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The Hour of Parade
"The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. if he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both."
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray's haunting debut. The Hour of Parade.
The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky travels to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the battle of Austerlitz by Valsin's lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.
Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.
He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.
But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
An intricately woven tale of love, lust, and murder, The Hour of Parade proves itself an epic romance for the ages.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray's haunting debut. The Hour of Parade.
The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky travels to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the battle of Austerlitz by Valsin's lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.
Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.
He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.
But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
An intricately woven tale of love, lust, and murder, The Hour of Parade proves itself an epic romance for the ages.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
303 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2013
309 people want to read
About the author
Alan Bray
3 books7 followersI was born in Detroit, Michigan, the only child of a sales representative for a railroad and a schoolteacher. I grew up reading books, which at that time, meant adult books as the availability of children’s book was limited. I read a lot of things I didn’t understand, but it made me want to experience them. It helped me to grow and it gave me a love for literature, for the power of imaginary worlds so much like real life.
I didn’t start writing fiction till I was in my forties. I had just moved to rural New Hampshire, my father had recently died; in short, I was ready
for something new. I’m fortunate to be able to devote a lot of time to writing and to reading which I think is equally important to a writer. I like to write about people going through a transition because of something that happens to them, something that resonates with memory and their past.
I’ve worked as a professional musician, record store clerk, psychotherapist and factory worker. I have a son and a daughter, and a wonderful wife.
To me, writing is a positive and intense pre-occupation.
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I didn’t start writing fiction till I was in my forties. I had just moved to rural New Hampshire, my father had recently died; in short, I was ready
for something new. I’m fortunate to be able to devote a lot of time to writing and to reading which I think is equally important to a writer. I like to write about people going through a transition because of something that happens to them, something that resonates with memory and their past.
I’ve worked as a professional musician, record store clerk, psychotherapist and factory worker. I have a son and a daughter, and a wonderful wife.
To me, writing is a positive and intense pre-occupation.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 23, 2013
The Hour of Parade by Alan Bray is the sort of book I’d expect to read a review of in the New York Times Book Review. This novel is a work of remarkable elegance and skillful articulation. Set in Munich in 1806, we immediately feel as though we’re right there, as Bray paints such authentic pictures with his words. I almost feel as if I’ve seen the movie, but of course there isn’t one (yet).
The narrative unfolds gracefully; we don’t know all the facts at once, and we don’t need to. We are led to understand the characters gradually, as one does in real life. Their behaviors and motives unfurl steadily; the reader floats through the beginning of the story as if it’s a gentle stream, until the stream slowly gathers menace and force. The suspense builds as the reader is caught up in the Gordian knot of the story, which is then slowly unraveled.
There are no typically good or bad people in this book. Rather, each is portrayed as a fully-rounded character with his or her own foibles, strengths, and failings. The reader can relate to all of them thanks to Bray’s adeptness in understanding--and describing--human nature. There is much to ponder while reading this book, and I loved it.
The narrative unfolds gracefully; we don’t know all the facts at once, and we don’t need to. We are led to understand the characters gradually, as one does in real life. Their behaviors and motives unfurl steadily; the reader floats through the beginning of the story as if it’s a gentle stream, until the stream slowly gathers menace and force. The suspense builds as the reader is caught up in the Gordian knot of the story, which is then slowly unraveled.
There are no typically good or bad people in this book. Rather, each is portrayed as a fully-rounded character with his or her own foibles, strengths, and failings. The reader can relate to all of them thanks to Bray’s adeptness in understanding--and describing--human nature. There is much to ponder while reading this book, and I loved it.
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February 10, 2014I received a copy of this book via a giveaway here on Goodreads.com
There was a time when there was a specific code of ethics for every little facet of life. A slight against one person needed to be avenged against another. Strict guidelines on how social classes interacted with each other had to be followed. And dress was all so important. So what happened when people’s desires got in the way of that code? That is the interesting options what Alan Bray explores in novel The Hour of Parade.
