From Publishers Weekly
In the footsteps of Harry Flashman and Richard Sharpe, Sgt. "Fancy Jack" Crossman has been entertaining British readers for some years. His debut for American history buffs comes via his participation in the Crimean War of 1854. British, French, Turkish and Sardinian troops are fighting Russians, in bitterly cold conditions, the soldiers all hungry, ill and in rags, often under bombardment and directed by generals profligate with the lives of their soldiers. Descriptions of their misery as they are billeted near Balaklava prepare the reader for the climactic charge of the Light Brigade, the novel's climax. Leading up to that event, Fancy Jack, together with his ragtag platoon of soldiers, including Ali, a Turk, and Peterson, a sharpshooter who is actually a woman, are assigned "fox hunts" at night into enemy territory on spying and sabotage forays. In a nail-biting sequence with comedic overtones, Crossman supervises the destruction of a giant Russian crane. He's led to his target by a young, boastful Greek writer called Diodotus. They encounter a Russian lieutenant who advises Diodotus to stick to poetry, not prose. The boy laughs, tells them the officer, Leo Tolstoy, is also a writer, but his work is not good. Another "fox hunt" is the pursuit of a band of marauding British deserters. The combat is offset by strong personal elements. Jack's "natural" father, whom he hates, is a snobbish major who despises him for refusing to be an officer. A one-time sweetheart, Lavinia, now married to an officer, visits, along with "traveling gentlemen," sightseers observing the death and destruction of war. Florence Nightingale is briefly mentioned, and a profusion of other background material contributes to this fast-paced military adventure.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
The grim reality of war after "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and the cameraderie of professional soldiers come to life in award-winning author Garry Douglas Kilworth’s new historical series starring army officer, and occasional espionage agent, "Fancy Jack" Crossman. After the Battle of Inkerman on November 5, 1854, the British Army in the Crimea faces the most terrible ally of the Czar’s army—the Russian winter. With hopelessly inadequate provisions and clothing, Sergeant Jack Crossman and his band of grumblers and stalwarts of the 88th Connaught Rangers are billeted at Kadikoi village near Balaclava harbor, with instructions to blow up the magazine in the Russian Star Fort. Yet Crossman’s true task is to spy on a British general accused of corruption—and to bring about his downfall by any means necessary. As Patrick O’Brian did for the British Navy, Kilworth vividly portrays the friendship and the courage of old soldiers and the brief, thrilling episodes of combat that will eventually determine the outcome of Great Britain’s most grueling war.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The grim reality of war after ￯﾿ﾽThe Charge of the Light Brigade￯﾿ﾽ and the cameraderie of professional soldiers come to life in award-winning author Garry Douglas Kilworth￯﾿ﾽs new historical series starring army officer, and occasional espionage agent, ￯﾿ﾽFancy Jack￯﾿ﾽ Crossman. After the Battle of Inkerman on November 5, 1854, the British Army in the Crimea faces the most terrible ally of the Czar￯﾿ﾽs army￯﾿ﾽthe Russian winter. With hopelessly inadequate provisions and clothing, Sergeant Jack Crossman and his band of grumblers and stalwarts of the 88th Connaught Rangers are billeted at Kadikoi village near Balaclava harbor, with instructions to blow up the magazine in the Russian Star Fort. Yet Crossman￯﾿ﾽs true task is to spy on a British general accused of corruption￯﾿ﾽand to bring about his downfall by any means necessary. As Patrick O￯﾿ﾽBrian did for the British Navy, Kilworth vividly portrays the friendship and the courage of old soldiers and the brief, thrilling episodes of combat that will eventually determine the outcome of Great Britain￯﾿ﾽs most grueling war.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In the footsteps of Harry Flashman and Richard Sharpe, Sgt. "Fancy Jack" Crossman has been entertaining British readers for some years. His debut for American history buffs comes via his participation in the Crimean War of 1854. British, French, Turkish and Sardinian troops are fighting Russians, in bitterly cold conditions, the soldiers all hungry, ill and in rags, often under bombardment and directed by generals profligate with the lives of their soldiers. Descriptions of their misery as they are billeted near Balaklava prepare the reader for the climactic charge of the Light Brigade, the novel's climax. Leading up to that event, Fancy Jack, together with his ragtag platoon of soldiers, including Ali, a Turk, and Peterson, a sharpshooter who is actually a woman, are assigned "fox hunts" at night into enemy territory on spying and sabotage forays. In a nail-biting sequence with comedic overtones, Crossman supervises the destruction of a giant Russian crane. He's led to his target by a young, boastful Greek writer called Diodotus. They encounter a Russian lieutenant who advises Diodotus to stick to poetry, not prose. The boy laughs, tells them the officer, Leo Tolstoy, is also a writer, but his work is not good. Another "fox hunt" is the pursuit of a band of marauding British deserters. The combat is offset by strong personal elements. Jack's "natural" father, whom he hates, is a snobbish major who despises him for refusing to be an officer. A one-time sweetheart, Lavinia, now married to an officer, visits, along with "traveling gentlemen," sightseers observing the death and destruction of war. Florence Nightingale is briefly mentioned, and a profusion of other background material contributes to this fast-paced military adventure. (Feb.) FYI: Booksellers can recommend this novel to readers of Beryl Bainbridge's excellent Master Georgie, set in the same time and place, but Bainbridge's is a more literary work, while Kilworth tailors his succinct prose to military action. Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews