Friday 25 September 2015

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: Master of Shadows - Neil Oliver

Release Date: 10/09/15
Publisher:  Orion

SYNOPSIS:

In fifteenth-century Constantinople, Prince Constantine saves the life of a broken-hearted girl. But the price of his valour is high.

John Grant is a young man on the edge of the world. His unique abilities carry him from his home in Scotland to the heart of the Byzantine Empire in search of a girl and the chance to fulfil a death-bed promise.

Lena has remained hidden from the men who have been searching for her for many years. When she's hunted down, at last she knows what she must do.

With an army amassing beyond the city's ancient walls, the fates of these three will intertwine. As the Siege of Constantinople reaches its climax, each must make a choice between head and heart, duty and destiny.


REVIEW:

Whilst I know of Neil as an historian I wasn’t sure if he would be able to make the journey from Factual writer to Historical Fiction author and whilst I did hope for the best, I was a little worried that the book would become bogged down with too much factual information rather than presenting something that I could sit down to enjoy.

What occurs within is a story that is well written and after having the scene set with a bit of background, the author jumps straight into the timeline bringing it to life with a cracking lead character that you feel that you can not only relate to but would want to spend time around. This for me is the key to any book and when you also throw in a solid storyline, good prose as well as dialogue, all round, I was a very happy reader. Will definitely read future HF by him.

No comments: