The Unkindness of Ravens Blog Post by Rob Bayliss

Raven - From rspb.org.com

Corvus Corax, the Raven, is a widespread Corvine found throughout the northern hemisphere. It is the largest member of the crow family and may live for over 20 years and may mate for life. Being opportunistic omnivores they have lived side by side with humanity for thousands of years. With their all black appearance, taste for carrion, and their high levels of intelligence, it perhaps isn’t surprising that they have earned a cultural and spiritual significance in our folklore that is still to be found in modern literature. In Tolkien’s The Hobbit the Ravens of Erebor could speak and would convey news from afar to their allies, the Dwarves under the Lonely Mountain, in return for gold and trinkets. In GRR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, ravens are used as messenger birds and as such messages are seldom good gave rise to the saying “Dark wings, dark words”.

Ravens are intelligent birds, able to solve problems that goes beyond mere trial and error. This suggests that they have the ability to not only imitate but also have a degree of insight and can, in effect, invent solutions. There is a very great possibility that Ravens have a highly developed language within their croaks and caws. Studies by linguist Derek Bickerton following research by biologist Bernd Heinrich suggest that ravens have the very rare ability to convey displacement - the ability to communicate about objects and events in time and space. Young, unpaired Ravens roost together but forage alone. However if a young raven discovers a fresh carcass guarded by an adult pair it appears that it will communicate the discovery to its peers and the next day the young ravens will go to the carcass, in large enough numbers to chase off the adults. They are one of only four species that have this ability - the others including bees, ants and of course ourselves. Ravens have also been observed alerting wolves to the presence of recent carrion, perhaps so that the larger carnivores can open up the carcass so that choice scraps become available to the birds.

Ravens will store food for later but are not verse to stealing each others’ cache if the opportunity arises. Aware of this, ravens will actually make false food stores to confuse other ravens that might be spying on them.

Young ravens are keen to play and will play with objects, such as twigs for toys an even engage in play with other species such as wolves, otters and dogs. Juveniles will also hoard shiny objects such as metal, purely because they spark their curiosity. Older, mature Ravens will show an active aversion to new objects and experiences, so perhaps its not just old dogs that you cant teach new tricks!

In the British Isles Ravens can be found in both the Celtic and Germanic folklore traditions. The Raven and Hooded Crow was sacred to the Celtic goddess Morrigan. In her warlike aspect the goddess would take the form of the Battle Raven (Babd Catha), as an omen of war or to feast on the aftermath of a battles’ slaughter.

Morrigan - inanna.virtualave.net

In Welsh mythology we see the raven mentioned around Bran the Blessed (Bran itself is Welsh for raven). It was said that Bran’s head was buried at where the Tower of London now stands to ward off foreign invasion from the continent. Its tantalising to ponder whether this is the true origin of the keeping of ravens by the yeomen of the tower; that should the ravens ever abandon the Tower of London, the realm would fall.

In the Anglo Saxon, Norse mythology two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Muninn (Mind) are companions of Woden / Odin, the All Father. They fly over Midgard (the world) throughout the day to return to the god’s shoulders each evening and tell him what they had seen.

Huginn & Muninn perch atop Odin's shoulders - From an C18th Icelandic manuscript

In the Poetic Edda the wanderings of the ravens are described by Woden:

Huginn and Muninn fly each day

over the spacious earth.

I fear for Huginn, that he come not back,

yet more anxious am I for Muninn

Its been suggested that this may be a hint of shamanic practices, that Woden fears not being able to return from a trance-like state, that his thoughts and mind will be lost to him. This may be borne out in the name Woden itself is related to Old Norse óðr, 'mad, frantic, furious', and Old English wōd 'mad'. There is a clear difference between thinking and thought, and the mind - the sum total of experience and knowledge; hence Woden’s greater fear of losing Muninn.

Alas we may never know the true meaning of Huginn and Muninn but we do know that Woden, the one-eyed wanderer who spoke only in poetry, also had two wolves - Geri and Freki - as companions. Perhaps the legend of Woden and his wolf and raven companions is based on an old symbiosis between the three species during the hunt. Mankind of course adopted the wolf to become his canine companion the dog. The raven however lives for the most part on the edge of humanity and retained its sinister mystery, its collective nouns being an “unkindness” and a “conspiracy”.

Maybe only the raven knows, with its hoard of stolen trinkets, relating ancient tales to its young in its language of croaks and caws…

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.


