Ties of Blood Peninsula War Series (1 Viewer)

[Spitfrnd]

I had mentioned this before in the "reading" thread but having now finished the two first novels of the series I thought it deserved its own thread. The Ties of Blood is an historical novel series by Peter Youds about the adventures of two very different British brothers caught up in the Peninsula wars. Both are British officers with very different experiences and assignments but a common penchant for being right in the thick of the most dangerous and exciting parts of the war. I have very much enjoyed the first two (Alone with Glory and Colour of Blood) that chronicle their adventures through Corunna and Talavera respectively and am eagerly awaiting the third, planned for 2010.

Alone with Glory was reviewed by the scholarly Napoleon-Series web site which noted among other things the author's "superb job in getting the major historical events right." It concludes by enthusiastically recommending the book, noting:

"Alone with Glory is an enjoyable read, with likable characters and despicable villains. It moves at a fast pace and leaves the reader with an accurate picture of the confusion and hardships of the British army during the Coruña campaign of late 1808 and early 1809. Peter Youds has begun to fill the gap that was left when Bernard Cornwall branched out into other periods. I look forward to the next book in the series."

I found this summary quite apt. If you enjoy richly described Napoleonic history with a dash of adventure, I also suggest you give them a try. You can find out more here
http://www.bicorn.co.uk/Alone With Glory.html

 

[Fusilier]

I would have to agree, this series is well worth your money! Following a suggestion from Bill, I contacted the author and picked up the first two novels. Right off the bat, you can tell the author, Mr. Youds, has a great working knowledge of not only the Napoleonic era, but also the local geography and culture. The descriptions of the terrain and the Spanish food are very well done.

As Bill stated, the story is fast moving and certainly well thought out. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the first two novels. Hope to see the next one soon. I believe it is planned to be a series of eight novels, working up to Waterloo by the end.

One last thing. Mr. Youds is very pleasant to deal with when you order any of his works. He even sent out a special short story over e-mail free of charge for the holidays. It provides a little more background on one of the characters in the novels. Again, very well done.

Noah