Tuesday 29 May 2012

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: Into the Valley of Death - A L Berridge

Release Date: 10/05/12

SYNOPSIS:

It's 1854 - The Allied armies prepare to besiege the Russian stronghold in the Crimea. Harry Ryder is a maverick hero. Resentful of the army that destroyed his father and his own career, he has no time for incompetent commanders. He clashes with his superiors as fiercely as he fights the Russians. Four men, one woman and a game of cards will change everything and alter the course of a war. Something evil has crept into the ranks of the British Army's own officers, an unknown enemy who plans lure men to ruin on the battlefields. The only path to victory lies in uncovering the truth, but to find it and confront his own destiny Ryder must charge with the Light Brigade into the Valley of Death itself...


REVIEW:

Alison has been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine since I embarked on her adventures with Chevalier de Roland and whilst I know that many writers in a genre love to jump around in time, I’m always left wondering if they’ve bitten off a bit more than they can chew when any new work is going to be instantly compared to what has gone before with differing results.

What this title does is follow a new hero (Harry Ryder) into the fray and infamous Charge of the Light Brigade which had it succeeded would have been one of the greatest manoeuvres of all time. The prose is sharp with a galloping pace and when added to Alison’s unique writing style and voice alongside wonderfully detailed research, give the reader a story that will stay with them for quite some time. All in this was a marvellous read all round and one that for me demonstrates that she is here to stay.



1 comment:

ediFanoB said...

Since I discovered A L Berridge on your blog I'm a fan of her writing. I read and reviewed all three books published so far.