The Bleeding Land

Bleeding Land Trilogy #1

by Giles Kristian

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF LANCELOT

England 1642: a nation divided.
England is at war with itself. King Charles and Parliament each gather soldiers to their banners. Across the land men prepare to fight for their religious and political ideals. Civil war has begun.

A family ripped asunder.
The Rivers are landed gentry, and tradition dictates that their allegiance is to the King. Sir Francis' loyalty to the crown and his desire to protect his family will test them all. As the men march to war, so the women are left to defend their home against a ruthless enemy. Just as Edmund, the eldest of Sir Francis' sons, will do his duty, so his brother Tom will turn his back on all he once believed in...

A war that will change everything.
From the raising of the King's Standard at Nottingham to the butchery and blood of Edgehill, Edmund and Tom Rivers will each learn of honour, sacrifice, hatred and betrayal as they follow their chosen paths through this most savage of wars.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, English Civil War, War, 17th Century, British Literature

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2012

About the author

Giles Kristian's first historical novels were the acclaimed and bestselling RAVEN Viking trilogy – Blood Eye, Sons of Thunder and Odin’s Wolves. For his next series, he drew on a long-held fascination with the English Civil War to chart the fortunes of a family divided by this brutal conflict in The Bleeding Land and Brothers’ Fury. Giles also co-wrote Wilbur Smith’s No.1 bestseller, Golden Lion. In God of Vengeance (a TIMES Book of the Year), Winter’s Fire, and the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown shortlisted Wings of the Storm, he returned to the world of the Vikings to tell the story of Sigurd and his celebrated fictional fellowship. Lancelot was published to great acclaim and hit The Times bestseller charts at No. 3. It was also a Sunday Times bestseller. He followed Lancelot with Camelot, and his next novel, a thriller called Where Blood Runs Cold, was the Times' Thriller of the Month, and won the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2022. His next novel, Arthur, will be the final book in his Arthurian Tales. It will be published June 6th. Pre-order links here: https://linktr.ee/arthur_by_giles_kri...
To find out more about Giles: www.gileskristian.com
Follow Giles on Facebook and Twitter: @GilesKristian

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I confess, I prefer to read historical fiction set in what I call 'pre gun'. I am a swords, daggers and spears kind of person (there may be something Freudian in that) and historical fiction set after the advent of guns feels modern history to me. The guns taint my attempts to escape into history and so I stay away. Escapism through books is important to my daily grind.

In saying that I have been dabbling in the waters of some post gun historical settings lately. And when I say dabbling, I mean only dabbling. I am not reading reams of gun strewn historical settings, only a select few which are set during the English Civil War. Those books were Andrew Swanston's The King's Spy, Michael Arnold's Traitor's Blood and now, Giles Kristian's The Bleeding Land.

All three books are so different to each other and share only two similarities. All three are set to the backdrop of the English Civil War and all three are the first in a series. There the similarities stop. They have nothing in common as regards story, plot and characters.

I won't go on about my ratings or feelings towards the former of those two authors as this review is supposed to be about Giles Kristian's book, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by all three author's offerings. They taught me that even though my interests in history lay elsewhere, I should be getting out of my comfort zone more often. Because there are some gems out there that I have been missing out on.

So, while I will not exactly be ferreting through library shelves for more and more 'gunpowder' historical fiction, I will be sticking with the three series' I mention here, and will select others from time to time from other settings.. ie Crimean War. I will no longer stay within my pre gun comfort zone.

The Bleeding Land is a family saga through and through and reminded me a lot of the 'other Civil War'. The Civil War that took place on an entirely different continent. Change a few things in the book, such as place names, and The Bleeding Land story could have easily been set in the deep south of America. In fact, my mind kept blending scenery on me. It was involuntary, but I sometimes caught myself visualising an American plantation house and not an English manor house.
But then they are both brutal Civil Wars aren't they? Not so hard to have them blend in the mind.

Fought within the bosom of community, in cattle paddocks and in towns and villages, across the country. In such homeland style warfare you do have the common thread of brothers fighting shoulder to shoulder, or family fighting against family as beliefs and loyalties are stretched. And you have the women, the young and elderly left behind to protect farms and homes, falling victim to not only the enemy, but also from men fighting for your own side.

Civil War truly is a mess, no matter the country, and Giles Kristian has captured that well here in the first book in his Rivers' Family series, The Bleeding Land.

It promises to be an epic series or trilogy (not entirely sure which it is going to be) and I believe readers with an interest in the English Civil War will love it. I have not read the next in the series (although I do own it and I will read it this year), but in regards to this first book, I would say ignore the cover. It is not one of those battle and gore-centric kinds of books. It is a book for women as much as men and involves nearly as many female characters as male characters.

Hard to say though, who will love or dislike this book as my impressions are marred a little by my lack of interest in the English Civil War. What affects my feelings will not affect others. All I can say is that you will have to read it and see for yourself. If you are 'pre gun' like me then step out of your comfort zone and see what you think.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2014, and its the 1st volume of the "Bleeding Land" series, from the author, Giles Kristian.

The year is AD 1641, and England is at war with itself, with King Charles I and Parliament each gathering their forces, the one to remain in and the other to gain control of the land.

The English Civil War has begun, and loyalties will be tested right from the start between families, friends and other dear ones.

So it is with the Rivers family, with father Sir Francis loyal to King and the Crown, and in this Civil War he's supported by his eldest son, Edmund, but his other son and brother, Tom, has other ideas and will turn to parliament, and so begins a ruinous and torn family's journey in this Civil War.

This War will see the raising of the King's Standard at Nottingham, and it will take you along to the butchery and blood of the Battle of Edgehill, and in this chaotic world of slaughter and death which is called the English Civil War, Edmund and Tom's loyalties and hatred will be tested to the limit on their chosen paths of honour and sacrifice.

Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful first episode of this great series, and that's why I like to call this book: "A Brilliant Bleeding Land Begin"!

