A gripping tale of an orphaned boy who grows up at the beginning of the 17th century in most unfavourable circumstances and learns how to fend for himself. Jack Fiskardo treasures some memories which continue to haunt him and prompt him to seek revenge for the deaths of his parents.
The book has a strong plot and character development, with the main theme of military history focusing on The Thirty Years' War which is of some interest to me. Superbly presented life of soldiers and those who were in train of the troops, privation of daily life, cruelty at the battlefield and towards the civilians who happened to find themselves on the track of war. With the character of Jack's father, we are introduced to the period after the assassination of Henry IV and its aftermath.
Historical fiction at its best. A superb Book 1 of the series and now I am looking forward to next instalment.
*A big thank-you to J.C. Harvey, Atlantic Books, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*

‘The Silver Wolf’ by JC Harvey is first in the Fiskardo’s War series set in 17th century Europe during the Thirty Years War. If, like me, your history is a little hazy, the author’s note at the beginning is helpful. This was a time of sprawling wars and disputes, religious, political and national plus local personal grudges being settled. Into this soup of battle, Harvey has inserted the story of Jack Fiskardo. And what a story this is.
Young Jack is an orphan, surviving on his wits in the Amsterdam docklands. Around his neck he wears a silver token of a wolf. He knows neither its provenance nor its meaning. People who meet him and recognise it, look at him askance. Jack is a brilliant hero. Feisty, brave yet considered, he has a fondness for the bullied and those weaker than himself. And he is also something of a horse whisperer.
This is a long book – 560 pages, though not as long as Ken Follett’s ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ – and slowly we pick up hints about the relevance of Jack’s wolf necklace. There is a huge cast of characters, but a limited number in each place that Jack tarries awhile. All of the time, he is on the move, looking for answers to the mysterious deaths of his parents, seeking the murderer. He slips quietly into each new community, clearly different, attracting curious glances but earning respect and affection. And all the time, war is raging somewhere in Europe. Troops are on the move, battles are won and lost, soldiers must be fed and watered, billets found. Around the troop movements, a village of suppliers grows; food, alcohol, whores, horses, munitions. Jack slips in and out of groups, sometimes changing his name.
Once I stopped worrying about the true historical context and relaxed into Jack’s story, the pages turned easily despite the occasional lull in pace. There are occasional flashbacks to Jack’s childhood in the seaside village of Belle-Dame, near Rochelle in France. Some names are similar and therefore confusing – I constantly got Bronheim and Bertholt confused – others have names and nicknames.
Excellent. Such an ambitious novel for a debut. The research and world-building is extensive, but the real star is Jack. The series can only get better.
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Sadly I never got on with this novel. It is well written but it’s not one I enjoyed. Vivid writing none the less.

My thanks for this review go to J.C. Harvey, Atlantic Books, Allen & Unwin and NetGalley, for providing me with the pre-release e-book version of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Please support authors and publishers by purchasing The Silver Wolf from all good book stores.

Released as the first book in the Fiskardo's War series, The Silver Wolf appears to be a daunting and long read on first glance. However, the brilliant use of language and the decision to split the book into three distinct sections from author J.C. Harvey allows for a more accessible, yet still highly detailed and historically accurate, depiction of the Thirty Years' War in 17th-century Europe, whilst offering readers an intriguing and at times exciting story of vengeance, glory and finding oneself in the face of adversity.

One of the biggest strengths in The Silver Wolf is its rich use of vocabulary and how it transports its readers to a historical world that is fleshed out in technicolour. It is clear from the opening pages that, in addition to possessing a strong knowledge of 17th-century mainland Europe and its shifting societal and military status, J.C. Harvey also has a great understanding and judgement of the most effective language to use in a historical novel. The language that is used throughout the novel manages to seamlessly combine the language of the modern reader with phrases and the flow of the inner voice of a 17th-century individual, without coming across as pretentious or awkward. The following quote is taken from the opening few pages and showcases the point terrifically.

