The Devil's Assassin

Jack Lark #3

by Paul Fraser Collard, Dudley Hinton (Reading)

Bombay, 1857. Jack Lark is living precariously as an officer when his heroic but fraudulent past is discovered by the Devil - Major Ballard, the army's intelligence officer. Ballard is gathering a web of information to defend the British Empire, and he needs a man like Jack on his side. Not far away, in Persia, the Shah is moving against British territory and seeks to conquer the crucial city of Herat. As the British march to war, Jack learns that secrets crucial to the campaign's success are leaking into their enemies' hands. Ballard has brought him to the battlefield to end a spy's deceit. But who is the traitor?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Military Fiction, War

Audiobook

First published January 29, 2015

About the author

Paul's love of military history started at an early age. A childhood spent watching films like Waterloo and Zulu whilst reading Sharpe, Flashman and the occasional Commando comic, gave him a desire to know more of the men who fought in the great wars of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. At school, Paul was determined to become an officer in the British army and he succeeded in winning an Army Scholarship. However, Paul chose to give up his boyhood ambition and instead went into the finance industry. Paul stills works in the City, and lives with his wife and three children in Kent.

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer 2019 reading starts today....... Apparently summer’s here at long last! Well we’ve had 2 hot days on the bounce now......

Lieutenant Arthur Fenris (AKA Jack Lark) re-appears in the story in Bombay (1856) where we pick up the thread from the last book, he has yet to move on & appears to be in limbo, a directionless soul in some respects.... he soon takes up with another junior officer, one that he despises, for all the wrongs of the officer class, yet seeks his companionship as a fellow directionless soul. Other figures quickly enter, theft is involved, as is attempted murder, then a dalliance with a senior officers wife, Lark is a CAD Sir! But a likeable rogue for that! A rough diamond some would say.

It’s an easy read as the story starts to form about Jack lark. Then we have a shake up! Jack’s life is turned upside down & the title of the book comes to the fore as he takes a new direction in his Army “career” which I’m sure you can work out from the title.

It’s not long before we are at “war”, with the Empire bashing someone over the head in some far flung part of the globe, Persia for the record.....and Jack is on the march. The battle scenes are exceptionally well done, we have the trappings of fear as the combatants await battle, the red mist of combat as they clash, the expectations of leadership, the cold hard facts of war, the heroic and selfless duty during battle, the euphoria of survival..... all are covered in good measure.

As all of his series so far, there are the bad guys to loathe a la Sharpe’s Sergeant Hakeswell fame, it’s all there & i’ll allow you to discover who they are without giving any more away.. although I will report in dispatches that I did find the ending a tad melodramatic for my sensibilities.

If your looking for an action adventure read in a historical British Empire setting, then I would highly recommend this series. Very enjoyable. Huzzah!

4.25 Stars rounded to a 4 as it jus hits the spot for me where needed.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book three in the Jack Lark series. I did not read the first two books in the series. I just plunged into book three. Paul Fraser Collard is a new author to me.

The story takes place in the year 1857 in Bombay, India. The story begins with Lark masquerading as a British Officer. He is discovered by Major Ballard, who is the Intelligence Officer. Lark is coerced into becoming an undercover spy. They are looking for a traitor who is selling military secrets to the Persian Army. The Persian Shah is moving against the British held territory and is attempting to capture the City of Herat. As the British Army prepare for War, Lark is attempting to find the spy. The battle scenes are good with lots of descriptions and action. Collard builds the suspense throughout the battle.

