The Last Roundhead

Blandford Candy #1

by Jemahl Evans

The second Blandford Candy Book, ‘This Deceitful Light’, is out on 20TH September 2017!

"They say I am the last of them alive; they say I am the last roundhead."

Ancestor to Colonel Blimp, Sir Blandford Candy is an irascible old drunk with a hatred of poets and a love of hats. After an argument with his new neighbour Alexander Pope, he looks back on his life and the start of the Civil War.Young Blandford sets off for London following an illicit affair with his brother’s betrothed and joins the army to fight the King, taking part in the battles of Edgehill and Turnham Green.As he bounces from battlefield to bedroom, Blandford unmasks Cavalier plots, earns the enmity of the King's agents and uncovers an attempt to steal thousands. All whilst dealing with murderous brothers, scheming sisters and puritan displeasure. Flashman meets the Three Musketeers in a picaresque romp through Stuart England.

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

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Born in Bradford Upon Avon to nomadic Welsh school teachers; Jemahl was brought up in a West Wales mining village during the 70s and 80s. He has pursued a lifelong passion for History, inspired by his grandfather’s stories and legends. Jemahl was educated in Christ College Brecon, St Mary’s University College (Strawberry Hill), and U.W.E. Bristol.

Jemahl graduated with an MA in History, focussing on poetry and propaganda during the Wars of the Roses, and then worked for IBM in London. At the turn of the millennium, he left the grind of the office and spent a couple of years travelling and working abroad. After time spent in India, Australia, and South East Asia he returned to Britain and took up a teaching post in West London in 2005. He left his role as Head of Year in the Heathland School in 2010, and returned to Wales citing hiraeth.

He started writing The Last Roundhead in 2013 and early revisions won awards on the British Arts Council site YouWriteOn and Harper Collins Authonomy. His interest in the English Civil War was sparked as a child, after reading Simon by Rosemary Sutcliffe, which is probably why his sympathies lie with Parliament!

Jemahl now spends his time teaching, reading history, listening to the Delta Blues, walking his border collie, and whining on Twitter about the government. You can follow him on twitter @Temulkar

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The English Civil War is so often portrayed as a conflict between the royalists and the puritans that one forgets it began as a conflict between the king and parliament. So it is interesting to read a novel set during this initial period before the whole edifice of English society had been overturned but when, nevertheless, structures were beginning to crumble.

Cleverly dovetailed into history, with its spurious but convincing provenance and its cast of real and invented characters, The Last Roundhead is the story of Blandford Candy, who is obliged to join the parliamentary army to avoid a scandal at home.

It's a period of political and military uncertainty. Both sides are at war but both sides are also involved in a protracted series of negotiations. Many of the parliamentarians still feel a good deal of loyalty towards their king and although attitudes are hardening , there is still room for sympathies to change. It is in this environment that Blandford finds his true vocation. He becomes a Scout, a spy for the parliamentary party with a licence to unravel the enemy's machinations.

To his own surprise, he proves successful at espionage but everything else in his life goes awry. His friends are killed; he loses the woman he loves; and his two brothers, who have joined the royalist party, are determined to see him dead. Finally, he becomes the target of an a determined assassination plot.

Laced with disenchantment at the incompetence of powerful men, the novel pulls off that difficult trick of seeming entirely authentic while simultaneously resonating with a contemporary sensibility. When I got to the end, I immediately wanted to go back to the history books and find out more about the characters who flitted in and out of its pages.

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've come across lately, both immensely entertaining and relentlessly well written. It should appeal especially to fans of the Flashman novels, though it isn't as consistently facetious as that series. There are instances that give the book real depth—I would point particularly to a section about a charcoal burner at about the midpoint of the book. Though apparently an isolated episode, this introduces a mood and a perspective that influence one's reading of the rest of the work. Still, there's generally a light tone to the writing due to the persona of the narrator, which the author has handled admirably.

I had to trust the author for the historicity of details, but he made me feel I was in good hands throughout.

