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James Eldritch #1
Knave of Swords
A band of English Mercenaries led by the elegant but ruthless James Eldritch are forced into the service of the notorious Bastard of Gueldres, sworn enemy of Italian warlord Albert Tarsi. Soon they are dragged into two men's vicious little war. Italy in 1520, one of the most colorful and violent periods of Europe's history, is brought to life by an author with a flair for historical adventures.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
14 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Carter
611 books4 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nicholas Carter lives near Bristol and has been a journalist in the West Country for seventeen years. He is a member of The Sealed Knot.
Nicholas Carter lives near Bristol and has been a journalist in the West Country for seventeen years. He is a member of The Sealed Knot.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 3, 2008
Carter is best known for his 'Shadow of the Crown' series on the English Civil War, which I haven't read. But when I saw this in the library, I knew I had to try it out.
It's a grimy, nihilistic story of a group of no-gooders each trying to outwit, double-cross and destroy the others, all set in 16th century European locales.
Lovers of historical action a la Bernard Cornwell will be disappointed - there's little on offer here. Instead, the book is full of slang and flowery prose, written in a poetic style. That's not a criticism, though, just different from what I'm used to. The complexity of the plot is slightly off-putting but I found this a rewarding read which works hard to envelop you in the atmosphere and political machinations of the period.
A single sequel, KING OF COINS, followed.
It's a grimy, nihilistic story of a group of no-gooders each trying to outwit, double-cross and destroy the others, all set in 16th century European locales.
Lovers of historical action a la Bernard Cornwell will be disappointed - there's little on offer here. Instead, the book is full of slang and flowery prose, written in a poetic style. That's not a criticism, though, just different from what I'm used to. The complexity of the plot is slightly off-putting but I found this a rewarding read which works hard to envelop you in the atmosphere and political machinations of the period.
A single sequel, KING OF COINS, followed.
Displaying 1 of 1 review