I loved Loveday, a man whose internal emotions war with his external actions, and seeing this juxtaposition is very interesting to witness. However, for the majority of this novel, we are firmly rooted in the head of the leader of the Essex Dogs, Loveday FitzTalbot, a man haunted by his past and wishes nothing more than to see his men through the war and safely back home with pay in pocket. We embark on this bloody & brutal campaign, meeting a number of larger than life characters, all of who carry out dastardly and terrible deeds in the name of war and of the King. Dan Jones takes you to the year of Our Lord 1346’ Tibor Fischerĭo you ever pick up a book and within just a few pages, you really feel like you’re there? Where you have visions of the story that’s unfolding in front of you that are so vivid that you can practically see, hear and smell everything? Where you forget you’re reading a story and just get lost in the experience? These are my favourite types of stories, and it is exactly what happened to me whilst I read Essex Dogs.Įssex Dogs, set in the early years of the Hundred Years war (more specifically in the summer of 1346, which culminated in the Battle of Crecy, one of the bloodiest of the war), follows a company of soldiers in King Edward III army, the titular Essex Dogs. ‘The battles that shaped Europe from the point of view of the soldiers… Searing’ Kate Williams ‘With a cast of unforgettable characters, written with irrepressible verve and historical accuracy, Dan Jones delivers a compelling novel that thrums with swordswinging energy’ Simon Sebag Montefiore ‘Horribly compelling… Only Dan Jones can carry you through blood, piss and vomit and leave you wanting more’ Daisy Dunn ‘Few books manage to be as compelling on every level as Essex Dogs: it’s adventure, history, and heart’ Dana Schwartz ‘Vital, earthy, and heart-stopping… So deft and funny that you’d never guess this is Dan Jones’ debut work of fiction’ Suzannah Lipscomb ‘A new champion has entered the front line of historical fiction to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bernard Cornwell’ Jane Johnson The Essex Dogs? They fight for each other. And Loveday FitzTalbot, their battle-scarred captain, who just wants to get his boys home safe. Romford, a talented young archer on the run from his past. Father, a priest turned devilish by the horrors of war. Millstone, a stonemason who’ll do anything to protect his men. Scotsman, strong enough to tear down a wall.
There’s Pismire, small enough to infiltrate enemy camps. With sword, axe and longbow, the Essex Dogs will fight, from the landing beaches of Normandy to the bloodsoaked field of Crécy. Swept up in the bloody chaos, a tight-knit company from Essex must stay alive long enough to see their home again.
But this war belongs to the men on the ground. July 1346. The Hundred Years’ War has begun, and King Edward and his lords are on the march through France.
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