Very fine job.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading The Last Roundhead(I received an ARC from netgalley). Evans has a great sense of history and a bawdy sense of humor. The book was a quick and fun read but my enjoyment was limited because the book presupposed a deeper knowledge of England's civil war than I possess. Recommended.

[Stephen Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is historical fiction written by a historian who can write fiction. That may sound bloody obvious but there is a massive difference between historical non-fiction and the narrative of a fiction. The author must understand two very different disciplines and Evans has a masterly understanding of both. The detail is mesmerising yet dropped into the narrative with such ease you would imagine this was written in the period it is set. Cervantes had the advantage of a certain proximity to the age he wrote about, Evans on the other hand is 350 plus years disadvantaged yet writes in a convincing period style that is still immediately accessible to the 21st century reader. This is a modern masterpiece in a 17th century style. I doubt there are many writers about with the skills and knowledge to pull something like this off. It is undoubtedly very different but I raced through this. Clearly intended as the first in a series, this begins the story of Blandford Candy and interposes him with the great and ghastly events of the English civil war. If you have no idea what that war was about this is the introduction you have been waiting for. An attention to detail that will leave you convinced you have been exposed to real history (which you have) and an imagined biography that puts you in the guts of dead men and the beginnings of the democratic system we take for granted today. Read it and learn something.

[Samantha Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Evans' novel, The Last Roundhead, in a competition just before Christmas. So I began to read as soon as I received it, finishing it just a couple of days into 2019.

Wow. All I can say is, wow.

I must admit I was a little wary about reading a novel based in the English Civil War again, as the ones I have read have set the bar seriously high. And I was even more wary that this one is told from the perspective of a Parliamentarian. But, this novel blew all of my expectations out of the water and smashed that bar to pieces! 

This book tells the story of Blandford Candy, a young soldier who fights for Parliament in the English Civil War. He's young, impulsive and not at all like what you would expect a roundhead soldier to be. And it's wonderful, making you love the scoundrel right from the outset, when an older Blandford begins to look back on his wartime shenanigans. The story itself is told mainly in first person - something you don't often see anymore - and it really gets you hooked into Blandford's story. You understand his feelings. You understand his mindset. And it's written so well that the story flows wonderfully.

This novel is fast paced and full of exciting moments that make you want to just keep reading. It certainly is a page turner full of murderous plots, romance and scheming. Evans has done a remarkable job and let me tell you, I cannot WAIT for the next book!

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

thanks to net galley and the publishers for the book for an open and honest review.
have always been interested in the English civil war in both non/fiction and found this book interesting with a family being split by differing loyalty but the only problem had with the book was the quick ending but assume this will be a series of books.

[David "Thorne" Luckhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through the English Civil Way by Jemahl Evans. I know quite a lot about the history of the conflict, which improved the experience. Reminiscent of the Flashman series in tone and footnoted structure, Evans also rewards those who have studied the period with a wealth of gritty detail and practical soldiering. Read a trade paperback review copy sent to me from the UK.

[Kate Vane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Roundhead is the story of Sir Blandford Candy and his adventures as Roundhead soldier and intelligencer (spy). In 1642 he is sent to London by his family, having disgraced himself at home with an affair, and is asked to deliver letters to his uncle, a member of parliament. His uncle gives him choices — return home, go to the New World, or accept a commission to fight with his uncle, and that is what he decides to do.

Candy is a strong character and circumstances mean he has a life full of adventure and incident. He is at turns brave and shrewd, lazy and selfish. Evans very effectively captures both the extraordinary nature of the times and the way the life of Candy and his fellow soldiers becomes oddly normal. The narration was good, giving Candy’s voice a heightened quality that suits his flamboyant character.

The writing is rich in the texture of daily life — from food to weapons to soldiers’ slang. The humour of Candy and his comrades is quite adolescent at times but it does serve as a reminder that many of the soldiers were very young.

The frame of the novel is that Candy as an old man in 1720 is looking back on his life. The storytelling has an episodic feel, a procession of set pieces rather than a story with a strong narrative. I prefer a strong forward drive in a story, particularly if I’m going to continue reading through the series.

the last roundhead paperbackI was initially confused by all the digressions in the narrative – extracts from (real) contemporary accounts, poetry, letters purportedly from Candy’s family and so on, until I read in a review that the text is full of footnotes.