[S.J.A. Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some time ago, I launched into Giles Kristian’s Raven Saga. You may have seen my reviews knocking around, as they were so good I ran from one to the next seamlessly and enjoyed all three immensely. They were up there with some of the best adventure/historical fiction I’ve read. I never flinched from recommending them. But recently, Giles has turned his not-inconsiderable literary talents toward a new theatre: the English civil war

The civil war is not a period I know a great deal about and, while I have a passing interest in it, it’s never hooked me so much that I sought out things to read about it (I much prefer looking at historical sites relating to it than reading about it.) It may be that, for me, the civil war has always been just a little too recent.

Saying that, I knew Giles was a good writer from his earlier stuff, and the promo video produced for the book pushed me ever further towards it.

And so I settled into the book not really knowing what to expect but, perhaps, waiting for a Raven-esque adventure saga with lots of God’s Teeth and Damn Your Eyes and Have At Him, Sirrah -s. Ok, there are a few of those, but the novel is totally not what I expected. I suspect, furthermore, that a number of people who were real Raven fanatics will dislike this shift into a deep, thoughtful and saddening world, while other folk who would not consider Raven will flock to it.

The Bleeding Land, you see, is not a war story. It is a tale of a torn family, of the love of brothers and sisters pulled by the fickle strands of fate in different directions to such an extent that they are at war. It is a tale of love and loss and heartbreak and strength and perseverance and duty and honour. In fact, the tale actually ends just after the first major battle of the Civil War, which gives you an idea of where the meat of the story lies: not in battle, but in the story of those who fight it.

That’s enough of the plot. Don’t want to ruin it for you. I will say three things in particular that I consider strengths and which should draw you to want to read it.

Firstly, there is the sheer visual nature of the narrative. It is almost impossible not to completely visualise every scene he writes. In fact, there is such depth of feeling in the descriptive that you can even smell, hear or taste the scene. It was such a shock from almost the opening scene to be drawn so completely in that I felt I was there. This alone is phenomenal and a rare gift.

Secondly, there is the nature of the battle scenes. Battle scenes are very easy to write (from personal experience) for excitement, for horror, for gore, for valour and so on. What Giles manages is to write his civil war millitary engagements from the smallest skirmish to the great ckash at Edgehill with such care that they are all-encompassing. They are all of the above and more and, given the descriptive I mention previously, they are evocative of every clash you’ve seen in a classic movie: the cannon fire in Cromwell, the volley fire in Zulu. They are scenes that will stay in your memory.

Thirdly, the simple skill with words. A score of times or more in the text, I read a phrase, a line, a description, that made me wish I could write even half that well. It is a beautiful piece of narrative.

So go on… You need to follow the tale of Tom and Mun, their parents and sister, of Emmanuel and the folk of Lancashire good and bad. And cheer Prince Rupert (and the King, for I am and will always be a Royalist at heart). This emotional roller-coaster of a tale will tear out your heart and rebuild it only to batter it again. As a last word, I would compare Kristian’s treatment of a torn family to the standalone works of Guy Gavriel Kay (and I can think of no higher praise, Kay having been my favourite writer for decades.)

Buy the Bleeding Land and experience it.

[Mieneke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking, harrowing, visceral, inescapable, detailed, stunning, gorgeous and riveting. Those are some of the first words that sprang to mind after finishing Giles Kristian's The Bleeding Land. I'm having a good reading year historical fiction-wise and this book was another highlight. Kristian takes his reader along on an adventure and while you know, overall, how it's going to end – this is historical fiction after all – I found myself holding my breath at key scenes, hoping against hope that things would turn out differently. If that isn't a testament to the author's skill, I couldn't think of a better one.

The Bleeding Land opens on the fields at Edgehill, just before the first pitched battle of the English Civil War in October 1642. To me the Civil War was only some lines in my history books, something which led to the execution of King Charles I, the Commonwealth and to the Protectorate led by Oliver Cromwell, to an era in which Puritan morals led to the closing of theatres and a forced conforming of the Arts to their strict world view. With The Bleeding Land, Kristian made the era come alive for me, made it three-dimensional and took it beyond the political reasons behind the War to the motivations of the people not in power who fought its battles.

There are three components that make The Bleeding Land such a fantastic read: its characters, the battle descriptions and Kristian's carefully woven prose. Of course the plot is exciting enough in its own right, but it's these three things that lift it up to something extraordinary. To start off with the last element I named, the prose in this book. Kristian chooses his words carefully and – according to the Author's Note – strives to both reflect the language and tone of his chosen era, but at the same time keep the text accessible to modern-day readers. An example of this is his use of the verb gnar, which means to snarl or to growl; I'd never encountered this word before, but understood it immediately and it fit the narrative perfectly. Gnar was used relatively often, but other words weren't used as extensively, but were dropped in and added just that right touch to remind the reader that this is a different era and the language spoken quite different from ours. Kristian's writing is evocative and I found myself shivering on the couch at the freezing weather in the book even if we're currently having the hottest week so far this summer.

Kristian's evocative prose is at its most graphic in the battle scenes contained in the narrative. They are visceral and harrowing. Don't look for descriptions depicting battle as glorious and honour-filled, no, Kristian shows us the fear the men feel just before going into battle, the way their bowels turn runny and panic sours the gullet; the way that once the charge has started, it's either kill or be killed and you don't have time to have scruples about killing a man; the way that after the battle, after you've come down from the adrenaline rush it invokes, you're haunted by memories of what you've witnessed; and how there is nothing glorious about death in battle. He writes this so well you can almost smell the stink of the battlefield and hear the ear-deafening noise that accompanies a pitched fight. Kristian also seems to know what he's doing with regards to the weapons used and how they can be used and as regards the choreography of a fight, as you will, the natural ebb and flow of it and the strategies that were used, which makes it all the more convincing.