The book is well written and researched. The descriptions of the Indian countryside bring the area to life. The battle scenes are realistic. Collard’s writing style brings to life the story for the reader. I felt I was plunged down in the middle of the action. Collard sort of reminds me of Bernard Cornwell, but then again it might be just the British Army in India type of story. I am looking forward to reading more of Collard’s books.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is twelve hours long. Dudley Hinton does a good job narratoring the book. This is the first time I have listened to Hinton read a book.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the full review and more, visit my blog

After impersonating two British officers in the previous books, Jack Lark’s third charade is discovered quickly (first chapter) by the British intelligence officer Ballard. Instead of exposing Jack as a criminal and thus a sure death, Ballard presses Jack into his service – as a spy hunter. The British are attacking Persia, whose Shah encouraged by the Russians, is threatening their territory in India. Jack’s task proves extremely vital as the Persians seem to know about every move of the British, thus preventing an early victory. The responsibility weighs heavy on Jack who for the first time must focus on more than the normal duties of a British officer. Ballard is aware of Jack’s talents though and offers official papers giving Jack his own name back in return for his services. Jack leaves no stone unturned for the opportunity to return to his life and save the British campaign from sure disaster.


Historically the story is set in the Anglo-Persian War 1856/1867 in which Great Britain contested the Persian claim to the city of Herat, which at the time was under the protection of the British and functioned as a buffer against Russia. I did not know about this conflict before reading the book and I found it highly interesting to learn how widespread the struggle between the two nations became.

Jack Lark who only just found his footing as a British officer again finds himself in a new role and under pressure to accommodate to it. Admittedly, I feel it takes some time for Jack to grow into his new position. He realises that he is a soldier at heart and can hardly cope with the scheming required of his new profession. Again, we find Jack with a strong, yet naïve character (at times irritatingly though…), prone to short-sighted zest for action, for example when he kills the first spy he encounters in the camp without even thinking about questioning to help him discover more. Fortunately, Jack matures over the course of the events and lives up to his task.

Major Ballard, also known as the Devil – yet again a nicely chosen title for the book, Mr. Collard – for his ruthlessness, intuitively understands Jack’s character and while coming to sympathise with him, carelessly exploits his situation for his own needs. Also, there is Ballard’s bodyguard Palmer – a cold-blooded and distanced assassin – living on the whim of Ballard’s wishes. In him, we get an idea of what kind of man Jack could turn into under his new master’s influence. While Jack can instantly relate to both of them, he knows instinctively not to become too trustworthy.

I really enjoyed this sequel, which offers great battle scenes as well as a more intriguing plot. With the 1850’s, Collard chose the perfect time for his series, as there are major events taking place all over the world. It is just fascinating to experience them through Jack’s eyes and I cannot wait for the next books!

[Speesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those dreaming of new days of Empire in times of Brexit, this series would seem to be the perfect place to escape. For those of us who aren't, but are ex-pats also.

At the start of this book, Jack Lark seem (already) much more of a rogue. His 'eye for the ladies' clearly doesn't see wedding rings, or husbands standing right next to them. It was a little incongruous compared to how I remember him from the previous book. But never mind, his heart is still in the right place and his sense of duty too. Even when effectively blackmailed, by the head of the Army Intelligence service. As Jack is a past master at going 'undercover' to service, assuming other identities, this new assignment should be right up his street.

Well, let's see, how did it go. A sweaty (it is set in India after all), uniformed hand reached out from the first pages of the book, grabbed me by the brain and dragged me in. I wasn't kicking and screaming, that was being done by the participants in some of the many vividly, realistically (I've no idea, never having been in battle, but don't you just love it when someone who has never been in the action the book describes, or to the period (obviously) describes it as 'realistic'?) portrayed, intense, battle scenes. PFC's writing is always vibrant, whether it's describing the Indian countryside and its people's or the battle scenes. You can, as XTC once put it (before Andy Partridge went conspiracy theory doo-lally) 'see, hear, smell, touch, taste' the period in his books. And look at the books! Don't they just look great? Someone somewhere, maybe PFC himself, has really got the art of book covers and book producing. Whether the quality of the covers comes directly from the quality of what's inside, or vice versa, never mind that! In hardback, or paperback (as mine are) they look just superb. You really feel you've got hold of something special here, something you don't want to put down - and then the story won't let you. Wonderful, one of those books you never want to end!