Set in 1806, Bray has written a brilliant historical novel. Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky travels to Munich to kill the man who killed his brother in a duel, French Officer Louis Valsin. While an uneasy peace exists after the battle of Austerlitz, Ruzhensky has problems to deciding to seek revenge or let the matter slide has he gets to know Valsin. Matters are complicated as both have strong love interests who also are seeking an end for their own means.
Bray has written an excellent historical novel. Through it, does a reader not only learn about the time period but also of the thought patterns of the time. Bray has done an excellent research job and has written a book that goes beyond what any historical text can do for the era.
There was a time when there was a specific code of ethics for every little facet of life. A slight against one person needed to be avenged against another. Strict guidelines on how social classes interacted with each other had to be followed. And dress was all so important. So what happened when people’s desires got in the way of that code? That is the interesting options what Alan Bray explores in novel The Hour of Parade.
Set in 1806, Bray has written a brilliant historical novel. Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky travels to Munich to kill the man who killed his brother in a duel, French Officer Louis Valsin. While an uneasy peace exists after the battle of Austerlitz, Ruzhensky has problems to deciding to seek revenge or let the matter slide has he gets to know Valsin. Matters are complicated as both have strong love interests who also are seeking an end for their own means.
Bray has written an excellent historical novel. Through it, does a reader not only learn about the time period but also of the thought patterns of the time. Bray has done an excellent research job and has written a book that goes beyond what any historical text can do for the era.
May 28, 2014
Not too long ago, I read an article that stated the literature was dead. No one read difficult or thought-provoking books anymore. Therefore, no one was writing them. Alan Bray’s The Hour of Parade is here to challenge that thought.
The Hour Of Parade follows Alexi Ruzhensky in his mission to avenge his brother’s death. Along a the way, he falls in love and his thirst for revenge is challenged.
The characters in The Hour of Parade will consume you. They are raw humans with problems and desires that will ring true to you. The book is obviously well-researched, and that research translates into a very well-written piece. It reads almost like 19th-20th century Russian literature. The thought and care Bray put into every word in every sentence rings truly of literature.
If you are a literary snob who loves a dense book, I give this my highest recommendation.
A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Hour Of Parade follows Alexi Ruzhensky in his mission to avenge his brother’s death. Along a the way, he falls in love and his thirst for revenge is challenged.
The characters in The Hour of Parade will consume you. They are raw humans with problems and desires that will ring true to you. The book is obviously well-researched, and that research translates into a very well-written piece. It reads almost like 19th-20th century Russian literature. The thought and care Bray put into every word in every sentence rings truly of literature.
If you are a literary snob who loves a dense book, I give this my highest recommendation.
A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
February 27, 2014
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway.
If I'm totally honest, this is not the normal type of book I would pick for myself to read - I tend to stay away from historical themes.
That aside, I did find I quite enjoyed this book. The way it was written enabled me to be there at the varioius settings with the characters. This was due to the lovely descriptive style the author used.
4stars from me, as I did feel it took some time too get going. However, the end results were worth it. I shall now look out for further books written by Alan Bray.
If I'm totally honest, this is not the normal type of book I would pick for myself to read - I tend to stay away from historical themes.
That aside, I did find I quite enjoyed this book. The way it was written enabled me to be there at the varioius settings with the characters. This was due to the lovely descriptive style the author used.
4stars from me, as I did feel it took some time too get going. However, the end results were worth it. I shall now look out for further books written by Alan Bray.
Want to read
February 28, 2014Available at NetGalley.
June 15, 2016
In late winter 1806, Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich with intent to avenge his brother’s death by killing Lieutenant Louis Valsin, the French cavalry officer who’d recently cut young Mischa down in a duel. Very soon after The Hour of Parade’s opening Ruzhensky meets up with the concept of a small world when he runs into two soldiers from Valsin’s regiment, necessitating his rapid entry into the scenario he has fabricated as cover: that his father had business dealings in Austria and he means to straighten out his family’s financial affairs.
In these moments author Alan Bray creates a palpable tension for the Russian officer as well as readers, who can sense his apprehension as “the dead and the unknown living” both seem so near to his current moment, the vivid imagery erupts into scenes that overcome his awareness.