Sources:

JRR Tolkien : The Hobbit

GRR Martin : A Storm of Swords

Bernd Heinrich: Mind of the Raven

Derek Bickerton: Adam’s Tongue

Poetic Edda Grimnismal
The Mabinogion

Diana Reviews: A Broom at the Masthead by MJ Logue

Diana Milne Reviews A Broom at the Masthead by MJ Logue. The author has offered a giveaway to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this amazing novel, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. The winner will be drawn on 13th August 2016. Good luck!

London, 1665.
“A Broom At The Masthead” is a pacy, racy romp set in Restoration London, featuring the husband and wife combination of Major Thankful Russell and his new young wife Thomazine, daughter of the unforgettable Holfernes Babbitt and his plump and unfashionably lovely wife Het.
Murder, arson, and rumour - would a man whose principles led him to once take up arms against his King, turn his coat again and work against His Majesty for the Dutch Republic.

Possessed of a most unfeminine strength of purpose, Roundhead's daughter Thomazine  has finally wed her hero, marred and enigmatic retired Admiralty intelligencer Major Russell, who's been drifting in and out of her life in various states of idealistic disrepair since she was two and he was twenty-one. Twice her age, disfigured, shy, a long-term bachelor - hopelessly unpromising romantic material, surely? But Thomazine doesn't care. Russell is her rebel angel - he always was, and he always will be. No matter what the neighbours say.
 
But as war with the Dutch looms and tensions run high in the streets of London, the darkness of Russell's past is all too suddenly exposed - and someone at Court is determined that he shouldn't get his happy ever after.
Funny, sexy, and brutal, this is a story of a man tortured by the demons of his past, eaten up by jealousy and hatred.
It's also a story of an unlikely but happy marriage, the Earl of Rochester's monkey, and amor vincit omnia...

 "Apple, dear, we're in a book. Do you mind?"
"Hm?" He's not paying her a blind bit of attention, and so Thomazine gives him a swift and unladylike kick in the ankle. "A book, dear. About us. You know - about London, and everything?"
That brings him up short. "About London? What - the carriage, and the murders, and - "And John Wilmot's monkey," she says. "And the poetry. Everything."

"Oh God," he says, "tibber, whose damn-fool idea was that?"
She smiles to herself. "Some people are never happy, lambkin. I liked it."

"I liked it very well, Thomazine! I'm just not sure everyone needed to know about it!" He scowls at his papers, and she narrows her eyes, recognising Aphra Behn's handwriting.

"What's that?" she says, and he looks up and gives her a slow, wicked smile. (He has a lovely smile. One-sided, and all his teeth show on one side but not the other, but he is very lovely. In a sort of - individual - way, she thinks smugly.)
"That's the next book, my tibber."

This incredible book is the first of The Drowned Books series. I have long been a fan of the Uncivil War books by M J Logue and I was fortunate enough to be allowed to read the synopsis way back at the beginning of the world when this book was proposed to the publisher. I thought then it would be a winner. I am not disappointed.

Hollie Babbitt and his rebel rabble are portrayed with so much realism and love (even when you are hating them!) that one finishes a book in the series with a feeling like saying goodbye for a while to a close friend. To review this book therefore is for me a genuine pleasure. Ms Logue’s unique voice and story-telling manner shine throughout and make her a writer deserving of praise and recognition.
The book is told in an intimate and confiding manner. I almost had the impression I was reading a journal told in the third person. The words flowed and I found it difficult to put down, something that I found in common with other books that this author has written.
The historical detail is very well researched and accurate and shows MJ Logue’s thorough knowledge and love of the era and her attention to detail, without allowing the reader to become bogged down in tedious detail. Ranging from London to the Low Countries, to the Civil War and early forensics, each detail is meticulously portrayed and adds greatly to reader enjoyment.
The book opens unexpectedly with a vicious murder. Fly-Fornication Coventry, whom we have met before, is brutally strangled and then burned, together with the Russell house, Four Ashes. It is apparent that the murderer is known to Fly, but who is it?
The book is a skilfully blended merger of tense psychological thriller, family saga, tender romance and murder mystery and it would appeal equally to lovers of any of those genres, (without putting people off who do not like these genres!)  in addition to historical fiction.