The Net's leading Book Blog: Speesh Reads

[Ian Langham · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I brought this as an audio book rather than a traditional book.
In this volume of the continuing (mis)adventures of Jack Lark. While living on his wits in the city of Bombay he gets seconded to a rather shady individual in the shape of a Major Ballard AKA The Devil from the title. This sets off a sequence of events that entails counter espionage, two brilliantly staged pitched battles that Jack gets involved in despite orders to the contrary. This is set around a British campaign into what was Persia. The writer sends the book in two different directions one detailing the hunt for the spy and the other in the aforementioned campaign and at the end the two gel together nicely.
Yes I guessed the identity of one villains fairly early, but not the ringmaster until the very end and that was a pleasant twist and it appears in the writers universe that he created there is more than one counterfeit person running around (spoiler alert).
As these stories unfold and the series builds (ok as I read more) more of what drives and makes Jack tick is revealed as he started with the simple desire to make a better life for himself. Now it appears he revels in the role of an officer. Albeit a fake one, or at least fake until Ballard came along. Now Jack has been commissioned into the spy service and as such there will more avenues to be explored. The sweary general was a brief comedic episode and welcome for it.
Paul Collard has created a conflicted hero who while is both brave and heroic with a talent for violence and yet on other levels haunted by some of his past actions.
Bring on episode 4

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read some books that are slow out of the gate but build momentum as the pages turn...this is not one of those...this one starts fast and never lets up. The action is relentless, whether it's Jack one on one (or 2 or 3) with an adversary or whether it's a full blown battle scene, the author keeps you riveted. Now, that's not to say that this the only reason for reading this book...not at all. Mr. Collard incorporates some nifty plot twists and surprises to keep the reader guessing. Briefly, Jack, through circumstances I won't divulge for spoiler reasons becomes seconded to an army spymaster affectionately known as The Devil. There is a spy or spies in the camp of the British force in their conflict with Persia and it is Jack's job to ferret the spy or spies out before a major battle. I thought I had it figured out, indeed I did have it figured out...oh but wait; no I didn't...that's what I loved about this book, the way the author plays out the final scenario. In addition we get a further glimpse into what makes Jack tick and I suspect that will continue as the series progresses. Kudos to the author for another sterling effort. 5 stars

[Simon Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil's Assassin finds us once again following the exploits of Jack Lark a man seeking to better himself and fight his way clear of his mean start in life.
The theme running through this series is nobody ever really knowing Jack Lark, indeed even the front covers of the books bare this out with us never seeing Jack's face!
He is a man of many roles, this time being forced into the role of spy hunter he is faced with an enemy more subtle than his normal adversaries. Not to say this book is any less action packed, there are some truly wonderful action scenes and you cannot help but get swept up with a Cavalry charge or flinch as an artillery bombardment smashes into the Red coated army. I think if anything I enjoyed this book more than the previous two as you can tell that the author has really hit his stride with writing Jack Lark and I find myself avidly waiting for book four!!

[John Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third installment of Paul Fraser Collard's Jack Lark series finds Lark in Bombay in 1857 getting involved in the little known and mostly forgotten Britain's war with the Shah of Persia pre
mutiny.
Now going under the name of Arthur Fenris Jack is picked up by Major Ballard who turns out is head of intelligence for this mission. Worse he knows Jack for who he really is and cons him into finding a spy in the ranks of the British force heading towards the Shah's army. The other thing it's a Russian spy ( for the Great Game is full on).
As always Collard is in his zone with battle sequences that make the reader feel he (or she) is right in the middle. His historical background aids the reader in understanding this little known battle. Great Stuff.
Next I guess is the mutiny itself and where or who Jack will be, tone revealed. Can't wait.

