The Tall Captains

by Bart Spicer

A sprawling, action-packed epic about the war for Canada...and the legendary men who fought it. It's 1759. Duncan Crosbie, exiled Scotsman, soldier of France, loves war. He's driven by his unrelenting determination to defeat the English, who killed his father at the Battle of Culloden. But Crosbie is not getting much of an opportunity to fight anymore. The French king lolls in his palace, under the witchery of Madame de Pompadour, and the army stands idle. So Crosbie sails for the New World, to join the tall captains, fighting the British in the northern wilds of Canada . . . This book is the prequel to Spicer's bestselling western adventure The Wild Ohio. PRAISE FOR THE TALL CAPTAINS "An exhilarating historical story of the frontier warfare. Bart Spicer breathes life into his novels that makes an experience of reading them, rather than a pastime. This is a longer-than-usual story but one that you will regret must end." Chattanooga Daily Times "A cast of characters is as long and impressive as the book is thick. Duncan Crosbie is Spicer's most memorable creation." Philadelphia Inquirer "This painstakingly researched novel of early Canada is one of the best it has been our good fortune to encounter." The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) "Spicer endows his characters with colorful and unique traits. The historical chaos is vivid, created with vitality and feeling." Nashville Banner "A turbulent war story that culminates in one of the great moments of history—the French and English War, with the American Revolution only fifteen years away.” Tulsa World "It's an epic story, a grand tale about one of the most dramatic times in history." The Montgomery Alabama Advertiser

630 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2020

About the author

Bart Spicer was the pen name of Albert Samuel Spicer. He also wrote four novels as Jay Barbette in tandem with his wife, Betty Coe Spicer. He wrote crime novels and five non-criminous novels. Spicer worked as a radio journalist until 1949, then became a full-time novelist.

Reviews

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historic novel covers the last days of the French colony in Canada and their ultimate defeat to the British at Quebec City. The descriptions of some of the last major battles is very good and seems historically accurate, although told from the French point of view. The fictional aspect of the story covers the exploits of a young Scot raised in France who rises to the rank of Captain under Montcalm, the French general, and who participates in these final battles. I also enjoyed the portrayal of early Quebec and of the early Canadiens who lived there. I did not like the author’s portrayal of the indigenous people which often came across as racist. This may be a result of the time the book was written when racist views of indigenous people was more prevalent and accepted.

[Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction account of the French Army’s defense of Canada during the French and Indian War. The primary character is Duncan Crosbie, a young artillery lieutenant in the French army. In particular it focuses on events during 1758 and 1759. It is a book with peaks of action and lively events, but there are too many valleys of uninteresting transitions to the peaks. Those uninteresting portions make it had to continue reading what could have been a great adventure story.

[virgil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid Historical Fiction

The historical research was very thorough with much attention to detail. Interesting characters were mostly well developed. Description of settings, time and place was in-depth. The overall pace was moderate, and there was plenty of action. Personal interaction could have been more detailed at times. I plan to read the sequel.

[Andrew Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional narrative

Duncan is an unusual character physically a giant and a clever solder that participâtes in the loss of Quebec by the French. The historical chronology of events is intriguing and well explained to provide a great understanding of perseverance , betrayal and loss. An exceptional read.

[Arthur P Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This is an excellent story that reveals the French side of the French Indian war in Canada. The characters are well described and quite interesting. This is the kind of book that one does not want to end.

[Dana Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riviting

Good tale of the French Indian war with political intrigue intertwined. Curious to see what the author has in-store for us in the next installment.