I really wanted to enjoy this book and learn from it. I don't know enough about this period of history and knowing Dan Jones background and expertise I was hoping that Essex Dogs might be as enlightening as it would be entertaining. Although it is well written and no doubt very well researched I struggled a little, finding the style and narrative not quite as gripping as I had hoped. I would have liked it to move at a quicker pace.
I rarely read books a second time, but but I will leave this for a while and try again, I really wanted to like this and maybe I will the second time.

From all my various Tudor type history books I often wondered what life was like for our soldiers in France. Why were they there etc.?

This brilliant book tells the story of a group of Essex young men during Edward 111’s invasion of France at the start of the 100 years war. Every march, every visit to towns and villages are vividly described with a superb link each time to various battles or skirmishes. The Black Prince appears at times along with other generals ,and the author made them all very real. I loved the mentions of a bit of cash due to the soldiers at the end of the month - or never!?

The book ends with the build up to the battle of Crecy, and I am already looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to Net Galley and Head of Zeus - Aries Books for the chance to read and review.

Perfectly paced, moving and gruesome by turns, I read this gripping historical novel in a couple of days. It’s always a strong narrative choice to have a small and lovable cast of characters to bring an epic campaign back to the personal level, and the Essex Dogs were just the right blend of broken and heroic, flawed and pure-hearted.
I look forward to the next adventure.

“The Dogs hired their sword-and bows-arms to anyone who paid–in any sort of activity where brute force and sharp steel were needed. That summer the business was war.”

My thanks to Head of Zeus/Aries for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Essex Dogs’ by Dan Jones.

‘Essex Dogs’ is a powerful work of medieval military fiction. While Jones is well known for his historical nonfiction, this is his debut novel. It is the first in his Essex Dogs Trilogy that follows a small tight kit company of soldiers during the Hundred Years’ War.

In July 1346 King Edward III and his lords are on the march through France. Yet this is not a story of kings and nobles but of the men on the ground fighting with swords, axes, and longbows. There are ten Essex Dogs, led by the battle-scarred Loveday FitzTalbot, who just wants to get his men home safely.

This was an extremely violent and earthy novel. There’s no way I could fault the degree of historical detail throughout, though felt that the characters were rather undeveloped. This did improve as the novel progressed and the individual Dogs began to emerge as they faced danger and we were provided snippets of their backstories. By the final chapters I was quite invested in the fates of the survivors.

The King, and Edward, the whiny Prince of Wales, along with the various lords, are quite ghastly in their behaviour towards the French as well as their own men. Thankfully, there is only one woman featured in the narrative. I say thankfully given the setting. I felt that Jones was sensitive to this, only referencing what had happened to her ‘off page’ rather than describing.

Overall, ‘Essex Dogs’ impressed me from the outset for its meticulously detailed, raw depiction of this medieval war from the perspective of those with their boots on the ground: a 14th Century Band of Brothers. While it took longer for my emotions to become engaged, I became invested and certainly plan to read the upcoming books when published.

Highly recommended.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I liked Dan Jones' style of writing and I loved how this book is well plotted and researched. A fast paced and action packed story that kept me hooked till the last page.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones, despite its girth, coming in at nearly 7500 lines on my Kindle and 450 pages in hardback, is a really easy-going read. It has a light writing style, and therefore, it's not an onerous read for anyone worried that it might just be that little bit longer than they're used to. (I never used to consider the length of a book, but now I do, when there are so many books to read and so little time).

The opening scene, the landing on the beach for the invasion of France, is very well told and draws you into the world that the Essex Dogs live within. The action then slightly backs off as we learn more about the men behind the invasion and the details of what's planned. And there are many little details that slowly draw the reader into the scenario the Dogs face, as just one of many bands of warriors, commissioned for their 40 days of service to fight on behalf of a lord, who's in turn beholden to the king or the prince of Wales.

While the Hundred Years War is not 'my' time period, I'm not a stranger to it. If you've read other books set in the period, as I have, then this feels very close to those books. In no time at all, I was remembering some of the historical details, and I felt right at home with the 'Dogs.'

This, as the blurb says, is the story of the Essex Dogs and not the king and lords. The prince, Northampton and Warwick are the most notable members of the nobility to get a decent-sized portion of the story but only in relation to the way the Essex Dogs' lives mingle, merge and separate with them. You can almost smell the dust and heat, the stink of the rivers, and not for the first time when I read books like this, I'm left considering why the English king was so determined to claim a province that was so hostile to him.