[Trish Hodnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy of The Devils Assassin in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I love historical fiction, and this book played right into my hands. I loved the character of Jack, I found him complex but simple at the same time, the book revolves around his deceptions and fraud, but also his greatness as a leader of men. He becomes a spy for 'The Devil' the head of the intelligence service in the army.
I enjoyed the book very much and am going to read the others by the same author.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Jack Lark series just goes from strength to strength and The Devil's Assassin is fabulous! Darker than the previous novel and brutally violent in places, this is a no punches pulled portrayal of one of the lesser known wars of the mid 19th century. Hugely thrilling and eye opening. The hardback is also an absolute stunner.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good and I liked the more involved and detailed story. Although the plot was a little obvious despite the slight twist.
It will be interesting to see how he can keep the story line going without it becoming ridiculous.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Jack Lark story. This is the 3rd book in the series and I have read all 3 this year. Each of them has reminded me of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series of books. I didn’t expect to find a series that was similar to this and I have really enjoyed the series so far. The fact it is set in Victorian times is interesting too, as I haven’t read a series set at the point in time before and therefore this makes it fascinating and unique. I would recommend for anyone who likes historical fiction

[S.J.A. Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Lark is one of my favourite literary creations of the modern swathe of historical fiction. Paul Fraser Collard’s debut work was one of my top ten reads of the year (and was certainly in the top half of those.) The second book in the series I was a little worried about, since the premise of the first book was new and interesting but really didn’t lend itself to the possibility of a sequel. Somehow, Paul pulled it out of the bag. The second book was amazingly not a carbon copy of the first, and yet managed to continue the theme. The second one, in fact, stepped up the stakes a little. But the question was: what could he do with book 3? He surely couldn’t follow similar lines.

And so he hasn’t. The Devil’s Assassin has taken the story of our favourite fraud and slewed it off at a tangent. No longer is Jack the roguish low-born masquerading as his betters. Or maybe he still is, but in a very different way, and for very different reasons. After his service with the Maharajah in book 2, Jack has made his way south, still in India. He is still living an assumed life, with no money or influence, making it from one day to the next on his wits and luck. But things are about to change. Because someone in his city is about to find out his secret, and that person will have more use for Jack in his employ than swinging on a gallows. And even as military intelligence get their claws into Jack, the Shah of Persia is interfering in international matters and war is looming on the horizon.

And here is the meat of the plot. There is (or are) spy (ies) in the British armed forces, and Jack is set to hunting them. But throughout this intrigue and mystery, there is also a war taking shape. So against a background of military campaigning, our (anti) hero continues to try and unravel the espionage plot. In some respects this book feels like two very disparate stories running concurrently. The war against the Shah is told in such glorious detail, scope, colour and depth that I had largely forgotten the entire spy plot when it suddenly reappeared from behind a bush and shook me by the shoulders. Collard has clearly enjoyed in this book taking an almost unknown British military campaign and bringing it to the reader’s attention, and he does it very well, the manoeuvres and desperate counter offensives described evocatively, but also with enough clarity that the reader can follow the entire thing, on both a personal level and as a grand military action.

Interestingly, this book marks a turning point in the series. It is clear in retrospect that while Collard pulled off a feat with book 2, the whole character of Jack and the premise of the series were resulting in writing the hero into a corner. Sooner or later, something would have to break unless the books were going to turn into those carbon copies we all want to avoid. And when that break happened, it was hard to see how Jack could progress except at the end of a Tyburn knot. And that is the gem of this book. It has achieved the unachievable and given Jack a new lease of life and Collard a universe of possibility with which to proceed.

The character of Jack has definitely grown in this work. The death and destruction that has surrounded his career has begun to change (and haunt) our hero. This is good – not for him, but certainly for us. A character has to grow and change in order to keep the reader’s interest and to inform the book with realism, and Jack is beginning to morph from a sharp young adventurer into an tired war-horse. He has a long way to go yet, but the signs are definitely there.

Paul Collard has a very readable fluid style of writing, which draws the reader along and involves them without ‘dumbing’ anything down. He does not sacrifice style and value for ease of reading, and yet it is an easy read. His characters’ speech is realistic and comfortable for the reader, and his descriptions of exotic locations and cultures are totally immersing, especially when described from the point of view of the stiff Victorian British officer.

