunity the Thomas Mallory moves his family from Eastern Pennsylvania to the western frontier which puts them into the disputed territories. As well as Thomas and his wife Abigail we meet their children; Daniel, Elizabeth and Liam. The frontier is fluid and is a melting pot formed by the different nationalities of the colonists and the different tribes. Thomas, a farmer by necessity rather than calling, has a dream to open a trading post. With his family and assorted friends, as the beginnings of a community, they begin trading along the Kiskiminetas River. Rumour is rife along the frontier; there is talk that the French intend to crack down on what they view as British incursions whilst their Indian allies, the Shawnee, are always ready to raid settlements, as well as wage war against their long term enemies, the Mohawk.

Mohawk warriors

The Mohawk befriend the Mallorys, particular young Liam. Liam is a very adept hunter and leaves the family trading post to live with the tribe and learn their ways.  He proves himself in encounters with the Shawnee and is accepted by the tribe, marrying the Chief’s daughter, Orenda. However he makes a mortal enemy of the Shawnee called Chogan.  This animosity comes to a terrible conclusion when, preceding French military action Chogan leads a raid against the Mallory’s trading post. The family now find themselves at the frontline of a war that is all too personal.

Clash of Empires is  an enjoyable work of historical fiction. in its own right, but also very informative with regard to this theatre of the Seven Years War. This is brought about by the author's style whereby we experience the events around the characters in sharp focus and then the reader is drawn back to an overview of strategic events.  It could perhaps be compared to The Last of the Mohicans but it differs in as much as it gives us a detailed overview of the conduct of the war and its developing ramifications, without being a history lesson. Real historical characters are included such as, the capable Colonel (as was then) George Washington and the calamitous General Braddock, whose disastrous expedition is still debated about today. With Liam and Orenda’s storyline we have a tantalising glimpse of what might have been, if only a dialogue of mutual understanding and respect between peoples could have continued; how different would America’s society be today?

In Clash of Empires the reader is swept up into a brutal frontier war of honour and vengeance. But moreover within its pages we see a community, both macro and micro, beginning to assert itself as an entity in its own right; the beginnings of a nation. The seeds are planted and are set to bear fruit in the next book of the Mallory saga – The Sundering of Empire. This is one reader who can't wait!

About the Author:

Paul currently resides in the quaint New England town of Salem, Massachusetts with his wife, Daryl.
The three children have now all grown, turning Paul's beard gray in the process, and have now produced four grandchildren; the author is now going bald. You can read about his exploits in literature on his Blog.




Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series. Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.