ridel reviewed A Man of No Country by Philip K Allan
Review of 'A Man of No Country' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This novel could have been one of my favorites, as Clay's fortunes turn to historical events that I am actually familiar with. At last we move from mere fiction in a certain time and place, to Historical fiction. As the blurb already spoils this bit: Nelson's showing is a highlight, and watching the mystery of the French fleet through the eyes of those experiencing the events is incredibly exciting. And while one knows the broad strokes of history, where Clay fits is still an unknown, so there's plenty of suspense to be had.
That said, I had to knock a star off for the poor resolution of the actual moral problem that cropped up - that would be Rossie, the Man of No Country, and the theft / death aboard the Titan. It was incredibly cheap to do what they did, the subsequent deaths felt like the author was unwilling …
This novel could have been one of my favorites, as Clay's fortunes turn to historical events that I am actually familiar with. At last we move from mere fiction in a certain time and place, to Historical fiction. As the blurb already spoils this bit: Nelson's showing is a highlight, and watching the mystery of the French fleet through the eyes of those experiencing the events is incredibly exciting. And while one knows the broad strokes of history, where Clay fits is still an unknown, so there's plenty of suspense to be had.
That said, I had to knock a star off for the poor resolution of the actual moral problem that cropped up - that would be Rossie, the Man of No Country, and the theft / death aboard the Titan. It was incredibly cheap to do what they did, the subsequent deaths felt like the author was unwilling to explore actual conflict, and we end up with a tidy solution.
In the end, I'm torn as this is definitely one of my favorite Clay novels, spoiled by bad execution.