Robert Brightwell

eBook, ePUB

Assignment Paris (eBook, ePUB)

Beschreibung

This book introduces a new central character, fledgling war correspondent, Thomas Harrison. Readers of Robert Brightwell's earlier series may find descriptions of his grandfather familiar and certainly this Thomas has similar personality traits. His first assignment sees him sent to Paris. After an idyllic start, things go downhill fast when he joins the French army on its march to Berlin in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. He soon learns that despite advantages in weaponry, he has joined a force that can turn snatching defeat from the jaws of victory into an art form. Suffice to say that the citizens of Berlin evade trouble and Paris soon finds itself under threat. Thomas is at the heart of a crucial period in French history that would later lead to two World Wars. He risks death by shelling, is sentenced to death in a bizarre kangaroo court and nearly freezes in a winter attack. Having fought with the French army, he later finds himself attacked by it, as he is drawn by a vision of beauty into a world of rebellion and revolution.

Technische Details

• Geräte: eReader
• mit Kopierschutz
• Größe: 2.4MB
• FamilySharing(5)

Barrierefreiheit

• Text-to-Speech

Autor

I am a firm believer in the maxim that history is stranger than fiction. There are countless times when I have come across a character or incident that has been so hard to believe, that I have had to search out other sources for confirmation. Thomas Cochrane, who features in my first and seventh books is one of those, his real-life adventures seem ridiculously far-fetched for a fictional character. The Begum of Samru from my second book is another: a fifteen-year-old nautch dancer who gained the confidence of an army, had a man literally kill himself over her and who led her soldiers with skill and courage, before becoming something of a catholic saint.

History is full of amazing stories. In my books I try to do my bit to tell some of them. When I thought of a vehicle to do so, the Flashman series from George MacDonald Fraser came to mind. The concept of a fictional character witnessing and participating in real historical events, while not unique, has rarely been done better. I therefore decided to create an earlier, Napoleonic era, generation of the family.

My Thomas Flashman character is not exactly the same as Fraser's Harry Flashman. They both have the uncanny knack of finding themselves in the hotspots of their time. They have an eye for the ladies and self-preservation. Yet Thomas is not quite the spiteful bully his nephew became, although he does learn to serve a vicious revenge on those who serve him ill.

The new 'Assignment' series, featuring war correspondent Thomas Harrison, introduces a fresh new character for adventures a generation later, starting in 1870. His employment ensures that he is at the heart of the action, although his goal of being an impartial observer is invariably thwarted.

In both series I aim to make the books as historically accurate as possible. My fictional central character is woven into real events, so that he is fully engaged in the action, but is not allowed to alter the ultimate outcome. He is also not allowed to replace a known historical figure. But where the person is unknown or events are unexplained, he can provide the explanation. In short, I am trying to provide real history in the form of a ripping yarn!

For more information, check out my website, www.robertbrightwell.com

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Robert Brightwell
• Erscheinungstermin: 10. Dezember 2022
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781005188139
• Artikelnr.: 72349010