There aren't many authors who can do this in their work, but it seems to come naturally to Jones. This is a particularly wonderful part of Jones' writing - he makes these individuals feel like you could sit down and have a drink with them, or makes you want to punch a particularly nasty individual in the face.

The story, which is set in the Massachusetts village of Haverly, revolves around the lives of numerous characters, each of whom is battling their own demons. We come to learn their likes and dislikes, their fears, their own little tics that make them truly unique to the narrative. LINK : Essex Dogs book summary : Bill Albert's book 'Essex Dogs' examines themes of belonging, loss, and identity. Each character has their own personality which truly shines through in Jones' writing.

There is no pure good or evil in any f them - they all do bad things whilst part of the horrific war machine. They all serve their purpose in the story and what's more, each and every character is written as human. Our main cast are joined by a large retinue of side characters, many of whom actually existed. Loveday is joined by the priest, Father, who lives for drink and violence Millstone Scotsman, whose foul language honestly made me adore him Pismire and the young Romford, who has a love for a powdered drug that helps him forget his past. They are led by a man named Loveday who seems haunted by his past and yet will clearly do everything in his power to make sure his men get through the war.

This group, known as the Essex Dogs, are made up of men who have found their way there for a variety of reasons be it to escape personal tragedy or avoid swinging at the end of the rope for some supposed crime. Essex Dogs, the first of a trilogy, is set in 1346 and follows a band of mercenaries who are part of King Edward III's army in France at the start of what would become the Hundred Years War.

Essex dogs book review