Harvey's terrific use of language isn't solely used in bringing to life characters - the building of this world unknown to many readers is told in brilliant detail, to the point where readers can feel like they are transported when taking in the descriptive sections. From the ports of Amsterdam and the trading hub at Hertzberg, to the destruction on the battlefield, each location is written with vibrancy yet uniquely. This is achieved by the focus of the author on small features of each location that are used as a kind of anchor to map the surrounding areas around it, an example of this being the mermaid clock in Hertzberg. As someone who does struggle to remember names, I greatly appreciated that the author included a cast of characters at the start, stating the relationships between them. The vast amount of information could have easily been a slog for the readers to break down, however Harvey's language allows for The Silver Wolf to have a great balance between accessibility for its readers and the building of a detailed and complete world.

I do like that the author has decided to create three sections, each with their own characters, settings and historical contexts, though I am glad that the cast of characters was on hand for me to flip back to. If I was to be critical about any aspect of the narrative layout, it is that readers may have already guessed what had happened to the protagonist in part too before it had even started, and the tension and any questions that were raised at the end of part one mostly diminished when the final part begun. There could have been a play around with the length of parts one and three so that not too much was disclosed, or even the swapping of parts one and two around. Nevertheless, the way the novel's narrative was laid out ultimately added to its accessibility for its readers and allowed for three specific moments in history to be explored in detail, rather than a less fleshed out summary of events across the span of the narrative.

The Silver Wolf has been confirmed to be the first book in the Fiskardo's War series, and it overall was an enjoyable read. I especially appreciated the level of detail in the descriptions of characters and settings, and also the language used in the narrative voice to convey time and place, both of which allowed the readers to be transported to a vivid yet historically accurate depiction of 17th-century Europe. The book is on the long side, at 560 pages, though this is helped from being a slog by the separating of the narrative into three distinct sections. I would recommend that this is bought in physical copy, as the cast of characters at the start is more accessible for someone flipping between pages, and I found that it can be easy to lose track of how far you are in to a certain section or the book when reading it on a Kindle or another e-book device. This is a book I would recommend to any readers who enjoy historical fiction, who has an interest in political and military conflicts centuries ago, or readers who enjoy reading in detail the journey of someone who goes from a boy to a man who has found its place in the world. I am intrigued to see where J.C. Harvey takes the readers next on Jack's journey.

What a weird book. I hovered between one and five stars and settled on three. Parts of it were excellent, and parts of it seemed like every chapter was a different story, and never joined up. It took me @bout half way through to work out what was happening, after which it did get better, but I nearly g@ve up so many times. Having said that, the writin* was excellent, just tha5 the plot was so disjointed

My thanks to Atlantic Books Allen & Unwin for an eARC and to W.F. Howes for a review copy of the unabridged audiobook edition, both via NetGalley, of ‘The Silver Wolf’ by J. C. Harvey in exchange for an honest review. The audiobook is narrated by Peter Noble.

I found ‘The Silver Wolf’ an extraordinary work of historical fiction. It is Harvey’s fiction debut and Book 1 in the Fiskardo's War trilogy set during the Thirty Years War in Europe. It is the story of Jack Fiskardo, as he grows from boy to man against the backdrop of these turbulent years.

Jack is an orphan who is seeking to unravel the mystery of his parents’ deaths. Jack wears around his neck a token of a silver wolf, which is his only clue to the identity of their killers. Yet Jack is unaware that he is being hunted by the same killers.

The novel opens with an Authors’ Note providing the historical context of the novel and follows with a map and a very much appreciated Cast of Characters, divided into the three parts of the novel and their locations.

This was such a pleasure to read. It features numerous memorable characters, plenty of action and adventure, thrilling battle scenes. Yet there is also plenty of lively dialogue and earthy humour. Jack Fiskardo is an engaging hero, fierce and intractable yet with a kind heart when dealing with animals and the vulnerable.

I applaud J. C. Harvey’s skill in terms of storytelling and conveying a sense of the time and place. After such a wonderful experience I can hardly wait for the rest of the trilogy.

With respect to its audiobook edition, Peter Noble is the award-winning narrator of hundreds of audiobook titles. I have enjoyed a number of his audiobooks. He has a rich voice and I felt that he brought a great deal of skill to his narration, bringing the novel’s characters vividly to life.

