Carol McGrath finds Ian Ross’s latest book, Battle Song, “a thrilling ride plunging headlong into a fabulous recreated historical world of chivalry and adventure.” Read her review to see what impressed her so greatly.
Battle Song by Ian Ross is set during the mid-13th century. Henry III has been king for many years but has created enmity amongst his barons, who are increasingly English and no longer Norman, creating a build-up of tensions after decades of Henry’s kingship because of his inclination towards nepotism, his broken promises, and poor advisors.
This king’s ill-advised rule will eventually lead to the Second Barons’ War. Thus, we have the political background to Ian Ross’s excellent medieval story.
Battle Song is a terrific novel that incorporates this particular history and Ross’s immaculate research with skilful writing, brilliant characterisation and a superb plot, all so well executed that what develops is a thrilling ride alongside mid-13th century knights plunging headlong into a fabulous recreated historical world of chivalry and adventure. Battle Song is also a rite-of-passage novel as we follow the fortunes of a young squire Adam de Norton, its hero.
Ross’s novel opens with a dramatic scene introducing this young hero, a squire, who is baited by other squires outside a castle on an icy snowy day. The thrilling incident, during which Adam betters his bullies, establishes the course of Adam’s future as well as the pace and the novel’s beautifully scribed medieval atmosphere.
This opening scene reminds me of the opening to Wolf Hall, where another youth is bullied and his future direction is set in motion. It is every bit as well executed and better. Adam, too, is determined to find his place in the world and eventually earn a knighthood. ‘Adam de Nought’, as he is described by the arch-bully, will, despite odds, prove himself worthy of knighthood as the novel progresses through a series of significant challenges and political events.
On that eventful morning, so stunningly described in the opening chapter, fate will determine that young Adam is to replace the squire whom he betters to serve the knight Robert de Dunstanville, ‘the Devil’s man.’
As Adam, initially reluctantly, squires for Sir Robert he is introduced to the tournament cycle in France, because how else can a dispossessed knight earn his living? Sir Robert’s inheritance has been granted by the English King Henry into the estate of Henry’s foreign half-brother, William de Valance.
Powerful descriptions of the tournament round follow, during which we are introduced to Prince Edward and other notable chivalrous nobles. Some unpleasant and dangerous competition, not so chivalrous, ensues. As squire, Adam has much to learn regarding enemies, bravery, honour and loyalty as he grows into his new role — and he has much to comprehend about Sir Robert.
There is emotion in this novel in hearts and spades, and real romance as Adam falls in love with Sir Robert’s vulnerable and courageous niece, Joanne de Quincy. This is to become a romance fraught with jeopardy. Naturally, in a medieval novel, the course of true love rarely runs smoothly.
Robert’s own forbidden relationship adds to the sense of knightly chivalry that permeates the narrative, reminding me a little of the classic work, Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott.
Ross, indeed, achieves strong psychological depth in his characterisation and creates characters and scenes that are of their historical time but equally have a sense of character universality that appeals to today’s reader.
There is empathy both for Simon de Montfort, whose leadership Sir Robert embraces, and for King Henry, as Robert and Adam are deeply drawn into battles between Henry and his barons.
This builds up to a spectacular climax, described with understanding and in graphic detail by Ross placing his characters centre stage, paralleling personal enmity with the wider conflict.
Battle Song is a book jam-packed with jeopardy, action, emotion as well as beautifully-depicted scenes. I was captivated by Ross’s fresh narration and found Battle Song to be a completely unforgettable novel, one of superb story-telling where the 13th-century world is painted with masterful strokes upon a colourful and vast canvas to include peasants, faithful retainers, rogues, the state of thirteenth century Jewry, squires, knights, enchanting ladies, a courageous prince and a deluded king. I absolutely loved Ross’s hero. I hope there will be a ‘Battle Song, the sequel’.
Battle Song by Ian Ross is published on 30 March, 2023. It’s the first of a new medieval trilogy, so Carol’s wish will be granted.
It’s out in paperback on 28 September, 2023.
Ian is the author of the Twilight of Empire series, a sequence of historical novels set in the early 4th century AD, the era of the Roman emperor Constantine.
The first of the series, War at the Edge of the World, was published in the UK in 2015, and the sixth, Triumph in Dust, in 2019.
If you’re interested in 13th-century history, you may enjoy these features:
Magna Carta’s inspirational women by Sharon Bennett Connolly
At the heart of English history: the Warenne Earls of Surrey also by Sharon Bennett Connolly
The personal and the political in the Middle Ages by Catherine Hanley
Magna Carta also by Catherine Hanley
The personal and the political in the Middle Ages, another by Catherine Hanley
Carol McGrath‘s new book, The Stolen Crown, is published on 18 May. It’s set during the battle between cousins known as the Anarchy, when King Henry II died leaving his daughter Matilda as heir and England was plunged into civil war.
See more about Matilda in Matilda: The greatest king England never had by Catherine Hanley (she writes a lot about this period).
Images:
The Second Barons War with Henry III on the left and de Montfort and the barons on the right: © British Library, Royal 16 G VI f. 427v (CC BY 4.0)
Tournament from the Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift (Codex Manesse): Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg, Cod. Pal. germ. 848 (public domain)
Drawing of a stained glass window of Chartres Cathedral, depicting Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester: © Gallica Digital Library via Wikimedia (public domain)
