1st Becky Bookworm Book Review of 2014 - #Warlord by @angus_donald (Outlaw Chronicles #4)

Warlord by Angus Donald

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If you hunger for bigger battles after the seige of Nottingham Castle and the battles in the Holy Land from previous books Warlord provides what it says on the tin - WAR over quite a good number of years including the odd seige of a castle or two or maybe three.
This book shifts its focus ever so slightly from Alan's adventures with Robin (although he hasn't completely taken a back seat in this tale) to Alan's adventures as a loyal and supportive Knight under the leadership of none other than Richard the Lion Heart himself. And yets as an extra bonus Alan has a family murder mystery to solve inspired from his last meeting with the now at long last dead Sir Murdac AND the psychotic and disfigured Nur is still haunting the lands around Westbury. So as you can see there is A HECK OF A LOT for Alan to deal with besides just surviving one battle around Normandy from the next.
There isn't ever a slow period, a peaceful season or a respite for Alan as he has challenges both personal and private to deal with whether he's at home with the ever reliable Goody or abroad amongst his fellow Knights.
This book is quite an eye opener mixed in with a history lesson for most people probably know the Lion Heart best for his failed campaigns into the Holy Land. But what Angus Donald reveals in this telling is a glimpse into what the Lionheart did next as he began years of sieges and battles to reclaim his lands lost to King Philip of France. A campaign I dare say he proved more successful that is until....well I won't spoil it.
However I will say that woven within the latter half of this epic tale is a secret that could change a lot of lives for better or for worse if discovered and claimed by Robin and his men - and that dear reader is where Angus Donald cunningly leads you into the next book in the series.
Over all a roller coaster of a read - each chapter grips you by the collar and drags you through Alan's many trials and tribulations and will leave you gasping for breath at the end but also craving more. A superb piece of historical fiction written with a human heart, soul and mind at the centre of it all that gives this story such power over the reader that they are gripped even when there isn't a sword clashing with a shield or an arrow being fired from a castle keep.
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