The last leg of Kristian's tripod is his characterisation. Not just or even mainly the Rivers family, but also those we catch glimpses of briefly and those that surround the different Rivers' children. The story is told from the points of view of Mun (Edmund), Bess (Elizabeth) and Tom (Thomas) Rivers, the three children of Sir Francis and his wife Mary. They each have their own tale to tell, Mun is a staunch Royalist and fights for the King in an elite horse troop, while Bess and their mother have to fight to protect their home, Shear House, from the rebels who want to take it. Tom chooses to fight on the Parliamentarians' side, not from a deep-seated conviction that they are right, but because they oppose everything that he hates and give him a chance at vengeance. They are each given believable motivations, sympathetic qualities, flaws and interesting conflicts to resolve; in short they're complete characters. Of the three, Tom is was my least favourite, not because he chose the 'wrong' side, but because he made his choices from a place I found it hard to connect to, that deep a rage and hatred is something not many people will experience. In contrast, Mun and Bess were easier to connect to, Mun because of his sense of duty and Bess, because of her loving nature and her circumstances during the siege of Shear House.

With The Bleeding Land Giles Kristian has opened up a whole new era of British history, which has been largely unexplored in historical fiction, and shown that it was more than a political schism that tore the land, it tore families, lovers and friends apart and divided them sometimes right down the middle. It was a painful time, but also a formative one. The Bleeding Land is a stunning opening to what promises to be a fascinating trilogy and I can't wait to see how the Rivers family will deal with the consequences of events from this book. This was my first experience with Kristian's writing, but hopefully it won't be my last, I'll be keeping my eyes out for his Raven books and for the next books in this new trilogy. The Bleeding Land comes highly recommended and was definitely one of the best reads of the year so far.

This book was provided for review by the publisher as part of the Transworld Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

[Tim Hodkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If war is Hell, then civil war must be Hell’s nastier, more vindictive sister*. This is the message I took from Giles Kristian’s historical novel “The Bleeding Land”.
I’ve been waiting a long time for some quality historical fiction set during the English Civil War. A few years back I posted a question on Bernard Cornwell’s forum asking if he would ever tackle the subject. He said he had no plans to but finally a writer of equal quality has come along to take up this banner.
Giles Kristian plunges the reader straight into the opening volleys of the battle of Edgehill. Mun (Edmund) and Tom Rivers- the book’s protagonist brothers-are on opposite sides. The cavalry begin their charge and the reader is hooked immediately as the action withdraws back through time to relate how the characters got into that situation. I remained engrossed as the narrative made its way inexorably back to Edgehill and the carnage that followed.
The book primarily relates the story of the Rivers family, members of the English gentry, and the effect the war has on their relationships, both internally and with their associated circle of relations and neighbours. Don’t worry though: This is no turgid soap opera and there is an abundance of action and fast moving excitement. There are several levels of conflict: The war itself between King and Parliament, and then there is the internal strife within the Rivers family which leaves the brothers on opposing sides. The author does not shy away from the cliché of “a family torn apart by civil war”, but that is where convention ends. It is very human feelings of revenge and family loyalty that ultimately lead to Tom ending up a rebel while Mun and his father join the King’s army. In many respects this is what makes the book so engaging. It’s a human story rather than an exploration of 16th century politics. Men join the fight for very personal reasons that happen to align with the macrocosm conflict rather than blindly falling into line with arguments from a conflict now long past.
I may have read it wrong but it seems that the author deliberately does not “pick sides”. There are bastards in both armies, as there are men of integrity. Bravery and foolishness appear in equal measure, and that-along with the way the politics of the time play a background role-make it hard for the reader (well this one anyway) to discern any possible bias. If anything this brings across the true tragedy of a land ripped apart by a civil conflict.
The sights, sounds and especially the smells of 17th century England and London are vividly described and the reader is drawn into the time setting and kept there. Giles Kristian has obviously done his research well and there is plenty of technical detail to delight the history nerd and military buff, particularly in the area of weapons and armour. Something I personally applaud is his inclusion of historical facts that may make some readers uncomfortable, because (while true) they don’t fit with conventional portrayals of the past that are actually based on modern perceptions. For example, some folk may wonder why an Irishman is fighting for the King of England and I imagine that it will not just be the characters in the book who might be surprized by the King’s Scottish accent.
A host of memorable characters bring the story to life and their portrayal ensures the reader is gripped because he or she cares about them while being dreadfully aware that they are in the middle of a very dangerous situation and not all of them can survive it. As an added bonus, fans of Giles Kristian’s Raven novels will be delighted to spot a couple of familiar faces (presumably descendants) lurking in some scenes.
Tension is maintained throughout the narrative by the constant anticipation of the inevitable, relentlessly approaching battlefield meeting that must eventually occur between the two brothers. Blood proves thicker than water on a couple of occasions but the reader is always wondering just how long that can last, particularly as the bodies mount and the experience of war hardens the brothers’ hearts.
There is a plenty of violent, bloody action. This land is not so much bleeding as drenched in the gore, bone shards, splattered brains and entrails of the slaughtered.
I mentioned Bernard Cornwell at the start of this and it was not completely by accident. It’s probably Cornwell’s style of work that this book evokes for me most, but Giles Kristian adds several layers of depth to create a much richer experience. To give an example of what I mean, when all the boys-own adventures for the male characters are over, Kristian goes on to portray the consequences for the women who were left behind.
All in all, a cracking read. “The Bleeding Land” is an excellent, gripping book and I am looking forward very much to the next book in the series.
Book Details:
Title: The Bleeding Land
Author: Giles Kristian
Publisher: Bantam Press (26 April 2012)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0593066146
ISBN-13: 978-0593066140

*I’m referring to the Old Norse belief that Hell was a woman who ruled the underworld where the unworthy dead went, not being sexist

[Michal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was somehow not very distinct. One of the author's main motivations was to cover this unexplored area of British history. Well, he did not succeed for me. The main story was quite interesting, but it could have happened in any time of early modern period, there is not much of the specific feel of the history. In many instances the story is quite confusing. We have one brother as the main narrator, and then there is the younger brother that sometimes takes over the narration and couple of times I was not quite sure who I am actually reading about (the names of horses were quite a good clue). There are essentially no other characters than the two brothers that would be very well developed. I think it might be intentional so the reader does not know with which group to side with, but it also kills some of the engagement. Other thing that I was missing was some elaborate explanation of what equipment and how they were using it. For example, the author probably uses the words "rifle" and "musket" interchangeably, but I cannot be sure. I also did not get any sense of what tactics were the parties actually using. The main engagement felt more like a great chaotic brawl (which it probably was, but it felt that there was no sense of any formations from the very beginning, which seems unlikely). In addition, the author wanted to show how the main conflict divided families etc. True enough, the River's family gets divided, but only for a very random personal reason. The book does not give sense of the reason why were some people so fervently loyal to the king and others on the side of the parliament. It looked like everyone had his private reason to choose the side, but that seems unlikely. There had to be some political/ideological reason to put the masses into motion, no? There was some mention of the suspicion of catholic conspiracy, but was that it? Seems unlikely since both sides were protestant... This is where other characters could be useful.
Overall, I might be following up with the series, but not in a near future. This book was 2.7 for me.