“A silence, not at all empty, occupied him. His feet pushed against the floor, the muscles around his knees tense and hard, as if he were gripping a saddle instead of a chair. Outside, on the street, a horse whinnied, and then, like bubbles breaking loose from the bottom of a red-hot iron cauldron, the sound of gunfire began to pour through the windows of the coffeehouse. The shutters opened, the walls dissolved, and—his senses worn and beginning to fray—he was once again astride his mare Pyerits, leading a charge over a snow-covered field. Above her tossing mane, riders in green surged forward—French cavalry, shouting, shaking their swords. He pressed down against the stirrups and heard a wild cry.”
Bray’s prose masterfully transitions us from a fleeting reflection into a scene easily imagined as live action, jarring the viewer into chaos from calm, then back into a quiet coffeehouse, the frequency of change and uproar reflecting, as the novel carries on, Ruzhensky’s inner turmoil with each letter he receives from his father, asking if his son’s killer is yet dead.
Ruzhensky confides the contents of his father’s letters to Marianne, his live-in lover who supports the mission and his pre-occupation with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s epistolary novel Julie, a quote from which appears at the start of each chapter and illustrates small and large pieces of events as they play out. Ruzhensky himself seems to grapple with a concept Bray introduces in his epigraph: “The source of happiness isn’t entirely in the desired object or in the heart that possesses it but in the relation of the one to the other.” As he meets and gets to know Valsin, he struggles with the idea of carrying out the act he feels he must.
Bray writes in the style of the time his characters inhabit; that is to say he constructs his prose with a feel as if we are in the nineteenth century, there in the rooms with each person, sensing the mood of the time and seeing up close the relationships as they interact. Ruzhensky with his Marianne, whose acute instinct gives an impression of clinginess; with Valsin when he gets to know him; with Anne-Marie and even Marianne’s interaction with Yevgeny as the two carry out an unacknowledged rivalry—all are written in a manner thoughtful enough that they present to the reader as they truthfully are, though upon closer examination we see there is very much more.
One of the elements that drew me in most was Bray’s vivid and imaginative use of imagery, utilizing the canvas as a board from which to illustrate his portraits painted with words. The visual depictions are very strong throughout the novel and paired with Bray’s talent for layering, we can fairly envision the waves of heat emanating upward as they slither into “serpentine ribbons of heat,” or easily imagine the age of autumn and its “toasted, orange-colored leaves.”
While this imagery is breathtaking in of itself, it also is suggested by the impressionist-style painting on the novel’s cover. The abstractly painted man’s face lends a moody, tense feel with its short, thick strokes, side-by-side vivid colors and emphasis on light to display his facial features. This draws the eye to the painting as a whole, with subsequent analysis on the individual parts. In the same manner, Bray consistently provides a view through the novel as he then shifts to draw us nearer to details that characterize and more closely examine what is occurring. This feat he performs with individual scenes and the novel as a whole as readers both come closer to see finer details and seem to move backward to receive a broader view.
If this seems contradictory, Bray’s prose drawn out in broad brushstrokes, not unlike those on the cover image, blur the sharper edges of reality to reveal the nuances that populate Ruzhensky’s inner unrest. The man on the cover is painted in unreal color schemes, yet clearly there is a darker presence in his environment. In this manner Ruzhensky presents, caught in a labyrinth as he attempts to reconcile his growing mixed feelings about two worlds colliding and his role within each.
“After they departed, he’d remain, entangled by the different stories he inhabited. He was not the person they took him to be; however, it would also be untrue to claim the identity of the person the woman had killed. In fact, he’d begun to think that person had been killed and that he himself was someone embryonic. Someone developing a new identity, transforming in Munich’s womb. It was wonderful; it was unbearable.”
As a behavioral study, The Hour of Parade is a fascinating glimpse into a world we ourselves both are removed from as well as inhabit. On various levels duplicity spars with authenticity, autonomy with duty and the need for redemption presents itself in multiple fashions, individuals tasked with choosing which is most suitable. Historical fiction, it portrays not only a period within the Napoleonic wars, but also the roles of men and women with the attendant vulnerabilities of each, and the complexities of relationships—between the sexes, parents and children, civilian and military, classes and nationalities. It reveals an author with a keen eye for human behavior and ability to work within various layers to relate a story, and carries an ongoing theme of movement between different worlds. While not an exhaustive sketch of the book, it is quite a lot for an author to juggle, and Bray does it with style.