Although the narrator did highlight them by voicing them differently, they felt quite jarring in an audiobook. (I think footnotes in fiction generally should be avoided, unless you’re Flann O’Brien or Alan Partridge.)

If you like military history and well-researched historical fiction, with lashings of scatalogical humour, then The Last Roundhead may be the book for you.
*
I received a copy of The Last Roundhead audiobook from the narrator.

[John Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The back of this book states "Flashman meets the Three Musketeers..." with footnotes researched in the back just like GMF idid for his Flashman's.

This book is about the English Civil War (if one can call wars civil), focusing on one Blandford Candy (nicknamed Sugar) who find himself a unwilling participant in fighting the King of England. Blandford has his moments along with his uncle Sir Samuel Luke in fighting the King's forces. The battles of Edgehill and Turnham Green plus several attempts on his life as a Scout for he Roundheads. Not to mention his brothers attempts, since they fight for the King.

Fairly good stuff, if you are familiar with the English Civil War, otherwise a little confusing. There is an Appredix on the Religious factors in the conflict. Possibly a forward in an American edition, which should help we Yanks.

There a sequel with a third coming out in 2018.

[Rebecca L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Roundhead brings the time surrounding the English Civil War to life with attention to minute historical detail. The protagonist, while not altogether likable, is incredibly entertaining. I enjoyed following his adventure and seeing all the close escapes and challenges that he faced. While reading this book, I learned more about English history and was inspired to do more research to see what was fact and what was fiction. The author blends these both together quite well.

I prefer character driven novels, so I thought that the best part of this book was the narration. The narrator brought the protagonist to life in a way that made me want to keep reading just to see what happened to him.

Thank you to Audiobook Boom for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[James Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best historical fiction I have read in years!

This is the tale of Blandford Candy, the last living roundhead in 1719 when he wrote his memoirs. In the long hot summer of 1642 he is forced to leave home because his sister has discovered that he is having an affair with his eldest brother's wife to be. He rides up to London in search of fame and fortune, just in time to be enlisted in his uncle's Regiment. It is by far the best historical fiction that I have read since I finished reading the Flashman papers.

Laid out in the style of the Flashman papers, Candy's story is very well researched and thoroughly end noted. The history is part of the story and doesn't get in the way, it all makes sense without reading the end notes (although if you do you will learn about mid seventeenth century England). Blandford Candy is not Flashman, his character is wholly different. For a start he lacks the bully boy swagger and cowardice of Flashman, although like Flashman he often gets involved in things that he would not have done otherwise, and he's lead by lust more than brains. He does have brains though, and they get him out of some of the scrapes along with a measure of luck.

Candy is an unreliable narrator from a period where truth and accuracy were seen as perspectives rather than necessities in journalism. The chapters in the book are interspersed with correspondence and news pamphlets from the time, giving us other perspectives than just Candy's. Like many of his time he is sophisticated in his cynicism of the printed material.

He is the third son of a middling family. Candy has been brought up as a gentleman, but also has an understanding that there will be no inheritance for him. The social position leads him falling naturally into being a young officer in his uncle Samuel Luke's cavalry troop. This takes him to Edgehill, where his flamboyant red hat marks him out for special attention in the melee with Prince Rupert's cavalry. Barely surviving the initial clash he recovers his composure and is able to participate later in the breaking of the King's infantry, where he kills a red-headed ensign and takes the colour.

Back in London he becomes one of the 24 scouts when Parliament appoints Samuel Luke as Scoutmaster General. This leads to a whole load of skulduggery and plotting as well as a raid to uncover the printing press producing pamphlets for the royalists in London. He also goes to Oxford over the winter with the peace commissioners where he meets his middle brother, recently knighted by the King for loyal service. There's a whole load of hidden plot here that develops through the rest of the story.