[The Bookish Wombat · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1642 the two Rivers brothers, born of the landed gentry, find themselves on opposing sides in the English Civil War. The elder, Edmund, follows his class and tradition by supporting the King, while the younger, Tom, is led (through a sequence of tragic events) to support Parliament. As the war goes on the strength of family ties comes into question during a series of brutal battles and the siege of their family home.

I need to say right away that The Bleeding Land is an extremely violent book with many scenes that I found hard to stomach. If this had been a film or TV series I would have had to cover my eyes or switch the TV off during many of the explicitly violent scenes. I am obviously aware that battles taking place during the historical era in question were largely undertaken on a hand-to-hand basis and were therefore bloody and brutal in the extreme – this novel portrays this in precise detail, which I found a little too much. Definitely not for the weak of stomach or the easily upset.

I was also unhappy to find that there was a scene explicitly describing bear baiting in the book. Again I’m aware that this happened and that the scene was probably used to indicate the character of the people involved, but it was too much. This is the second historical novel I’ve read in recent weeks that contains a bear-baiting scene – it seems to be becoming some kind of historical novelist’s shorthand used to emphasise the nastiness of particular characters. Time to stop this I think or at least not portray it in such upsetting detail.

The Bleeding Land seemed to me to be aimed more that male readers than female ones. There’s lots of action, mainly male characters, bucket loads of gore and lots of emotion flying about such as hate, anger and revenge. There are female characters, but I didn’t think that these were portrayed as well as the men and I found them a bit one-dimensional – either a saint or a whore. The male characters aren’t themselves hugely three-dimensional, but are more real than the women. As a female reader I’m generally more interested in the characters and the plot of a book, rather than wanting to read it for the action alone – though I realise this is probably a massive generalisation. I didn’t find enough in this book to really engage me and skipped a lot of the battle scenes and military strategising.

What I did like, however, was that the book doesn’t take sides in the Civil War – it presents both sides as equally flawed and out for their own ends. Neither side appears as the obviously correct one. I also liked the scenes set in London, with all the hubbub of Cheapside and the inns lining the river.

Without giving away too much, I must also say that I didn’t find the ending of the novel hugely satisfying. This is down to the current (and in my view irritating trend) for routinely producing novels as trilogies. In my experience this tends to mean that each novel cannot stand alone and you have to read all of them. It causes me a great deal of frustration when I think I’m going to get closure to a book and then it suddenly veers off in order to set up enough loose ends to be tied together for the start of a potential sequel. The Bleeding Land stands alone better than some other first novels in a trilogy, but there was still enough left unresolved to leave me with a sense of anticlimax when finishing the book.

My summary of The Bleeding Land would therefore be that it’s probably aimed at men, but provides an interesting read so long as you’re not bothered by extreme violence or abuse of animals.

I received this book as part of the Transworld Historical Fiction Challenge.

[Robin Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Description:

England 1642: a nation divided. England is at war with itself. King Charles and Parliament each gather soldiers to their banners. Across the land men prepare to fight for their religious and political ideals. Civil war has begun. A family ripped asunder. The Rivers are landed gentry, and tradition dictates that their allegiance is to the King. Sir Francis' loyalty to the crown and his desire to protect his family will test them all. As the men march to war, so the women are left to defend their home against a ruthless enemy. Just as Edmund, the eldest of Sir Francis' sons, will do his duty, so his brother Tom will turn his back on all he once believed in... A war that will change everything. From the raising of the King's Standard at Nottingham to the butchery and blood of Edgehill, Edmund and Tom Rivers will each learn of honour, sacrifice, hatred and betrayal as they follow their chosen paths through this most savage of wars.

Review

The Bleeding Land

The Bleeding Land by Giles Krisitan is very different from his previous series the Raven. This book may be set at the outset of a bloody and violent Civil War and have Raven fans slavering for blood, but the book is very much about family, familial bonds and how they become tested strained and broken by War (especially Civil War). ....dont worry there are battles.

There are some great insights into the relationships between the Brothers Tom and Mun and also the strain that exists in any time period between a father and his sons who are bordering adulthood, and asserting their opinions and thoughts over the opinions and thoughts of the man who has guided them to maturity.
Add in the devoted sister and the strength of the mother, who is the backbone of every family, especially in a time of War when she has to run and guide the family and this alone is a tale well worth reading.

But that is only a single facet of the Bleeding Land, because as the title suggests, religion and politics are tearing the land apart and so into this normal family mix you can throw 17th Century life, society/ hierarchy, politics and family dynamics, and a country tearing itself apart over Monarchist power v Parliament, religion and as some might see it a popular uprising (English Revolution).

In this tumultuous backdrop Giles introduces us to and weaves us into the lives of the Rivers in such a way that you feel part of the family, the hurts the trials the passions, the success and the failures they belong to you the reader as much as the characters.
I have read quite a few civil war titles and the only one before now not to bore me was Plague Child by Peter Ransley. Both that title and this one took the civil war to a new place for me, removed it from the boring drone of a History teacher who hated the subject, and who's voice had stuck with me for anything to do with that period, to something new exciting, something relevant to me my family and my history and something i want to learn about.

Any book and writer that can achieve the above for me has a huge success on the cards, i just wish that Giles was up to 2 books a year, the thought of an entire year before the next in the series is a hard pill to swallow.

I highly recommend this book, for writing skill, story telling and because its so different in style from the Brilliant Raven series, and yet also a Brilliant read, not many authors can pull off a change in period and style and do it so well. A rare talent.

