Sworn Secret (Royalist series Book 1)
The Ducelle sisters part ways for their separate journeys, Raphaela to the desert and Benedicta to the shores of Heppestoni. Abroad, each young woman discovers something more But can the mystical new worlds that enchant them merge with their lives back home? Will either sister attain what her heart is truly after? Explore a romantic and lighthearted journey through fantasy lands in the final volume of C. Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review.
Showing of 2 reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. The "Jordinia" series, from start to finish, features C. Brook's engaging story-telling with characters that capture the heart and twists and turns that kept me turning pages. The stories begin with the discovery of a duchess whose destiny restores an empire and end with tales of her royal descendants who each set their own course for life and love. You know a tale is a good one when the characters stay with you long after, and there are more than a few characters in these books I won't soon forget.
One person found this helpful. If you like adventure, powerful description, and enjoy immersive reading, read. CK Brooke is one of my favorites writers because of the true escape with charming romance, multi-dimensional characters, and a ton of fun imagination in a world you can feel and see. Trust me, she'll grab you from book 1. Her books have humor and heart with easy to follow pacing and detail.
I'll definitely revisit this series! Brooke is an award-winning author of over a dozen romance and fantasy novels. Medallion Award in She lives in Michigan with her family. Visit her at CKBrooke. The sticker on the front of the book proclam that he is the Sharpe of the Civil War and he certainly has all the ingredients to make that happen,but i will wait till we have more outings before i agree with that statement.
Stryker is a veteran of the wars in the low Countries and with his small band of trusted men,i A first outing from Michael Arnold and his battle scared Roylist hero Captain Stryker, that soon had me page turning as the pace hots up in this adventure set in the English Civil War. Stryker is a veteran of the wars in the low Countries and with his small band of trusted men,including sometime actor Lancelot Forrester and Sargeant Skellen they set out to captured a dangerous spy in the heart of the Roylist establishment,Stryker must journey across a country riven by bitterness and beset by marauding bands of soldiers in a race against time.
Detail research and a passion for the subject puts you in the thick of the action and has you slasing and hacking at the barricade. So to sum up ,i do not think it will be long before we can righty say Stryker the Sharpe of the Civil War. May 21, Carole-Ann rated it liked it Shelves: For a first novel that threatens at least 9 more in the series! Captain Stryker, a veteran soldier, is brought over from the Low Countries to fight on the Royalist's side in the English Civil War; and this is his first adventure. Information is dribbled nicely into the For a first novel that threatens at least 9 more in the series!
Information is dribbled nicely into the storyline, so basically, we know enough to be going on with. The fighting and battle scenes are fairly well done; military tactics and bloodshed integrated smoothly although some descriptions of faces being blown away can be quite gruesome. A quote on the front cover says this is "The Sharpe of the Civil Wars"; but having read all of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books, I think Stryker has a long way to go to get the better of Richard Sharpe!
However, it is more than likely that I will continue to read this series. Dec 21, Paul Collard rated it it was amazing. It is a brave publisher who slaps the "the Sharpe of the Civil War' sticker on the front of a new author's first novel. Yet, here, at least, the claim is valid. For me, there is nothing better than a lead character who does not care one jot for authority, fights like a man possessed and yet still cares deeply for the men under his command.
The battles and skirmishes come thick an It is a brave publisher who slaps the "the Sharpe of the Civil War' sticker on the front of a new author's first novel. The battles and skirmishes come thick and fast and Mike writes with genuine authority as he takes the reader through the bloodshed and the gore.
There can be no doubt about the historical authenticity of the writing and the battles are vividly described without detracting from the pace of the story. I have already added the second novel in the series to my 'to be read' pile and I sincerely hope that I will be able to read more of Stryker's exploits for years to come. Billed as 'The Sharpe of the Civil War' ever notice how these types of novels always use that character as their benchmark?
This is told from the POV of a soldier in the doomed Royalist army: Enjoyable enough, and gets off to a strong start, but is just not as polished as one of Cornwells books. Still, an impressive effort for a debut novel, and I may pick up more of the sequels May 05, Elizabeth rated it liked it. I decided to try this when I met the author while he was working at his other career.
Lots of historical detail especially about armour and how battles are fought, plus all the gory descriptions of what weapons do to the human body. On top of this there are masses of characters, and explanations of the context of the English Civil War. So not an easy read, but I will feel better educated in all sorts of ways when I have finished it.
Not sure I will read the next one in the series, as it is a bit I decided to try this when I met the author while he was working at his other career. Not sure I will read the next one in the series, as it is a bit of a 'masculine' book for my taste. Quite Sharpe I enjoyed this. The comparisons to Sharpe are plentiful and Stryker is described in almost every review as "the Sharpe of the Civil War". Which, let's face it, he is. A rough around the edges soldier, with a small but loyal team around him and a past in which he saved someone way above his station.