Upon learning that he will now be master of the house, Thankful ‘Hapless’ Russell realises he will now be in a position to marry. He begins to male preparations to woo and win Thomazine Babbitt, who he has known since she was a baby of two and him a scarred (and scared) world weary war veteran of twenty one.
To his surprise Thomazine says yes, and it is soon apparent how deeply the two are in love.
After the wedding, where Hollie, Het, Joyeux, Luce and other favourite characters make a cameo appearance, (I can almost hear Hollie thinking, ‘That was no cameo appearance lass. I paid for all that ale you supped,’) the reader gets a painful glimpse into Thankful’s psyche when he wakes in the night fearing amelioration by fire.
Russell and Thomazine set out for Four Ashes, arriving at that bleak half burned out, half rebuilt place in the winter gloom and Thomazine has a meltdown, comforted by the ever patient Russell. Making the best of it they spend the night in each others' arms in front of a fire they coax into reluctant life, but in the morning they are disturbed by the dour Scottish Eadulf, Russell’s friend and factor.
It is soon apparent that all is not as it seems and there are problems with the neighbours. Thomazine longs for home, her home with Het and Hollie and familiarity. As a compromise Russell gets them his old lodgings in London, but how well does Thomazine know the man she has always loved?
The scenes depicting Thomazine’s growing status as a woman, a society woman, and a sexual being, is movingly and touchingly portrayed with a sensitivity and skill that is lacking in so many authors. Their love life is made beautiful by Ms Logue’s words with none of the smutty undertones that that subject can generate.
Can Thankful clear his name, or will he and Thomazine be the murderer’s next victims?

 About M J Logue
 M J Logue has been passionate about the English Civil War since writing her first novel over 20 years ago. After a brief flirtation with horror and dark fantasy, she returned to her first love, historical fiction, and now combines the two. She has a degree in English literature, trained as an archivist, and likes Jacobean theatre, loud music, and cheese.

When not attempting to redeem the reputation of the Army of Parliament, she lives in Cornwall with her husband and son, three cats, and a toad under the back doorstep.
There is little more to divulge, other than - "I had rather have a plain, russet-coated Captain, that knows what he fights for, and loves what he knows, than that which you call a Gentle-man and is nothing else. "
(She is also incredibly ginger and incredibly sweary!)

Thank you, Oliver Cromwell!
The author’s blog and website can be found here...
Amazon


Reviewed by Diana Milne, author of various To Do lists and a long letter to Aunty Pat. © August 2016.

Diana Reviews Take Me To Your Heart Again by Marius Gabriel

Diana Milne Reviews Take Me To Your Heart Again by Marius Gabriel. The author has offered a giveaway to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this amazing novel, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. The winner will be drawn on 8th August 2016. Good luck!

Tensions between three sisters, divided by life and love, are about to spill over into all-out conflict.
It is 1942 and the world is at war. The eldest of the Redcliffe sisters, Isobel, impulsive and ideological, strives to make herself heard in a world distracted by violence. But her ambitious new path is strewn with obstacles, not least a private scandal that threatens to become public. Optimist Chiara has had to grow up fast, to set aside teenage dreams and make way for the unexpected realities of adulthood—but who can she count on for help? Meanwhile Felicity has challenges of a more spiritual nature: will her journey of self-discovery lead her away from the convent she thought was her calling?
Separated by distance and war, Isobel, Chiara and Felicity must learn to confront life’s challenges with passion, strength—and unity. Because family is the tie that binds tightest of all.
This is the second title in the Redcliffe Sisters series and follows on from Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye.

I have read many books by Marius Gabriel (sorry Mr G! I haven’t had time to review them all yet - life gets in the way of good intentions) and  all of them have been enjoyable and engrossing from page one, but this one really stood out and I read it in about a day and a half, barely stopping to eat and sleep.

The first thing you notice is the cover and the careful choice of the period photo and the colour, together with the excellent use of unusual fonts, set the tone for a compelling and engaging story.
The book is part two of a trilogy, but would easily work as a ‘stand alone’ book and although what happened in book one is made known to the reader, it is not done in an invasive way and just flows naturally as part of the story, not as pages of tedious repetition that would be boring or unnecessary to readers of Wish Me Luck. In this book we meet again the Redcliffe sisters, three young women as different as chalk, cheese and blue paint, who despite their differences have a solid core of love, tested to the limit by the vagaries of war and each girl’s actions.