We see Blandford Candy being transformed from an innocent young man driven more by libido than anything else into a hardened warrior, confirmed roundhead and cynical agent for Parliament. He also develops close friendships with the other scouts, and there are moments of tragedy when some of them die, whether from disease or enemy action. There's a lot of promise for more in the book too, references to other events and interesting characters, including Rochester. I certainly hope that there are as least as many of these as there were of the Flashman papers.

The book is available for pre-order, and is on general release from 1 August. Jemahl Evans kindly sent me an advanced reading copy knowing that I was a book reviewer and a member of the English Civil War Society. The Last Roundhead has exceeded my expectations and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone that enjoys history, thrillers, spy stories or mysteries, because it has all of these wrapped in together.

[The Reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Roundhead takes place during the English Civil War (1642-1651). The Roundheads were those on Parliament’s side (the side against Charles I). The Roundheads ended up winning, establishing a new government under Oliver Cromwell (after Cromwell died, Charles II, the exiled son of Charles I, became King of England and they returned to the monarchy).

The main character of this novel, Blandford Candy, was a Roundhead. Blandford reminded me of a slightly more competent version of the fantasy characters Jezal dan Luthar and Jalan Kendeth. Of course, Blandford isn’t some fantasy character.

The book starts with him heading to London at his sister’s orders. His wealthy uncle finds him a good position in the army.

“I was a Roundhead. There was little real decision in the matter, with only my uncle as a contact and he a rebel. Everybody in England was choosing a side. Most acted on high ideals, of duty and prerogative, or puritan crusade. Some of us acted on mundane factors, like a murderous brother, and a devious manipulative shrew of a sister.”

After a brief introduction to battle, Blandford ends up an intelligence officer, and the book tells of his adventures.

“An intelligencer I became. It was good money after all and I had my friends around me. Looking back of course, it was a fateful decision that took me to the courts of kings and emperors, and to the battlefields of Europe. It led me to the new world and back again, saw me wounded and near to death, got me imprisoned for treason and knighted by the same Stuart king. Oh, and I knew many beautiful women, even some that I loved. And, knowing all that, I think I would have still taken the same path. I have had a life worth living after all. A life worth writing about.”

I was stunned at the level of research that went into this book. Everything felt real. It’s very obvious that Evans went to a lot of effort to get things right, which I appreciate. With that said, we weren’t flooded with information, and the book still moved at a fairly quick pace.

My only complaint is the writing style. Evans wrote in a style similar to what would have been used conversationally in the seventeenth century. While some people may appreciate this, I found it slightly off-putting and distracting. If that doesn’t bother you, you’ll enjoy this book.


This is a copy of a review originally posted on my blog, bookreviews77.com
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[John Bayliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following an ‘indiscretion’ involving his eldest brother’s fiancée, Blandford Candy is dispatched (not entirely willingly) to his uncle, Sir Samuel Luke, and finds himself enrolled in the parliamentary forces in the English Civil War: first at the Battle of Edge Hill and later as a ‘scout’ – basically a spy – for Parliament. As a scout, Blandford becomes something of a 17th century James Bond (the scene in which the newly appointed scouts are provisioned with the tools of their trade did rather remind me of Q issuing Bond with the latest ‘gadgets’). Like Bond, Blandford faces attempts on his life, has steamy encounters with femmes fatale, and occasionally takes the life of an enemy – he’s got an eye for a pretty girl, too – but Blandford is a much more likeable character than Bond. At the start, at least, he’s a mere innocent wandering through the horrific landscape of 17th century warfare, struggling to survive the blood, the mayhem and the nasty diseases (sometimes very nasty diseases). The novel does not shy away from portraying the full horrors of war, either.

Despite being fiction, the novel is so firmly embedded in real history that I almost expected Blandford Candy (1624 – 1721) to have his own Wikipedia page (he doesn’t, sadly, or at least he doesn’t yet). Many of the incidents in Blandford’s picaresque progress correspond with a real historical events (as the comprehensive end notes confirm) and genuine historical figures such as John Hampden, Robert Devereux (the third Earl of Essex) and Samuel Butler all make significant appearances in the story. I have some experience of writing tightly plotted novels myself and know how hard it is to keep all the twists and turns in check; to write a twisty-turny novel that also has to synchronise with real history must be doubly difficult, yet Jemahl Evans achieves it with aplomb.