(Parm)

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE BLEEDING LAND is my first experience of Giles Kristian, a writer of historical adventure fiction who openly acknowledges Bernard Cornwell as the man who inspired him to write books in a similar vein. I do have Kristian's Viking trilogy, but like so many books, I haven't actually got around to reading it yet.

This book appealed to me because I know next to nothing about the English Civil War, having read only a single book set during the period, and I wanted to find out more. Kristian's book does that, and does it admirably. He makes a fine effort of bringing the era to life with all of its politics, religious repercussions and class divides. The level of research he's incorporated into the background of this story is commendable.

As an adventure novel, it works less successfully, at least at first. There's an interminable first act that takes up almost half of the total number of pages, full of miserable characters and unpleasant incident; lots of setting up of villains, but virtually none of the excitement you'd expect from thrilling fiction. The good news is that around the halfway mark it starts to really pick up, incorporating two different scenarios - the Battle of Edgehill and the situation at Shear House - which are handled adroitly and with the maximum of reader investment. By the time the novel finishes, I was left looking forward to the next.

I'm a little unsure about the use of multiple protagonists each with their own distinctive viewpoint on the situation. Although it allows Kristian to fully explore the mindset of both his Cavalier and Roundhead parties, it saps the book of a crucial element: villains to truly despise. Most of the supporting characters seem to be scoundrels on an equal basis, and there's a distinct lack of the good vs. evil ethos that Cornwell did so well in his Sharpe novels which allowed you to fully back Sharpe and Wellington in their thrashing of the Frenchies. Kristian allows you to understand and empathise with both sides of the divide, which makes it impossible to root for one side or the other.

Still, once he gets going this is gutsy and compelling fiction, although I'd like more characterisation; despite their different political inclinations, Mun and Tom are virtually identical at the moment. The use of a Harper stand-in, O'Brien, is a little too obvious as well, along with Kristian's early habit of leaving each chapter on a single sentence cliffhanger summation which is total copy of Cornwell's style. And even for a seasoned gorehound like myself, the bloodshed is a little much; nobody ever seems to be merely shot in the head when their head can explode in a geyser of blood. Still, the book has much to commend it as well as dislike; the descriptions are excellent, the battle sequences vividly come to life, and the Shear House scenario is packed with suspense. I'll be sure to check the next in the series.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

1642 – A family torn apart – A war that will change England forever.

In The Bleeding Land, Giles Kristian has brought to vivid life the bloody effects of a war against its own people. The English Civil war was a battle of men against men; brother fighting against brother, and father pitched against son. Both sides thought that God was with them, but when the canons roared and the muskets fired, the only side that mattered under God, was the winning side.

Sir Francis Rivers knows that the King, Charles I, needs all the men he can muster, and as he and his eldest son, Edmund take up arms with the King, they both realise that their allegiance to the crown, will demand a high price. The violent and irascible younger son, Thomas, fleeing his own personal tragedy, takes up arms on the opposite side, where his need for bitter revenge sees brother pitched against brother, as King and Parliament fight for power.

The Bleeding Land is a skilful and graphically depicted account of the English civil war, where in the gore and mire of the battlefield, the massacred English fell, and lay as if the very earth was bleeding. The author’s brutal depiction of a family tainted by treachery, allows a realistic glimpse into the doctrine and dogma that led to nation being divided by the very principles which once governed its belief. And in the loathing of its surrender, the anguished cry of those who were left behind, mourned the loss of a proud nation.

I was gripped by this story from start to finish, and when the last page was turned I was overwhelmed by what I had read. Very few authors can conjure time and place so perfectly, but without doubt The Bleeding Land makes you feel like you actually travelled back in time to a dark and dirty place, where the stink of battle and the wild cry of horses mingle with the sound of human despair.



My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld/ Bantam Press for a digital copy of this book.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definite 4.5 stars.
Before I started it it had lots going for it as this particular period in history is one which I know well and enjoy reading about.
This book did not disappoint, from the first I felt quickly engaged with the main characters the Rivers family and knew them well. A very brief introduction made me understand their characters and how they might react.
Then we were plunged headlong into a fast moving and exciting tale of loyalties stretched and broken of black hearted villains on all sides from the sadistic Lord of the Manor to the evil Royalist captain Boone through scar faced mercenaries to noble and heroic men and women on both sides.
The story is told by the three adult children of Sir Francis and Lady Mary Rivers - Mun, Thomas and Bess and tells of three very different experiences of a civil war.
Definitely a historical novel for those who like Cornwell and Scarrow and who have a stout heart to withstand quite graphic descriptions of battles and death.
Can't wait for the next in the series!

[Julie Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and like other reviewers have said, I am looking forward to the next installment, the English civil war is normally not of great interest to me. However, from first being introduced to the rivers family, I was totally engaged with the characters. This book demonstrated how bloodthirsty the Englush civil war was and how different members of the same family could be pitted in battle against one another.

Highly recommended!!!!

[Nick_britten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always a bit wary when one of my favourite authors decides to start a new project, especially when that author is Mr Viking himself, Giles Kristian. His Raven series of books have been some of my favourite books of the last few years, so when I heard he was starting a new series set during the English civil war my heart sank. The English Civil war is my least favourite period in history, as a secret Royalist I hate the fact that the dour and miserable Parliamentarians won and the religious intensity of the time puts me off as well. With this in mind I approached this book with not a little trepidation.

The story is set in 1642 and covers the build up to the first major battle of the war, Edgehill. We follow the fortunes of three siblings of the Rivers Family, Mun the eldest brother whose loyalty to his family and the cause of his king is unshakeable. Tom, a man driven by revenge who forsakes the protection of his family to stand alongside Parliament and finally Bess, their sister, who must watch the war rip her family apart while at the same time worrying about the future of her unborn baby.

