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The Comrades of Honor #1
To Birmingham Castle: A Tale of Friendship and Adventure
" The time is the Middle Ages, a time of clashing arms, valiant knights, and intriguing castles. Join Robert Fitz Hasseltine, a young nobleman of unchallenged character and the heir to his uncle’s vast earldom. Valiant, yet merciful, Robert’s steadfast determination to aid the weak brings him face to face with several individuals who urgently need his protective care—individuals who must throw themselves upon his compassion and rely on his strength to overcome their pasts and lead successful lives.
Yet the days are volatile, and danger lurks on the horizon. There are dangerous enemies who hate Robert’s steadfast character and ever-present mercy—enemies who would do anything to vanquish his compassion and shower their malice upon his cause. A thrilling adventure commences, coupling victory, peril, friendship, and rivalry. During his eventful journey from squire to knight to earl, Robert’s courage is strongly tested and his strength challenged. Will he be able to overcome the enemies that beset him and proclaim himself the undisputed lord of his shire? And, above all, will he abide true to his resolve and prove to be a kind, considerate master?
Join Robert and his steadfast friends, Brandon, Strephon, Nathaniel, and Narcissa, in their long journey of friendship and adventure, and experience the thrilling perils of life at Birmingham Castle!
A novel of adventure, suspense, friendship, and courage, as a young man embarks on a perilous journey to overcome tyranny and reform chivalry in medieval England. "
Yet the days are volatile, and danger lurks on the horizon. There are dangerous enemies who hate Robert’s steadfast character and ever-present mercy—enemies who would do anything to vanquish his compassion and shower their malice upon his cause. A thrilling adventure commences, coupling victory, peril, friendship, and rivalry. During his eventful journey from squire to knight to earl, Robert’s courage is strongly tested and his strength challenged. Will he be able to overcome the enemies that beset him and proclaim himself the undisputed lord of his shire? And, above all, will he abide true to his resolve and prove to be a kind, considerate master?
Join Robert and his steadfast friends, Brandon, Strephon, Nathaniel, and Narcissa, in their long journey of friendship and adventure, and experience the thrilling perils of life at Birmingham Castle!
A novel of adventure, suspense, friendship, and courage, as a young man embarks on a perilous journey to overcome tyranny and reform chivalry in medieval England. "
463 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2012
4 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Alicia A. Willis
8 books166 followersAlicia Willis is a homeschool graduate and avid historian. When not writing or doing endless historical research, she enjoys being a church pianist, teaching music, singing, and playing volleyball. Her other passions include working in her church and spreading the love of Jesus Christ. She also manages a monthly e-newsletter entitled "Little Corners". Be sure to like her FB page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alicia...
To visit her at her website or sign up to receive her newsletter, navigate over to http://www.aliciaannewillis.com/
To visit her at her website or sign up to receive her newsletter, navigate over to http://www.aliciaannewillis.com/
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 14, 2022
I'm still struggling to figure out why I didn't absolutely fall in love with this book the way I wanted/expected to. There was so much about it that was good--deeds of adventure and chivalry, strong family ties, close guy friendships--I love all these things! So...why wasn't I swept off my feet? I'm not sure I have an answer to this question, but here are some of my thoughts.
So, to start with, the writing style was very old-fashioned. Like, down to the "thee"s and "thou"s and "hast"s and "verily"s. Which, wow, I admire the author for putting that kind of work into it, but it made it the kind of read where you really had to focus to understand it. That said, I do read old books, and old-fashioned language does not necessarily throw me off. I did notice some typos, wrong homonyms, and incorrect usage in places, but it's possible that I only really noticed them because I had to pay such close attention. However, the style of the narrative was also very old-fashioned--especially when it came to telling vs. showing. Which, again, I read old books, so it's not something I'm unused to, or something that always bothers me. But--something in the way that it's told started to rub me the wrong way in a way that most books of this kind don't.
In a lot of ways, it reminded me of a Henty book, with the young hero who manages to overcome all obstacles and win the respect of everyone except the dastardly villains and generally be the best all-around whatever-happens-to-be-needed-at-the-moment. But (yes, there will be a lot of comparisons to Henty here, only because those books are the closest I can come to a parallel title) I feel like Henty let his heroes cement that impression by their actions and their words (and yes, through effusive praise from the mouths of others), but he didn't generally force it into the narration (as far as I remember...it's been a while). What I mean is, when the narrative voice continually peppers in adjectives to remind me how great (or nasty) everyone is, it really starts to grate on my nerves. Personal preference, I know, but things like "handsome visage" and "stalwart frame" can only be used so many times before they start to frustrate me, and when a lump catches in the hero's "manly throat", I can't help but feel like there's some sort of fear that we won't get it if left to our own devices. Would I have come away with the impression the narrative voice wanted me to have if not for the liberal sprinkling of glowing descriptors? Maybe... (more on that below) But having them there didn't really sway my feelings in that direction; it mostly just made me want to beg, "Please just let me see and judge for myself!"