Gabriel is a master of his craft – an extraordinarily gifted wordsmith and a meticulous researcher. Hours of study must have gone into ensuring every aspect of this book to be historically accurate.  I am in awe at the amount of old photos and documents Gabriel must have pored over, let alone visiting the places he writes about so that he can paint word pictures enabling us to see the scenes portrayed in the book.
The opening chapter hits with the power of a left hook. Not only is Gabriel a dab hand at descriptions, his dialogue flows naturally and his understanding and depiction of emotions show a rarely paralleled mastery.
“And a garret suited her mood. She didn’t want to see anybody outside of work, didn’t want to have to entertain or be entertained, didn’t want room to expand...
“To another woman, the stone walls of the attic might seem bleak. To her they were a fortification. She was safe up here, walled off from the world, not needing anything and not needed by anybody.” 
Mr. Gabriel’s knowledge of Cairo and London brings those wonderful and exotic cities to life and without giving too much of the story away, the depiction of an air raid in London and a riot in Cairo were so vividly realistic, that I felt caught up in the terror and violence.
Occasional flashes of Gabriel’s wonderful sense of humour come across so vividly, “Our leaders have a touching idea that Rommel is exhausted and will pull back at the last minute to rest. In my opinion, That’s like hoping a man will pull back and rest when a girl’s got her knickers off and her legs open.”
I only have one complaint!! Book three is not out yet! Mr. Gabriel. Hurry up! I need my fix!!

About the author: Marius Gabriel served his author apprenticeship as a student at Newcastle University in the North of England, where, to finance his postgraduate research, he wrote thirty-three steamy Mills & Boon romances under a pseudonym. His identity as a man had to be kept secret until he turned to longer fiction under his own name. Gabriel is the author of eight sagas and historical novels, including the bestsellers The Mask of Time, The Original Sin and The Seventh Moon, and was once accused by Cosmopolitan magazine of ‘keeping you reading while your dinner burns’. He very seldom burns his own, however, being an enthusiastic cook, as well as an artist and a musician. Born in South Africa in 1954, he has lived and worked in many countries, and now divides his time between London and Cairo. He has three grown-up children ... and is a damned good fellow with a wonderfully wicked sense of humour and a good friend! (This last sentence is not part of the official biography!)
Amazon UK
Amazon US


© Diana Milne – aka d.arcadian, letterpress seller extraordinaire, genius, entrepreneur and author of various To Do lists.

Emma's Keeper Corner

Hello and welcome to the first Keeper’s Corner article on The Review Blog. Please feel free to 

interact on here and on the Facebook page - Review Blog Facebook Page 

Today, I will be starting with a reference book - well, it’s actually a Local History Pamphlet by The 

Bristol Branch of The Historical Association but nevertheless, it’s on my shelf for a reason.  It is Bristol Castle: A Political History by Dr Peter Fleming, a Principal Lecturer in History at the University of the West of England (2004). 

I picked up this book in Bristol Library due to my fascination with Bristol Castle and maybe a teeny-eeny crush on Robert, Earl of Gloucester - illegitimate but trusted son of Henry I and who played 

such a pivotal role in the Civil War between Matilda and Stephen in the 12th century. 

Illustration: The Keep, after Millerd's plan of Bristol, 1673 (J. F. Nicholls and J. Taylor, Bristol Past & Present, Arrowsmith, Bristol, 1881), vol 1, p.75. 

The attraction of this book is its simplicity in fact; key points in the castle’s history explained 

professionally and fully enough if one needed to use the facts in writing.  There is no fussiness, just pawn and political history and some sketches based on 19^th & 20^th century views of what buildings 

remained.  This can give the reader some comparison, especially if one lives near the site or can visit  (or any sites written about in this fashion). 

An early 20th century view of a surviving castle tower (S. J. Loxton, in G. F. Stone, 'Bristol As It Was And As It Is', Walter Reid, Bristol, 1909), p.99

For me, it was being new to the area and finding that some remains of the castle survive, quite near 

the site of Bristol Cathedral and Library. Finding references to the castle were quite easy, both online and in library but this particular book gave me details of the political usage, be it baron or royalty over the Castle's varied history.

What is now Castle Park with some old remains in a corner that not many people appear to 

notice, was once a true powerhouse (or perhaps not many get excited by touching stonework that 

played such a vital role in British history!).  Even the atmosphere around Castle Park seems to give nothing away of its' past ...

And thus, it is on my Keeper Shelf as a reminder of what a magnificent building it once was but also what that represented - hard facts that weren’t pretty.   

Emma Powell

Diana Milne reviews Twilight of Memory by Julia Faye Smith. The author has offered a reader's choice of ebook or paper copy as a giveaway to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous novel, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. The winner will be drawn on 2nd August 2016. Good luck!