Lovely, passionate, haunting, explosive, plush and vibrant, The Hour of Parade is a tale and a study to be seen as well as read, to drink in with the senses and to re-visit with the richest of classics.
In these moments author Alan Bray creates a palpable tension for the Russian officer as well as readers, who can sense his apprehension as “the dead and the unknown living” both seem so near to his current moment, the vivid imagery erupts into scenes that overcome his awareness.
“A silence, not at all empty, occupied him. His feet pushed against the floor, the muscles around his knees tense and hard, as if he were gripping a saddle instead of a chair. Outside, on the street, a horse whinnied, and then, like bubbles breaking loose from the bottom of a red-hot iron cauldron, the sound of gunfire began to pour through the windows of the coffeehouse. The shutters opened, the walls dissolved, and—his senses worn and beginning to fray—he was once again astride his mare Pyerits, leading a charge over a snow-covered field. Above her tossing mane, riders in green surged forward—French cavalry, shouting, shaking their swords. He pressed down against the stirrups and heard a wild cry.”
Bray’s prose masterfully transitions us from a fleeting reflection into a scene easily imagined as live action, jarring the viewer into chaos from calm, then back into a quiet coffeehouse, the frequency of change and uproar reflecting, as the novel carries on, Ruzhensky’s inner turmoil with each letter he receives from his father, asking if his son’s killer is yet dead.
Ruzhensky confides the contents of his father’s letters to Marianne, his live-in lover who supports the mission and his pre-occupation with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s epistolary novel Julie, a quote from which appears at the start of each chapter and illustrates small and large pieces of events as they play out. Ruzhensky himself seems to grapple with a concept Bray introduces in his epigraph: “The source of happiness isn’t entirely in the desired object or in the heart that possesses it but in the relation of the one to the other.” As he meets and gets to know Valsin, he struggles with the idea of carrying out the act he feels he must.
Bray writes in the style of the time his characters inhabit; that is to say he constructs his prose with a feel as if we are in the nineteenth century, there in the rooms with each person, sensing the mood of the time and seeing up close the relationships as they interact. Ruzhensky with his Marianne, whose acute instinct gives an impression of clinginess; with Valsin when he gets to know him; with Anne-Marie and even Marianne’s interaction with Yevgeny as the two carry out an unacknowledged rivalry—all are written in a manner thoughtful enough that they present to the reader as they truthfully are, though upon closer examination we see there is very much more.
One of the elements that drew me in most was Bray’s vivid and imaginative use of imagery, utilizing the canvas as a board from which to illustrate his portraits painted with words. The visual depictions are very strong throughout the novel and paired with Bray’s talent for layering, we can fairly envision the waves of heat emanating upward as they slither into “serpentine ribbons of heat,” or easily imagine the age of autumn and its “toasted, orange-colored leaves.”
While this imagery is breathtaking in of itself, it also is suggested by the impressionist-style painting on the novel’s cover. The abstractly painted man’s face lends a moody, tense feel with its short, thick strokes, side-by-side vivid colors and emphasis on light to display his facial features. This draws the eye to the painting as a whole, with subsequent analysis on the individual parts. In the same manner, Bray consistently provides a view through the novel as he then shifts to draw us nearer to details that characterize and more closely examine what is occurring. This feat he performs with individual scenes and the novel as a whole as readers both come closer to see finer details and seem to move backward to receive a broader view.
If this seems contradictory, Bray’s prose drawn out in broad brushstrokes, not unlike those on the cover image, blur the sharper edges of reality to reveal the nuances that populate Ruzhensky’s inner unrest. The man on the cover is painted in unreal color schemes, yet clearly there is a darker presence in his environment. In this manner Ruzhensky presents, caught in a labyrinth as he attempts to reconcile his growing mixed feelings about two worlds colliding and his role within each.
