Excellent historical fiction, well written and researched.
I found it gripping and entertaining, loved the fast paced plot and the great characters.
The historical background is vivid and fascinating.
Highly recommmended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Major William Hazzard of the Marines has been tasked by the Admiralty with countering the French under Bonaparte in the Mediterranean. He is captive of the French and discovers his beloved Sarah has been spying undercover in the French high command; all his and her attempts to reunite and escape together are thwarted. The French spy Derrien is their espionage opponent on the French side.. Hazzard escapes to Egypt and is present as Napoleon invades. Swashbuckling adventure at the highest.

Lords of the Nile by Jonathan Spencer
William John Hazzard #2

Riveting read from beginning to end! I could not put this book down as I was drawn in more and more with each page I read. One might consider being in the Navy romantic but the men who fought in real battles often ended up maimed or dead. The life was not easy, and these stories bring that life alive. In this second book of the series not much time is spent on ships. Instead, we pick up at the end of book one when Hazzard and Sarah see one another again after a few years apart. What transpires next is heartfelt, intense, gritty, and filled with action. It was a terrific story!

What I liked:
* John Hazzard: intelligent, courageous, tenacious, strong in body and mind, a good leader, has a strong moral compass, a warrior, and a good man. I like him, feel sorry for him, and hope that he will survive the series with something at the end to look forward to when he retires.
* The men that follow Hazzard: dedicated to him and to the life of being a sailor/warrior – great teammates.
* The close alignment with history – and that it made me more knowledgeable than I was before I read the book.
* That I felt I was there in the midst of the story
* That I cared about the outcome
* Revisiting places I have been before and seeing them in a differently due to time and events in the story.
* The intensity, plot, pacing, character development, and writing
* Thinking about how much Hazzard and Sarah must have grown and changed over the time they were apart.
* That the author did not shy away from the dark and gritty brutal aspects of war
* Thinking about the mentality required to go to war and/or to be a spy
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Derrien and his thugs/followers: evil men doing evil things because they were “called” to do so for their nation – or more likely – because they enjoyed inflicting pain and the power they derived from their positions
* The loss of life due to war – good people die – and so often the reasons for war do not benefit the common man…or even the men doing the fighting

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Dynamite read!

William Hazzard continues his quest to search for Admiral Nelson and Napoleon's fleet, for Sarah-Louise Chapel--the woman he's always loved, and the mysterious missing Admiralty agent. All becomes enmeshed in Napoleon Bonaparte's plans for Egypt and the restoration of the Suez Canal. Bonaparte is searching for an entrée into the theatre of India. Only it seems no-one in power in England, the diplomatic channels or the relevant nations around the Mediterranean, including Malta, understand or comprehends Napoleon's long game. Their lack of credence becomes their downfall.
This next part of the Hazzard saga begins in June 1978 and sweeps from Malta to Egypt with Citizen Jules-Yves Derrien, known as Citizen Croquemort –the Mortician, Bonaparte's spymaster, still dogging his steps. Or is Hazzard dogging Derriens? Derrien is totally obsessed by his role and as he sees it, importance to the French Republic. He sees all as accountable to him as an officer of the Republic, even Bonaparte. He's a depraved heartless slave to his role in a repressed sexual way. When he meets any person he can transfer that obsession to its definitely unpleasant. Both Hazzard and Sarah become objects of that focus.
Hazzard has moments of being more a Lawrence of Arabia type figure as Spencer deftly weaves his role with his fellow arms men, the Unknowns Extraordinary and those who would listen to him…but then I guess that's what Hazzard does--even as he loathes the role and the contemptuous behaviour of the Admiralty. His orders were ‘to engage the enemy independently by any means possible.’ That is where Hazzard's intuitive brilliance comes to the fore.
Sarah continues to need Hazzard's help and is a primary part of the action that swallows him up with necessity and rage. He displays an ever resourceful creative mind, supported by a band of men who cleave to him out of an earned loyalty, an understanding that he cares for them and would never ask of them anything he wouldn't do himself, and dare I say it, a brotherhood of love forged in battle.
Once again I was swept away with the action and couldn't stop to sleep until I'd finished, transfixed as I was by Hazzard’s exploits and Spencer's superb writing--a blend of fact and fiction that slayed me with its raw power.

A Canelo ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

The battle for Empire rages across Egypt
The thrilling second novel in the William John Hazzard series, following Napoleon’s Run.

Malta, June 1798. Captured by the French after hurling himself into the enemy ranks, Hazzard is now a prisoner of Bonaparte and his nemesis, the spy-catcher Derrien. He has, however, uncovered the deadly purpose of Napoleon’s fleet: the conquest of Egypt.

Their bold plan is to cut open the ancient Suez Canal and then sail through the Red Sea to attack India, the jewel in England’s crown.

As Napoleon’s great armada prepares to sail, Nelson’s fleet, still scouring the Mediterranean in vain for the French, is nowhere to be seen. If Hazzard can’t find a way to stop this – no-one will.

But help comes from an unexpected quarter – the missing Admiralty agent…

From the shores of Malta to the truly epic encounter of the Battle of the Nile – this is the explosive beginning of the French invasion of Egypt. Never give up the boat.



Review

This is the second book in this stupendous new series and in some ways the harder book, Napoleon’s Run the first book in the series was such blockbusting start that repeating that impact is extremely difficult, beating it almost impossible… but he did!!

Lords of the Nile is a such breathtaking frenetic plot that it truly does exhaust the reader, I found myself getting faster and faster in my reading, tearing through the pages, only to realise that i was trying to match the pace of the characters and the plot, it is so immersive you can’t help but be sucked into it, swept away by it, pushed to tears by it and utterly enthralled by it.

In the last few years I’ve picked up a few new authors that have stunned me with the impact of their books and dazzled me with the skill and pace of their stories… Jonathan Spencer is one of the best of these, in two books he now resides as one.. of my “Must read” authors, a drop what you’re doing, or what ever else you are reading and read it now writer.

Hazzard will give Sharpe a run for his money any day, and im sure Jack Lark would be happy to serve with him… my favourite book this year and i’ve read some great ones.

Highest recommendation

(Parm)

(Excuse the brevity of review…. i have a broken hand … this took ages…