Although dedicated Civil War enthusiasts will likely enjoy this novel for the wealth of historical detail, there is much here for the mainstream reader who simply wants a cracking good adventure story. With themes of ambition, survival, betrayal and revenge, The Last Roundhead does not fail to enthral from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

[Disclaimer: I read sections of the manuscript before it was published and provided feedback. I also played a small rôle in getting the book published.]

[Matthew Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are various tests that every historical novel has to meet before it can be considered a success. The Last Roundhead by Jemahl Evans passes these with flying colours The historical world of the English Civil War is rendered so credibly it’s easy to imagine the author experienced the 1640s himself. The Last Roundhead is a modern novel, of course, but it feels beautifully of the time in which it is set. Everything from period insults and expletives to sexual and religious politics feel right. Historical figures such as John Hampden, John Hurry and Samuel Luke are realised convincingly and seamlessly woven into the fictional elements of the story. The extent of the author’s evident research can be seen on every page, but is easily forgotten, so smoothly is the narrative crafted.
None of this would matter if the main character was not someone the reader could believe in and identify with, and in Blandford Candy, The Last Roundhead has a central figure as likeable as he is flawed. Candy (who, in a nice touch, is an ancestor of Clive Candy, Powell & Pressburger’s Colonel Blimp) narrates the tale from Restoration-era London, where the mythologising of the Civil War has already begun. This way we get to contrast the irascible elder with his younger self. Not that the young Blandford is any more idealistic than his older self – without giving too much away, he is tipped into the Civil War on Parliament’s side more through accident than design, and no doubt like many scions of the landed gentry, has to deal with the consequences of divided loyalties in his own family. He also has to deal with the consequences of his own love of women, drink and hats. We follow Blandford as he falls in with a miscellany of Civil War era characters from the puritanical to the dissolute, through historical events such as the Battle of Edgehill and the Battle of Chalgrove Field.
The bawdy humour of the 17th century runs through the book, turning black on occasion, and punctuated with moments of heartwrenching loss. This is a war story, as well as a coming of age tale and a historical romp in the picaresque tradition of Defoe, Sterne and Smollett. It’s also a darn fine read, which will be enjoyed equally by scholars of the 17th century and readers with a casual interest in the era.

[Brian Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I heard that the hero of ‘The Last Roundhead’ was an English Civil War, Flashman-type character, I just knew that I had to read the novel and I’m really glad that I did. Although there are similarities between ‘Flashman’ and Blandford ‘Sugar’ Candy, Blandford is more honest, braver and truthful. Yes he whores and drinks and likes hats, but whereas Flashman was more like a comic book character, Blandford is real and can even be found in Britain today.
Having seduced his eldest brother’s intended, Blandford in fear of his life, (there is no love lost between Blandford the youngest son and his two elder brothers), is aided by his eldest sister (she supports the Puritan & Parliamentarian causes) who packs him off to his uncle Sir Samuel Luke. Blandford is enlisted as a Cornet in the Parliamentarian forces and fights in the Battle of Edge Hill.
Later he becomes a ‘Scout’, basically a spy for Parliament. I’m not going to spoil the story for potential readers by giving away the storyline, but suffice it to say that Blandford has many adventures and faces death several times. Apart from his eldest sister, the rest of Blandford’s family are Royalists, which makes for some very interesting situations when Blandford comes up against his brothers in battle.
The Last Roundhead is realistic in its portrayal of all the horrors of the English Civil War and Blandford’s emotions as he faces conflict for the first time are realistic and will no doubt have been experienced by most people who have faced similar situations. The book is extremely well researched and I learnt a great deal about the English Civil War from the footnotes that I didn’t know about the period before. The book kept me enthralled from the first page to the last and I can’t wait for the next one in what will hopefully be a long series.

[Abi Pellinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect as it is the first giveaway I’ve ever won. It was a nice little extra to find a personalised signing and I can tell Jemahl that I definitely did enjoy!