“After they departed, he’d remain, entangled by the different stories he inhabited. He was not the person they took him to be; however, it would also be untrue to claim the identity of the person the woman had killed. In fact, he’d begun to think that person had been killed and that he himself was someone embryonic. Someone developing a new identity, transforming in Munich’s womb. It was wonderful; it was unbearable.”
As a behavioral study, The Hour of Parade is a fascinating glimpse into a world we ourselves both are removed from as well as inhabit. On various levels duplicity spars with authenticity, autonomy with duty and the need for redemption presents itself in multiple fashions, individuals tasked with choosing which is most suitable. Historical fiction, it portrays not only a period within the Napoleonic wars, but also the roles of men and women with the attendant vulnerabilities of each, and the complexities of relationships—between the sexes, parents and children, civilian and military, classes and nationalities. It reveals an author with a keen eye for human behavior and ability to work within various layers to relate a story, and carries an ongoing theme of movement between different worlds. While not an exhaustive sketch of the book, it is quite a lot for an author to juggle, and Bray does it with style.
Lovely, passionate, haunting, explosive, plush and vibrant, The Hour of Parade is a tale and a study to be seen as well as read, to drink in with the senses and to re-visit with the richest of classics.
September 11, 2014
The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. If he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray’s haunting debut, The Hour of Parade.
The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the Battle of Austerlitz by Valsin’s lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.
Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.
He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.
But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)
What did I like about this book?
This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.
The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:
Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.
I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.
This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.
There is nothing I dislike about this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)
What did I like about this book?
This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.
The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:
In Russia, the bells were different-they didn’t swing but were fixed in their towers and struck by hammers so that the sound was a sharp crack
Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.
I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.
This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.
There is nothing I dislike about this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.
August 21, 2021
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include THE HOUR OF PARADE by ALAN BRAY in the library of Awesome Indies'
Badge of Approval
recipients.
AIBA Book of the Day: 8 July, 2021: 197/42128
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
The Hour of Parade is a historical fiction novel set in Munich in 1806 which deals with Alexi, the main character’s charge to avenge his brother, and throws us into a period of time where honor and etiquette are very important. We meet soldiers on opposite sides of a battle with an elegant grace that only that time period (and someone who researched it thoroughly) could provide to a novel.
Alexi is focused, determined, and very well defined. His character glides off the page with an ease we come to see from more skilled writers. The author has taken the time to develop a small group of characters who are strong in personality and really resonate with the reader. The main character is a Russian officer. In the opening chapter, he runs into two German soldiers, men who were present in the battle where his brother was killed. The plot doesn’t unfurl itself right away, but as we read through the story, we meet more characters and gain more insight into Alexi’s endgame and how it began. It’s a moving tale about honor and loyalty, set against a beautiful backdrop of Russia.
As for technique, this novel is written in well-versed and beautiful prose. I felt at times that some of the prose was a tad overly wordy, but all in all, it flowed well and shows a strong handle of the craft. In some ways it harkens back to those classic novels, like Tolstoy, who present the reader with a story that has depth, and approaches description at a much higher level than many novels of the modern day. It allows the reader to sink into the historical elements of the story and bring himself or herself to a deeper level of connection, not only to the character but also to the experience and time period. I was able to see scenes play out in my mind as I was reading. I could imagine the places and people, and the sights, sounds and smells. Though the author took time to create a highly detailed world, he made sure that it didn’t slow down the pace of the story.
The plot is not linear, pieces fall into place at different times, but it’s structured well and easy to follow. I enjoyed the setting; it felt well researched and I was able to get lost in the language without getting pulled out due to any modern day wording slipping in. I also appreciated the glossary of terms in the back, as some of the wording used wasn’t instantly understandable. This allowed me to look up those things I was unfamiliar with, then get right back to the story. 4 stars.
AIBA Book of the Day: 8 July, 2021: 197/42128
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
The Hour of Parade is a historical fiction novel set in Munich in 1806 which deals with Alexi, the main character’s charge to avenge his brother, and throws us into a period of time where honor and etiquette are very important. We meet soldiers on opposite sides of a battle with an elegant grace that only that time period (and someone who researched it thoroughly) could provide to a novel.
