Devil's Island

by C.R. Dempsey

Francisco Butero, a stranded Armada captain, fights for survival in war-torn Ireland in the hopes of reuniting with his family in Spain.

For King, for country, for family.

Stranded on the unforgiving shores of Ireland, Francisco Butero, a captain of the once-mighty Spanish Armada, must summon all his strength and wits to stay alive. The land is divided between English occupation and bloody inter-clan warfare, and there is a hefty price on the heads of survivors of the Armada. As he fights to survive against the unrelenting pursuit of the cunning English soldiers, he must also navigate the treacherous landscape of rival clans all vying for power.

Despite the unforgiving environment and the constant danger his enemies pose, Francisco remains resolute in his mission to reunite with his family in Spain. Every step is a battle for survival against nature and his foes, but his determination may not be enough to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles ahead. He must confront his deepest fears and doubts as he struggles to find a way back home.

Devil’s Island is a prequel to the epic Irish historical fiction Exiles series. It is set against the backdrop of the Elizabethan wars in Ireland and the Spanish Armada in 1588.

321 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2024

About the author

C R Dempsey is the author of Viking Dawn and Viking Oathbreaker, both set in the Viking age and the Exiles book series, set in Elizabethan Ireland. History has always been his fascination, and historical fiction was an obvious outlet for his accumulated knowledge. C R spends lots of time working on his books, mainly in the twilight hours of the morning. C R wishes he spent more time writing and less time jumping down the rabbit hole of excessive research.

C R Dempsey lives in London with his wife and cat. He was born in Dublin but has lived most of his adult life in London.

Reviews

[Carol Seniw · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started out good but felt dragged out in some spots. It was an interesting historical fiction read. The main character was the captain of a Spanish galleon who was imprisoned and waiting trail.
The ship gets caught up in a storm and he washes up on the coast of Ireland. Here’s where his troubles really begin. He tells everyone he just wants to go home to Spain to be reunited with his family. But he keeps getting caught up in everyone else’s war and drama. He makes friends and enemies along the way. He fights in many battles, gets beat up, held captive, sent to prison and must swear fealty to an Irish war chief. I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.

[Christina Frøkjær · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devil's Island is a gripping prequel to the Exiles series, immersing readers in the turbulent era of the Elizabethan wars in Ireland and the Spanish Armada of 1588. Stranded on the unforgiving shores of Ireland, Francisco Butero, a captain of the once-mighty Armada, must fight for survival against the relentless pursuit of English soldiers and the treacherous rival clans.

Dempsey's masterful storytelling brings to life a world of political intrigue and brutal warfare. The author's vivid descriptions and interesting characters create a truly immersive reading experience. As Francisco navigates this dangerous landscape, readers will be captivated by his unwavering determination to reunite with his family in Spain.

Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or adventure, Devil's Island is a must-read. It's a thrilling tale of courage, survival, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

[Nichole Halbmaier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily to share my honest opinion.

If you like historical fiction, ie Elizabethan wars, you like action and adventure books, and like pirate novels this book is worth reading. The political climate of the Irish Clans and English can be equated to piracy, the legal kind in those days. Francisco has the unfair advantage of being used as an example for the Spanish, and then finds himself being the target of clan wars as they seek revenge against the survivors. He is a great example of a captain as the man will literally do whatever it takes to get to his family and survive.

The struggle of his journey and the love of his family is both admirable and relatable. Loyalty, bravery, and a bit of stupidity. This book and its characters have it all

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devil’s Island is a prequel to the epic Irish historical fiction Exiles series. It is set against the backdrop of the Elizabethan wars in Ireland and the Spanish Armada in 1588. You will experience a world of Irish clans and their politiccs.

Dempsey is a talented author who creates solid characters. He will take you on an exciting journey. One in which you will not want to put the book down. Dempsey casts a spell that will keep you captivated from the first page until the end. You will experience stunning imagery, engaging characters, and an intriguing plot that will keep you on the edge of my seat. For those of you wishing for a fantasy series that will keep you engaged - this is it. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bruce Tamanaha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received the book for a voluntary and honest ARC review.

Good story of Francisco, a Spanish ship captain, being found on the shores in Ireland after the ship he was jailed on sinks. He is taken by Desmond McCabe and ends up with the O'Rourke.

Francisco spends a few years with the O'Rourke, experiencing the ups and downs of Irsh clan life. He struggles believing that he will be able to return to Spain, as he travels through Ireland and Scotland with the O'Rourke.

He is helped by the Spanish Ambassador to Scotland and ends up in the Netherlands. He is finally sent to Spain believing that he will be executed because of the sentence in the Armada.

But he survives.

The book is good historical fiction. I enjoyed the book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the history of Ireland and Scotland for as long as I can remember. I have Irish ancestry, so ive always been fascinated by that part of my history. I've also always been fascinated by the clans, the language, and everything to do with that part of the world. This novel is the prequel to Dempsey's historical fiction series, The Exiles, which ive read, abd I absolutely loved! I loved this equally as much. It's not a short read, but it's so engrossing that I didn't notice how long it took me to read, which was only a few days. I so enjoyed it, and I always love reading the author notes at the end of the book. I definitely recommend it!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this from NICHE READER. I cannot say what I was expecting but I did not really enjoy this. The wondering all over Ireland w- a blustering former clan leader plus the side trip to Scotland were not thrilling or exciting. A lot of confusion and the same scenes over and over. The end was easy to determine and no surprise, nor was the "trip" the author took us on to get there. Not likely to read any other books like this.

[RjS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been curious about the fate of the Spanish sailors wrecked during the Armada since seeing the tithe barn in Torquay where many were imprisoned.
This book was the story of one of them (although he came ashore in Ireland). I found his story interesting.

The author in his note says the history of the Irish clans isn’t well known and certainly it was all new to me so that was interesting too.

I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.

[Debra Schwitzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent storytelling! The historic details in here show us the world as it was in that day. Starting in the forests of Ireland and ending in the court of the Spanish king this story weaves the players together, the bloodthirsty men and Irish chieftains against each other and the Queen of England. This was a tale I really enjoyed reading.

[Carolyn Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I cannot get enough of the stories that Mr. Dempsey writes. I was glad that this one was written because it explained how the Spanish soldiers were there to help the clans train their troops. I hope there is more to this series because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of these stories.


I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda Susan Garman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil

This is awesome epic and I regret that I have finished the complete series of books. I do a lot of reading C.R.Dempsey is one of the best writers that I have discovered in the past few months. I hope that he continues to write of the times of Elizabethan England. Mr Dempesy the times you spend on reasch is well worth it.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A swashbuckling story of survival as we follow Spanish Captain Francisco Butero from an unjust court-martial for getting his ship repaired before engaging the English, to a miraculous ship wreck and capture on the Irish coast. Then pursuit by the English and finally, reaching home to face the court-martial charges again.
A bit long winded at times but a fascinating period of history. I was provided with my copy as an ARC for Niche Reader.

[Mary LynneLeiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar!!!!

Another page-turner from Mr Dempsey. Ireland way before our time is enchanting. And filthy and difficult and unpleasant. But, oh, so interesting! 4books into this series and I need more. Try to read the books in order, if you can. You'll not put them down.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing prequel to the "Exiles" series. I love C.R.Dempsey`s books and hope for a lot more. The amount of research done is amazing and makes everything seem very real.

[Stacy Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my typical read. Moved too slowly and was hard to push through to the end.

[Alfred Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's plenty of interesting historical fiction out there, but a tale as niche and novel as a Spanish Armada captain being shipwrecked in Ireland is indeed a rare joy. I enjoyed it and I hope the author continues to do what he does!