24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The "other" Norman Conquest, October 13, 2009
Beginning in 1033, this is the first part of a trilogy following the fortunes of the remarkable and ambitious de Hautville family. A minor Norman baron, the penurious but prolific Tancred de Hautville produced 12 strapping sons (not to mention the odd daughter). Refused service with their overlord Duke Robert of Normandy, who regards them as a threat, the mettlesome de Hautville sons contemplate their bleak future. Trained as warriors from an early age, they look south to Italy, where Norman mercenaries are in great demand. William de Hauteville, the oldest, sets off with his brother, Drogo. They know that they must not just make their own way in the world, but also prepare the way for their younger siblings.
Eleventh century Italy is a land of many principalities, full of turmoil and constant warfare. There are many players contending for power: in northern Italy the Western Holy Roman Emperor based in Germany controls several territories, including the Papal States; in central Italy Lombard lords hold independent duchies; in southern Italy the eastern Byzantine Empire and the Saracens hold sway. Soon there will be another player added to the board; the Normans, no longer satisfied with fighting on behalf of others, but hungry for lands and titles of their own.
"Mercenaries" takes a little getting into; the Italian situation is complex and convoluted and repays a bit of background reading. It's useful to have a map of 11th century Italy at hand (I found one at the online Medieval Sourcebooks Maps). Once all the main characters and places are established, the story picks up momentum and rattles along at a spirited pace. The de Hautville brothers are clever, likeable rogues, who soon find work with Norman mercenary captain, Rainulf Drengot and quickly grasp where they can best place themselves to greatest personal advantage. The power struggle between two warring Lombard lords, Guiamar, deposed Duke of Salerno, and his deposer, Pandulf, Prince of Capua, provides a rich opportunity for Drengot and his company of mercenaries, thanks to quick-witted William. There's plenty of action, and clearly more to come in "Warriors" and "Conquest", due out next year.
This is an entertaining workman-like adventure. Its characters are a mix of actual historical figures and fictional ones, and the author provides a helpful note explaining which is which and some historical information. One complaint; there are some errors which should have been picked up during copy-editing, and the most obvious and irritating mistake is repeated throughout the story. The basic fighting unit of the Norman knights was not, as written here, a convoy, but a conroi: a unit of mounted knights, somewhere between twenty and fifty men and horses in size. The knights in a conroi would ride knee-to-knee in strict formation, acting rather like a cavalry version of the shield-wall.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent historical fiction, August 12, 2009
In my opinion, the author's previous work has been uneven. Part 1 of Mercenaries rises above this level, weaving high Middle Ages details with compelling plot lines and historically compelling action. If you like this type of novel, you will revel in this and, hopefully, subsequent volumes!
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Heavy on historical fiction, light on style, February 9, 2011
This review is from: Mercenaries: The Conquest Trilogy, Book I (Paperback)
I was extremely disappointed in this novel. The substance of the book was interesting and educational, but the story telling was very poor. The author starts off with a plot that follows two groups of people. A pair of Norman brothers who act as mercenaries, and two noble siblings. The chapters alternate between the two sets of protagonists, but there is such a lack of cohesion between the story and the characters, that although one can predict that the protagonist groups will eventually interact, you really just don't care. Many times throughout the book, I simply wanted it to be over. I finished it because I was interested in the factual end of the book, and not the characters, who are so lacking in depth that they appear one dimensional. The two brothers are not nearly as flat as the noble brother and sister protagonists, but they could not alone save the book. It is a shame because the historical story was a good one, and one with which I was utterly unfamiliar. Unfortunately, I will not be back for the rest of the trilogy. I will stick with Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell, and those who make a good attempt at weaving characters and historical accounts as well as those two, such as Sam Barone.
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