In short, after two top books, The Devil’s Assassin is yet another win from a writer at the top of his game. Go get it, folks.

[Robin Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts out with a splendid and evocative title, I have been speculating for some time as to the plot of this next Jack Lark book. Fortunately due to the vagaries of ordering some copies from the publisher im luck and they arrived so nice and early, my wait was finally over. Paul Collard has rapidly become mush read material, since the first book burst onto the market in 2013 (it seems so long ago) Scarlet Thief Review

Since that first book I have seen Paul Collards work get better and better ( Maharajah’s General Review ), more detailed, the plot tighter and tighter, the character growth sharp, to the point that you wonder if Jack will survive the book. There are the inevitable comparisons to Bernard Conwell’s Sharpe, Jack is a man from the ranks, brought up in the gutter. But that’s where in the main the similarities end. Sharpe never tried or pretended to the gentry, where Jack is living the lie, always looking over his shoulder, not to be stabbed in the back by some posh boy, but to be caught out, denounced. Will he get something wrong, will he bump into someone who knew the man he has assumed the identity of? That anticipation and fear oozes from the pages but only as the underlying heartbeat to each storyline, to each character that Jack dons and each dramatic situation he becomes embroiled in.

In devils assassin we are introduced to our usual cast of side characters, those who form the plot for Jack, the players in his elaborate scheme, those who really are the gentry of the regiment, the men who might find him out, the men he wants to prove he can be as good as , better than, to prove it’s the man not the lineage that defines.

Right from the start this book felt different, someone knows Jacks secret, and uses it to recruit Jack as a Spy Catcher, for once the fear of being discovered is reduced, and it has meant that the author is required to dial this back in the writing, it also means that that fear can be channelled into something else, and that’s the battles, the wild indiscriminate danger of war. No matter his orders Jack cannot restrain himself from being in the thick of the fight, a born leader, always at the front, going where many would fear to go, Jack has lost that fear, or at least lost the need to be controlled by it, because dead he has no more to worry about, and alive he must keep proving he is the better man and he can only do that from the front. Paul Collard has captured all of this perfectly.

I feel that many reader like me with be sat smugly from early in the book, saying “I know who the spy is”… I caution you now… beware that smugness, there is a twist in this tale, I had that smugness wiped off my face. Despite my protestations earlier in the review about the Lark/ Sharpe comparison, I have to admit to thinking that Devils Assassin could well have been a Sharpe tale, and that said fully as a compliment, I loved Sharpe. I think its because there was less fear at being caught as a pretender in his own life and more that he was an honest down to earth soldier thrust among the dandies and crazy gentry, trying to add some professional soldiers quality to the story, with a proper mission rather than just hiding in plain sight.

Personally I think Paul Collard has become one of the most readable figures in Historical Fiction, it helps that he is in a time period that is covered a lot more lightly than, eg, Rome, but I think he could pick out any period and his writing style would shine through. This truly is edge of the seat writing.

So once again I end a Jack Lark review with … HOW LONG …until the next one… a Year…. Sob??

Enjoy everyone, because if I get reading time I will do so again.

Highly recommended

(Parm)

Series
Jack Lark
1. The Scarlet Thief (2013)
2. The Maharajah’s General (2013)
3. The Devil’s Assassin (2015)
Rogue (2014) (Short story)
Recruit (2015) (Short story)
The Scarlet ThiefThe Maharajah's GeneralThe Devil's AssassinRogue

[Pablo Desandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book for its intense action and entertainment. The story reminded me a lot of a Mission Impossible movie and the fight scenes are very cool especially to describe which specific move is made. Epic battles and epic storyline with an epic main character. Definitely cannot wait to read the sequel, I highly recommend this book if you are an action-seeking, battle-thirsty reader like me!