At twenty-two Henry Townsend had the world in his hands; his cherished Lilly by his side; a bright future planned in his beloved valley home. Life promised him happiness. America’s entrance into WWII turned that promise to dust. Desperately, Henry sought to find a way to serve his country while remaining by Lilly’s side. On the night he found his solution, Lilly disappeared. Months later only one thing promised a shattered Henry survival… a band of brothers: skiers and outdoor enthusiasts like himself. Together they formed the 10th Mountain Division. America's Ski Troops of the U.S. Army. Together they trained for war, made their way to Italy, and fought desperately against the Germans. The same war that shattered Henry’s dreams, now threatened to shatter Henry’s life. Could this same war, somehow save him? Could the peace he had known in his Colorado valley be found in a war-torn valley in Italy? Could salvation be found in the arms of a war-scarred nurse? Twilight of Memory explores the power of memory and love: to hurt, to haunt, and possibly to heal. Get to know Henry, Lilly, Daisy, and the 10th Mountain Ski Troops in this gentle historical fiction love story.

Henry and fellow members of the 10th Alpine division trained here. Henry helped build the camp. Soldiers training at Camp Hale Photo: Aspen Historical Society

It was a genuine pleasure to read this exceptionally well researched book.  It is told from the points of view of both American Henry and Japanese American Lilly and encompasses their lives during World War Two, the lives of their extended families and the Italian and English families that Henry gets to know and love. The book could comfortably fit into several genres; historical fiction, war, romance, maybe others and would appeal to anyone who enjoys a good story well told.
The book encompasses many fascinating and little known aspects of WW2 and I learnt a lot without feeling I was being taught. Contemporary news items add immensely to the scene, as do the vivid, but not tedious, descriptions of places. I could actually see the vibrant pots of geraniums so well were they described.
I found the way that the training of the men for the Alpine Division was exceptionally well written coming in the form of a series of letters, which made a subject that could have been quite tedious to some, flow and become fascinating with ‘Henry’s’ chatty missives. The letter he writes to his best mate and new brother-in-law Walt is fascinating and full of detail about the appallingly horrific conditions endured on the first manoeuvre.

General George Hayes, Commander of the Alpine Division.

Dialogue flows easily and naturally...
Henry jumped in, trying to think and answer at the same time. “Well, no, not construction exactly. Just helping to keep the buildings in good repair on our farm. I can swing a hammer and hit the nail as well as most, I guess.”
“Drafting? Engineering?” Donny asked.
“No.”
“Okay, kid, what do you do in your spare time? We need hands here but you gotta help me out.”
“Well, I work the orchards, ride the trails on the western slope, ski, hike, backpack, camp out, fish, white water rafting,” he paused to think and Donny jumped in.
“Okay, I got it.” He turned to a man at a table in the back. “ Say, Sam, don’t you still need help laying some trails?”
I don’t think I am giving too much of a spoiler here when I mention that at some point during the story Henry’s father dies.  The letter written by his sister is so very moving that I felt tears prickling the back of my eyes.
The author has thoughtfully put a section at the end covering the factual aspects of the story. More information about General George Hays, commander of the Mountain Division, can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Price_Hays

Ms Smith is a born story teller with an amazing grasp of history and human emotion. I look forward to reading more of her work.

About the Author
Julia Faye Dockery Smith, a native of Alabama, now resides in Tallahassee, FL with her husband of 50 years. She is the proud mother of three and grandmother of five. In her retirement she enjoys reading, reviewing, supporting other authors, and of course, writing. She also enjoys research and spent many months enthusiastically researching and ‘getting to know’ the 10th Division. When doing none of the above, she loves travel. She is the author of children's books and a childhood biography of President Thomas Woodrow Wilson. She is now revising her latest project, a biography of Ann Cole Lowe, the granddaughter of a slave who became society's darling designer.
Twilight of memory is available from Amazon.com in the US and Amazon.co.uk the UK.



About the reviewer:
 Diana Milne is an avid amateur historian, future best-selling author and is better known as ‘d.arcadian, letterpress seller extraordinaire.’

PAULA'S PEOPLE: INTERVIEW WITH PAUL FRASER COLLARD, AUTHOR OF THE JACK LARK SERIES

Following on from my review of Mr Collard's novel, THE LAST LEGIONNAIRE, I manage to catch up with himself to ask him a few questions about his writing and whats next for Jack Lark. Please follow this Link if you'd like to win a copy of the book and to read my review

1) I’d just like to say Hi Paul and welcome to the Review Blog. Thank you for agreeing to be our guest and answer a few questions. I’ve recently read the 5th in your Jack Lark series, and I have to say, I was very impressed by your knowledge of the era, the various armies and the battles in Europe in 1859. You must have done a lot of research. Can you tell us how long you studied the period before you started writing the series and have you had to research more as you write each book?