Alexi is focused, determined, and very well defined. His character glides off the page with an ease we come to see from more skilled writers. The author has taken the time to develop a small group of characters who are strong in personality and really resonate with the reader. The main character is a Russian officer. In the opening chapter, he runs into two German soldiers, men who were present in the battle where his brother was killed. The plot doesn’t unfurl itself right away, but as we read through the story, we meet more characters and gain more insight into Alexi’s endgame and how it began. It’s a moving tale about honor and loyalty, set against a beautiful backdrop of Russia.
As for technique, this novel is written in well-versed and beautiful prose. I felt at times that some of the prose was a tad overly wordy, but all in all, it flowed well and shows a strong handle of the craft. In some ways it harkens back to those classic novels, like Tolstoy, who present the reader with a story that has depth, and approaches description at a much higher level than many novels of the modern day. It allows the reader to sink into the historical elements of the story and bring himself or herself to a deeper level of connection, not only to the character but also to the experience and time period. I was able to see scenes play out in my mind as I was reading. I could imagine the places and people, and the sights, sounds and smells. Though the author took time to create a highly detailed world, he made sure that it didn’t slow down the pace of the story.
The plot is not linear, pieces fall into place at different times, but it’s structured well and easy to follow. I enjoyed the setting; it felt well researched and I was able to get lost in the language without getting pulled out due to any modern day wording slipping in. I also appreciated the glossary of terms in the back, as some of the wording used wasn’t instantly understandable. This allowed me to look up those things I was unfamiliar with, then get right back to the story. 4 stars.
April 28, 2015
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Hour of Parade is a timeless novel written during a historical moment that is often romanticized. The love and connection between the characters is captivating and intriguing. The relationships between Alexi Ruzhensky and Marianne; Valsin and Anne Marie; and finally Ruzhensky and Valsin are well written, growing each character fully. While the plot is not action packed, it is packed with emotional truths that will make the reader gasp at times. Richly detailed, the novel is painfully accurate. For example the plight of women during the 1800 and early 1900’s where they were forced to depend upon a man for protection and were little more than tools for men’s pleasure - devastatingly accurate.
“She needs your protection then. Without you, she’d be in real trouble. … She depends on me, and without my protection, the city will destroy her.”
Ruzhensky must decide whether to follow his father’s wishes for blind vengeance or his own morals and find the truth of the situation out for himself before taking action. Building a friendship with Valsin, his father’s enemy, reveals truths not only about the situation but also about himself and his actions. Seeing Valsin as himself, he begins the journey of self-discovery.
“It’s true, my brother was the cadet you fought in a single combat at Wischau. They said you’d murdered him, and I …I didn’t know you.”
Ruzhensky, is also haunted by a past romance, and is seeking a relationship using Julie, written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as his model for a lover. Stymied by fate and a call to arms, Ruzhensky is faced with a devastating truth.
This is a book that many would enjoy, male and female, as it explores relationships in a voice that speaks to both genders honestly and truthfully. It is a story that reveals truths that are emotional and accurate. While it is not action packed, it is grounded in war and military as well as the life of soldiers and their women during Bonaparte’s time. You will not be able to leave this book alone once you finish reading it, it will come back to you in moments of reflection.
WordsAPlenty rates this book with a 5 star review.
The Hour of Parade is a timeless novel written during a historical moment that is often romanticized. The love and connection between the characters is captivating and intriguing. The relationships between Alexi Ruzhensky and Marianne; Valsin and Anne Marie; and finally Ruzhensky and Valsin are well written, growing each character fully. While the plot is not action packed, it is packed with emotional truths that will make the reader gasp at times. Richly detailed, the novel is painfully accurate. For example the plight of women during the 1800 and early 1900’s where they were forced to depend upon a man for protection and were little more than tools for men’s pleasure - devastatingly accurate.
“She needs your protection then. Without you, she’d be in real trouble. … She depends on me, and without my protection, the city will destroy her.”