This is the kind of novel that evokes the classic adventures of Alexandre Dumas. Fantastic reading.

Very highly recommended and an unreserved 5 star rating.

The Silver Wolf is an epic historical adventure and journey of discovery, based around events in the 30 Years War which took place during the 17th century.

This is not a period I was very familiar with, but the author helpfully provides an overview at the beginning of the book. The story is fictional but broadly underpinned by historical events and each chapter begins with an image and quote from the period, helping to provide context and atmosphere.

The story focuses on Jack Fiskardo and his journey in search of the truth about his parents' death, with the book split into three sections covering his difficult childhood, the events which led to his parents' death, and then his adult life as a soldier searching for his parents' killers.

The Silver Wolf is the first book in the Fiskardo's War series and I'm looking forward to reading more.

The story of Jacques 'Jag' Fiskardo, a French boy who becomes a Dutch 'dock rat' and then a scout and a captain in various armies in the Thirty Years War in central Europe during the mid-17th century. An expert fighter and horseman, he roams Europe on a mission to avenge the deaths of his parents. The story is told elliptically, scenes very much out of order, and sometimes we learn what Jag or his parents have been doing through the conversations of others. This makes Jag a particularly strong and living character, amongst a vast cast well-depicted people, mostly fictional though some (Christian of Brunswick, Cardinal Richelieu) are real.
Melding Bernard Cornwell, George MacDonald Fraser with the Thomas Pynchon of Gravity's Rainbow, Harvey has managed to create a rumbunctious, violent and very funny evocation of the Thirty Years' War. She admits in the Foreword that the true brutality of that war was beyond her creative imaginings. At times the soldiers she depicts do seem more like a jovial bunch of Sealed Knotters than real fighting men, but this only serves to make the fighting and killing all the more vivid. These characters are very human and at times extremely humorous. One favourite line (I could of chosen many others): 'With amazement Bromheim realises that Heinrich has dared present himself at this Colonel's table already drunk'. However the duels and the full-dress battle scenes are superbly written as well, the author hovering over the landscape like a hawk, and then zooming in on her characters in their particular part of the field. The effect of gunpowder in obscuring the view is very well evoked. I have only one criticism of historical accuracy, which concerns the guns in the book - there is a lot about flintlocks and wheellocks, but then towards the end the Swedes are shown with matchlocks as if they were something new, whereas in fact the chronology of development was the opposite. However the author may have meant to comment on the matchlock's superior reliability due to its simplicity.
I have to say that this review is based on reading a Netgalley proof copy which, although of course I was very glad to have the opportunity of reading, was poorly formatted and laid out.
However, when published, this will be a great read. I would rate it as the best historical novel I have read for a very long time.

Deeply immersive and richly adorned with the sweep of the 30 years war this is an incredible quest for a young boy to find out about his past and particularly about his father.
I wasn't aware about much of this part of history as it passes across the whole of Europe as usual led by power, religion and territory. There is a huge list of characters at the start and PARTS I II III which readers might feel a bit too much to deal with but the characterisation and dialogue of such setting and group of people moves easily across the years.
There is some good description of scenery and ordinary life and I particularly liked the cats!

This really is an epic tale! I was originally put off by the long list of characters at the beginning of the book and eventually decided to just ignore the list and just start reading which worked well for me. This isn’t a period of history that I know but I enjoyed the twists and turns. A good debut novel. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An epic tale of historical fiction spanning the chaos of The Thirty Years War across Europe during the Seventeen century. We encounter a full cast of characters in this dark and intricate quest, but focus on the protagonist Jack Fiskardo as he seeks to unveil the truth about his father's death. We follow Jack from boyhood into manhood, across Europe, as the orphan turn adventurer and truth seeker uncover s the truth and ultimately seeks revenge. Love and War, treachery and secrets, courage vs adversity are at the forefront. Jack is our epic hero in battle against the backdrop of deadly war, hunted by those he hunts. This is a huge story intricately woven with meticulous research on historical detail, supported with a map, a huge cast of characters, titled chapters with images and quotations to illustrate the journey. A fantastic work of fiction. #thesilverwolf #JCHarvey #Netgalley

Although this book is set during an interesting period in history and has well developed characters characters I could not connect with the story. The author has obviously done a great deal of research. It is a long book and I did persevere in hope of enjoying it more but eventually gave up. I apologise to the author for reviewing an unfinished book as I'm sure many people will enjoy it. I wish him every success with the sequels.

