Rebellion
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Product Description
Review
Praise for Resurrectionist:
‘Breakneck pace, brutal action, clever characterisation and twisty plotting … James McGee brings Regency London to life – or perhaps I should say to death!' Reginald Hill
Praise for Ratcatcher:
'Irresistible… rambunctious entertainment'
Observer
'Rumbustious…a darkly attractive hero, terrific period atmosphere and action' The Times
'Atmospheric and well researched… try it' Daily Mirror
'Ratcatcher has everything: duels and derring-do, London highlife and lowlife, French lechery and treachery – all contained in a fast-moving, cleverly constructed plot with an immaculately detailed historical background. Add a hero who is ruthless, mysterious and sexy, and it's a safe bet that Ratcatcher marks the start of a series that will run and run … and run!' Reginald Hill
‘Ratcatcher is a richly enjoyable and impressively researched novel – also very gripping. James McGee is clearly a rising star in the historical galaxy and I look forward to Hawkwood's return' Andrew Taylor, author of 'The American Boy'
Review
Praise for Resurrectionist: 'Breakneck pace, brutal action, clever characterisation and twisty plotting ! James McGee brings Regency London to life -- or perhaps I should say to death!' Reginald Hill Praise for Ratcatcher: 'Irresistible! rambunctious entertainment' Observer 'Rumbustious!a darkly attractive hero, terrific period atmosphere and action' The Times 'Atmospheric and well researched! try it' Daily Mirror 'Ratcatcher has everything: duels and derring-do, London highlife and lowlife, French lechery and treachery -- all contained in a fast-moving, cleverly constructed plot with an immaculately detailed historical background. Add a hero who is ruthless, mysterious and sexy, and it's a safe bet that Ratcatcher marks the start of a series that will run and run ! and run!' Reginald Hill 'Ratcatcher is a richly enjoyable and impressively researched novel -- also very gripping. James McGee is clearly a rising star in the historical galaxy and I look forward to Hawkwood's return' Andrew Taylor, author of 'The American Boy'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I'm new to the hero, Hawkwood, and his adventures and did wonder whether I would really enjoy such a large book about someone I knew nothing about. I did find it a little difficult to begin with because the story started with his previous adventures and then suddenly it switched to London. However I soon got into the swing of things and started to understand what was going on.
I am always loth to tell the story of a book in a review of it, preferring to give my general impression and not spoiling the adventures or the endings. Nowadays critics of books seem to want to paraphrase it thus spoiling the book for a reader. What is the point of buying it if I have already read a resume of the story?
The complexities of Hawkwood's hazardous exploits, the different `goodies' and `badies' he encounters and how he deals with them make this book a real page turner. I was a little disappointed with the unlikely ending and how Hawkwood got away but then he had to if he was to have another adventure. The story is set in France during the time of Napoleon's disastrous expedition to Russia; the inhabitants of Paris are starving and many are imprisoned. The atmosphere of that era is well portrayed and McGee has obviously researched the time well.
This is a read swashbuckling of a tale which would make into a film reminiscent of Errol Flynn and other great adventurers. It would be good if someone took up that idea.
I will certainly now read more about Hawkwood!
[Review by Shirleyanne Seel]
I am always loth to tell the story of a book in a review of it, preferring to give my general impression and not spoiling the adventures or the endings. Nowadays critics of books seem to want to paraphrase it thus spoiling the book for a reader. What is the point of buying it if I have already read a resume of the story?
The complexities of Hawkwood's hazardous exploits, the different `goodies' and `badies' he encounters and how he deals with them make this book a real page turner. I was a little disappointed with the unlikely ending and how Hawkwood got away but then he had to if he was to have another adventure. The story is set in France during the time of Napoleon's disastrous expedition to Russia; the inhabitants of Paris are starving and many are imprisoned. The atmosphere of that era is well portrayed and McGee has obviously researched the time well.
This is a read swashbuckling of a tale which would make into a film reminiscent of Errol Flynn and other great adventurers. It would be good if someone took up that idea.
I will certainly now read more about Hawkwood!
[Review by Shirleyanne Seel]
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Rebellion is the fourth novel by James McGee featuring Bow Street Runner Matthew Hawkwood. The previous three are Ratcatcher (Matthew Hawkwood 1), Resurrectionist (Matthew Hawkwood 2) & Rapscallion (Matthew Hawkwood 3). If you've not read any of these I would recommend doing so before tackling Rebellion. Its not vital that you do but they do flesh out the character of Hawkwood a great deal and in my opinion are superior to this latest adventure.
To be honest after more than two years of waiting for another Hawkwood adventure Rebellion has come as a huge disappointment to me. Whilst every Hawkwood novel has been different, and this is part of the series' appeal to me, Rebellion is a definite misfire.
The main problem is James McGee's decision to centre the novel's plot on a real-life attempted coup against Napoleon in 1812. Whilst the events he recounts with some accuracy may be interesting from a historical perspective they do not make for an exciting and action packed adventure. During the book's lengthy middle-section, which essentially involves a lot of French army officers wandering around Paris arresting other army officers and assorted politicians with barely a single shot fired in anger, I really struggled to maintain my interest in events on the page. Add in the fact that I knew in advance the eventual outcome of the coup, as anyone with even a vague grasp of Napoleonic history would, and Rebellion's central plot can hardly be described as gripping.
McGee does try to address this fundamental lack of excitement by tacking on a few action sequences during book's opening third, but these feel somewhat perfunctory and are quickly forgotten once the story reaches its turgid middle passage. A few tense interrogation and escape scenes towards the end try to enliven things again but are too little and too late to rescue the book.