Ruzhensky must decide whether to follow his father’s wishes for blind vengeance or his own morals and find the truth of the situation out for himself before taking action. Building a friendship with Valsin, his father’s enemy, reveals truths not only about the situation but also about himself and his actions. Seeing Valsin as himself, he begins the journey of self-discovery.
“It’s true, my brother was the cadet you fought in a single combat at Wischau. They said you’d murdered him, and I …I didn’t know you.”
Ruzhensky, is also haunted by a past romance, and is seeking a relationship using Julie, written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as his model for a lover. Stymied by fate and a call to arms, Ruzhensky is faced with a devastating truth.
This is a book that many would enjoy, male and female, as it explores relationships in a voice that speaks to both genders honestly and truthfully. It is a story that reveals truths that are emotional and accurate. While it is not action packed, it is grounded in war and military as well as the life of soldiers and their women during Bonaparte’s time. You will not be able to leave this book alone once you finish reading it, it will come back to you in moments of reflection.
WordsAPlenty rates this book with a 5 star review.
May 4, 2014
I received a copy of his novel from the publisher through NetGalley
Rating=3.5 stars
This is a very complex novel and the review and rating took a lot of thought. The story begins in 1806 when a Russian cavalry officer, Alexi Ruzhensky, is sent by his father to kill the French officer who killed his brother in a duel. The novel takes place in Munich, where the Valsin, the French officer, is stationed with his regiment. While in Munich and away from the influences of the army, warfare and his father, Ruzhensky transforms into a different person. He takes on a mistress, Marianne, who seems to be a consolation for a woman he lost while in Russia. Ruzhensky seems to need Marianne and the companionship of a woman, but any real affection for her his questionable. Instead of killing Valsin, Ruzhensky actually befriends him and decides that he cannot carry out his father's wishes. To complicate circumstances even more, Ruzhensky also has a brief affair with Valsin's mistress, Ann-Marie.
The narrative goes back and forth between the setting in Munich and flashbacks that each of the character have about previous incidents. Sometimes it was difficult to follow these narratives and I thought that the transitions between time periods could have been better. Also, the story was full of metaphors and there really could have been fewer of these. The amount metaphors were burdensome to the flow of the text.
The strongest aspect of the novel is the plot and the interact of all the characters. Each person is deeply affected by war. They soldiers in the story recognize the fact that they carry on a battle because of the orders of their commanders and never really have a choice in the matter. Although Ruzhensky, a Russian, and Valsin, a Frenchman, were on opposite sides of the battlefield they can put their differences aside and forge a meaningful friendship. This novel is a thought-provoking commentary on the fine line between friendship and enmity.
Rating=3.5 stars
This is a very complex novel and the review and rating took a lot of thought. The story begins in 1806 when a Russian cavalry officer, Alexi Ruzhensky, is sent by his father to kill the French officer who killed his brother in a duel. The novel takes place in Munich, where the Valsin, the French officer, is stationed with his regiment. While in Munich and away from the influences of the army, warfare and his father, Ruzhensky transforms into a different person. He takes on a mistress, Marianne, who seems to be a consolation for a woman he lost while in Russia. Ruzhensky seems to need Marianne and the companionship of a woman, but any real affection for her his questionable. Instead of killing Valsin, Ruzhensky actually befriends him and decides that he cannot carry out his father's wishes. To complicate circumstances even more, Ruzhensky also has a brief affair with Valsin's mistress, Ann-Marie.
The narrative goes back and forth between the setting in Munich and flashbacks that each of the character have about previous incidents. Sometimes it was difficult to follow these narratives and I thought that the transitions between time periods could have been better. Also, the story was full of metaphors and there really could have been fewer of these. The amount metaphors were burdensome to the flow of the text.
The strongest aspect of the novel is the plot and the interact of all the characters. Each person is deeply affected by war. They soldiers in the story recognize the fact that they carry on a battle because of the orders of their commanders and never really have a choice in the matter. Although Ruzhensky, a Russian, and Valsin, a Frenchman, were on opposite sides of the battlefield they can put their differences aside and forge a meaningful friendship. This novel is a thought-provoking commentary on the fine line between friendship and enmity.