The story, not without tragedy, slowly builds to an intriguing finale on the field of Crecy, where we follow the efforts of young Romford as he attempts to stay alive.

There is blood and gore in this book, but not tonnes of the stuff. There is some pretty strong language, but not tonnes of it. My overwhelming feeling on finishing it is that the games kings play affected the men who fought for them more than them, and I more than imagine that this is what Dan Jones is hoping to make us feel. And so, an engaging and well-told tale, not without moments of tragedy and comedy, and one certainly worthy of picking up and devouring.

The Essex Dogs are a band of men-at-war who sell their skills with bow and swords. When they sign up for 40 days to fight the French they are not aware that this is the early stages of the Hundred Year War, they simply know they have a job to do and a will to survive.

Dan Jones has written many non-fiction historical works. This is his first novel and he has managed to weave the historical facts into a story with memorable characters who, though full of faults, endear the reader to care about what happens to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read and will be keen to enjoy the next book in what is due to be a trilogy following Loveday Fitztalbot and his men. Thank you to Dan Jones, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A fabulous gritty tale that has you at odds with liking the ragtag group of misfits, set amidst the backdrop of the 100 years war .

A wonderful read full of history and visceral scene setting of life and combat .

10/10 and looking forward to pulling my next Dan Jones book down off the shelf.

Essex Dogs is the first book in a new trilogy set during the Hundred Years’ War. It’s the author’s first foray into fiction (unless you count his novella The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings) but on the evidence of Essex Dogs it’s clear he’s as adept at fiction as he is at non-fiction.

The events at the outset of the Hundred Years’ War are thrillingly brought to life through the escapades of the fictional Essex Dogs, a group of men of different ages, from different parts of what is today Great Britain and who speak different languages even. What unites them is a talent for fighting – whether with axe, sword or bow – a desire to make their fortunes and the bonds of comradeship. ‘We are who we are. We do what we do. We look after each other.’

This foul-mouthed, dishevelled brotherhood is ‘led’ by Loveday FitzTalbot from whose point of view we witness most of the action. There are passing references and little nuggets of information about the backgrounds of the Essex Dogs, including mention of their previous leader, the enigmatic Captain. (It would be great to learn more of their back stories – a prequel in the making perhaps?) Besides Loveday, the person we learn most about is Romford, a troubled young man for whom the Essex Dogs have become a sort of family. Other notable characters are Father, a rather demented priest, and Scotsman, a giant of a man whose talent for fighting is second only to his highly imaginative and extremely crude cursing. I also loved the mystical element introduced by way of the mysterious woman from Valognes.

Although the Essex Dogs are entirely the product of the author’s imagination, real historical figures play a part as well. Here I think the author really has some fun giving us a whiny Edward, The Black Prince and – my favourite – an Earl of Northampton for whom the descriptions ‘colourful’ and ‘plain-speaking’ don’t do justice. He certainly gives Scotsman a run for his money when it comes to cursing with just about every utterance being peppered with the f-word and c-word. He’s the epitome of calling a spade a spade and not afraid to give his views on the foolishness of a proposed tactic. I would love to give you some examples of his imaginative cursing but most of them – actually all of them – are far too rude to repeat.

The book opens with a dramatic and bloody beach landing that could have come straight out of Saving Private Ryan or The Longest Day. Then there’s a long and arduous march through France in an effort to meet with a constantly retreating French army, stopping only for a spot of pillaging along the way. As they trudge through wind and rain, I was reminded of the scenes in Kenneth Branagh’s film of Henry V in which he leads his bedraggled army. Towards the end of the book the action really picks up with some terrific battle scenes, culminating with the Battle of Crécy. There is a real sense of the confusion of battle, the sheer brutality of hand-to-hand combat and of course the triumph of English longbows over French crossbows.

I thought Essex Dogs was a brilliant start to what promises to be a fantastic trilogy. And if you love a last minute revelation or an intriguing epilogue, then look no further.

An excellent fiction debut! The storyline is intriguing and historically accurate and the characters are memorable. I would highly recommend this title and look forward to future titles in this series.