With the country convulsed by religious conflict and arguments between the king and parliament it’s time for men to pick sides. As war creeps ever closer the Rivers men ride off to war, leaving the women to protect Shear House, little realizing that the women would have to fight just as hard as the men.

have to say right off that I loved this book, the one thing you can say about Mr Kristian is that he is a storyteller and in The Bleeding Land he tells a cracking story. He weaves the different strands of the Rivers story together and while in a book about war it would be very easy to concentrate on the men, he has created two great women characters in Lady Rivers and Bess. The great thing is that I never took sides, I liked Tom and Mun equally and even though I will always be a Royalist, I enjoyed reading about the Parliament’s point of view. A great supporting cast gives the story its depth, with Prince Rupert and his devil dog a brilliant double act.

The battle scenes are suitable gory with plenty of blood and flying limbs and split open heads which is a bit of a Giles trademark. There are not many better writers of the joy and despair of battle and also he is brilliant at bringing the noise and sounds of battle alive.

A Stuttering volley of Pistol and carbine fire spat at them and Mun felt the thrum of lead ripping though the air but nothing hit him and he raced on, Hector matching the Prince’s mare for speed, his hooves adding to the rolling thunder, flinging mud.

I’m very much looking forward to the next two books and it will be interesting to see how Giles handles a character who inspires equal amounts of love and loathing in Oliver Cromwell.

With Bleeding Land Giles has proved that he isn’t just a great writer of Historical fiction he is a great writer full stop.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Musketry and Mayhem:
Giles Kristian’s The Bleeding Land


The Bleeding Land is the first in a new trilogy from the author of the popular Viking saga Raven (Blood Eye; Sons of Thunder; Odin’s Wolves). The setting this time is 1642 England - a country on the brink of disaster. Growing parliamentarian forces are threatening to overthrow the King, and the novel’s two protagonists - brothers Edmund and Tom Rivers - find themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield, each with his own reasons for fighting and each willing to lay down his life for what he believes in. But can blood ties ever truly be severed? Which allegiance will prove the strongest?

From the very first page, I was immersed not only in 1642, but in the drama of the Rivers family. Though the novel is lush with factual descriptions and period detail, Kristian manages to distribute it in such a way that the characters and their situations are always the main focus. Readers are introduced to a range of weaponry, clothing and customs without any slowing of the action or resemblances to matter-of-fact, non-fiction history books.

Each sight and sound comes alive. Each grips you and pulls you into the action. At times, it's hard to remember that you are not on a horse yourself, riding swiftly into battle. There are moments of elation, and moments of despair. Kristian not only captures these moments well, but releases them to the readers, who cannot help but share in the excitements and disappointments the characters are feeling.

As a writer, I also love to look beyond the storyline and discover the author's style. I noticed whilst reading The Bleeding Land that Kristian uses a number of techniques to pack a solid punch at pivotal plot points - for one, a lot of alliteration. He also alters the rhythm and length of sentences depending on what's happening, using shorter, punchier sentences after a few longer ones when the action is heightened, or when a character is affected in some profound way. Which can be quite effective. Crows, rooks and ravens often appear as ominous foreshadowing devices, and a few other allusions to the Raven trilogy might just be spotted by those who look closely enough...

Giles Kristian plunges readers back to a time in our nation's history that is largely neglected in the world of historical fiction. After reading The Bleeding Land, I imagine that interest in the English Civil War will blossom from the literary seeds Kristian has planted.

Overall, The Bleeding Land’s first installment is a vivid, compelling tale with an epic span. Bring on book two!


-----

Review published in What The Dickens? magazine, Issue 4, June 2012; Page 70
[http://issuu.com/what-the-dickens-mag...]

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a girl with a viking heart I had to be brave and open minded when I decided to follow my favourite author into a period of history I have no clues about. At first I did feel uncomfortable as I adjusted my mind to the turmoil bubbling up in London with all the mention of papists and apprentices and riots flying around. However it is here that the beauty and strength of his writing really comes through. For this is not a story about Kings, princes, and soldiers but of the turmoil of one family. Of the bonds of blood, the loyalty of family, the unity of a family and the unfortunate divide between brothers. It is a story we can all relate to without having to know anything about where the story is set. I also was impressed by how much of a character and symbol the brother's individual mounts became, like animal-twins, used artisticly to display and match the mood and atmosphere throughout the story. I also loved the descriptions Giles used whenever there was a host of craws and rooks in the scenery. He uses them cleverly and differently each time to make each one uniquely powerful. Yet I noticed some nordic elements albeit behind the scenes so to speak in that each brother in their battles and wars discovers their own unique companions of war, sword-brothers, who prove as loyal as any band of viking warriors do to their chosen Jarl. That is the honourable side of vikings and indeed such partnerships are formed in any war/battle throughout history but there is also present the unhonourable aspects. In the form of the many mercenaries who join for gold not glory and make a strong and intimidating presence throughout the plot whether in person or in conversations.
As Giles himself points out in the afterword of the book he can name very few good fictional accounts of this period despite the vast number of authoratitive non-fiction and he couldn't understand why not until he himself started writing The Bleeding Land. Yet, as every good writer knows, if you get the majority of facts right, with a little artistic license, ultimately you should produce a good story at the least. And I can say that the human epic of family and loyalty set in this war torn environment is successfuly pulled off. If a viking-wanna-be like me can like it, I see no reason why others shouldn't.

[Marko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giles Kristian's The Bleeding Land delves into an interesting period in history: the England's Civil War in the 17th century where the Parliament rebelled against the King and the land was torn apart - and sometimes even families - as everyone took sides in the following battles. The novel explores the effects of the war on a family of landed gentry: the Rivers. Two sons are separated by a tragedy and find themselves on the opposing sides of the war.

Overall, I was not entirely captivated by the novel, although the latter half did show promise of the series developing into a decent adventure story. The writing is good and the ruthless descriptions of deaths give it a modern air. I'll probably check out the sequel some day, but it is not on the top of my "to read" list.

Full review at:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2014/10/...

[LIZA fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program :) Thanks so much to Giles Kristian for the signed copy!!! What a wonderful book! I was thoroughly hooked. The book tells the tragic story of the English Civil War--Parliament vs. The Royalists, and a family that is caught in the midst of the war. Edmund and his father, Frances, fight for King Charles. Edmond's brother Tom fights for parliament. Tom was angry at his father for not helping his future father-in-law, who was executed because he was accused of being Catholic. This story was somewhat tragic--A family torn to pieces by war.

