Essex Dogs

'Oddly joyous – rolling action, fast-paced, a book that draws you in page by page. The way Dan Jones writes enemies reminds me of Cornwell at his best, turning up tension click by click.' * Conn Iggulden *
Battle-bloody, brutal and perfectly pitched... Jones captures the fear and frenzy of the fight and the loyalty and kinship of the Dogs in this slaughterous, sweary, swaggering debut * Daily Mail *
With a cast of unforgettable characters, written with irrepressible verve and historical accuracy, Dan Jones delivers a compelling novel that thrums with swordswinging energy -- Simon Sebag Montefiore
A new champion has entered the front line of historical fiction to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bernard Cornwell... A full-throated charge onto the mediaeval battlefield, a rip-roaring adventure full of blood and guts, camaraderie and inventive curses -- Jane Johnson
Horribly compelling... Only Dan Jones can carry you through blood, piss and vomit and leave you wanting more -- Daisy Dunn
Vital, earthy, and heart-stopping... So deft and funny that you'd never guess this is Dan Jones' debut work of fiction -- Suzannah Lipscomb
Few books manage to be as compelling on every level as Essex Dogs: it's adventure, history, and heart -- Dana Schwartz
The battles that shaped Europe from the point of view of the soldiers... Searing -- Kate Williams
A busy, urgent little masterpiece -- Graham Hurley
Fascinating. Brutal. Real... Impossible to put down -- Simon Turney
War. Looting. Junkies. Pintle-tugging. The English abroad. Dan Jones takes you to the year of Our Lord 1346 -- Tibor Fischer
Essex Dogs is the first in a planned trilogy by the bestselling medieval historian Dan Jones. His mastery of his subject matter is obvious. The soldiers' lives are rather brilliantly recreated – the kit, the fighting, the boredom and discomfort. Jones is excellent on the battles, too, focusing on the violence and the panic * The Times *
[Essex Dogs] is the first instalment of what promises to be an epic trilogy * History Revealed Magazine *
The historical detail is totally authentic... Essex Dogs shows the total brutalilty of medieval warfare, but also the camaraderie of a troop of men who fight for each other and for England * Bishop's Stortford Independent *
Visceral and powerful, the reality of medieval warfare leaping from every page, it's gripping storytelling at its best... With a cast of unforgettable characters, this is historian Dan Jones's first foray into fiction and it's terrific * Choice *
With its unflinching emphasis on the blood and guts of 14th-century battle, Jones's debut is not for the squeamish, but it's an enthralling, character-filled read * Sunday Times *
Historian Dan Jones plunges the reader right into the medieval battlefield in this riotous retelling of the epic Hundred Years War between England and France * Metro *
Packed with historical insight, bringing alive not only the war, but the lives of the common soldiers... I can hardly wait for the next instalment * Historical Novel Society *
'Superb... The plot races along and there’s huge insight into a band of brothers. Humour, archery, violence – and a fundamental decency underpinning all the rest.' * Conn Iggulden *
Rooted in historical accuracy, and told through an earthy cast of archers, men-at-arms and misfits, Essex Dogs delivers the stark reality of medieval war in the round – and shines a light on ordinary people caught in the storm. * Mortimer Historical Society *
'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* *
'On the whole a violent and bloody affair . . . [Reconceives] medieval military history as a swashbuckling Hollywood movie.' * 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* *
'A high-stakes, immersive war story... Highly recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell or Ken Follett.' * Library Journal *starred review* *
Historian Dan Jones knows his stuff. You'll smell the sour wine and grin at the soldiers' rude humour... This razor-sharp motley crew... leap off the page and charge straight at you * The Sun *
The Hundred Years' War with an amazingly contemporary feel... A cracking read * Richard Madeley, The Spectator *