A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2023
The New York Times bestselling historian makes his historical fiction debut with an explosive novel set during the Hundred Years' War.
July 1346. Ten men land on the beaches of Normandy. They call themselves the Essex Dogs: an unruly platoon of archers and men-at-arms led by a battle-scarred captain whose best days are behind him. The fight for the throne of the largest kingdom in Western Europe has begun.
Heading ever deeper into enemy territory toward Crécy, this band of brothers knows they are off to fight a battle that will forge nations, and shape the very fabric of human lives. But first they must survive a bloody war in which rules are abandoned and chivalry itself is slaughtered.
Rooted in historical accuracy and told through an unforgettable cast, Essex Dogs delivers the stark reality of medieval war on the ground – and shines a light on the fighters and ordinary people caught in the storm.
Dan Jones is the New York Times bestselling author of Powers and Thrones, Crusaders, The Templars, The Plantagenets, Wars of the Roses, and Magna Carta, as well as the novel Essex Dogs. He is the host of the podcast This is History: A Dynasty to Die For and has produced, written, and presented dozens of TV shows, including the popular Netflix series Secrets of Great British Castles.
“On the whole a violent and bloody affair . . . [Reconceives] medieval military history as a swashbuckling Hollywood movie."—The New York Times Book Review
“An impeccably researched ‘you are there’ novel with a real-time approach, Jones’ entertaining fiction debut moves episodically from encounter to life-threatening encounter . . . the book hums with black humor. . . An enjoyable romp through the darkest of ages.”—Kirkus Reviews *starred review*
"Historian Jones makes his fiction debut with a rousing story of the Hundred Years War, the first in a projected trilogy . . . Vivid characterizations and a strain of black humor add to the pointed drama . . . Brutal, graphic, and gory, the battle scenes viscerally hurl the reader into the heat of 14th-century combat. It’s good to know these Dogs will howl again."—Publishers Weekly *starred review*
"A high-stakes, immersive war story. . . Highly recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell or Ken Follett."—Library Journal *starred review*
"Historian Jones's first foray into fiction is battle-bloody, brutal and perfectly pitched. . . . Meticulously researched and vibrantly told. . . It's a slaughterous, sweary, swaggering debut."—The Daily Mail
"Swashbuckling, blood-spattered, awash with the sex, filth and violence of the Middle Ages, with a cast of unforgettable characters, written with irrepressible verve and historical accuracy, Dan Jones delivers a compelling novel that thrums with sword swinging energy.”—Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem
“Dan Jones is a brilliant storyteller. I’ve loved reading his history for years and now he’s proven to be just as adept at fiction. Few books manage to be as compelling on every level as Essex Dogs: it’s adventure, history, and heart.”—Dana Schwartz, author of Anatomy: A Love Story
“Visceral, thrilling, gripping, this is a wild ride into the hearts and minds of men fighting to the death—and each other. The battles that shaped Europe are seen from the point of view of the soldiers and the lives of ordinary people. Searing.”—Kate Williams, author of The Pleasures of Men and Becoming Queen Victoria
“A new champion has entered the front line of historical fiction to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bernard Cornwell. Dan Jones‘s debut novel Essex Dogs is a full-throated charge onto the medieval battlefield, a rip-roaring adventure full of blood and guts, camaraderie and inventive curses, all based on a satisfying bedrock of historical research."—Jane Johnson, author of The Tenth Gift