It basically is Sharpe. But with only one eye. Which is not a bad thing. The Sharpe comparison, that is. The one eye thing sucks - he could never enjoy a 3D movie. Although I suppose that d Quite Sharpe I enjoyed this. Although I suppose that didn't come up much Nov 15, Roger Neilson rated it liked it. A fun read, not very demanding. Th author has done a lot of background research and the battle stuff is well done, and gory.
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However its all a bit James Bond meets Sharpe with lots of 'derring do' thrown in and the usual charmed life of the hero. A shame in some ways as Stryker could be a much more rounded person if he was left in the actual history and possibly had soem sense of what was going on around him. Jul 25, Paul Servini rated it really liked it. I decided to go for this book, the firest in a whole series on the British civil war because I know very little about this period.
This was first and foremost an interesting story which I enjoyed reading but which also gives a lot of background information about the war and life during this time. An engaging plot, a hero that you want to learn more about, interesting historical detail. I'll be reading the others in this series. Nov 17, John rated it it was ok Shelves: This is a good "ripping yarn" introduction to the English Civil War, but the plot is a little too pat.
In the first place, 17th-century muskets are depicted as unfailingly accurate, which stretches credibility quite a bit. Second, there is a romantic angle that seems out of place in such a soldier's tale. The plot was engaging but I always kept asking myself if this is the way things really were. English civil war entertainment A favorite of mine is historical fiction. This weaves great story line with historical figures as the author brands each to life. You will root for the ruthless Stroker, and laugh at Eli. This will make a great action period movie. The detail on life in the era, use of weapons and difficulties of daily life are brought home.
Aug 11, Nancy rated it it was ok Shelves: Intriguing concept marred by spotty research. The author obviously did his homework in regard to weaponry and battles I think I could manage to fire a musket after reading this , but skimped on social aspects. He mangled all the titles and his dialogue would switch abruptly from an attempt at 17th century conversation to exchanges all too modern. The plot was a stock one.
Jun 22, Neil rated it liked it. An okay story but not that gripping. If I hadn't been interested in the historical period I don't think I would have enjoyed it that much. Still it was good enough for me to buy the second title in the series. Jul 26, Ollie rated it really liked it. Thoroughly loved this book, a fantastic story told in a relatively untouched setting in the fictional world. Captivating characters with never a dull moment. A genuine page turner, one of those wonderful books that you have to read 'just one more page'.
Wass looking for strong historical fiction and was recommended this. Nothing wrong with it but the writing falls short of iggulsdon, Clancy and Cornwall. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Michael lives in Hampshire with his wife and children. His childhood holidays were spent visiting castles and battlefields, but his fascination with the civil wars was piqued partly by the fact that his hometown and region of Hampshire are steeped in Civil War history.
Other books in the series. Civil War Chronicles 9 books. Books by Michael Arnold. Trivia About Traitor's Blood No trivia or quizzes yet. Quotes from Traitor's Blood. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. With this in mind I approached this book with not a little trepidation. The story is set in and covers the build up to the first major battle of the war, Edgehill. We follow the fortunes of three siblings of the Rivers Family, Mun the eldest brother whose loyalty to his family and the cause of his king is unshakeable. Tom, a man driven by revenge who forsakes the protection of his family to stand alongside Parliament and finally Bess, their sister, who must watch the war rip her family apart while at the same time worrying about the future of her unborn baby.
As war creeps ever closer the Rivers men ride off to war, leaving the women to protect Shear House, little realizing that the women would have to fight just as hard as the men. He weaves the different strands of the Rivers story together and while in a book about war it would be very easy to concentrate on the men, he has created two great women characters in Lady Rivers and Bess. A great supporting cast gives the story its depth, with Prince Rupert and his devil dog a brilliant double act.
The battle scenes are suitable gory with plenty of blood and flying limbs and split open heads which is a bit of a Giles trademark. There are not many better writers of the joy and despair of battle and also he is brilliant at bringing the noise and sounds of battle alive. The setting this time is England - a country on the brink of disaster. But can blood ties ever truly be severed? Which allegiance will prove the strongest?
From the very first page, I was immersed not only in , but in the drama of the Rivers family. Though the novel is lush with factual descriptions and period detail, Kristian manages to distribute it in such a way that the characters and their situations are always the main focus. Readers are introduced to a range of weaponry, clothing and customs without any slowing of the action or resemblances to matter-of-fact, non-fiction history books.
Each sight and sound comes alive. Each grips you and pulls you into the action. At times, it's hard to remember that you are not on a horse yourself, riding swiftly into battle.
