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A review by taimcpherson
Essex Dogs by Dan Jones
3.0
In theory, I should have loved this book. It was compared to Bernard Cornwell, but honestly, I don't know why. Cornwell's description of battle scenes leaves nothing out. You feel like you're in the midst of it. Dan Jones's battle scenes feel tame, and for some reason, we tend to follow the weaker characters who avoid conflict.
Jones also uses the 'big picture/small picture' formula, which inserts a fictional character into real historical events. I usually love that. I found his 'small picture' lacking, though. I wasn't invested in the Dogs at all, to the point I didn't really care what happened to them in battle. Jones seemed to rely too much on historical facts and didn't seem to come up with much on his own. I finished the book with the certainty I wouldn't be coming back for book 2.
The three stars are for the fact he is an incredible writer in terms of writing style and descriptions. I hear his non-fiction books are great and might give them a go.
Jones also uses the 'big picture/small picture' formula, which inserts a fictional character into real historical events. I usually love that. I found his 'small picture' lacking, though. I wasn't invested in the Dogs at all, to the point I didn't really care what happened to them in battle. Jones seemed to rely too much on historical facts and didn't seem to come up with much on his own. I finished the book with the certainty I wouldn't be coming back for book 2.
The three stars are for the fact he is an incredible writer in terms of writing style and descriptions. I hear his non-fiction books are great and might give them a go.