Jemahl Evans -'The Emerald Cross'
Blandford Candy Let Loose in the New World
The 'Emerald Cross' is the fourth' Blandford Candy' novel ; a series that began with The Last Roundhead'- and pleased to say that maintains the high standard of the earlier books. Has been described as 'Flashman meets the Three Musketeers', with Candy as an 'endearing rogue'.
Opens in 1720 when Candy is a crabby old curmudgeon, managing to get locked up for assaulting William Hiseland, who claimed to be the last surviving veteran of the English Civil War, having fought on Royalist side as the Battle of Edgehill . There are a fair number of laughs and the 1720 section reminds me of Smollet's 'Humphrey Clinker . But the 18th century story line is a secondary theme : The core of the book concerns Blandford Candy, accompanied by John Coxton , venturing to the New World in March 1646. After sampling the delights of the Dutch city of New Amsterdam, later to become New York, they find themselves virtually press ganged into a hunt for buried treasure.
The strengths of the book is that apart from being an entertaining storyline involving missing treasure, colonists from different nations, British colonists who are in danger of reliving the civil war in their own states along with religious tensions, First Nation Americans, pirates,mutineers, a Jesuit running his own band of followers also appear. The writer tries hard to thrown in language of the time, to meticulous describe the landscape. Also to look at how the colonials view John Coxton, who is mixed race, an expert swordsman,and is keen to stay away from London as too many people there wish him dead. The claustrophobia of small town settlement contrasted with the expansive landscape comes over well.
Distinctions between different First Nation Americans groups and the various European colonials are depicted. The reader is invited to consider such issues as race and the establishment of European colonialism-with some of its disturbing side-effects such as the importation of new diseases and cash crops, but does not feel preached at. Yet neither does the author try and promote the notion of a 'noble savage' or 'New Age Native American'.
There are very informative and educational foot notes and extracts of texts from the time even opening with a quote from Yorkshire born New England puritan poet Michael Wigglesworth' (1631-1705) and his poem 'The Day of Doom' .
And seems a good reason to post an extract of a Wigglesworth poem here : These are the last few verses of 'Vanity of Vanities' . Similar theme to Bertold Brecht's ' How Fortunate the Man With None', one of my favourite all time poems.
Full version can be found via the All Poetry entry for Michael Wigglesworth
If Wealth or Scepters could Immortal make,
Then wealthy Croesus, wherefore are thou dead?
If Warlike force, which makes the World to quake,
Then why is Julius Caesar perished?
Where are the Scipio's Thunder-bolts of War?
Renowned Pompey, Caesars Enemie?
Stout Hannibal, Romes Terror known so far?
Great Alexander, what's become of thee?
If Gifts and Bribes Death's favour might but win,
If Power, if force, or Threatnings might it fray,
All these, and more, had still surviving been:
But all are gone, for Death will have no Nay.
Such is this World with all her Pomp and Glory,
Such are the men whom worldly eyes admire:
Cut down by Time, and now become a Story,
That we might after better things aspire.
Go boast thy self of what thy heart enjoyes,
Vain Man! triumph in all thy worldly Bliss:
Thy best enjoyments are but Trash and Toyes:
Delight thy self in that which worthless is."
Historia Magazine review
World War 2 poetry Companion blog to this one
World War Poetry Michael Bully website
A Burnt Ship interview with Jemahl Evans part 1
A Burnt Ship interview with Jemahl Evans part 2
Jemahl Evans website
The 'Emerald Cross' is the fourth' Blandford Candy' novel ; a series that began with The Last Roundhead'- and pleased to say that maintains the high standard of the earlier books. Has been described as 'Flashman meets the Three Musketeers', with Candy as an 'endearing rogue'.
Opens in 1720 when Candy is a crabby old curmudgeon, managing to get locked up for assaulting William Hiseland, who claimed to be the last surviving veteran of the English Civil War, having fought on Royalist side as the Battle of Edgehill . There are a fair number of laughs and the 1720 section reminds me of Smollet's 'Humphrey Clinker . But the 18th century story line is a secondary theme : The core of the book concerns Blandford Candy, accompanied by John Coxton , venturing to the New World in March 1646. After sampling the delights of the Dutch city of New Amsterdam, later to become New York, they find themselves virtually press ganged into a hunt for buried treasure.
The strengths of the book is that apart from being an entertaining storyline involving missing treasure, colonists from different nations, British colonists who are in danger of reliving the civil war in their own states along with religious tensions, First Nation Americans, pirates,mutineers, a Jesuit running his own band of followers also appear. The writer tries hard to thrown in language of the time, to meticulous describe the landscape. Also to look at how the colonials view John Coxton, who is mixed race, an expert swordsman,and is keen to stay away from London as too many people there wish him dead. The claustrophobia of small town settlement contrasted with the expansive landscape comes over well.
Distinctions between different First Nation Americans groups and the various European colonials are depicted. The reader is invited to consider such issues as race and the establishment of European colonialism-with some of its disturbing side-effects such as the importation of new diseases and cash crops, but does not feel preached at. Yet neither does the author try and promote the notion of a 'noble savage' or 'New Age Native American'.
There are very informative and educational foot notes and extracts of texts from the time even opening with a quote from Yorkshire born New England puritan poet Michael Wigglesworth' (1631-1705) and his poem 'The Day of Doom' .
And seems a good reason to post an extract of a Wigglesworth poem here : These are the last few verses of 'Vanity of Vanities' . Similar theme to Bertold Brecht's ' How Fortunate the Man With None', one of my favourite all time poems.
Full version can be found via the All Poetry entry for Michael Wigglesworth
If Wealth or Scepters could Immortal make,
Then wealthy Croesus, wherefore are thou dead?
If Warlike force, which makes the World to quake,
Then why is Julius Caesar perished?
Where are the Scipio's Thunder-bolts of War?
Renowned Pompey, Caesars Enemie?
Stout Hannibal, Romes Terror known so far?
Great Alexander, what's become of thee?
If Gifts and Bribes Death's favour might but win,
If Power, if force, or Threatnings might it fray,
All these, and more, had still surviving been:
But all are gone, for Death will have no Nay.
Such is this World with all her Pomp and Glory,
Such are the men whom worldly eyes admire:
Cut down by Time, and now become a Story,
That we might after better things aspire.
Go boast thy self of what thy heart enjoyes,
Vain Man! triumph in all thy worldly Bliss:
Thy best enjoyments are but Trash and Toyes:
Delight thy self in that which worthless is."
Historia Magazine review
World War 2 poetry Companion blog to this one
World War Poetry Michael Bully website
A Burnt Ship interview with Jemahl Evans part 1
A Burnt Ship interview with Jemahl Evans part 2
Jemahl Evans website
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