So, there were also times when I felt like Robert was not quite as perfect as I was supposed to believe him to be. Maybe that's unfair--he was never said to be perfect, and he did have his flaws, but those flaws seemed to be brushed aside most of the time and rarely received any kind of comment from the narrative voice, while his good qualities (and yes, there were many) were basically praised to the skies. But, my arguments with the narrative voice aside, there were things about Robert that frustrated me. He rose to knighthood at an unusually young age, but he tended to treat his squires as though they were children for a long time after they had passed that same age. His impulsiveness was sometimes good but could have landed him in a lot more hot water than it did. And all the talk about how merciful and kind he was--I mean, was he really? Yes, he showed mercy to some people, usually after they did something to win his admiration, and he tended to be kind to women and children across the board, but... See, I get that there's a balance between showing mercy and meeting out justice, and it's especially difficult when you're the one in charge, but--I just couldn't help feeling that there were sometimes feelings of personal vengeance mixed in with that justice. Also, in a certain circumstance when he was being begged to show true, unmerited mercy to a former enemy, he couldn't seem to move beyond the fact that the person didn't deserve mercy, which--the whole point of mercy is that it's undeserved and not something you earn. And when mercy is supposed to be one of his defining characteristics--the fact that someone you love has to beg you over and over again before you'll even give a hit of reconsideration to the punishment you're handing out for their sake, all the while insisting that you have to do this because you love them when you can see how much it's hurting them--yeah, I was totally on the other side of that argument. And speaking of arguments--why did he pretty much always get to be right? Even when he was reprimanding someone for something exactly like things he had done in their place? I don't know. He just frustrated me sometimes.
Okay, that makes it sound way worse than it was, and I'm not trying to do that! I liked Robert--I really did! And I liked Brandon and Strephon and little Nathaniel, and Narcissa from what little we saw of her... I really liked them all! I think if they (especially Robert) had been allowed to be normal, flawed humans and not the paragons the narrative voice seemed to be constantly painting them as, just about all of my issues would have melted away. As it was, this particular style just grated on me the more the book went on. I do intend to try more of the author's books in the future, however. :)
Content--fighting, war, and battles; mentions of blood and wounds (not graphic); mentions of deaths and executions; mentions of kissing between an engaged couple (not detailed); attempted kidnappings; mentions of the inappropriateness of searching a woman in a room full of men
So, to start with, the writing style was very old-fashioned. Like, down to the "thee"s and "thou"s and "hast"s and "verily"s. Which, wow, I admire the author for putting that kind of work into it, but it made it the kind of read where you really had to focus to understand it. That said, I do read old books, and old-fashioned language does not necessarily throw me off. I did notice some typos, wrong homonyms, and incorrect usage in places, but it's possible that I only really noticed them because I had to pay such close attention. However, the style of the narrative was also very old-fashioned--especially when it came to telling vs. showing. Which, again, I read old books, so it's not something I'm unused to, or something that always bothers me. But--something in the way that it's told started to rub me the wrong way in a way that most books of this kind don't.
In a lot of ways, it reminded me of a Henty book, with the young hero who manages to overcome all obstacles and win the respect of everyone except the dastardly villains and generally be the best all-around whatever-happens-to-be-needed-at-the-moment. But (yes, there will be a lot of comparisons to Henty here, only because those books are the closest I can come to a parallel title) I feel like Henty let his heroes cement that impression by their actions and their words (and yes, through effusive praise from the mouths of others), but he didn't generally force it into the narration (as far as I remember...it's been a while). What I mean is, when the narrative voice continually peppers in adjectives to remind me how great (or nasty) everyone is, it really starts to grate on my nerves. Personal preference, I know, but things like "handsome visage" and "stalwart frame" can only be used so many times before they start to frustrate me, and when a lump catches in the hero's "manly throat", I can't help but feel like there's some sort of fear that we won't get it if left to our own devices. Would I have come away with the impression the narrative voice wanted me to have if not for the liberal sprinkling of glowing descriptors? Maybe... (more on that below) But having them there didn't really sway my feelings in that direction; it mostly just made me want to beg, "Please just let me see and judge for myself!"
So, there were also times when I felt like Robert was not quite as perfect as I was supposed to believe him to be. Maybe that's unfair--he was never said to be perfect, and he did have his flaws, but those flaws seemed to be brushed aside most of the time and rarely received any kind of comment from the narrative voice, while his good qualities (and yes, there were many) were basically praised to the skies. But, my arguments with the narrative voice aside, there were things about Robert that frustrated me. He rose to knighthood at an unusually young age, but he tended to treat his squires as though they were children for a long time after they had passed that same age. His impulsiveness was sometimes good but could have landed him in a lot more hot water than it did. And all the talk about how merciful and kind he was--I mean, was he really? Yes, he showed mercy to some people, usually after they did something to win his admiration, and he tended to be kind to women and children across the board, but... See, I get that there's a balance between showing mercy and meeting out justice, and it's especially difficult when you're the one in charge, but--I just couldn't help feeling that there were sometimes feelings of personal vengeance mixed in with that justice. Also, in a certain circumstance when he was being begged to show true, unmerited mercy to a former enemy, he couldn't seem to move beyond the fact that the person didn't deserve mercy, which--the whole point of mercy is that it's undeserved and not something you earn. And when mercy is supposed to be one of his defining characteristics--the fact that someone you love has to beg you over and over again before you'll even give a hit of reconsideration to the punishment you're handing out for their sake, all the while insisting that you have to do this because you love them when you can see how much it's hurting them--yeah, I was totally on the other side of that argument. And speaking of arguments--why did he pretty much always get to be right? Even when he was reprimanding someone for something exactly like things he had done in their place? I don't know. He just frustrated me sometimes.
Okay, that makes it sound way worse than it was, and I'm not trying to do that! I liked Robert--I really did! And I liked Brandon and Strephon and little Nathaniel, and Narcissa from what little we saw of her... I really liked them all! I think if they (especially Robert) had been allowed to be normal, flawed humans and not the paragons the narrative voice seemed to be constantly painting them as, just about all of my issues would have melted away. As it was, this particular style just grated on me the more the book went on. I do intend to try more of the author's books in the future, however. :)
Content--fighting, war, and battles; mentions of blood and wounds (not graphic); mentions of deaths and executions; mentions of kissing between an engaged couple (not detailed); attempted kidnappings; mentions of the inappropriateness of searching a woman in a room full of men
November 21, 2012
Books set in the Middle Ages are some of my favorite. Ever since I was eleven I have had a great interest in this time period. When Alicia offered me a copy of her book, I was very excited about getting to read a book set in the Middle Ages by a homeschooler.