I wasn’t expecting to hugely enjoy this book, bad I know but it isn’t something I’d normally pick up and I just applied on a whim to the giveaway. I am so glad I did because this book was such a good read and so fun! I became comrades with our main character Candy very quickly and I felt that the portrayal of the English Civil War (Roundheads, obviously, vs Cavaliers) was done very realistically, although I don’t know the period in depth.

It is a fast-paced book with many highs, lows, twists and turns which will make you keep turning the pages long after it’s dark outside. I really really hope there will be a sequel written for this book and I have to know more about Candy and his life! Even if it was written from different characters (such as Hurry, Elizabeth or James) just to enjoy this setting more. (EDIT: I’ve just got off my arse and looked and there is! Definitely going onto my tbr!)

All in all, a very well written book and one I’d encourage you to pick up, people of any age can enjoy this book (although there is some crude language, so the younger bracket depends on their personal development) and should give it a shot.

[Jack Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well it took me ages to finish this - but not because it was a slow read or anything. Blame the US Election and the iPad that allows me to play Fantastic Beasts instead of reading. Tut tut.

I bought this for my mum last year after encountering Jemahl on a writer's forum. The English Civil War is one of my favourite historical periods so I'd been looking forward to reading it.

Blandford 'Sugar' Candy is a great protagonist, being young, foolish and rather full of himself, and this is a well constructed pacey read full of intrigue and excitement as well as the horrors of civil war. Brother against brother and so forth. Not that Blandford cared much for his brothers even before he found himself fighting for Parliament while they fight for the crown. He learns a lot in a short space of time as the reality of the situation become apparent - it's not all about having the best hat. Solidly researched with plenty of convincing detail, I really enjoyed it.

[James Sparks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate to win a copy of this book in a competition. I was pleased to win as I had only entered for this book as it seemed so genuinely interesting. I wasn't disappointed (much).

The story is good. The period of history is interesting, and it's well told throughout The Last Roundhead. The characters are well formed and that's always the best sign of a book for me. Blandford Candy has that sort of brash personality that means you end up rooting for him, despite a few faults. The other characters all play good roles and are well crafted.

The one thing that did frustrate me with this book was the constant italicised historical notes, letters and short verses. There were simply too many and I gave up reading them at all and merely ignored them as a I went through the book. I understand the historical significance to the letters and their relationship with the story, but they took away from book itself. They broke up the story and rhythm of the book entirely. I'd plead with Jemahl to perhaps reduce this in his next book.

And a next book there should be, because Jemahl writes very well and there is definite future for Candy and his stories. A well-crafted character has been born here and I would be interested to read further. There is even an element of CJ Sansom plotting in this book and it could be a corker if more of the intelligence and plotting were further enhanced and played a larger role. Just please let the character be the main draw to the book, not a set of old letters.

Overall, 4 stars for me.

[Isobel Gibbons]

Not my normal genre but I must say I really enjoyed this novel. it opened my eyes on the civil war and the politics surrounding it without distraction from the story. well written well researched and a good read . I am not going to go to deep into this nove; as that might spoil it for other readers suffice to say it is now doing the rounds of the family and so far after 6 people have read it from nineteen to sixty five no poor reviews enjoy.

[Alan Bardos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Roundhead is the first instalment of the Sir Blandford Candy Adventures, an ancestor of Clive Candy the legendary Colonel Blimp of World War II fame. Blandford Candy is not the usual run of the mill Puritan Roundhead. He is something of a dandy, whose philandering constantly gets him in trouble and also results in his enlistment in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil war.

The story is a classic picaresque romp that follows Blandford through the early bloody battles of the English Civil Wars and his enrolment as a scout. He operates in the shadows, acting as the eyes and ears of his superiors. He comes up against a classic array of baddies including members of his own family and the darstadly John Hurry, who incredibly was a real life character.

The Last Roundhead, pulls together a kaleidoscope of characters to chronicle the incompetence and fury of the Civil War and brings to life an area of English history that I knew very little about. The novel is meticulously reasearched, but Evans doesn’t allow the history to stall the narrative which is dramatic, brutal and very funny in equal measures.

Bill Allender’s soulful narration is the perfect depiction of an old man on his deathbed looking back on his life.

