Sunday 23 December 2012

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: Sword and Scimitar - Simon Scarrow

Release Date: 01/11/12

SYNOPSIS:

Bestselling author Simon Scarrow brings the Great Siege of Malta to vivid and unforgettable life in this gripping standalone novel. 1565, Malta: a vital outpost between the divided nations of Europe and the relentlessly expanding Ottoman Empire. Faced with ferocious attack by a vast Turkish fleet, the knights of the Order of St John fear annihilation. Amongst those called to assist is disgraced veteran Sir Thomas Barrett. Loyalty and instinct compel him to put the Order above all other concerns, yet his allegiance is divided. At Queen Elizabeth's command, he must search for a hidden scroll, guarded by the knights, that threatens her reign. As Sir Thomas confronts the past that cost him his honour and a secret that has long lain buried, a vast enemy army arrives to lay siege to the island...


REVIEW:

I love a great historical fiction book and Simon Scarrow is one of those authors I reach for when I want to spend time traveling in the old world as I love his Macro and Cato Roman series, yet when he moved on to tackle the Wellington/Napoleon wars he brought both characters through with dignity taking neither one side or the other allowing the reader to take a journey that would lead to an epic confrontation that would change the face of the world.

That style is exactly what he brings to fore in this confrontation set during the war for Malta between Christendom and the Muslims, its definitely a book that brings everything to the fore allowing the reader to see both sides and how each were manipulated by others for a war not of the warriors making. Its cleverly woven, wonderfully descriptive and yet when you add a cracking lead character alongside some top notch combat this book really does deliver.



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