This book is a little harder to read for a very impressive reason-- Alicia not only writes about the Middle Ages, she wrote it in an older English style. However, those who read the KJV, or a lot of G.A. Henty will have no trouble at all.
The story itself was wonderful and exactly the kind I like, adventurous with good Christian morals without being too preachy. Even though it was a long book, I never found myself bored. Alicia kept the story moving and didn’t let it drag, like so many long books do.
One of my favorite things about this book is how true to medieval life it was. Alicia is not like so many authors that ascribe modern thinking and ideas to all of her characters. I especially loved the way that she had Robert (the main character) be kind and caring for those of lower station, yet still manage to somehow give the feeling that Robert knows they are a station lower them him.
The friendship between Strephon and Robert was by far my favorite part. The close friendship of these two was wonderful as well as believable. I would think that boys and parents of sons will find their friendship and loyalty a refreshing change from the normal male fictional friendships.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, adventure, stories with wonderful principles, and stories of strong friendships.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
This book is a little harder to read for a very impressive reason-- Alicia not only writes about the Middle Ages, she wrote it in an older English style. However, those who read the KJV, or a lot of G.A. Henty will have no trouble at all.
The story itself was wonderful and exactly the kind I like, adventurous with good Christian morals without being too preachy. Even though it was a long book, I never found myself bored. Alicia kept the story moving and didn’t let it drag, like so many long books do.
One of my favorite things about this book is how true to medieval life it was. Alicia is not like so many authors that ascribe modern thinking and ideas to all of her characters. I especially loved the way that she had Robert (the main character) be kind and caring for those of lower station, yet still manage to somehow give the feeling that Robert knows they are a station lower them him.
The friendship between Strephon and Robert was by far my favorite part. The close friendship of these two was wonderful as well as believable. I would think that boys and parents of sons will find their friendship and loyalty a refreshing change from the normal male fictional friendships.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, adventure, stories with wonderful principles, and stories of strong friendships.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
April 17, 2014
This is a tale about the rise of young Robert from a humble squire to the noble earl of Birmingham Castle. It's about the people he meets, the scrapes he gets into, and the responsibilities he bears as he seeks to honor God in an era when justice was rare and chivalry selective.
Alicia Willis has crafted a story full of emotion, weaving historical detail and relatable issues together seamlessly. I found the medieval worldview interesting, especially when it came to the system of law and structure of hierarchy. The sense really came through that if you fell into the hands of the wrong knight, you had little hope of aid or rescue.
This provided the perfect context for Sir Robert and his friends to walk in courage and righteousness, as lights in a dark time. My favourite character was probably Brandon, with his humourous flair and fearlessness in the face of danger.
I have given the story 4 stars purely because I would have loved to see a bit more of a story arc, with an indication at the beginning of the primary conflict. Having said that, it was a book with memorable characters, a clean storyline, and romance that was not over-emphasized. I also really appreciated the classical English that Miss Willis maintained throughout, striking the balance between grandeur and easy comprehension.
I feel it would be best enjoyed by those aged 12 and up, although confident readers from age 10 might also enjoy this tale of chivalry and danger, villains and heroes, dashing squires, loathsome knights, fair maidens, and impregnable fortresses!
Alicia Willis has crafted a story full of emotion, weaving historical detail and relatable issues together seamlessly. I found the medieval worldview interesting, especially when it came to the system of law and structure of hierarchy. The sense really came through that if you fell into the hands of the wrong knight, you had little hope of aid or rescue.
This provided the perfect context for Sir Robert and his friends to walk in courage and righteousness, as lights in a dark time. My favourite character was probably Brandon, with his humourous flair and fearlessness in the face of danger.
I have given the story 4 stars purely because I would have loved to see a bit more of a story arc, with an indication at the beginning of the primary conflict. Having said that, it was a book with memorable characters, a clean storyline, and romance that was not over-emphasized. I also really appreciated the classical English that Miss Willis maintained throughout, striking the balance between grandeur and easy comprehension.
I feel it would be best enjoyed by those aged 12 and up, although confident readers from age 10 might also enjoy this tale of chivalry and danger, villains and heroes, dashing squires, loathsome knights, fair maidens, and impregnable fortresses!
December 26, 2019
This was truly an exciting and well-crafted story. It reads like a classic. The language was beautiful - impeccable dialogue of the "thou wilt" variety, but very easy to understand. I took my time reading it and basked in the medieval English world of Robert, Strephon and Brandon, each a wonderful companion to have along. I was sorry when it ended - this is the kind of book that could on and on and not get wearisome. The characters were very real - they were committed to doing the right thing but did make mistakes, so they were easy to relate to. There were so many inspiring and heroic parts! It portrays the true, heart-touching meaning of chivalry: men who defend the defenseless from the dangerous world around them, who display sacrificial love like Christ did.
This would be a great read for all ages; boys especially would get a whole lot out of the description of knighthood. I wish my brother and I had had this book when we were studying medieval times in our school years!
This would be a great read for all ages; boys especially would get a whole lot out of the description of knighthood. I wish my brother and I had had this book when we were studying medieval times in our school years!
December 20, 2012
To Birmingham Castle is an exciting work of historical fiction, detailing the adventures of a young man in the Middle Ages. You can visit the author at her website www.thecomradesofhonorseries.weebly.com.