Dan Jones has certainly made a splash into the historicall fiction writing.
The story and the research iis second to none. With the scenes and vocabulary throughout the novel.
Its definitely a novel that gives you the hairs to stand up.
Its gruelling, violent and perfectly scripted.

Do you ever pick up a book and within just a few pages, you really feel like you’re there? Where you have visions of the story that’s unfolding in front of you that are so vivid that you can practically see, hear and smell everything? Where you forget you’re reading a story and just get lost in the experience? These are my favourite types of stories, and it is exactly what happened to me whilst I read Essex Dogs.
Essex Dogs, set in the early years of the Hundred Years war (more specifically in the summer of 1346, which culminated in the Battle of Crecy, one of the bloodiest of the war), follows a company of soldiers in King Edward III army, the titular Essex Dogs. We embark on this bloody & brutal campaign, meeting a number of larger than life characters, all of who carry out dastardly and terrible deeds in the name of war and of the King. However, for the majority of this novel, we are firmly rooted in the head of the leader of the Essex Dogs, Loveday FitzTalbot, a man haunted by his past and wishes nothing more than to see his men through the war and safely back home with pay in pocket. I loved Loveday, a man whose internal emotions war with his external actions, and seeing this juxtaposition is very interesting to witness. This book has a lot of dualities within it; good characters who do evil things, nobility with a darker side, an army who cannot harm the population so choose to steal, rape and rob instead. Essex Dogs is a very visceral novel, and Jones’ ability to cement you into the environment, into the stink of the burning villages, the sounds of battle, metal clashing against metal, and the feeling of confusing, bloodthirsty battle, is truly a gift of storytelling mastery.
The side characters, those of the remainder of the Essex Dogs crew (Scotsman, Pismire, Father, Romford to name a few standouts) and their commanders (namely Sir Godefroi, Northampton & Warwick) all remind me of the strength of which Joe Abercrombie portrays his characters. They all have their own unique traits, tics, histories, likes & dislikes, ways of dealing with situations and ways of bottling up the heightened emotions that come with war. Northampton, the sweary, highly-strung commander, is a particular favourite, being dangerous, hilarious and also genuinely caring for the men under his command. Jones has a natural affinity for intellectual, meaningful character work, and not one person feels like another.
As you may be able to tell, this is a very character and atmosphere driven novel. The plot is more about the characters experiences in this war, how they deal with the hardships, the brutalities and crimes they witness and partake in, the demons that they succumb to and overcome during the course of the novel. There isn’t much actual plot to speak of (I will again draw a comparison to Joe Abercrombie, specifically The Blade Itself), but when the character work is so strong, the themes so bold and compelling, the atmosphere & tone so engrossing, it doesn’t really matter.
I also want to add just how readable this novel is. Some Historical Fiction can get lost in amongst the facts; it can lose the idea that it is a story, a tale that is told to entertain and to explore ideas. But Essex Dogs knows it’s a story first & foremost, and Jones has the ability to make it so utterly easy to digest that it is a perfect book for those who may not have much experience with the genre. This may sound like the story has been dumbed down; it truly hasn’t. Jones explores the themes and characters with aplomb and sharp, enduring prose that every reader can quickly get involved with. It isn’t a book for the faint of heart however; Dan can be really brutal with his description of violence and violent acts and also all the descriptions of vomit, stinking latrines and just everything about Father, all add to the real-life “grossness” of the atmosphere (all of which I loved because I’m morbid like that).
In short, Essex Dogs is a triumphant first novel from long time non-fiction writer Dan Jones. It’s an incredibly strong start to a trilogy I will be paying close attention to, and it’s full of moments, people and ideas that will stick with me for a very long time. I will definitely be picking up some of Jones’ back catalogue of non-fiction works (my eyes are on The Plantagenets, The Hollow Crown, Crusaders and The Templars, because I’m always up for a good crusade into the Holy Land!). I would happily recommend this novel to anyone, so what are you waiting for? Go grab yourself a copy of this beautiful red & blue book!
I want to thank Aries Fiction, Head of Zeus, and Dan Jones for allowing to me to be a part of this blog tour. It has been immense fun (and sometimes depressing, I won’t lie) reading this wonderful book and being swept up in the hype for it. I look forward to the next one!