I thoroughly enjoy researching each of the Jack Lark novels. I generally spend a couple of months researching each novel before I start planning the plot, but to be honest, the process never really stops and I will still be researching all the way up to the time the proofs are finalised. A lot of that is fact checking, but you never know when you will come across something fascinating that can add even more flavour to the story. What is interesting is that the amount of research really does change with each book. I am always very pleased when there is a good amount of carry over between novels. For example, I had to research a lot for Jack Lark 6 which is set at the start of the American Civil War, but happily a lot of that research will support the storyline of book 7 which means I can get plotting and writing a lot quicker. 


2) What was your favourite aspect of research or what was the most interesting feature of the Victorian period to investigate?

For me, it is always the first hand accounts that fascinate me the most. I am much more interested to know what it was like to be a soldier on the battlefield than I am to find out which regiment carried out which manoeuvre at what exact time, or what the generals were thinking when they flung their troops at the enemy. I try to convey that in Jack’s stories and I concentrate on his small part of the battle rather than try to convey an epic portrayal of the battle as a whole. 

3) What were your earliest influences that you can remember and what books do you like to read for your own pleasure? Do you have a favourite author?

Anyone who knows me, or has read any of my books, will have an idea how much the novels by Bernard Cornwell have influenced me. For me he is the master of the craft and I can still recall the feeling of being utterly captivated when I sat down and read my first Sharpe novel when I was eleven. Sadly, I struggle to find time to read much fiction as all my free time is spent researching. I do love post-apocalyptic fiction and thoroughly enjoyed the Dust series by Hugh Howey. I do occasionally indulge in reading historical fiction, but I am careful to avoid anything written in a similar period to my own as I think that may well make me feel horribly inadequate. Right now I am both reading and collecting all the books written by Christian Cameron as I think he really is one of the very best writers working today.

4) I know that you have a full-time job. How do you manage to find the time to write and fit in family life as well?

I try to be very disciplined in finding time to write. I always use my commute to and from work as this gives me the best part of two hours a day I can dedicate to my writing. The rest I fit in when I can, using weekends and time off to get the rest of it done. So far I have found this works pretty well and I can write one to two books a year plus all the other associated work that comes with being a writer. It also helps that I love writing. I never had a great ambition to become a writer, I just thought I would give it a try and I am still amazed to have got so far. Except for a few, rare occasions (usually when I have foolishly started to catch up on a box set like Game of Thrones) I thoroughly enjoy escaping into Jack’s world. It is a treat at the start and the end of the day that I really look forward to.

5) How did you come to develop Jack’s character, did you base him on anyone in particular and how has his character changed in the years that you have been writing his story?

When I started to try to write a series, I knew I would need a character who could stand out and make a name for himself. The idea of an imposter was actually my wife’s and I love the freedom it gives me to keep moving him into new settings and new campaigns. It is this ability to set each novel in a new setting and with a new cast of characters that really is at the heart of the Jack Lark series. Writing a series also gives me a great chance to develop Jack’s character. He starts out as a very naïve, and impressionable young man who is driven to better himself and to seize an opportunity for a life that he could not hope to achieve in any other way. The experiences he endures will change this ambition greatly. Through the novels we can see how Jack hardens and the doubts he has about himself slowly disappear as he understands who he is and what he has become. My editor, Frankie Edwards, helps me a great deal with this and she offers a very different perspective when it comes to developing Jack as a character. I think this is one of the best parts of writing a series and I hope that my readers will be able to see how, and more importantly why, Jack has changed into the man he is in each of the novels.

6) Discounting Jack himself, who is, or who are your favourite characters to write and why?

I have a huge amount of fun creating Jack’s supporting cast. Apart from one or two exceptions, each character will only feature in a single novel and, although this gives me a bit of a headache as I need to keep creating new characters, it gives me a great deal of freedom to bring in all sorts of different types of character without being forced to bring along a whole ton of back-story baggage. I am currently planning and writing book 7 and I am having a blast creating this book’s cast.

7) I understand that Jack is going to be joining the American civil war is his next adventure. The American Civil War has always been a fascination for me, though I don’t know that much about it. What made you decide to send him there and what’s been the most exciting aspect of the civil war that you have found in your studies?

