Essex Dogs: The epic Richard & Judy Summer Book Club Pick 2023 from a Sunday Times bestselling historian (Essex Dogs Series 1)

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I usually don't read historical fiction from this period - 1300's - I stick to the 1930's and 40's, mainly because my own father was in the thick of world events at the time.

I think if you want a realism check on medieval warfare then this is a good read; if you want some sympathetic human interest too then maybe not so good. EDIT: My initial review now complained about some unexpected revelations at the very end of the story which were left hanging. The point of view characters are not knights, but men whose trade is war because they’ve no other skills to sell. Their bravado and resilience was to be commended, more than prepared to give their lives for King and country.

In amongst this are the Essex Dogs and though they fight on the English their first allegiance is to each other. I found the story dragged for quite awhile before plot elements were developed sufficiently enough to initiate some drama. Though he isn't present in every scene, he conveys each piece of the story leading up to the murder as if he were an omniscient narrator, capable of accessing every character's interior perspective.

If an author is going to start a historical fiction series I could think of no better era for such an endeavor than the Hundred Years War between England and France and that is what is delivered in this Essex Dogs series. It follows the English army as it burns, storms and sieges it's way through France until it finds itself opposing a huge French force at the site of Crécy. Best known for swashbuckling narrative history like Crusaders and Powers and Thrones, Jones delivers his debut historical novel with this page-turning account of a band of hardened British soldiers deep in enemy territory during the Hundred Years War. I would love to give you some examples of his imaginative cursing but most of them – actually all of them – are far too rude to repeat.He also brings us wonderful characters with his ‘dogs’ – a tight-knit group of men who know how to fight but want to get home again in one piece.