[Samantha Kilford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love when I'm surprised by a book! Going into The Devil's Assassin, I wasn't too sure what to expect.
I hadn't read the two previous novels in the 'Jack Lark' series (I know. Shame on me. I'm adding them to my to-read pile as I type) and I was initially quite worried about not being able to follow the plot. However, I had no trouble keeping up with story. With some series that I have read in the past it is absolutely fundamental to read the predecessors. But with The Devil Assassin, I personally feel like it works as a stand-alone novel.

I must confess that I was quite blown away by how much I enjoyed reading The Devil's Assassin. As a fan of historical fiction books, I was very excited to read this.

From the get-go it pulled me in. I feel like I should just point that the actual Devil (Satan, your main man Lucifer, whatever you call him) does not make an appearance, much to my disappoint there is no red man with horns in this novel. No, the Devil is a nickname for the army's intelligence officer, Ballard who hires Jack to find and assassinate the spy amongst them. Hence, the title!

The Devil's Assassin is fast-paced, action packed and can often have its comedic moments. The action parts were amongst some of my favourites. Collard's writing is truly magnificent and has you at the edge of your seat. It was truly nail-biting stuff.

In addition to this, it was also quite sad. Knightly :(

Without spoiling anything, I truly was not expecting the ending. What I loved was that the book didn't overly allude to who the spy was going to be which is what made the reveal so intense.

I definitely recommend that everyone pick up a copy. It's such a fun and thrilling read. The way in which Collard writes definitely doesn't make it hard to immerse yourself in Jack Lark's world.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me put my cards on the table. I love the Jack Lark series of novels and novellas and for me Collard has secured his place alongside Cornwell as one of the Greats. Lark picks up where Sharpe left off, taking the narrative to grittier and more visceral depths and placing front and centre the social injustice only hinted at in the Sharpe stories. So it was with considerable anticipation that I opened The Devil’s Assassin. And it is a great book; great, but not fantastic. All the parts are there: the historical insight into one of Victoria’s “small wars”(the campaign against the Shah of Persia); the blood, guts and terror of battle; the very human mix of incompetence, cowardice, and heroism; the suffocating presence of class and society. However, for me the parts did not quite sit together as snugly as they might and unforunately the inner workings could be spotted through the cracks. The story lacked Collard’s signature gut impact – I was reading a book, not feeling a story. The transfer of Jack to the cavalry felt uncomfortable but was made necessary by Collard’s choice of a cavalry-based campaign as his military backdrop. And I struggled with the spy subplot that seemed a bit superfluous. Jack does not fully connect with the narrative flow of the book – so neither does the reader. Jack resonates best when he is himself – a man from the slums leading the “scum of the Earth” from the front. In The Devil’s Assassin Jack plays the impostor on so many levels that there is no solid ground left for an emotional bridge to the reader. For me there is just a bit too much going on. Don’t get me wrong. The result is still a very satisfying read and although this is arguably not Collard at his best it is still far, far superior to most in this crowded field. So four stars for The Devil’s Assassin with even better, I'm sure, to come.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this 3rd Jack Lark instalment we begin with our hero once again hiding under a stolen identity, penniless and desperately alone . But Jack is never without his wit and intelligence. More so in this 3rd book Our hero may not know exactly who he is but he knows what he is and what he is capable of.
Early in the book Jack's fake identity is discovered which leads to his next military 'assignment'. This next adventure in the world of war and spies is more raw and much darker than his last two.
Jack forges relationships born out of need, lust, and dark intentions. The few times we see Jack in his purest unmasked form is on the battlefield in the thick of confrontation. Or just after when he contemplates his actions and buries his dark moments in the corners of his mind. The battle scenes are written in a way with descriptions, sounds & scents that place you right on the field in the midst of war.
I loved this book and the twisted relationships he forges and found myself at the end of the story not wanting to finish with this character yet. Bring on some more Jack. Highly recommend this series

[Fitz Busher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was worried that I may ended up with series fatigue having just read the first and second Jack Lark books. I needn't have.

This was the best yet, slow starting but gradually built up to an epic tale.

