Review -The Kings Captain by Mark Turnbull / Crabchurch update .
Book 2 in the War of the Three Kingdoms 'Rebellion' Series
Delighted to have a chance to review Mark Turnbull's new novella featuring Royalist soldier Maxwell Walker. I have done my best not to present any 'spoilers'. And the tale begins on 4th October 1645, with the Royalist cause, post the defeat at Naseby, in desperate straits, and their chances of victory are looking quite hopeless by May 1646 when the novel ends.
The author presents the more enjoyable and familiar strands of fiction quite well. Maxwell Walker fights his own private battles, being continually confronted with his nemesis, Gervase Harper , who is nominally fighting on the same side. The contrast between the two is well shown. Walker uses his intelligence to persuade Parliamentarians who are trapped into surrendering to avoid pointless bloodshed, tries to ensure prisoners are treated fairly. Harper is just a master of lies and betrayal. As the plot develops Walker encounters an untrustworthy scheming French milady who quickly adds more turmoil to his life.
But then the plot takes some surprising twists. The author demonstrates his own extensive knowledge of the Civil Wars by looking at the more forgotten battles such as Sherburn in Elmet on the 13th October 1645. Later in the tale, there are important reminder how the French were keeping abreast of what was going on during the Civil War, keen to back the winning side in a divided-and weakened- country, and twist the course of events to their own advantage, There are references to veterans of the siege of Magdeburg of 1631 fighting in the British Civil Wars, and one is reminded that the awful massacre of Protestant citizens did have international repercussions years later . Yet the author also tries to portray the religious faith of his characters as sometimes being quite sincere, and not always a way of disguising dubious motives.
Personally I appreciate some of the expressions the author comes up ;
"The moor was surrounded by ditches, like miniature dry moats, they gave the appearance that the country was physically fracturing beneath yet another encounter". (Chapter 5).
And in chapter 1
"Burning cascades were vomited from the three-and-half foot barrels of the snaphaunces and shots flew at the ambushed royalists".
There are also some vivid images, such as the wind making the trees shiver in anticipation of yet another battle. Also quite touching scenes, when Walker manages to see his children....and has to try to explain the Civil Wars to them.
Amongst the historical characters that appear are King Charles, Earl of Montrose, and various luminaries of the French Court. But felt that Maxwell's impression of Charles was a little understated. Montrose is a more convincing portrait, reminding me that one day need to tackle Sir Walter's Scott's novella 'A Legend of the Wars of Montrose' (1819) .
The series is certainly working well and looking forward to Book 3.
Mark Turnbull runs the Alllegiance of Blood website and the Cavalier Podcast Civil War in Words series.
A Burnt Ship interview with Mark Turnbull from September 2020.
Review of the prequel The King's Spy from February 2021.
Latest Crabchurch Conspiracy News
There have been several posts in this blog about the Crabchurch Conspiracy. The doomed attempt by Portland Royalists to seize Weymouth and Melcome Regis in 1645, and Mark Vine's book on the subject which also covers the Civil War in Dorset. In turn, this book has led to the re-enactment weekends which also combined both history lectures, and music. Local folk rock band The Dolemen also brought out a CD devoted to the subject, with Mark Vine writing lyrics and Professor Ronald Hutton speaking on one track. And the latest venture is the audio book narrated by Jon C. Dixon which also has some incidental music from the aforementioned CD. And word is out that the project is inspiring a novel or two.
I gained a great deal from hearing it read out loud. Thought that I was broadly familiar with the tale of Crabchurch, but discovered the audio version reminded me of how important the event was : A royalist held port in the west of Dorset at this particular time could have altered the course of the whole War. The story is recounted well, and the ghastly bitterness and pathos the civil war causes is never far away. There is a lack of triumphalism, with both the phenomenal courage and idealism that was evident during the War along with its heart wrenching consequences. Really recommended, both for people who have come across the phenomenal events of 'Crabchurch' before and those who have yet to discover them .
Previous Crabchurch Conspiracy posts
Interview with Mark Vine from 2017
Other blogs by Michael Bully.
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