[Keith Currie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of fartleberries and excrement
An episodic, picaresque, scatological account of the opening years of the English Civil War, as retold by its last survivor, Blandford (Sugar) Candy, from the vantage point of extreme old age. This is entertaining enough and appears to be the first in a series of pseudo-autobiographical reminiscences which will recount the history of the war, at least judging from the abrupt ending of this volume. Be aware that about 10% of the whole is a series of footnotes on the text; in that and the portrayal of the rogue Candy there is a similarity to the Harry Flashman novels, but a Flashman de nos jours, where an over-reliance on the humorous possibilities of bodily functions distracts from the narrative and irritates this reader at least.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unsure when I requested this book from NetGalley however I am a bit of a history buff and this covers a time I am lacking in knowledge.
The idea of a partial autobiography by an ancestor of Colonel Blimp sounded a bit too silly to pass it by.
Well, what can I say? Between family archives, records from the period, war time archives and such the autobiography was shown to be a true record. There were more names and places than I thought I would recognise (some families are always the baddies, even up to current day).
I learned a great deal from this book but not in a stuffy, school book way. Jehmal Evans put things together in a very readable format.

[Tom Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book - a fabulous read and terrifyingly well researched.

Everybody knows about the Civil War, don’t they? Those dashing Cavaliers and miserable Roundheads; the heroic cavalry charges; the feathered hats and the armies marching across a bucolic 17th century English countryside?

If you cherished any such illusions, Evans will be quick to burst your bubble. He tells the story from the point of view of the last surviving Roundhead, 95 years old, bitter and angry and, for his sins, living next to Alexander Pope, whose continual building and gardening drives him to distraction.

Blandford Candy(‘Sugar’ to everyone who knows him, which irritates him no end) joins the Parliamentary cause because he’s running away from home on account of a misunderstanding involving his brother’s wife. Sugar, it turns out, is prone to misunderstandings involving women.

Even before he reaches London, he is introduced to the realities of the war to come. He meets John Hurry, a bully and a thug, who is ostensibly on the Parliamentary side, but whose main interest in the war is the opportunities it gives for rapine and pillage.

Hurry is the first of many historical characters we are to meet. I’d never heard of him, but I know he’s a real person because there is an endnote to tell me so. It’s the first of 88 end-notes.

Evans has a Masters degree in history and he writes historical fiction where the history is sometimes in danger of overwhelming the fiction. Eighty-eight end-notes is a lot. Many of them are biographical notes and that’s a lot of characters to keep track of in a novel. Fortunately, Evans is very good at keeping his characters in some sort of narrative structure and it’s not that often that I found myself skipping backwards and forwards trying to work out who was betraying whom and why. Sugar ends up a spy, so there is an awful lot of betraying going on – some of it political, but quite a lot because he can’t, to coin a phrase, keep it in his breeches. The result is a satisfying amount of plotting and killing and general excitement in between the ghastliness of battles where men die ugly pointless deaths and don’t look glamorous and dashing at all.

Don’t allow yourself to become too attached to any of the characters, because they die in droves – as often from sickness as from battle. Until well into the 19th century sickness was far more of a threat to the average soldier than was the enemy, but most modern writers miss this. Evans’ graphic description of one of Sugar’s friends dying of typhus reminds us of the reality of 17th century warfare.

The amount of historical detail and the accuracy with which it is related could easily have become tedious. But in the end, the sheer vitality of the first person narration carries you along. Evans is just a very good writer and he’s telling a very good story. I found myself learning more and more about the Civil War and learning it quite painlessly.

If you have any interest in this period, 'The Last Roundhead' is a brilliant way to learn more. For somebody who is not a Civil War specialist but just wants a rollicking good yarn set in the period, I can recommend this wholeheartedly.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got the book from Netgalley.

The first time I started reading the book, I gave up. But then I decided to give it another try because the description sounded really interesting. And it turned out to be the correct decision because I liked the book. The fact that the intro did not pull me in at the first reading is my only reason for giving this book 4 stars instead of five.