May 26, 2019
What I liked...The characters!! Especially Strephon and Roberts relationship....I really like books with emotion! Enough to where u can almost feel it. The action and adventure were simply smashing! Written to keep u on the edge of your seat and guessing what will happen next!
What I disliked....It felt like the book was pretty long to me....my preference is shorter books...so that u don’t have to read them for days just to see what happens!! And I didn’t really like Narcissa....she was okay...I just didn’t feel like she endeared herself to my heart if that makes sense??
Do I recommend this book...?? With all my dear little heart I give a hearty yes!!!! I loved the action and relationships between characters! This book was my type and I look forward to reading more of this authors work!!
What I disliked....It felt like the book was pretty long to me....my preference is shorter books...so that u don’t have to read them for days just to see what happens!! And I didn’t really like Narcissa....she was okay...I just didn’t feel like she endeared herself to my heart if that makes sense??
Do I recommend this book...?? With all my dear little heart I give a hearty yes!!!! I loved the action and relationships between characters! This book was my type and I look forward to reading more of this authors work!!
April 12, 2019
This book has a great concept to it. It’s a story of integrity and love in a time rife with abuse and hatred. The execution, however, I am slightly disappointed in. Like Alicia, I am a homeschooled teenage writer (who tends to be wordy), so I understand where she’s coming from a little bit. It’s clear that we have different standards in relation to our writing, however. As I said before, the concept is fantastic, but I felt like the story wasn’t quite ready to be published. It needed much more development, despite the colorful writing and (generally) wide vocabulary. It was acceptable, but it felt like a factual account instead of a dramatic coming-of-age tale set in the turbulence of the Late Middle Ages (e.g. “then after this, this happened,” over and over again).
PROS TO THE BOOK:
The characters Nathaniel, Brandon, Strephon, Sir Phillip, eventually Laurette, and even Sir Rudolph and others were developed and written well.
One of the three romances was developed enough for the reader to enjoy.
Historically accurate as far as I can tell.
CONS: (Buckle in.)
There seemed to be some confusion regarding the proper use of “formally/formerly.”
Serious wounds are recovered from IMPOSSIBLY quickly.
Many characters either had poor character development or were not written well, such as Sir Byron, Marcella, and Narcissa.
Narcissa and Robert’s romance was talked about a lot but you never got to experience any of it. He rescued her, they spent time together, engaged, married. No details. Brandon and Marcella’s romance (if it can even be called that) had even less description. What I mean by “no details” is that the narrator alludes to the fact that they like each other but the characters never confirm it themselves. And then, BOOM, marriage.
While Nathaniel was one of my favorites, I think Robert could have been a little bit more firm with him in the area of tearful outbursts. I get that Nathaniel is tender-hearted, young, and that his time with Sir Rudolph was traumatic, but I personally would have incorporated something along the lines of “There’s a time and place for tears, Nathaniel, and you need to learn to control them.”
Alicia tried too hard with Robert. 99.99% of the time he’s right and everyone else is wrong. She tried to make him a perfect example of knighthood, resulting in an unrealistic character because there’s no such thing as perfect on this earth.
The timing of Strephon and Brandon’s knightings seemed off. Maybe that was supposed to act as the climax, but it didn’t work that way. There were multiple previous occasions where Robert could have/should have knighted them on the spot the same way he was. They actually have to formally ask him to please knight them already before he will do it. It almost appeared like Robert hadn’t knighted them yet even though he knew they were ready because he selfishly wanted them as his squires.
There was no grieving on Brandon’s part for his parents. They died one month before the story started; you would think he would at least miss them a little bit. I also don’t understand why he didn’t have siblings, even if they stayed behind in Sheffield while he went to seek his fortune to take care of them in the future.
The book was too long for the story. She didn’t need to write 400+ pages to communicate what she was trying to communicate.
The only Christianity seen in the characters is solitary prayer that the narrator talks positively about. There’s nothing about their personal, individual relationships with God.
Too much telling and not enough showing.
There is an obvious lack of a story climax.
There’s more but I’m going to stop here.
In short, it has potential. This book is a good story that is almost overshadowed by amateurish storytelling. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that very few people, especially with writing knowledge, read this and gave her input before she published it (prematurely).
PROS TO THE BOOK:
The characters Nathaniel, Brandon, Strephon, Sir Phillip, eventually Laurette, and even Sir Rudolph and others were developed and written well.
One of the three romances was developed enough for the reader to enjoy.
Historically accurate as far as I can tell.
CONS: (Buckle in.)
There seemed to be some confusion regarding the proper use of “formally/formerly.”
Serious wounds are recovered from IMPOSSIBLY quickly.
Many characters either had poor character development or were not written well, such as Sir Byron, Marcella, and Narcissa.
Narcissa and Robert’s romance was talked about a lot but you never got to experience any of it. He rescued her, they spent time together, engaged, married. No details. Brandon and Marcella’s romance (if it can even be called that) had even less description. What I mean by “no details” is that the narrator alludes to the fact that they like each other but the characters never confirm it themselves. And then, BOOM, marriage.
While Nathaniel was one of my favorites, I think Robert could have been a little bit more firm with him in the area of tearful outbursts. I get that Nathaniel is tender-hearted, young, and that his time with Sir Rudolph was traumatic, but I personally would have incorporated something along the lines of “There’s a time and place for tears, Nathaniel, and you need to learn to control them.”
Alicia tried too hard with Robert. 99.99% of the time he’s right and everyone else is wrong. She tried to make him a perfect example of knighthood, resulting in an unrealistic character because there’s no such thing as perfect on this earth.