A fictional narrative woven through real historical events, such as Dan Jones' "Essex Dogs", is one of my favorite types of book. Each chapter is headed with an original fourteenth century source quote which provides the context and a clue as to the events that will unfold in the coming pages. The imaginary characters interact with historical figures to give the drama a sense of realism. Dan Jones is a historian by nature and primarily a writer of history books which also adds to the vivid realism of the story. I think I read that this is to be the first of three books. If so I look forward to the subsequent adventures of the Essex Dogs.

Not my usual type of book but I’m glad I gave it a go . Fantastic book , took a while for the characters to grow on me but by the end I literally ate up the chapters. Wonderfully written.

An engaging, well researched and well written book by Jones. I really felt like I was in the middle of epic battles!

Loveday Fitztalbot and his brothers in arms from The Essex Dogs land on the coast of Normandy under King Edward III to win his claim to the French throne by force. Each of the dogs leave a past behind, especially since their captain disappeared without a trace some time ago. Marching through the French countryside, burning every town or city they pass, the Essex Dogs will face some serious challenges to keep all of them alive.

Dan Jones is a true hero for me and can always get me excited about military strategy so when I discovered he was writing a novel, I knew I had to read it. Even more when I heard about the setting. The Hundred Years' War told from a group of ordinary soldiers is an original choice. Not many authors dare to write about this conflict. The approach to use common soldiers as main characters reminded me of Toby Clemens' Kingmaker series about the Wars of the Roses. But Jones focuses entirely on the campaign through France, with only an occasional side story about some of the soldier's backstories.

Battle after battle, you sympathize more with the Essex Dogs. We read most from the perspective of Loveday, whose their new captain, and the young Romford. We also get to know some historical figures, including the Dukes of Warwick and Norfolk and even Joan Of Kent's first husband Thomas Holland has a major role. We get very close to the king's son, Edward, later called 'The black prince'. It was the first time that I read about the black prince at this young age and it took some time to get used to the fact that he is portrayed as a spoilt brat (I look at him as a fierce warrior). But it was certainly interesting.

Dan Jones writes a clever story. The book reads very smoothly, mainly because the setting is so well-defined. So you can expect battle after battle, within every city they encounter there's a fight. And you travel along with ordinary soldiers, so it's more action-driven as the strategy behind the battles isn't discussed. Jones uses real quotes from eyewitnesses from the 14th century to introduce each chapter. It musn't surprise you that he has done a terrific research job.

The brotherhood of 'the dogs' is what I loved most. And although there is a lot of blood and gore involved in this story, there is time for a good laugh between the men.

This series is recommended for the fans of Cornwell, Iggulden and Toby Clemens. Is Jones the best in among them? Perhaps not yet. But bringing the complicated Hundred Years' War to life deserves all the praise. I'm looking forward to see how things will unfold for Loveday and his companions in the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Definitely not the 'Black Prince' I learned about at school! There is an opening scene on a beach with the Dogs hiding under an old boat and it just reminded me of virtually the same scene in the brilliant film 'Dunkirk'. 600 years changes nothing. Still landing on those Normandy beaches! A very visceral account of a bunch of mates involved in war, only the time has changed. Excellent! Thank you to Netgalley and looking forward to the next one in the trilogy.

This is the first installment in Dan Jones’ Hundred Years War trilogy. The book sees the first great campaign of the war between England and France through the eyes of a small company who call themselves the Essex Dogs. It reflected the violence and also periods of boredom of a military campaign, and felt well researched. It was a bit of a slow start but then drew me in more. Personally I prefer my historical fiction with more female characters in.

An enjoyable book which was well researched and written so the reader can imagine the horrors of war in the Middle Ages. I felt it was a very masculine book. There is only one female character and the language and the thoughts were very typical of masculine thinking. There is a softer side to the Essex dogs care for each other but they hide it well. I am not sure whether to believe the involvement of the Dogs in the discussions and planning. Would the great and the good notice the men in their forces!
Recommended

A very enjoyable book. It took a while to get into the story and characters, but , by the end I was hoping for a sequel. The story is set at the very beginning of the Hundred Year's War covering just a few months til the Battle of Crecy. The Essex Dogs are a fictional team of mercenaries - a band of brothers.
Jones really evokes the violence, squalor and tedium of long marches and battles. Also, the nobility's attitude to the expendable soldier is graphically described. I know very little of the period but would hope that as Jones is a historian his descriptions are based on fact. I was surprised that he admitted to tampering with the characters of the king and other nobles.
this is an honest review of a complementary ARC.