What I know of the Civil War is that it was between the King and Cromwell, or more exact, Parliament. Everything that went deeper than that was a new information to me. What I imagined was that extravagant people were for the King and the strict Puritans were for Cromwell. This book corrected my thinking because Blandford Candy is nothing like the strict Puritans I have expected on the side of the Parliament. His love for dresses and extravagance made him an interesting character.

He is an unlikely 'hero' but no one can say that he is not aware of his many faults. Not all, maybe, but most of them. It helps that he is telling the story of his youth, years after it happened. He still seems to remember the details vividly though.
I am a relic of forgotten times, with my faded coat and thieving servants.

The story is then told mainly from his perspective, but there are intersections of his brothers' letters to their sister or Royalist propaganda. The story of brothers show in this particular family what happened to many of them - they became divided because of their sympathies. It is the story of any civil war, where neighbours become enemies and families are torn apart.

All in all, I am really glad I gave the book another try and am looking forward to reading the second book!

[Michael Bully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining novel by a writer who seems to have really researched the English Civil War. I can't remember when I learnt so much from reading the endnotes in a work of historical fiction. Also enjoyed the range of quotes from contemporary poets that opened each chapter.
Opening in 1719 with former Parliamentarian veteran ,Sir Blandford Candy , looking back as a nineteen year old soldier in 1642 and 1643. Candy joins up after scandalising his Royalist brothers whom he loathes. The War dividing families is quite a standard literary device and this writer manages very well by having Blandford's formidable older sister Elizabeth also supporting Parliament. He is instinctively rebellious and therefore pro- Parliamentarian.....but has little interest in religion, not much admiration for politicians apart from John Hampden. The plots range from
War is show in a devastating light. Various opportunist bullies use the chaos it causes for their own bullying. Both sides loot and terrorise non-combatants. There is no showcasing of religious and/or political idealism. Very little heroism, though loyalty between fellow soldiers is crucial just
as much as treachery. Contemporary insults , crude language and descriptions flourish. Coarse accounts of fevers, brawls in ale houses, fighting in city back streets, seduction of wenches. make the novel colourful. Lesser known episodes of the war such as the siege of Reading in 1643 and the Edmund Waller Royalist plot of 1643 add a great deal of interest.
There's quite a strong Samuel Smollett type misanthropy in evidence, but its well used to elevate the storyline.
Not a novel for readers who want dashing romantic cavaliers or dedicated puritans building a new Jerusalem, just 17th century warfare in all its sordid wretchedness

[Chris Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and yet a bit unsatisfactory book.

The start is, more or less, without explanation as I remember. There is no scene setting to explain the disposition of the two sides, nothing particularly to introduce any of the key characters; in fact there is no clear starting point, the book just begins. The ending is similar in that there has been an incident, it finishes but we are left neither with a cliffhanger nor with a particular turning point in the story.

The writing style was fine and I liked the mix of modern language with a few olde worlde words but the constant footnotes were a bit of a pain in the buttocks on the Kindle, maybe they are easier to access in the paper version, but they constantly broke the flow of the story. I had trouble remembering all the characters too but that's probably me rather than the book.

The worst of it is that I don't feel that I know much more about the English Civil War now than I did when I started. I'll probably try the second book though, when I get around to it, and see if that starts to pull the strings together. As it stands I found the book didn't really give me either a straightforward novel with a nice story, which would have been fine, or a history, which would have been fine, or a novel set in an explained historical context, which would have been fine.

[Soozee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, this one didn't really live up to its promise. The story was rather far-fetched, and while it seemed pretty accurate historically, I just didn't believe in the characters.
I found it quite a solid read, and had to force myself in parts to keep going. Then in other sections it was pretty good.

[Kevin Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fantastic Read

This is a book that had been on my the for quite a while and it is a fantastic read,covering the battle of edgehill
and later the seige of reading. The writing style reminded me of the Flashman books,complete with footnotes and the humour. I will certainly be reading more from this author and comes very highly recommended.

[09/01 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable romp

An enjoyable romp through the early stages of the civil war. All the major characters flit in and out of the narrative. Will continue to follow Blandford 's escapades.