Impossible to put down.' Simon Turney 'Horribly compelling. The soldiers' lives are rather brilliantly recreated – the kit, the fighting, the boredom and discomfort.' The Times 'Few books manage to be as compelling on every level as Essex Dogs: it's adventure, history, and heart.' Dana Schwartz 'A busy, urgent little masterpiece.' Graham Hurley 'Fascinating. So deft and funny that you'd never guess this is Dan Jones' debut work of fiction.' Suzannah Lipscomb ' mastery of his subject matter is obvious. 'A new champion has entered the front line of historical fiction to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bernard Cornwell.' Jane Johnson 'Battle-bloody, brutal and perfectly pitched.' Daily Mail 'Vital, earthy, and heart-stopping. The Essex Dogs? They fight for each other.

And Loveday FitzTalbot, their battle-scarred captain, who just wants to get his boys home safe. Romford, a talented young archer on the run from his past.

Father, a priest turned devilish by the horrors of war. Millstone, a stonemason who'll do anything to protect his men. Scotsman, strong enough to tear down a wall. There's Pismire, small enough to infiltrate enemy camps. With sword, axe and longbow, the Essex Dogs will fight, from the landing beaches of Normandy to the bloodsoaked field of Crécy.

Swept up in the bloody chaos, a tight-knit company from Essex must stay alive long enough to see their home again. But this war belongs to the men on the ground. The Hundred Years' War has begun, and King Edward and his lords are on the march through France. The sensational historical fiction debut from Sunday Times bestseller Dan Jones.

Essex dogs book review