The book is an exciting read, historically correct, and well written. I read most of it in one sitting. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy, Brothers Fury.

[Elizabeth White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to like this book that I won as a giveaway. It looked too long to sustain my interest. From the reviews I thought the violence would turn me off. And although I like historical novels, most of my reading currently consists of cozy mysteries. But I immediately recognized the outstanding writing skills of the author. And by the end, Mun, Tom, Bess and all the others, had come alive for me. Without the violence the book would not have been an honest portrayal of war and how it affects so many people. It did drag in a few places and I was not totally satisfied with the ending (but I understand why it ended in the way it did).

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rated every one of the Raven series 5* and was eagerly awaiting this new novel. I saw this as a novel of thirds: the first third was an over-complicated and over-long passage creating the gulf between the two brothers. The second third was more than a little predictable and the final third was well-written and enjoyable to read. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the next in the series ...

[Margaret]

I know Oliver Cromwell's Army overpowered the Royalist in the English Civil War;but, I wanted the Rivers family to win. I have never been a fan of Cromwell or his followers. I think of it as a black smudge in English history. This book just had me in it's grip from the first page. I loved it. Truly. Why did my family want food while I had such a book to read?

[Simon Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story telling. A bit slow for me in places, but it can't be a hundred miles an hour all the time. The priest killing had me wondering if we really did things like that to each other, but we certainly did. I can't wait for the next instalment!!

[Dan Nesbitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the history of the Civil War era and have often felt there's a lack of good fiction set around that time, so I had high hopes when starting this book. Sadly, it didn't really live up to them.

The premise, two brothers (Edmund and Tom) divided between the king and Parliament, is a strong one and has potential but it is largely wasted by a rather plodding plot, which takes a long time to get going and even then takes various unnecessary digressions.

The pacing issue is compounded by a lack of interesting or rounded charecters. The characterisation of the two main characters is pretty minimal. It's hard to really tell them apart, similarly their motivations for joining opposing the opposing sides has virtually nothing to do with the politics of the time and is instead largely driven by a fairly random set of events that happen around a third of the way through - this feels like a missed opportunity to explore the complexities of the war.

The lack of developed characters spreads throughout rest of the cast, and none of them really stand out. Particularly evident is a lack of a really memorable villains - various unpleasant charecters are brought out every 100 pages or so, but are quickly shuffled off again before they really have an impact (possible to save them for later installments).

The female characters fare similarly badly, at best they're two-dimensional and at worst they bascially exist as motivations for the male characters (which is a particular shame given one strand of the book follows a third sibling, Bess, whose story had the potential to be much more interesting than either of the brothers).

The battle scenes are well done and it's clear the author has researched the era deeply, unfortunately neither of these points balanced out the pacing issues and the limited characterisation for me.

[Matthew Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, he has done it yet again and somehow surpassed my already sky-high expectations. As an American reader, my understanding of British history was always distant and romanticized, but The Bleeding Land strips all of that away. This novel doesn’t present the English Civil War as a spectacle; it shows what it did to real families, real homes, and real lives, making the history feel immediate, raw, and deeply personal.

What elevates this story to something truly special is Kristian’s ability to fuse historical events with an intimate human narrative. By drawing on real letters and correspondence from an actual family who lived through this turmoil, the novel achieves a level of authenticity that is both haunting and immersive. The complexity of brothers pulled into opposing roles at different times is handled with extraordinary skill, a testament to Kristian’s meticulous research and narrative control.

The symbolism throughout the book is quietly devastating. The brothers’ horses, named Hector and Achilles, feel almost mythic. Two figures destined for opposition, mirroring the tragic divisions of the war itself. Then, moments like the birth of a child during the siege of the house stand out as rare, fragile miracles. Reminders that hope and humanity can survive even in the darkest circumstances.

The Bleeding Land is a beautifully written, unflinching portrayal of a true historical event, and that truth is what makes it so powerful. This is a novel about endurance, loyalty, and the terrible cost of civil war. Giles Kristian is a master of breathing life into history, and this book will linger long after the final page.

[A.J. Lyndon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful story of divided family during the English Civil War. You can smell the blood and the gun powder. The prologue sets the scene of where the story is going with the 2 brothers on opposite sides of the battle field at Edgehill. So the feeling of impending doom is there from the outset. Great descriptions of the battles. Also a convincing recreation of the real life Siege of Lathom House, with the house becoming the fictitious Rivers' family home.
I had a bit of a problem with the extra 4 days inserted just before Edgehill, but that's because I know all the historical details. And I was slightly unhappy about the apparent death of 2 important (not to have a spoiler) characters at Edgehill without the reader seeing them die, or their bodies being found. Is the author leaving room for a resurrection of either or both? But I couldn't wait to read book 2 (and Giles, when for pity's sake is book 3 of the trilogy coming out? Enough with the Vikings!) The brothers Mun and Tom are strong, well drawn characters. And decent "airtime" for the female characters too.

[Speesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compelling story, thrilling and captivating, and taking place amid the 17th Century frenzy of blood-letting and tumultuous chaos that was the unthinkable; the English Civil War.

However, I think it is actually a love story.

A story about love of family and love of country. And how they came to be incompatible. How love can become so strong - maybe too strong - and turned to hatred for those you know you should love, but seem not to understand your love. Then how the conflict it unleashes, in the country and within the family, despite everyone's best intentions turns that love on its head until it leads to hate.

Phew! Weighty themes maybe, but by homing in on one family, the Rivers, and thus mirroring the conflict in the country at large, Giles Kristian weaves a thoroughly satisfying and exciting tale. One that will surely shock and delight in equal measures. But only 'shock' if you read this with your 21st Century moral glasses on. This is how life was back then. We can't be shocked over something people in the 17th Century thought was just how life - and death - was. Certainly, if it was a film, there are passages where you'd look away, but then, someone was actually employed, for goodness-sake, to hang, draw and quarter people. To rip open their chest and remove their heart (check Wikipedia). We can't judge the 17th Century by our 21st Century standards (they at least had the good grace to kill each other face to face, not while sat in a control room two continents away). So don't go getting all squeamish and pretend to be shocked. Go get your 'history' from Barbara Cartland and Mills and Boon instead, if that's the case. This how it was, no way around it. This is almost touchably real. There are some graphically harsh passages, yes ('barsk' as we say here where I live in Denmark. Possibly also in Norway where Giles is partly from), but this is a vigorous book, about an apocalyptic period for society, for Church, for the State and most of all, for ordinary people and their families. And one with themes that I feel still resonate today.