The timing of Strephon and Brandon’s knightings seemed off. Maybe that was supposed to act as the climax, but it didn’t work that way. There were multiple previous occasions where Robert could have/should have knighted them on the spot the same way he was. They actually have to formally ask him to please knight them already before he will do it. It almost appeared like Robert hadn’t knighted them yet even though he knew they were ready because he selfishly wanted them as his squires.
There was no grieving on Brandon’s part for his parents. They died one month before the story started; you would think he would at least miss them a little bit. I also don’t understand why he didn’t have siblings, even if they stayed behind in Sheffield while he went to seek his fortune to take care of them in the future.
The book was too long for the story. She didn’t need to write 400+ pages to communicate what she was trying to communicate.
The only Christianity seen in the characters is solitary prayer that the narrator talks positively about. There’s nothing about their personal, individual relationships with God.
Too much telling and not enough showing.
There is an obvious lack of a story climax.
There’s more but I’m going to stop here.
In short, it has potential. This book is a good story that is almost overshadowed by amateurish storytelling. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that very few people, especially with writing knowledge, read this and gave her input before she published it (prematurely).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2013
One could almost call To Birmingham Castle a ‘coming of age’ tale recounting the exploits, challenges and adventures of Robert Fitzhassaltine and the young men who come to be his squires on their journey to manhood, and eventually knighthood (for the latter anyway)learning about courage, honour, loyalty and even finding love along the way.
There were some interesting historical details, especially regarding weapons, armour and fighting techniques, and occasional French or Latin phrase demonstrates the author’s research in these areas.
That said, there were some inaccuracies and errors which may have been due to deficiencies in the secondary sources themselves, rather then anything else.
That said there were a few references which I stood out for me as an English person and history graduate, such as the reference to the ‘shire of Birmingham’. Now I understand that Birmingham Castle is fictional, and some artistic licence has to be used in every story, but the reference above just seems like a historical and geographical misnomer, as there is not and never has been a ‘shire’ of Birmingham and the implication of the name ‘Birminghamshire’ just doesn’t sound right at all.
The one major issue I had was the writing style, which I could really not get in with. Essentially it was written in the style of the Victorian novels of Howard Pyle and G Henty with much of the dialogue pseudo- Middle English in style. So the characters will say things like ‘verily, methinks thou art right, beausire’.
It’s not just the archaic language that I had the problem with, (I have read actual Middle English- though not for a prolonged period). There was the way in which the book was written, which seemed a very narrative style telling rather than showing. I personally found it hard-going and slow some of the time, or perhaps rather simplistic or repetitive in style.
I perhaps prefer my characters more complex than some of the ones here were, some of whom seemed altogether too perfect, and some of the scenarios just seemed rather implausible. Like the way in which a miscreant was able to get into the castle apparently easily and kidnap the Lord’s daughters (who could do nothing but scream) and make off with them by the hand into the forest, or the characters seeming to recover from even relatively serious injures incredibly quickly.
When the author did ‘show’ the character’s emotions it was almost always in some descriptive passage such as ‘fear and concern mingling in his eyes’ or ‘his whole mien portrayed his feelings of combined expectation and anxiety’. Without meaning to be personal or over-critical, could the author not have used some other way to describe the characters feelings or body language, and is it even possible for people to portray such a range of emotions with only their eyes?
Altogether, To Birmingham Castle is generally a satisfying ‘old style’ adventure tale, with a sound (and not theologically dubious) Christian theme. I think I was genuinely able to engage with it in parts. I could I think have given in a higher rating had the writing style been different, especially considering the book was pushing 460 pages.
I would be interested in reading the second book in the series, and might be interesting to see how the character of Nathanial the page of Sir Robert who seemed to do little but cry in this book, develops.
There were some interesting historical details, especially regarding weapons, armour and fighting techniques, and occasional French or Latin phrase demonstrates the author’s research in these areas.
That said, there were some inaccuracies and errors which may have been due to deficiencies in the secondary sources themselves, rather then anything else.
That said there were a few references which I stood out for me as an English person and history graduate, such as the reference to the ‘shire of Birmingham’. Now I understand that Birmingham Castle is fictional, and some artistic licence has to be used in every story, but the reference above just seems like a historical and geographical misnomer, as there is not and never has been a ‘shire’ of Birmingham and the implication of the name ‘Birminghamshire’ just doesn’t sound right at all.
The one major issue I had was the writing style, which I could really not get in with. Essentially it was written in the style of the Victorian novels of Howard Pyle and G Henty with much of the dialogue pseudo- Middle English in style. So the characters will say things like ‘verily, methinks thou art right, beausire’.
It’s not just the archaic language that I had the problem with, (I have read actual Middle English- though not for a prolonged period). There was the way in which the book was written, which seemed a very narrative style telling rather than showing. I personally found it hard-going and slow some of the time, or perhaps rather simplistic or repetitive in style.
I perhaps prefer my characters more complex than some of the ones here were, some of whom seemed altogether too perfect, and some of the scenarios just seemed rather implausible. Like the way in which a miscreant was able to get into the castle apparently easily and kidnap the Lord’s daughters (who could do nothing but scream) and make off with them by the hand into the forest, or the characters seeming to recover from even relatively serious injures incredibly quickly.
When the author did ‘show’ the character’s emotions it was almost always in some descriptive passage such as ‘fear and concern mingling in his eyes’ or ‘his whole mien portrayed his feelings of combined expectation and anxiety’. Without meaning to be personal or over-critical, could the author not have used some other way to describe the characters feelings or body language, and is it even possible for people to portray such a range of emotions with only their eyes?