I always knew I wanted Jack to go to America and I thought that, with five books done, it was time to reinvigorate the series and have him arrive in Boston just as the American Civil War begins. I am hoping that featuring the ACW will broaden the appeal of the series and I was very keen to avoid it getting “stuck” in the British Empire. I didn’t really know very much about the civil war apart from having watched a few war films at some point. The research has been fascinating, especially as I set the book at the very start. The book features the First Battle of Bull Run which really is a unique battle with neither side really knowing what they were about – making it the perfect place for an experienced soldier like Jack to play an important role.I have especially enjoyed reading the first hand accounts of the soldiers who fought at the start of the war. Their voices really do echo through the years and there has been quite a few occasions when all ideas of research are forgotten as I get swept away in one man’s account of his experience of that battle.

8) How many much more of Jack’s story will you be giving us, before you decide to retire him and will we be seeing any more of his old love Mary?

I have no plans for Jack to retire! The poor fellow has a lot more adventures left in him and I think it will be a long time until I put him to rest (in one way or another). I do have the idea that the very last Jack Lark novel will have a cover image that shows Jack facing the reader for the very first time!
Mary’s return is quite possible, although I think it might be more interesting to see her son Billy feature again at some point. I really enjoyed bringing Mary back into Jack’s life in The Last Legionnaire along with Major Ballard, “the devil” and his ne’er do well enforcer, Palmer. I am not sure I’ll try that trick again, at least not for a while.


9) Have you thought about anything else you’d like to write about that doesn’t include Mr Lark? If so what era or genre would it be?

Funny you should ask that! I have written the first novel in what could be new series. It is set in WW2 and features a new lead character. My agent has seen it and wants me to re-write it. So as soon as I get time I will get that done and who knows, perhaps I can have two series running at the same. It is still very much historical fiction but the character could not be more different. Let’s see where this one goes!

Well, many thanks to you, Paul, and good luck with your writing, and I look forward to reading Jack’s adventures in America, but first I might just have to go to book one and read about his story from the beginning.

You can read my review of The Last Legionnaire here

Learn more about Paul and his upcoming projects at his Website 

Purchase his books here

Watch this video of Paul

PAULA READS: THE LAST LEGIONNAIRE by PAUL FRASER COLLARD

Please note that the author has graciously agreed to a signed copy for one lucky winner.
All you have to do is leave a comment here on the blog or on our Facebook Page.
The draw will take place 1st of August

He was going back to what he had always been.

He had returned to the one place he had thought of as home in

an attempt to build a new life on the foundations of the past.

He had been wrong.

He was no longer a boy who had worked at his mother's 

beck and call. He was a soldier, a redcoat. He did not 

belong in a gin palace. He belonged on the battlefield,

where his talents had a rightful place.

He had tried to deny who he was.

He would not do so again.

This is the fifth book in the Jack Lark series, and I must confess to not having ever read any of the others before I accepted a review copy. I'm not well-read on the European wars of the mid 1800's, although I have some knowledge of the earlier wars of the 19thc covered in Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series. To be honest, it would not be fair to compare the two series, because, although there are some similarities, there are a lot of differences too. Collard's character, Lark, is a very different kettle of fish to Cornwell's Sharpe. Lark is as dark and as morose as a 'dark' character can be. He rarely laughs, or shares a joke, and he has extreme difficulty in containing his anger. He also keeps his cards close to his chest. He is the archetypal soldier suffering from combat stress, the horror of war is etched deeply into his psyche, and he struggles with his own sense of self. He doesn't seem to have quite worked out whether he is a good person or not.

Gin Palace in Shoreditch London

The tale of The Last Legionnaire begins in 1859 and Jack Lark returns home to his mother's gin palace after years of fighting in the Queen's army. He is a mysterious character, and as he tries to rebuild his life, he soon realises that people have changed whilst he's been away, and he no longer feels an affinity with the old place. In the meantime, we learn that Jack once had a girl, her name is Mary and she works in the gin palace alongside his mother. At first we think she might still hold a candle for him, and she probably does, she blows hot and cold, but it seems that Jack can't do anything right in Mary's eyes and it soon the heat is turned permanently to off.

It soon becomes apparent that God is laughing at all of Jack's plans for a new life and he realises that not everybody wants to go along with his ideas. When he tries to fight off the protection gang, who come demanding money from his poor old ma, it is evident his knight in shining armour act is not appreciated especially when it worsens the situation, rather than solves it. When Jack refuses to give in to the gang, a tragic event forces him to accept an offer from his old intelligence officer, Major John Ballard, known to Jack as 'The Devil'  who has a mission for him.