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There are moments of elation, and moments of despair. Kristian not only captures these moments well, but releases them to the readers, who cannot help but share in the excitements and disappointments the characters are feeling. As a writer, I also love to look beyond the storyline and discover the author's style. I noticed whilst reading The Bleeding Land that Kristian uses a number of techniques to pack a solid punch at pivotal plot points - for one, a lot of alliteration.
He also alters the rhythm and length of sentences depending on what's happening, using shorter, punchier sentences after a few longer ones when the action is heightened, or when a character is affected in some profound way. Which can be quite effective. Crows, rooks and ravens often appear as ominous foreshadowing devices, and a few other allusions to the Raven trilogy might just be spotted by those who look closely enough Giles Kristian plunges readers back to a time in our nation's history that is largely neglected in the world of historical fiction.
Bring on book two! For a girl with a viking heart I had to be brave and open minded when I decided to follow my favourite author into a period of history I have no clues about. At first I did feel uncomfortable as I adjusted my mind to the turmoil bubbling up in London with all the mention of papists and apprentices and riots flying around. However it is here that the beauty and strength of his writing really comes through.
For this is not a story about Kings, princes, and soldiers but of the turmoil of one family For a girl with a viking heart I had to be brave and open minded when I decided to follow my favourite author into a period of history I have no clues about. For this is not a story about Kings, princes, and soldiers but of the turmoil of one family.
Of the bonds of blood, the loyalty of family, the unity of a family and the unfortunate divide between brothers. It is a story we can all relate to without having to know anything about where the story is set. I also was impressed by how much of a character and symbol the brother's individual mounts became, like animal-twins, used artisticly to display and match the mood and atmosphere throughout the story.
I also loved the descriptions Giles used whenever there was a host of craws and rooks in the scenery. He uses them cleverly and differently each time to make each one uniquely powerful. Yet I noticed some nordic elements albeit behind the scenes so to speak in that each brother in their battles and wars discovers their own unique companions of war, sword-brothers, who prove as loyal as any band of viking warriors do to their chosen Jarl.
In the form of the many mercenaries who join for gold not glory and make a strong and intimidating presence throughout the plot whether in person or in conversations.
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As Giles himself points out in the afterword of the book he can name very few good fictional accounts of this period despite the vast number of authoratitive non-fiction and he couldn't understand why not until he himself started writing The Bleeding Land. Yet, as every good writer knows, if you get the majority of facts right, with a little artistic license, ultimately you should produce a good story at the least.
And I can say that the human epic of family and loyalty set in this war torn environment is successfuly pulled off. If a viking-wanna-be like me can like it, I see no reason why others shouldn't. May 26, Marko rated it liked it. Giles Kristian's The Bleeding Land delves into an interesting period in history: The novel explores the effects of the war on a family of landed gentry: Two sons are separated by a tragedy and find themselves on the opposing sides of the war.
Overall, I was not entirely captivated by the Giles Kristian's The Bleeding Land delves into an interesting period in history: Overall, I was not entirely captivated by the novel, although the latter half did show promise of the series developing into a decent adventure story.
The writing is good and the ruthless descriptions of deaths give it a modern air. I'll probably check out the sequel some day, but it is not on the top of my "to read" list. May 09, LIZA fan rated it it was amazing.
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I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program: Thanks so much to Giles Kristian for the signed copy!!! What a wonderful book!
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I was thoroughly hooked. The book tells the tragic story of the English Civil War--Parliament vs. The Royalists, and a family that is caught in the midst of the war. Edmund and his father, Frances, fight for King Charles. Edmond's brother Tom fights for parliament. Tom was angry at his father for not helping his future father-in-law, who was executed because he I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program: Tom was angry at his father for not helping his future father-in-law, who was executed because he was accused of being Catholic.
This story was somewhat tragic--A family torn to pieces by war. The book is an exciting read, historically correct, and well written. I read most of it in one sitting. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy, Brothers Fury. Jun 02, Elizabeth White rated it it was amazing. I did not expect to like this book that I won as a giveaway.
It looked too long to sustain my interest. From the reviews I thought the violence would turn me off. And although I like historical novels, most of my reading currently consists of cozy mysteries. But I immediately recognized the outstanding writing skills of the author. And by the end, Mun, Tom, Bess and all the others, had come alive for me. Without the violence the book would not have been an honest portrayal of war and how it affe I did not expect to like this book that I won as a giveaway.
Without the violence the book would not have been an honest portrayal of war and how it affects so many people. It did drag in a few places and I was not totally satisfied with the ending but I understand why it ended in the way it did.
I saw this as a novel of thirds: The second third was more than a little predictable and the final third was well-written and enjoyable to read. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the next in the series I have never been a fan of Cromwell or his followers. I think of it as a black smudge in English history. This book just had me in it's grip from the first page. Why did my family want food while I had such a book to read? A bit slow for me in places, but it can't be a hundred miles an hour all the time.
