Brothers in Arms

Jack Steel #3

by Iain Gale

Charismatic hero Jack Steel returns, in a new and perilous adventure. 1708. War rages across the lowlands of Flanders. British soldiers fight ferociously to protect their last remaining fortress in Oudenarde. Their mission is to stop their enemies France and Spain forming a powerful union that could relegate Britain to the sidelines in Europe. Newly married and promoted to the rank of captain, life for Jack Steel has never been better. But now he must go back to where he is needed - on the battlefield. Having already fought some daring campaigns under the Duke of Marlborough, Steel has every reason to be confident. But after a long day of fighting, one of France's finest cavalry regiments ambushes his battered and exhausted Grenadier troops. Taken by surprise, Steel will need a miracle to save them all from annihilation. Brothers in Arms is the third book in the superb Jack Steel series.

Genres: Historical Fiction, War, Historical

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2009

About the author

Iain Gale has always had a passion for military history. He is the Editor of the National Trust for Scotland magazine and Art critic for Scotland on Sunday. He lives outside Edinburgh with his wife and children. His first novel, Four Days in June, is a stand-alone military adventure set on the battlefields of Waterloo.

He is also the writer of eleven non-fiction books.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2009, and its the 3rd volume, and so far the last but I hope more will follow, of this terrific Jack Steel trilogy.

The tale is set in the year AD 1708, and Jack Steel returning to Flanders from England as a married man, but his wife Henrietta Vaughan is proving expensive and Jack must therefore look for promotion.

One of the first Battles is the Battle of Oudenarde, Flanders, and there Steel wins an important victory for the Duke of Marlborough.

The next famous battle will be the Battle of Lille in France, but Jack Steel is sent on a secret mission to Paris to broker a deal with a man who has the King's ear.

The British victorious, but at the cost of a lot of human life, Steel manages to make it back to the British lines, only to find out that his wife has been unfaithful to him, after he ahs risked all to rescue her from the besieged town of Leffinghe.

Left with no wife, but covered in glory Jack Steel returns to England, determined to win more military accolades and outshine his wife's new lover.

What is to come is a gripping tale of determination and grit, in which Jack Steel and the British forces are trying to win their battles, one to overcome his personal domestic enemy, and the other the French as a whole, and in the end Jack Steel and Lord Marlborough will live on to shine, hopefully, once again in the future.

Highly recommended, for this is a fabulous addition to this great Jack Steel trilogy, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Glorious Brothers In Arms"!

[Veljko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gale seems to have some sick fetish about women cheating on MC, and then even blaming them for cheating on them. You can find this in both his series. Its kinda funny and redicilious in the same time. And MCs in both respond like pu****.

[Ashwin Raghunath · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts slow focussing on the characters involved. I needed some patience to let the pace unfold. But once, you are 30-40% through, the narrative and imagery keep you hooked till the end. Wait for the twist and drama in the end for our Hero Jack Steel.

[Mark Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the other books to much espionage and not enough action starts good and ends good just drags a bit in the middle

[Alex Marriott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid update to the series that unfortunately does not seem to have any succeeding works.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sold with the tag-line "If you like Sharpe, Jack Steel is your man", it's not hard to see the influence of Bernard Cornwell's eponymous hero on this novel: the only real difference beng that, while Sharpe is set during the Napoleonic Wars, this novel (the third in a series, apparently), is set during the Wars of Marlborough (1702 - 1713).

However, an unlike a Sharpe novel, this one never really gripped me: I never really seemed to connect with the title character at all. While it is written as one, this book could also easily be split into three main sections: the first part concentrating on the battle of Oudenarde, the middle part with Steel going undercover in Paris, and the final part with the siege of Lille: it's just a pity that none of these really grips and so, while I may read some more in the series, I won't be going out of my way to look for them.

[Justin Tonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really wants to be Sharpe (by Bernard Cornwell) but it's not.

It is still a good read, with some interesting scenes, and the characters jump about rather like musketeers.

However, it just didn't leap out at me as being great.

Perhaps I'm biased because I really like Bernard Cornwell. But Jack Steel just wasn't rich enough a character for me.

Would I read another novel in this series?

Yes, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do it.

[Sotos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant to read, but nothing to write home about.

[Roy Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb end to a trilogy

This book rounds off a fantastic series of books. It really grabs your attention into finding out how the plot is going to end. A brilliant ending. I would love to see a forth book! Shame it had to end. Maybe it will make it to a TV series one day, it certainly has the potential! Plenty of action to make it! Bravo Iain Gale superb writing, a great author!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good, solid, adventure.

[Ian Willey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remains very similar to Sharpe but still good for all that.

Has given me some interest in the period which is praise enough

Ian