Altogether, To Birmingham Castle is generally a satisfying ‘old style’ adventure tale, with a sound (and not theologically dubious) Christian theme. I think I was genuinely able to engage with it in parts. I could I think have given in a higher rating had the writing style been different, especially considering the book was pushing 460 pages.
I would be interested in reading the second book in the series, and might be interesting to see how the character of Nathanial the page of Sir Robert who seemed to do little but cry in this book, develops.
December 30, 2014
I had likes and dislikes in reading this book. First, it is in old medieval speech which at times made for difficulty in following diologue, and made for very slow reading. I'm all for it if someone can write in this style well, but I didn't feel that the sentences were constructed in an easy-to-understand flow throughout the book. Some editing to make it less wordy would have helped a great deal (and made for a nicer size book to read!).
Secondly, I noticed problems by the author in keeping with her main character throughout, shifting at times between one or more of her secondary characters than back to her main character making it hard for me to follow who truly was her main character in certain sections, most especially near the beginning.
Thirdly, the book didn't really have an overall plot as much as it was just following the characters. This made it really boring when added with the medieval speech and I quickly lost interest in the story. I felt the author could have greatly depleted the size of her book and it felt as if she just kept adding new scenes to fill space at times.
Fourthly and personally, I was dissapointed with the author's seeming lack of historical content. The book focused a great deal on lineage and rank as well as specific detailing of armory (all of which are interesting up to a point), but for the most part I didn't learn anything new or revealing about this period in history that I hadn't already read elsewhere. I have read about the same amount of information in an Eyewitness picture book as I did in this.
The small redeeming qualities of Alicia's book were her characters and their loyalty to one another. I wish the faith message had been stronger and not just a general loyalty, however. Though characters face many hardships, even torture and personal loss, they defend and protect and are committed to one another. It was special to see this attribute in a period of history where masters could sell their servants and knights didn't always live up to a "code of honor". And, though it dragged a great deal, there were some enjoyable moments of adventure that interested me enough to push through and keep reading till the end.
She did also include a few somewhat helpful footnotes at the bottoms of the pages of her book that did lend some aid for French words and unfamiliar terms that, although a bit distracting from the flow of the story, might be appreciated by anyone not up on their medieval/French terminology.
I've heard others compare Alicia's works to that of author G.A. Henty and I don't really agree with that. I enjoy Henty's writings and his adventureous tales but this book lagged because of the lack of plot and overflux of words. However, Alicia Willis does write family-friendly, clean fiction and though personally I didn't enjoy it all that much, it's still something middle-school age homeschooler's could read and enjoy if they have strong reading abilities to get past the medieval speech.
Really this book was completely overpriced for it's content. And I'm a fast reader and it took me 7 months to get through this book due to lack of interest in the overall story and it's great length (though I've read thicker books in a couple months before). It was basically just a long fiction book with nothing very noteworthy to mention about it or take away from it.
Secondly, I noticed problems by the author in keeping with her main character throughout, shifting at times between one or more of her secondary characters than back to her main character making it hard for me to follow who truly was her main character in certain sections, most especially near the beginning.
Thirdly, the book didn't really have an overall plot as much as it was just following the characters. This made it really boring when added with the medieval speech and I quickly lost interest in the story. I felt the author could have greatly depleted the size of her book and it felt as if she just kept adding new scenes to fill space at times.
Fourthly and personally, I was dissapointed with the author's seeming lack of historical content. The book focused a great deal on lineage and rank as well as specific detailing of armory (all of which are interesting up to a point), but for the most part I didn't learn anything new or revealing about this period in history that I hadn't already read elsewhere. I have read about the same amount of information in an Eyewitness picture book as I did in this.
The small redeeming qualities of Alicia's book were her characters and their loyalty to one another. I wish the faith message had been stronger and not just a general loyalty, however. Though characters face many hardships, even torture and personal loss, they defend and protect and are committed to one another. It was special to see this attribute in a period of history where masters could sell their servants and knights didn't always live up to a "code of honor". And, though it dragged a great deal, there were some enjoyable moments of adventure that interested me enough to push through and keep reading till the end.
She did also include a few somewhat helpful footnotes at the bottoms of the pages of her book that did lend some aid for French words and unfamiliar terms that, although a bit distracting from the flow of the story, might be appreciated by anyone not up on their medieval/French terminology.
I've heard others compare Alicia's works to that of author G.A. Henty and I don't really agree with that. I enjoy Henty's writings and his adventureous tales but this book lagged because of the lack of plot and overflux of words. However, Alicia Willis does write family-friendly, clean fiction and though personally I didn't enjoy it all that much, it's still something middle-school age homeschooler's could read and enjoy if they have strong reading abilities to get past the medieval speech.
Really this book was completely overpriced for it's content. And I'm a fast reader and it took me 7 months to get through this book due to lack of interest in the overall story and it's great length (though I've read thicker books in a couple months before). It was basically just a long fiction book with nothing very noteworthy to mention about it or take away from it.
November 25, 2015
To Birmingham Castle by Alicia A. Willis tells the tale of three young people as they grow from young teenagers and pages to adult knights. Their story is a long one with many dangers and trials to overcome. Yet, even from the beginning, the main characters were introduced with acts of valor, courage, and mercy that showed the reader the best way to live.
I enjoyed watching Robert, Strephen, and Brandon grow into mature young adults. They encounter many tests of character but stand strong no matter what. They honor God with their chivalrous deeds, honesty, and bravery and they stand up for the weak among them, even when it might mean their deaths. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them grow and mature. They are the best kind of role models a young man can have. If only they were real people!
