I don't usually read historical fiction, but after meeting the author at a local event I decided to buy it and give it a try. To my delight, I found it to be a very enjoyable read. So much so that I bought the others in the series and quickly read them all.
The author excels at creating a sense of place and time, and bringing a long-past event to life. Lots of interesting bits and pieces that get glossed over in school lessons and sound-bite popularizations. I particularly enjoyed how Mr. Taylor sketched out the social and political background of events, without getting bogged in the minutia and trivia that seems to bedevil most historical fiction.
The characters are decently fleshed out, but tend to be a bit sketchy for my taste (hence the 4 star rating).
All in all, a rousing adventure that is a lot of fun to read. ( )

I just put it down, completed. This is one of my favorite books - in fact, I think that Anne of Green Gables is the only book I have enjoyed more than this one. (I think that The Sound and the Fury would round out my top 3, actually).

It is action-packed from beginning to end. The characters are interesting and likable. I can't wait to buy Brock's Railroad, the sequel which is already out, and Brock's Traitor, to be released in the first half of next year. I was happily surprised to see in the historical notes following the book that many memorable parts were actually true stories. The book itself did a great job of adding an exciting fictional layer to this era in North American history.

I would now like to read some Sharpe books, which were inspirational to the author.

Great job, Taylor! ( )