The Silver Wolf is the first in a new series, Fiskardo’s War, set in Europe during the Thirty Years’ War. This conflict, which took place between 1618 and 1648, is one I’m not very familiar with, so I thought it would be interesting to read a book set in a period that I don’t know much about.

This novel has quite a simple premise: an orphan, Jack Fiskardo (also known as Jacques or Jag to various people at various times) sets out on a quest to find his father’s killers and take revenge. However, the plot is anything but simple! Jack’s adventures take him from the French countryside to the home of an Amsterdam merchant and then to the battlefields of Germany and along the way we meet a huge cast of characters ranging from army scouts and soldiers to tavern keepers, farmers and noblemen. All of these people interact with Jack in one way or another and many of them have intriguing stories of their own, but it’s a lot to keep track of, so be aware that this is certainly not a quick, light read.

The Silver Wolf is divided into three sections: in the first, which begins in 1619, we meet Jack for the first time on the docks of Amsterdam; the second part takes us back several years to fill in some of the details of Jack’s childhood in the village of Belle-Dame near La Rochelle; and finally, in the third section we find Jack in Germany, playing his part in the events of the war while carrying out his private mission of revenge. My favourite was the middle section as it answered some of my questions and gave me a better understanding of what was going on. But although I thought the way the book was structured was quite effective, it did mean that lots of new characters were still being introduced very late in the novel, which I found slightly overwhelming.

The book is written in a lively, often playful style, and the author has opted to use modern speech and slang; I personally prefer dialogue in historical fiction to feel more ‘historical’, but I can see that the choice of language here probably suited the gritty, sometimes brutal, wartime setting. As for the Thirty Years’ War itself, as I’ve said, I previously knew very little about it, so it was good to learn more. The author’s note at the beginning of the book provides a basic outline of the war, why it was fought and the effect it had on the population of Europe, which I found very helpful!

Although I didn’t enjoy The Silver Wolf as much as I’d hoped to, for the reasons I’ve described above, I do think it’s an impressive and ambitious debut novel. I’m not sure whether I will read the second book, but I suspect it will be easier to follow than this one now that the scene has been set, so maybe I’ll be tempted!

I know very little about this period in history, but Jack’s story in The Silver Wolf brings it vividly to life.

There’s a huge cast of characters as the narrative moves across Northern Europe and after a slow start, the pace really builds and there’s a feeling of depth to both the events and the people. Jack is on a mission to find out who killed his parents. He’s an unusual lad and we follow him as he grows into manhood. It feels authentic and filled with period detail and although quite a long book, it held my interest. It’s well written and Jack is engaging. I really enjoyed it as a slightly different read from usual.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Historical fiction taking place during the Thirty Years' War - very good.

This story revolves around Jacques (aka Jack or Jag), a boy moving around Europe on a mission of vengeance as he grows up and learns new useful skills. All of this takes place within the 17th century context of the complicated Thirty Years' War (luckily explained at the start of the book). He encounters a whole range of characters among the bloodshed of this war. The plot moves along at a good steady pace and the characters are well-defined and interesting, even unexpectedly so. I found it to be very engaging and enjoyable and I might pursue this series further to see how Jacques gets his revenge!