It was obvious that the author researched the time period very well. Alicia included many historical details about knights, castles, and the real customs of the time. Footnotes were included that clarified the definition of historical words and customs.
In addition, the prose was lovely. To Birmingham Castle was written in a combination of modern writing styles and a form of what is commonly called Old English. The descriptions are short and to the point and written in the modern, common speech. Yet, the dialogue uses ancient words and titles that would have been commonly used in the time period in which this book is set. This combination made the historical aspect of the book more realistic while still being easy to read for the modern reader.
The only thing I did not like about To Birmingham Castle was that it focused entirely on the characters, instead of having a quest or some goal to complete. That is, a goal other than knighthood. Sometimes the book dragged because of this. But around the time the book seemed to lag, something happened to the characters to make it more interesting again.
In conclusion, To Birmingham Castle was a lovely book I would gladly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed watching Robert, Strephen, and Brandon grow into mature young adults. They encounter many tests of character but stand strong no matter what. They honor God with their chivalrous deeds, honesty, and bravery and they stand up for the weak among them, even when it might mean their deaths. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them grow and mature. They are the best kind of role models a young man can have. If only they were real people!
It was obvious that the author researched the time period very well. Alicia included many historical details about knights, castles, and the real customs of the time. Footnotes were included that clarified the definition of historical words and customs.
In addition, the prose was lovely. To Birmingham Castle was written in a combination of modern writing styles and a form of what is commonly called Old English. The descriptions are short and to the point and written in the modern, common speech. Yet, the dialogue uses ancient words and titles that would have been commonly used in the time period in which this book is set. This combination made the historical aspect of the book more realistic while still being easy to read for the modern reader.
The only thing I did not like about To Birmingham Castle was that it focused entirely on the characters, instead of having a quest or some goal to complete. That is, a goal other than knighthood. Sometimes the book dragged because of this. But around the time the book seemed to lag, something happened to the characters to make it more interesting again.
In conclusion, To Birmingham Castle was a lovely book I would gladly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2014
To Birmingham Castle: A Tale of Friendship and Adventure
The Comrades of Honor #1
By: Alicia A. Willis
Rating: 4.5 stars
Ages: 12 and up
This book was wonderfully written. It was one of the kind of books I tend to like, with adventure, dynamic characters, an interesting plot, and good, Christian morals. At first - when I heard it was written in Old English - I was hesitant to read it. Boy, was I wrong! Once I got into the story, I was loving it! The Old English didn't bother me at all, and I ended up reading it smoothly - like a book written in modern/Victorian dialogue. Honestly, the Old English gives it a more real, authentic feel. Extra points to Alicia for creating such a unique book!
The dialogue aside, it was a wonderful story. I love the characters. I would have to say that Brandon was my favorite character, followed by both Strephon and Nathaniel - I loved them. A lot of times Brandon was bold and outspoken, and he and Robert (whom I also liked) and Strephon were all gallant, courageous, chivalrous, honorable, and merciful young men who were facing the belting of knighthood - or, possibly, the earldom of Birmingham Castle. Nathaniel de Lance was such a great character! Knowing that the next book is centered around him and his page, I'm looking forward to seeing what adventures are up ahead for him!
Alicia never let the book drag, always leading one thing after the other, making it exciting, and prodding you to wonder 'What is going to happen next?' That's what I was thinking after a major plot point, when there was around one hundred and fifty pages left. It was interesting, fun, and an all-around great read. I knew where the romance was headed from the moment that Robert saved Narcissa - the other two romances I spotted quickly, as well, which was fun! It has greatly interested me in the Medieval era to top it off!
Overall, a great read I would recommend to historical fiction readers, fans of the Medieval era, and those looking for an exciting Christian read with good principles and characters. Wonderful! I'm greatly looking forward to the second and third installments in the series! Keep up the good work, Alicia!
The Comrades of Honor #1
By: Alicia A. Willis
Rating: 4.5 stars
Ages: 12 and up
This book was wonderfully written. It was one of the kind of books I tend to like, with adventure, dynamic characters, an interesting plot, and good, Christian morals. At first - when I heard it was written in Old English - I was hesitant to read it. Boy, was I wrong! Once I got into the story, I was loving it! The Old English didn't bother me at all, and I ended up reading it smoothly - like a book written in modern/Victorian dialogue. Honestly, the Old English gives it a more real, authentic feel. Extra points to Alicia for creating such a unique book!
The dialogue aside, it was a wonderful story. I love the characters. I would have to say that Brandon was my favorite character, followed by both Strephon and Nathaniel - I loved them. A lot of times Brandon was bold and outspoken, and he and Robert (whom I also liked) and Strephon were all gallant, courageous, chivalrous, honorable, and merciful young men who were facing the belting of knighthood - or, possibly, the earldom of Birmingham Castle. Nathaniel de Lance was such a great character! Knowing that the next book is centered around him and his page, I'm looking forward to seeing what adventures are up ahead for him!
Alicia never let the book drag, always leading one thing after the other, making it exciting, and prodding you to wonder 'What is going to happen next?' That's what I was thinking after a major plot point, when there was around one hundred and fifty pages left. It was interesting, fun, and an all-around great read. I knew where the romance was headed from the moment that Robert saved Narcissa - the other two romances I spotted quickly, as well, which was fun! It has greatly interested me in the Medieval era to top it off!
Overall, a great read I would recommend to historical fiction readers, fans of the Medieval era, and those looking for an exciting Christian read with good principles and characters. Wonderful! I'm greatly looking forward to the second and third installments in the series! Keep up the good work, Alicia!