The priest killing had me wondering if we really did things like that to each other, but we certainly did. I can't wait for the next instalment!! Jul 03, A. Lyndon rated it it was amazing. Powerful story of divided family during the English Civil War. You can smell the blood and the gun powder. The prologue sets the scene of where the story is going with the 2 brothers on opposite sides of the battle field at Edgehill.
So the feeling of impending doom is there from the outset. Great descriptions of the battles. Also a convincing recreation of the real life Siege of Lathom House, with the house becoming the fictitious Rivers' family home. I had a bit of a problem with the extra 4 da Powerful story of divided family during the English Civil War. I had a bit of a problem with the extra 4 days inserted just before Edgehill, but that's because I know all the historical details. And I was slightly unhappy about the apparent death of 2 important not to have a spoiler characters at Edgehill without the reader seeing them die, or their bodies being found.
Is the author leaving room for a resurrection of either or both? But I couldn't wait to read book 2 and Giles, when for pity's sake is book 3 of the trilogy coming out? Enough with the Vikings! The brothers Mun and Tom are strong, well drawn characters. And decent "airtime" for the female characters too. This is a compelling story, thrilling and captivating, and taking place amid the 17th Century frenzy of blood-letting and tumultuous chaos that was the unthinkable; the English Civil War. However, I think it is actually a love story. A story about love of family and love of country.
And how they came to be incompatible. How love can become so strong - maybe too strong - and turned to hatred for those you know you should love, but seem not to understand your love. Then how the conflict it unleashes This is a compelling story, thrilling and captivating, and taking place amid the 17th Century frenzy of blood-letting and tumultuous chaos that was the unthinkable; the English Civil War. Then how the conflict it unleashes, in the country and within the family, despite everyone's best intentions turns that love on its head until it leads to hate.
Weighty themes maybe, but by homing in on one family, the Rivers, and thus mirroring the conflict in the country at large, Giles Kristian weaves a thoroughly satisfying and exciting tale. One that will surely shock and delight in equal measures. But only 'shock' if you read this with your 21st Century moral glasses on. This is how life was back then. We can't be shocked over something people in the 17th Century thought was just how life - and death - was.
Certainly, if it was a film, there are passages where you'd look away, but then, someone was actually employed, for goodness-sake, to hang, draw and quarter people. To rip open their chest and remove their heart check Wikipedia. We can't judge the 17th Century by our 21st Century standards they at least had the good grace to kill each other face to face, not while sat in a control room two continents away. So don't go getting all squeamish and pretend to be shocked.
Go get your 'history' from Barbara Cartland and Mills and Boon instead, if that's the case. This how it was, no way around it. This is almost touchably real. There are some graphically harsh passages, yes 'barsk' as we say here where I live in Denmark. Possibly also in Norway where Giles is partly from , but this is a vigorous book, about an apocalyptic period for society, for Church, for the State and most of all, for ordinary people and their families.
And one with themes that I feel still resonate today. Each side is of course certain they are right, the other is wrong sound familiar? And then it spirals out of control. Giles gives us an excellent insight into how ordinary people were turned into combatants, and got swept away by currents beyond their experience.
How they saw the situation at close quarters and merely tried to stay alive. I particularly enjoyed the way he shows how differing viewpoints could spring from the same well of passion and how King-supporting brother could be set against a brother forced away by hate to the Parliamentarian side. How love can turn to passionate, heart-breaking hatred. Then how the period's deep-seated fears of hidden religious agendas, agent provocateurs, witchcraft and devil-worship, burst through and fear and retribution was given full reign. In a land where a suitable punishment for having the wrong religious beliefs, was to be hung drawn and quartered; anything went.
Yeah, obviously I haven't a full understanding of how life really was back then. But 'The Bleeding Land' - from what I remember of my studies of this period in English History at school - is surely how life really was we studied this period through analysing period documents. The period before the Civil War, the Interregnum, then the 'climb-down' as we called it, and the re-instatement of the changed monarchy to England. It's a hard-edged book about a hard time. Death easier than life, it seems. Or the abyss - depending on your point of view at the time. A period - as Giles himself notes - people have heard of, but few know much about.
Let's face it, even for people of my generation, most when hearing 'Cavalier' will think of a car. And this is just the mouth-watering start of the Rivers family story. There is surely much more excitement to come. I found the 'Afterward' a thought-provoking read. Where, if it isn't white, it must be black. If you aren't with us, you must be against us. As opposed to, as I see it, the much more sensible, cross-party, coalition system of consensus I now enjoy living here in Europe, here in Denmark. It took a bit of getting used to, I can tell you, when I heard that the Government would invite the Opposition to come in and discuss policy the Government was responsible for.