Valley Forge

by David Garland

Imprisoned in Boston with the defeated army, Captain Jamie Skoyles escapes with Elizabeth Rainham, the woman he loves, and, after a series of adventures, reaches Philadelphia where the British army has camped for the winter. Washington’s men, by contrast, have to endure the freezing cold of Valley Forge and are dogged by a lack of food and other resources.

Working as a spy for the British, Skoyles gets inside the American camp and courts all kinds of dangers. His spirits are lifted when Elizabeth joins him in Philadelphia but another new arrival is less welcome. Major Harry Featherstone is the man from whom Skoyles took Elizabeth. Bent on revenge, the major contrives to have Skoyles arrested on a charge of treason and he languishes in prison to await a court martial. The only way that Skoyles can escape is to rely on help from the enemy. In a tense climax, he is confronted with the biggest decision of his life.

Valley Forge is a compelling study of some of the darker aspects of war when loyalties become blurred and when individuals put private grievances before their duty to their country. The book is a brilliant sequel to David Garland’s Saratoga.

Genres: Historical Fiction

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Pseudonym of Keith Miles

Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theater. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book.

The protagonist of the theater series is Nicholas Bracewell, the bookholder of a leading Elizabethan theater company (in an alternate non-Shakespearean universe).

The latter series' two protagonists are the Norman soldier Ralph Delchard and the former novitiate turned lawyer Gervase Bret, who is half Norman and half Saxon.

His latest series of novels are based in early Victorian period and revolve around the fictional railway detective Inspector Robert Colbeck.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novel about the American War of Independence featuring a British soldier as the hero of the story. It's actually a sequel to a book titled "Saratoga." In that book, which I haven't read, Captain Jamie Skoyles of the British Army was captured by the Americans when the British surrendered following their defeat at Saratoga in New York State in 1777. Skoyles becomes part of "the Convention Army" which, under the generous terms of their surrender to U.S. General Gates, are to be returned to England with the promise that they would not fight in the war again. Unfortunately for them, the Congress and Gen. Washington felt those terms were TOO generous-and decided not to permit the POWs to take ship and leave to possibly return to the fight once again. Skoyles becomes restless and decides to escape with a girlfriend-and another soldier who is his friend--and HIS girlfriend. The English captain finally makes his way to the British stronghold in New York City. Skoyles then gets involved in the war of spy vs. spy as he's sent to spy on Washington's encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He then wins Washington's trust as a defector to the rebel cause, and is sent back to the Brits to spy on them. So he becomes a double agent able to play both sides against the other. But, of course,in the end, he will have to come to a decision--to remain loyal to England and help destroy Washington and the cause of American independence--or join the rebels and help assure their final victory. You can guess what his decision is---As far as I know, there is no third book about Captain Jamie Skoyles.

[Jenna Vallorani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes place in the 1700's during the time of the Battle at Valley Forge. In this story, a man named Jaimie begins as a soldier for the British, but ends up becoming a spy on the American spy. For most of the story, the narrator just discuses Jaimie's life as a spy, including insight to the lives of his wife and her close friends. The climax of the story happens at the end when Jaimie is caught bu British soldiers and battles his former friend until Jaimie kills him. When he does so, the narrator states that Jaimie officially severs all ties with Britain and can be considered an American. I did not really enjoy this book because I felt that it was very boring until the very last chapter when Jaimie is finally caught.

[Eugene Kernes · Rating 5 out of 5]

At no point of this book are the events to come obvious. Within the historical context of the American Revolution the author provides a many examples of loyalty and the need for feedback from all levels of authority. This books provides a myriad of strategic moves that have succeed and fail, all of which provide a lesson for every event. Valley Forge is written from many perspectives, which makes the book more complex, realistic and adds much value to reading it. As the book looks at the same time frame from different perspective, the author does a magnificent job at making clear from who's perspective the events at seen. A potential problem is that most of the book dealing with conversations, but there is no lack of details.

[Josh Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike a lot of history books you get a perspective from both the British and American sides of the war.

As the winter months have now come both armies are hunkering down for the winter quarters, the American army chooses the wilderness of Valley Forge while the redcoats occupy the colonial capital at Philadelphia. With the major fighting temporarily postponed, the war comes down to espionage with either side trying to seek out the knowledge of the other, and a war of popular opinion. Garland gives us a view of a devout British officer who will give everything for King and Country and an American who sacrifices constantly to keep the fight for a free American nation going.

[Cassaronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this is historical fiction, it still gives a wonderful perspective of the events and experiences suffered by soldiers. I like that it is written from a rebel and also loyalist point of view.