As in the previous books the history is what sets this book apart. Not used heavy handedly but interesting facts and situations woven into the story line. Paul Fraser Collard seems to be a master of picking out interesting, obscure events within his character's timeline and using them as a foundation to build the tale, slipping in the facts and informing you, all the while keeping the story trotting along.

Again the author sets right, at the end, any truths he had to bend and gives a good rounding off to the event.

Overall a fantastic third book, from the setting to the development of the character and the writing and insight to the period.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The charlatan Jack Lark is back, assuming the identity of Arthur Fenris, and is in Bombay with the British Expeditionary Force for their campaign against the Shah of Persia. When his true identity is uncovered by Major Ballard AKA The Devil, Jack must go on the hunt for a spy in the British camp and is caught up in the Battle of Khoosh-Ab and other skirmishes (including at Ahvaz) at the same time.

Fraser-Collard's writing gets better with every outing Jack Lark makes, and I can't wait to read more.

[Anietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A total pleasure to read. These five stars don't reflect the leaps in improvement, but it would feel disingenuous to the quality of the previous books to reduce their star rating. So, I'll add a bonus sixth star here. I appreciate how the author treats his readers with intelligence, as they are given the freedom to draw their own conclusions without losing sight of the vivid tapestry of Jack Lark's world.

[Steven M Mondschein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good follow up to his 2nd book.

Again in this book,the battle scenes are terrific. They are almost comparable to Cornwell's Sharpe a Series. There is a lot of exposition in between battle scenes in the first half of the book and then really picked up. The spy plot was rather obvious, with the only suspense was why.

[Ed Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. Thoroughly enjoyed. The series is a must read for anyone who enjoys Sharpe, Flashman or similar.

[David Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Paul Fraser Collard.

[Malcolm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recommendation from Bernard Cornwell is a good indication that Paul Francis Collard is writing in the genre which Cornwell has found so profitable, the military history series based around a solitary figure. Jack Lark is an orphan from one of the slums of London, here living on his wits and his skill as a soldier in India and Iran in the 1850s.
We see the hero as an outsider like Richard Sharp or Uhtred, a figure which is easy for the reader to feel sympathy. Jack Lark is probably deserving of the description of a ruffian. He is certainly a skillful killer who also has little compunction in using lethal force. Here he is blackmailed by a British counter intelligence agent into becoming an assassin, an agent who assists in gathering information about spies then despatching the spy without the messy business of a trial and a conviction.
This is the third of the Jack Lark novels and begins with Lark living in Bombay under the assumed identity of a dead British army officer, Arthur Fenris. He is blackmailed by the British spymaster, nicknamed "The Devil" into becoming his hired killer.
Collard has researched the Anglo Persian War of 1856 which followed the Crimean War with the Russians fomenting trouble between the Shah and the British Raj in India. The novel culminated in the Battle of Koosh-Ab but the campaign continued with further battles. At least I know now how the town of Outram received its name; like Wyndham, Napier and Raglan; colonials wanting to bask in the glory of their military heroes.
The novel however is very much of the Twenty First Century, the detailed descriptions of every fight that Lark is involved in are reminiscent of the fights we read about in a Jack Reacher novel, violent and bloody but from which Lark emerges victorious. Unlike Reacher, Lark does sustain wounds but usually not enough to stop him finishing off his opponents, who are usually just as violent but also dishonest, disloyal and prepared to fight by any unfair means at their disposal.
Collard has researched the period with some care. His descriptions of the military hardware and the tactics used by the armies to counter the tactics of their opponents are accurate and well explained. He provides a glossary of Indian and Persian terms for their armed forces and adds a few slang expressions used by British soldiers of the period. This is helpful and reassures the reader but it is always puzzling in these novels that not all the colloquial language is explained. One example quite early in the novel is "Rhino", which in its context seems to mean ready money, something Lark is always lacking.
One theme which emerges is that of the British class system which holds people of talent back. Lark is not just a brutal killer. He also can think strategically and plan military actions better than the men in command. As the novel reveals, he is not the only person who is frustrated at being denied opportunity by accident of birth but he tries to keep honest (except for stealing the identities of dead men.)
I have suggested that Collard owes something to Lee Child's Jack Reacher. However, in his prose style he does not write in Child's reductionist style of short simple sentences and restricted vocabulary. He assumes his readers are educated, for which I thank him.
The twists at the end of the novel pay the reader for persisting through the long battle scenes but it is difficult to see how Sarah Draper became such a good writer if she had been brought up in poverty.
This is a worthy example of this particular genre of thriller and historical novel. This war just before the Indian mutiny, It has been ignored by history and deserves its place in history.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the events of The Maharajah’s General,, in which Jack Lark’s false identity was exposed but the parties involved silenced by war, Lark is now a freewheeling rogue, keeping his distance from those who’d recognize him and pretending to be an officer on leave, free to enjoy the pleasures of cities like Bombay. Though away from the fighting, Jack can’t escape his deceit, and when he’s cornered and kidnapped by a man working for a secretive British intelligence officer known as the Devil, his career takes an interesting turn.