To my mind, this is a book of three distinct parts. The first third, sets the scene, that is the 17th century event known as the 30 years war. I found it to be really confusing, there were so many characters and places being named and introduced, and I’m not brilliant at this period of history, and despite my best efforts, I gave up reading for three days and thought about the story, would it / could it get better?!!
The second third, was so much better!! We were introduced to the story of young Jacques/ Jack/ Jag, and his family life. His father is Jean Fiskardo, a soldier, who is away from home for long periods. His mother is Sally, English, she and Jean met at Dunkirk, they married, and live on the island of Belle Dame. It is a simple, but hard life, but Jack learns to sail a boat, ride a horse and how to look after it, and when his father is at home, he learns how to engage in polite, well mannered conversations with ladies, learns manners, how to use a sword, and how to be responsible for his actions. Jack doesn’t know that they live so quietly, because his father fears for his life and doesn’t want his family to be placed in danger.
After his parents died , Jack goes away in search of revenge . This forms the bulk of this third section. There are plenty of skirmishes, betrayals and soldiering, scenes of death and destruction to come, it’s quite exciting, yet again, I found it hard to remember who was fighting for whom. We meet two very intriguing females, Magda and Paola, who continue his education, and assist him in his search for two men, Enric Madura and Charles the Ghost. We learn that Jag can certainly hold his own in battle and he’s good with horses. He makes many friends along the way, and settles scores with enemies he makes. The sights, sounds and smells of battle are vividly described and full of action.
This whole book is a challenge, but there are delightful episodes, where all makes sense. I do admire all the research that goes into a novel like this, it is very realistic regarding battlefield action and camp life.
I have rated this as a four star read. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Atlantic books for my digital copy, in return for my honest, unsolicited review. I will leave a review to Goodreads and other outlets later.

This is an extremely complex book set in the 17C about a young boy, Jack, There are a myriad of other characters who are set out in the pages before the story begins. I suggest that if you are reading on an e-reader, you book mark these to refer back to from time to time as there are SO many. Although the plot and setting is interesting and well researched, personally I found the complexity took away the enjoyment for me. It will suit those who enjoy and can retain names and descriptions in their heads as they read. I presume that there may be more books as part of a series through which we can get to know the range of characters better.

The best way I can describe this book, is that it is a banquet of a story. A feast of a read. Regardless of whether you are interested or even know anything about the 30 years war, or history, you will be carried along by the momentum of Jack’s story. From childhood and adolescence, back to early childhood and onwards to manhood as he seeks out the men responsible for the fate of his parents. He is all that we could want in a hero, perfect but flawed, honourable, strong, moral but with humour, a little bit mischievous sometimes and an idealist. The man other men follow and emulate and a man that women can both love and respect regardless of age or status. What more could we want in a time when heroes are so thin on the ground in our lives?
I’m not going to recount the story, but I defy anyone not to pick this book up and not be carried away into another world and another time. J.C Harvey writes with energy and precision, she paints a world with the expert hand of a craftsman, there is depth and heart on every page, phrases you want to twirl around in your mouth for the taste and feel of them. I’m no historian so I don’t know how accurate the research is but my god it’s believable and written with such confidence and fluency, that I am there, I can taste, see, smell every street, or dockside, every battlefield, every tang of blood and every blade of grass.
I cannot wait for the next instalment. Five stars all the way.

"The Silver Wolf" is an epic historical novel about a boy's coming of age during the violent first half of the 17th century. Jaques/Jack/Jag is the son of a French mercenary and an English woman. When both of his parents are murdered he vows to avenge their deaths. First of all Jack has to learn how to fight and must then discover the identity of the killer(s). The story is set against the backdrop of the 30 years war and the protagonists travel around Europe fighting and mixing with people of many nationalities.

There is plenty of blood and guts and, at times, who is fighting who and which side they are on is confusing. This doesn't really matter as the war is the background to the story, not the central part. My main disappointment is that this is the first of a trilogy so the story is incomplete at the end of this book.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

Jack Fiskardo is on a mission: to find the man responsible for the death of his parents. Jack (sometimes Jacques, sometimes Jag) is a mysterious character and in this book we follow his progress from young boy to young man.

I loved this book. The writing is exquisite and the playful style is just enchanting. Yes, there are lots of characters but they are well drawn and vivid. The setting too is very well done. This is a period of history that I knew almost nothing about. I knew that there was a Thirty Years war but that was about it. The author details what it was like on the battlefields of Germany and we get a real insight into what it must have been like to live in those times. For me, historical fiction which tells us about the lives of ordinary people is by far the best and this is one of those rare books. A great read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.