February 9, 2015
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The Hour of Parade is a literary treat; set in 1806, after the Napoleonic victory over the Tsar. It starts out as brother's quest to avenge his younger brother's honour but blossoms into an essay about love and hate, right and wrong and ultimately forgiveness. The story is characterised by a complex set of relationships and explores life's uncertainties and grey areas through the four main characters. The outcome reveals nothing is clear cut where human emotions and interactions are involved.
The story echoes the classics that have come before and indeed the author has included translations of Rousseau's Julie, which dominates the thinking and actions of Alexi the Russian officer who sets out to avenge the family honour. The characters echo the prejudices and expectations of the time period beautifully, it is their completeness that makes this simple story an enthralling read.
The setting is well described and interesting; the historical detail is all there for the reader to absorb. You experience the action and emotion, rather than watch it from afar and this is a satisfying experience.
The final scenes echo the poignancy of the human effects of war. They reinforce the plot's authenticity and characters' realism. A must read for fans of complex relationships played out against a vivid historical tableau.
I received a copy of this book from Createspace via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Alan Bray
December 19, 2014
The setting is 1806 Russia with Alex Ruzhensky who is a Russian Officer instructed by his father to travel to Munich to kill the man who killed his son and Alex’s brother in a duel. The father is full of revenge that transfers to Alex as he begins his retribution journey to execute a murder in the name of his father.
Arriving in Munich Alex is invited to join German soldiers for a round of drinks in a tavern and attentively listens as they relate the story of that fateful day of demise for his brother without their knowledge of Alex’s relationship with the defeated. Alex continues his search for the enemy of his father and once found a completely new set of events occurs leading Alex to search his mind and soul as to the true reason for being there.
While reading The Hour of Parade I created a movie version in my mind that filmed in black and white as if it were from the film noir era. Thoughtfully written with attention to detail from the 1800’s era in Germany and Russia, Alan Bray places you in the middle of a revenge seeking drama provoking you to rethink when to bring the ‘an eye for an eye’ adage into play. I recommend to historical fiction fans for a tale of exciting adventure and revenge that rings true to human nature.
I received this book free from Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) through the Net Galley reviewer program in exchange for an honest opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.
Arriving in Munich Alex is invited to join German soldiers for a round of drinks in a tavern and attentively listens as they relate the story of that fateful day of demise for his brother without their knowledge of Alex’s relationship with the defeated. Alex continues his search for the enemy of his father and once found a completely new set of events occurs leading Alex to search his mind and soul as to the true reason for being there.
While reading The Hour of Parade I created a movie version in my mind that filmed in black and white as if it were from the film noir era. Thoughtfully written with attention to detail from the 1800’s era in Germany and Russia, Alan Bray places you in the middle of a revenge seeking drama provoking you to rethink when to bring the ‘an eye for an eye’ adage into play. I recommend to historical fiction fans for a tale of exciting adventure and revenge that rings true to human nature.
I received this book free from Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) through the Net Galley reviewer program in exchange for an honest opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.
August 13, 2014
Set in Munich 1806,
The Hour of Parade
by Alan Bray is an epic historical-fiction that hearkens back to a time when literature was rich with vivid characters, and larger than life plots. Set after the Napoleonic Wars, the main character, Alexi Ruzhensky, a Russian cavalry officer, sets out on a trail of revenge; he is sent by his father to kill the French Officer who had killed his brother during a duel. Rather than complete his mission, he befriends his target, although complications will result, such as Ruzhensky's affair with the Frenchman's mistress. The story is written in the style of the early 19th century-it is epic and portrays classic themes, such as romance (a love triangle), revenge, pride, war and friendship. This is Mr. Bray's first novel, yet his style is one that compares to literature's greats, such as Tolstoy and Rousseau, who both have bit parts within the story. The Hour of Parade offers readers an epic tale, written as if it were penned during during the 19th century, with a plot that widens bit by bit as it arrives at it's volatile conclusion. A truly beautifully written story.
May 27, 2014
a stunning work
February 12, 2015
We are proud to announce that THE HOUR OF PARADE by Alan Bray is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!
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