November 5, 2024
I’ve waited a long time (nearly a year!) to write a review for this book and for the entire series. Figured today was as good as day as any to do it and stop putting it off!
I really, really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read many medieval books before, on account that it can be a bit of a challenge to find wholesome ones. I love history, and this book definitely gave me the opportunity to learn more about the time period in a way that didn’t even feel like learning. The story was very engaging from start to finish, well written, exciting, and without the mystical yuck that often accompanies medieval-era books. It was all based on fact, the way life was at the time, and even the way they talked was very interesting.
For younger readers, there is a bit of romance in this book. Although I wouldn’t say it dominated the story, or was the whole point of the saga, I just thought I’d mention that it is there. I thought it was done in a pretty wholesome way.
Also, I really appreciated how the characters were realistic. The men showed emotion but in a very manly way, and the women were ladies but not damsels in distress.
I think it’s very well written (felt a bit long at times, but when it ended I thought it might have gone a little longer!), and I really think it was truly historical fiction without the drag and without the modern twist. It coupled excitement with true-to-time themes and events.
Really good book!
I really, really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read many medieval books before, on account that it can be a bit of a challenge to find wholesome ones. I love history, and this book definitely gave me the opportunity to learn more about the time period in a way that didn’t even feel like learning. The story was very engaging from start to finish, well written, exciting, and without the mystical yuck that often accompanies medieval-era books. It was all based on fact, the way life was at the time, and even the way they talked was very interesting.
For younger readers, there is a bit of romance in this book. Although I wouldn’t say it dominated the story, or was the whole point of the saga, I just thought I’d mention that it is there. I thought it was done in a pretty wholesome way.
Also, I really appreciated how the characters were realistic. The men showed emotion but in a very manly way, and the women were ladies but not damsels in distress.
I think it’s very well written (felt a bit long at times, but when it ended I thought it might have gone a little longer!), and I really think it was truly historical fiction without the drag and without the modern twist. It coupled excitement with true-to-time themes and events.
Really good book!
May 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this book; I could sit down and read a hundred pages in one sitting, so it kept my attention very well! I love the noble character traits it uplifts, specifically the loyalty the characters have and their desire to do what is right.
There were a few minor things I didn’t care for, such as the predictable romances, but it was easy to skim over, and it wasn’t dwelt much on. I really enjoyed the parts with Strephon, which is probably why he quickly became my favorite character in the book.
This book is actually the first in a trilogy, and so I will be looking to get and read the next two books! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading medieval stories and books written in Old English.
Personal Rating: 4/5 stars
(Read my full review at: https://achristiangirlwrites.wordpres... )
There were a few minor things I didn’t care for, such as the predictable romances, but it was easy to skim over, and it wasn’t dwelt much on. I really enjoyed the parts with Strephon, which is probably why he quickly became my favorite character in the book.
This book is actually the first in a trilogy, and so I will be looking to get and read the next two books! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading medieval stories and books written in Old English.
Personal Rating: 4/5 stars
(Read my full review at: https://achristiangirlwrites.wordpres... )
March 27, 2014
Alicia Willis did a fabulous job with this book. It was very well written and I enjoyed the story. All the characters were really well-developed and I loved all the main characters. A few of the other things I liked about this book was the chivalry that was shown to the women, the courtesy shown to one's elders, and the high morals of this book. Also, the main character, Robert, (and others as well,) stand up for what is right and I really liked that.
I tend to prefer and enjoy books better where the main character is a female and is seen from her perspective, but I still enjoyed this story, (where most of the characters were men), greatly. I shall definitely be reading more of her work.
Recommended to ages 12+
I tend to prefer and enjoy books better where the main character is a female and is seen from her perspective, but I still enjoyed this story, (where most of the characters were men), greatly. I shall definitely be reading more of her work.
Recommended to ages 12+
October 2, 2025
This was not Historical Fiction as much as it was Fairy Tale. A completely unrealistic romp through the Middle-Ages. The author attempted to make the protagonists compassionate, honorable, and just. She did not succeed. Instead, she made them whiny, effeminate, tubs of mush. Yes, I believe there were rare instances of knights and nobles who weren't complete Neanderthals, but come on! These guys would have been teased and bullied right out of kindergarten! The author obviously has little to no knowledge of the area during the time period. I rarely regret reading a book. I regret reading this one, though I am looking forward to movie version which I believe should be shown right after Snow White and just before Cinderella.
May 4, 2016
I gave this book a 4 because it is good, but sometimes it has too many details between characters talking. I could skip 2 or 3 paragraphs and still keep up. The lessons taught are excellent. I definitely did some thinking about myself. I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just giving my true feelings. I would recommend reading this book but I won't be reading the other 2 in this series. Read book 1, then decide for yourself. ;)
August 23, 2012
This was a wonderfully written book! I highly recommend it. Miss Willis did a wonderful job of portraying accurate history throughout her book (something that is commendable). The story was very enjoyable to read and kept me anxious to read more. Lots of adventure, honor, and integrity woven throughout. Definitely a good read!
September 13, 2012
I absolutely LOVED this book! I would recommend it to anyone or everyone! The character development is mind-blowing! The book in its entirety is very satisfying, However, you will have to find out what else there is, by reading for yourself!
July 2, 2015
Loved this book! It took me back in time and allowed me to feel like apart of it all. Learning of the fine young men and reading about their tender loving relationship. The here and now could use more men like them!
October 16, 2012
I loved the book and I would recommend it for readers age 13 and above!
June 26, 2013
Author Alicia Willis does a superb job creating this one-of-a-kind medieval adventure. It's very historically accurate and great for literature and history buffs alike!
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