Each side is of course certain they are right, the other is wrong (sound familiar?) and while the Rivers begin as a tight-knit family of reasonably well-to-do Lancashire land-owners - and supporters of the Crown, we soon see how, from small and seeming innocuous beginnings, their family - and society - implodes as the country explodes with tension and mistrust. And then it spirals out of control.

Giles gives us an excellent insight into how ordinary people were turned into combatants, and got swept away by currents beyond their experience. How they saw the situation at close quarters and merely tried to stay alive. I particularly enjoyed the way he shows how differing viewpoints could spring from the same well of passion and how King-supporting brother could be set against a brother forced away by hate to the Parliamentarian side. How love can turn to passionate, heart-breaking hatred. Then how the period's deep-seated fears of hidden religious agendas, agent provocateurs, witchcraft and devil-worship, burst through and fear and retribution was given full reign. In a land where a suitable punishment for having the wrong religious beliefs, was to be hung drawn and quartered; anything went.

Yeah, obviously I haven't a full understanding of how life really was back then. I mean; I'm old, but not THAT old. But 'The Bleeding Land' - from what I remember of my studies of this period in English History at school - is surely how life really was (we studied this period through analysing period documents. The period before the Civil War, the Interregnum, then the 'climb-down' as we called it, and the re-instatement of the (changed) monarchy to England). It's a hard-edged book about a hard time. Death easier than life, it seems.

'The Bleeding Land' is jam-packed full of the sights and sounds - and smells - of 17th Century English life at its roughest and its rawest, bristling with noisy passions on the edge of reason. Or the abyss - depending on your point of view at the time. A period - as Giles himself notes - people have heard of, but few know much about. Let's face it, even for people of my generation, most when hearing 'Cavalier' will think of a car.

And this is just the mouth-watering start of the Rivers family story. There is surely much more excitement to come.

One more thing: I found the 'Afterward' a thought-provoking read. What I came to think of after reading it - and taking it on much further than is probably wise - is that with 'The Bleeding Land' and the divisive English Civil War, maybe one can see the start of the polar opposite, two-party system that we had/have in England/Britain and which the Puritans took with them too the USA. Where, if it isn't white, it must be black. If you aren't with us, you must be against us. No surprise then, that the US had their own Civil War, I say. As opposed to, as I see it, the much more sensible, cross-party, coalition system of consensus I now enjoy living here in Europe, here in Denmark. It took a bit of getting used to, I can tell you, when I heard that the Government would invite the Opposition to come in and discuss policy the Government was responsible for. But then, they never had their society torn asunder by civil war as England and the (early) US did. They never had to take sides against family and friends. And it shows.

So, as the traditional "We're 100% right. You're 100% wrong" US Presidential battle moves on to its depressingly divisive final conclusion in a day's time, Giles Kristian has written a book about the past, still relevant today. An apocalyptic period for England, for Church, for society; a gift for a writer of Giles Kristian's tremendous narrative abilities. A period that could possibly have shaped how we are now.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve had Giles Kristian on my “To Be Read” list for a while now, as he has received praise from a number of my favorite authors,such as Bernard Cornwell.

I choose to start his Civil War series rather than one of the Viking trilogies and although it was a solid enough read I can’t say in all honesty that it was a real page-turner for me.

The plot is efficient and logical enough with two brothers fighting for different sides in the conflict, which means the book follows both sides, however the readers simpathy is with the brother in the Royalist side.

This would be perfectly fine if it were not for a third storyline, that of the sister, which we have to follow.

Personally, this third perspective overcrowded the book and made it difficult to follow and achieved nothing to add to the character development or overall plot.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there have been several TV dramas on the subject, the English Civil War tends to be one of those topics that many historical novelists seem to ignore. Perhaps, as the author notes, it is the complexity of the conflict that puts people off writing about it. Giles Kristian's solution is to focus on the human aspect, in this case, the Rivers family - whose two sons end up on opposing sides.

It certainly makes for a very engrossing novel. It can be a little confusing at times during battle scenes, trying to keep track of which parts of whose army are doing what, but equally it brings home that this was a vicious conflict where people were not even safe in their own homes.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[John Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all this Author's Viking books and rate them right up there with Bernard Cornwells 'Uhtred' series. This book is set during the English Civil War, another of my favourite periods from History lessons, featuring the real larger than life character that is Prince Rupert who appears exactly as I would have imagined him to be, absolute quality. It grabbed my interest from first to last page, atmospheric descriptive with a real feel for time and place, brilliant characters who leap from the page, and virtually non stop action, some frankly quite gruesome, and not for the faint hearted. However it's also a tale of family love and is at times poignant and sad.
Completely and utterly recommended.

[Richard West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristian does for the British Civil War what Harold Coyle did for the American Civil War, an outstanding character study focusing more on the effects of the war on a family than on the war itself. This isn't to say there isn't a great deal of blood and guts involved in numerous battle scenes. There is. However, the focus is on two brothers in particular, Mun (short for Edmund) and Tom - who fights on the side of the British monarchy, and the other who fights on the side of Parliament.

Nothing is truly decided by the end of this book and you know there's a follow-up which will wrap everything up in a nice, neat package. Or so you hope.......

[mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have guessed. The book is more about war, not history. I expected it to help my understanding in the background of civil war. Political change in society, how it affects people, and people being torn up for different beliefs kind of things. But 1/3 pages of the book is about tragic love/family story and the rest is about fighting. It scarcely mentions about the background of the civil war. It is more like a war book set in 1600s. Which is shame because I think it is quite well written.... but lack in informations about the english civil war. Even historical figures are not in the book. There are, but lack in character built. That is why I give it three stars.