Book reviews

My book reviews are listed here with the most recent at the top. You can search for a specific title or author by uisng 'Find on this page' in your browser, or you can scroll down and see if anything takes your fancy. I read and review whatever interests me. Most (but not all) of the reviews here will be historical fiction or non-fiction history books.

There is a list of books and authors I especially like elsewhere.

If you have any comments on my reviews in general or on a particular book, please contact me and tell me. I like to hear from you.

• Cochrane: Britannia's Sea Wolf, by Donald Thomas.
  Historical biography of Thomas Cochrane, whose daring naval exploits during and after the Napoleonic Wars far outshine his fictional counterparts.
• Lord of Silver, by Alan Fisk.
  Detailed fictional survey of Late Roman Britain and its neighbouring trbal kingdoms, set againt the background of the Barbarian Conspiracy of 367 AD.
• The Secret Middle Ages, by Malcolm Jones.
  Entertaining, erudite and eclectic survey of the everyday arts and crafts of the Middle Ages.
• Gladiatrix, by Russell Whitfield.
  Action-packed adventure set against the dramatic and brutal backdrop of the Roman gladiatorial arena.
• The Beckoning Silence.
  TV/DVD review. Gripping documentary telling the story of the attempt to climb the North Face of the Eiger in 1936.
• The Eagle in the Sand, by Simon Scarrow.
  Seventh in this Roman military adventure series, this instalment takes hard-bitten veteran centurion Macro and his younger colleague Cato to the deserts of the Middle East. Political intrigue, corrupt officials on the make and a mysterious religious sect, with lots of battlefield action.
• The Wicked Day, by Mary Stewart.
  An intriguing and attractive retelling of the latter part of Arthur's legend from the point of view of Mordred, who is much more interesting than the black villain of tradition.
• Innocent Traitor, by Alison Weir.
  Mildly dramatised fictional biography of the tragic life of Lady Jane Grey, the 'Nine Day Queen' in Tudor England.
• The Greatest Knight, by Elizabeth Chadwick.
  The story of William Marshal, a landless younger son whose prowess on the jousting field and courage in protecting Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine earn him a place as tutor to the sons of Henry II. Royal favour brings William fame and fortune beyond his dreams, but the court is fickle and one false step could cost him everything.
• Kingdom of the Ark, by Lorraine Evans.
  Narrative non-fiction, arguing that refugees from Ancient Egypt settled in Britain and/or Ireland in the middle Bronze Age under the leadership of Meritaten, eldest daughter of the 'Heretic Pharaoh' Akhenaten. Intriguing idea and some fascinating snippets of history, even if one is not convinced by the theory.
• The Traitor's Wife, by Susan Higginbotham.
  Eleanor de Clare is the beloved niece of King Edward II and happily married to Hugh le Despenser, until the untimely death of her brother at the Battle of Bannockburn makes Eleanor a great heiress. Hugh becomes greedy for ever more land, and his scandalous relationship with the king makes him the most hated man in England. When Queen Isabella, her lover and most of the aristocracy join forces to get rid of Hugh, will Eleanor survive his downfall?
• The Conscience of the King: Henry Gresham and the Shakespeare Conspiracy, by Martin Stephen.
  Action-packed spy thriller set at the court of King James I/VI in 17th-century England, offering a plethora of historical conspiracy theories and a James Bond-style hero to solve them
• Nefertiti, by Michelle Moran.
  Mutnodjmet, the sensible, loving and overlooked younger sister, tells the story of Nefertiti, the ambitious, selfish, glittering queen of Egypt as the Eighteenth Dynasty totters towards its end (1351-1335 BC). If you enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, you will love this.
• The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment (Merlin trilogy), by Mary Stewart
• Rad Decision, by James Aach
• Land of Angels, by Fay Sampson
• The Bull from the Sea, by Mary Renault
• Pendragon, by Stephen Lawhead
• The Samplist, by Francis Ellen
• Emperor series, by Conn Iggulden
• The Dawn Stag, by Jules Watson
• The Reign of Arthur: From History to Legend, by Christopher Gidlow
• The White Mare, by Jules Watson
• Flight of the Sparrow, by Fay Sampson
• Temeraire (US title: His Majesty's Dragon), by Naomi Novik
• The English Resistance: The Underground War Against the Normans, by Peter Rex
• Wolf Girl, by Theresa Tomlinson
• Warriors of the Dragon Gold, by Ray Bryant
• Viking: Odinn's Child, by Tim Severin
• Sea Witch, by Helen Hollick
• Tamburlaine Must Die, by Louise Welsh
• The Green Branch, by Edith Pargeter (Sequel to The Heaven Tree)
• Julia, by William Napier
• The Lions of Al-Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay
• The Lady Soldier, by Jennifer Lindsay
• The Winter Mantle, by Elizabeth Chadwick
• Pompeii, by Robert Harris
• Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, by Joseph E Roesch
• The Little Emperors, by Alfred Duggan
• The Heaven Tree, by Edith Pargeter (first in a trilogy; it's sequel is The Green Branch)

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Copyright © 2006 Carla Nayland.