After the tragic event, Jack realises that he has no choice but to go on Ballard's mission, taking Mary and her son Billy with them, seeing as she has no where else to go. Ballard, seeing Mary's predicament, who that the girl and her boy go with them, she to cook and clean for them, and the boy to act as a lookout and general helping hand. Throughout the book, we see two sides to Ballard. With Mary, he is kind and a gentleman, with Jack, we sometimes get a glimmer of concern, and at others, it is quite clear, that Ballard views him as a mere pawn in his game. Ballard is a shadowy character and we only get to the bottom of his intentions at the end of the book. One thing for sure, is that he holds the key to Jack's future, and without him, Jack will never regain his identity.

Ballard's party includes another character, a man called Palmer who is also in the pay of Ballard. Palmer is an old war veteran, down to earth and not the sort that stands for any belligerence. He and Jack don't hit it off straightaway, but later, they are thrown together in circumstances that will leave them relying on each other for their lives. Palmer's character adds another dimension to the dynamics of Ballard's party and offers Jack a kind of ally of sorts.

Jack tries to make things better with Mary, he knows he has ruined her's and Billy's life and is desperate to try and do the right thing. He takes an interest in Billy, but Mary is not happy with the influence he has over her boy and rages against him. Poor Jack, this left me feeling sorry for the poor bloke every time he goes near her, and I was struggling to understand how he managed to keep his explosive temper at bay during her constant berating. I wanted to shout, "just give the poor bloke a chance, why don't you?" But, you have to have empathy for Mary, because she has lost everything, because of Jack. She had all that she needed working at the gin palace, but now, here she was, some where in France, on her way to Italy, forced to march alongside a great French army. Not the kind of life she'd had in mind.

The heart of Ballard's mission lies in a battle, the Battle of Solferino. This was the decisive engagement in the Second Italian War of Independence, a crucial step in the Italian Risorgimento. The nationalists struggle to unite Italy, divided amongst France, Austria, Spain and a variety of independent Italian states. The battle took place near the villages of Solferino and San Martino, Italy, south of Lake Garda between Milan and Verona. Until this book, I had no idea about this bloody, devastating battle which took place on the 23rd of June 1859 in the Italian summer heat.

The confrontation was between the Austrians, on one side, and the French and North West Italian Piedmontese forces, who opposed their advance. In the morning of 23 June, after the arrival of emperor Franz Joseph, the Austrian army changed direction to counterattack along the river Chiese. At the same time, Napoleon III ordered his troops to advance, causing the battle to occur in an unpredicted location. While the Piedmontese fought the Austrian right wing near San Martino, the French battled to the south of them near Solferino against the main Austrian corps.

It is into this chaos that Jack, Palmer and poor little Billy is thrust. Jack and Palmer are given their assignment and the guises of French Foreign Legion soldiers, in which lies their quarry. Their task is to find a nameless soldier with blonde hair, aged about 22 amongst thousands of men. It seems like an impossible task. This nameless soldier is the key to all their lives, and Palmer and Jack must succeed, or die. It is here that the talent for battle writing shines from the author's pen. As Jack and Palmer, and a variety of other characters fight their way through a blood-soaked field, laden with gore and dead humanity, we see what they see, feel what they feel, and hear what they hear. If you ever want to know what 19thc soldiers went through, read this book. Its all there.

As the story reaches its climax and its penultimate scenes, the reader is left wondering how things are going to turn out for Jack. The balance of everyone's lives and plans are left hanging in the air, but resolution comes in the end, and not the way everyone might have planned it, but the way is left for the next book. 

For me, this was a step outside my usual comfort zone and I enjoyed the trip immensely. I particularly enjoyed the first few chapters in Victorian London, and wading through the bloody battle grounds and having the French Foreign Legion involved was also an interesting dimension. Paul Collard is a fabulous writer and I wish him luck with the next in the series and highly recommend this book to those who enjoy this era and anyone who loves reading historical fiction.

About the Author

Paul's love of military history started at an early age. A childhood spent watching films like Waterloo and Zulu whilst reading Sharpe, Flashman and the occasional Commando comic, gave him a desire to know more of the men who fought in the great wars of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. 

At school, Paul was determined to become an officer in the British army and he succeeded in winning an Army Scholarship. However, Paul chose to give up his boyhood ambition and instead went into the finance industry. Paul stills works in the City, and lives with his wife and three children in Kent.

You can read more about Paul on his
Website
and
Amazon Author Page

Paula Lofting is the author of Sons of the Wolf  set in the 11thc. She is currently working on the soon to be published sequel, The Wolf Banner 
Sons of the Wolf can be purchased at this amazon link below
myBook.to/Sonslive