Worst of all the plot leaves Hawkwood himself feeling very much like a spare part for much of the book's length. The reason for his involvement in the coup is rather flimsy in the first place, but once the focus shifts to real life events he becomes little more than an observer unable to directly influence events without screwing up the book's historical accuracy. With the hero sidelined and recurring characters from previous adventures relegated to cameos during the book's first fifty-pages, I struggled to really get involved with events on the page.
James McGee has obviously done his research when it comes to the events in Paris in 1812, and should be congratulated for the book's historical accuracy and for highlighting a little known part of Napoleonic history. I wish however, that he had chosen to write a non-fiction work on the subject and not tried to combine it and Matthew Hawkwood. Hopefully for the next Hawkwood adventure he will choose a more dramatically satisfying, exciting and semi-fictional subject to focus on and Rebellion will turn out to be nothing more than a slight bump in the road for this series.
To be honest after more than two years of waiting for another Hawkwood adventure Rebellion has come as a huge disappointment to me. Whilst every Hawkwood novel has been different, and this is part of the series' appeal to me, Rebellion is a definite misfire.
The main problem is James McGee's decision to centre the novel's plot on a real-life attempted coup against Napoleon in 1812. Whilst the events he recounts with some accuracy may be interesting from a historical perspective they do not make for an exciting and action packed adventure. During the book's lengthy middle-section, which essentially involves a lot of French army officers wandering around Paris arresting other army officers and assorted politicians with barely a single shot fired in anger, I really struggled to maintain my interest in events on the page. Add in the fact that I knew in advance the eventual outcome of the coup, as anyone with even a vague grasp of Napoleonic history would, and Rebellion's central plot can hardly be described as gripping.
McGee does try to address this fundamental lack of excitement by tacking on a few action sequences during book's opening third, but these feel somewhat perfunctory and are quickly forgotten once the story reaches its turgid middle passage. A few tense interrogation and escape scenes towards the end try to enliven things again but are too little and too late to rescue the book.
Worst of all the plot leaves Hawkwood himself feeling very much like a spare part for much of the book's length. The reason for his involvement in the coup is rather flimsy in the first place, but once the focus shifts to real life events he becomes little more than an observer unable to directly influence events without screwing up the book's historical accuracy. With the hero sidelined and recurring characters from previous adventures relegated to cameos during the book's first fifty-pages, I struggled to really get involved with events on the page.
James McGee has obviously done his research when it comes to the events in Paris in 1812, and should be congratulated for the book's historical accuracy and for highlighting a little known part of Napoleonic history. I wish however, that he had chosen to write a non-fiction work on the subject and not tried to combine it and Matthew Hawkwood. Hopefully for the next Hawkwood adventure he will choose a more dramatically satisfying, exciting and semi-fictional subject to focus on and Rebellion will turn out to be nothing more than a slight bump in the road for this series.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had been looking forward to another thumping good romp with our Hero Hawkwood, especially after such a long wait since the wonderfully evocative Rapscallion - only to find Hawkwood disappearing into the background of the piece very early on and then spent time trying to work out who was who, who wasn't who he/she seemed to be, who wasn't out for a fast buck etc etc etc. Every turn of the page I hoped Hawkwood would once again step forward and give the story some clout but he was drowning, drowning in a long, drawn out plot that I soon lost interest in. Once we got to the soldiers being told of the *plot* and then having them march around Paris and the general fall out that ensued - this really was bordering on the ... ridiculous is the wrong word and yes, I know it actually happened......I do commend James on his research, superb as always - and I look forward to more rollicking good yarns with my favourite Bow Street Runner - after all, there is that mysterious past we have to find out about isn't there...?? ;) and when is he going to make an honest woman of Maddie Teague??? ;)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
detail, history, action !
This is Hawkwood 4 and is an involving novel set around the time of post revolution France. It has a wide scope and takes in some key parts of history that must have taken a lot of... Read more
Published 4 months ago by muttley
Kwai Chang Hawkwood goes to Paris
I have greatly enjoyed the 3 previous adventures but this last effort is not quite up to par. Our hero is his normal laconic self but he starts off as some sort of Kwai Chang Caine... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr Mark Savile-Barton
McGee has redefined the word "disapointment" for me!!!
I must admit to having difficulty putting into words just how disappointed I am with the fourth instalment of the Hawkwood books!!! Read more
Published 6 months ago by A. C. Cooper
What have you done, Mr McGee?
Gone is the excitement, adventure and energy of your previous three novels. Instead we get a tedious, boring pedestrian history lesson. Read more
Published 7 months ago by B. Peyton
brilliant read
very factual, research based but extremely good and adventurous. recommend for anyone interested in this era. Goes well with all other Hawkwood adventures
Published 7 months ago by Janey
rebellion
I thought that this book was not as good as the previous three , but still worth reading. looking forwards to the next book
Published 8 months ago by Mr John Cobb
Sharp.
I got this for my father. His verdict was cautiously welcome. He appreciated the subject but he thought the plotting was quite drawn out and didn't flow as well as he'd like. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Stuart Burns
Not a patch on the previous Hawkwood books.
Like others on here, I had this on pre order and, having read and enjoyed the others in this series, was looking forward to it. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ed
The characters are revolting
I've been curious for sometime to know which of the two early 19th Century, dark and dangerous, London-based runners came first: Andrew Pepper's Pyke or James McGee's Hawkwood. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Napoleon
James McGee 4
Worthy follow up to the first 3. Nicely fills a gap for me after the demise of Corhwell's Sharpes series.
Top notch
Roy Walker
Top notch
Roy Walker
Published 10 months ago by Roy Walker
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