It’s the eve of battle in Central Asia. The once free city of Herat has been suddenly occupied by the Shah of Persia, in violation of a treaty and destabilizing the balance of power between the Empire, Persia, and Russia in the region. The army is being organized to go forth and show the flag, hoping the Shah will withdraw, but what few know is that there’s a leak: someone is keeping the Persians informed of English troop movements, and the level of fine detail means they’re in the camp itself. Rooting out rival spies is just the work for the Devil, who drafts Jack and threatens to expose him as a fraud if he doesn’t cooperate. Despite his acquired talent for deceit, Jack is more at home on the battlefield than he is fishing for information in cloak and dagger affairs.

The Devil’s Assassin is both a spy novel and a war novel, and largely successful on both ends. The running battle between the British Expeditionary Force and the Persians takes up most of the middle, as the forces engage and break off. It’s purely a cavalry affair, too, spurred on by the British need to rout the Persians before they build up their strength in the area. Although the Devil recruited Lark on his talent for disguise and pretense, a gift for subterfuge doesn’t necessarily make a good counterintelligence agent – as the Devil learns when Lark runs off on the first rumor he hears and nearly beats a man to death, so disrupting the investigation to no good effect that he and the Devil are both told to leave finding the spy or the spy ring up to naval intelligence. I’d pinned the spy fairly early on, or thought I did: there’s a little twist where the great reveal proves to still be leaving part of the story in the shadow, so while I was far closer to the target than Lark, I wasn’t quite there.

Looking ahead I see Lark has found himself in the midst of the Great Mutiny, the American Civil War, and...the....Wild....West? Obviously I’ll continue to follow!

[Mr Roy Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't understand why Mr Collard's books are not more warmly received or read by a wider audience. If you like reading Lee Child or Bernard Cornwell books, these are of the same type. Good to see something work out for Jack Lark in the end and I wonder how he will get on in the future when he is not a fugitive or imposter. I nearly guessed the spy, but was wrong again! Good to read about a battle from somewhere other than Napoleon and Wellington. Britain seems to have been fighting Persia / Iran for far too long! In some ways, jack Lark is better than Sharpe as the action sequences seem more authentic. I await the next chapter with enthusiasm.

[James Backus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Historical Work of British in India

I have been reading this series authored by Paul Fraser Collard. He has a character who is named Jack Lark. This character decided to take the place of recently dead officers. He leads men into battle in the series as an officer who s fake. But there is nothing fake about his being a warrior.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This was a great read. I appreciate the significance of the Persia in history now. Jack is a superb character and there were some good plot twists. Will read this series.

[Keith Clarence Greenwood Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Reading

I enjoyed this offering as apposed to the previous. In that book I wanted the Maharajah to win. British foreign policy is backwards ie; Rhodesia vs The Crown circa 1965. When Jack takes a side in the War between the States I hope he chooses the Southern cause.