Review of On a Sword's Edge

Post by **Kutloano Makhuvhela** » 20 Dec 2024, 17:41

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "On a Sword's Edge" by J R Tomlin.]

5 out of 5 stars

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William is the squire of Sir John Stewart, Lord Stewart of Scotland. It is such an honour for William to be serving a man of this station, especially for a sixteen-year-old. This means William gets exposed to many important things that his lord does most of the time, and he gets to learn while at it. His role as a squire, however, is not as easy as it seems. It requires one to pay attention, follow rules, and know what is needed before it can be asked. William is good. If anything, he is very attentive, eager to learn, and willing to move up in life. His country of Scotland is at war with Norway, as the latter is determined to invade the former and take up most of its land. King Alexander of Scotland is prepared to defend his nation against this, and that’s why he ordered his army to go face-to-face with the Norse army to deter them from any further expansion.

Williams has never been to battle before. As one can imagine, he is nervous, but he is prepared to hide this fact and act with valour. His elder brother and father march with him as they approach the frontline, where the battle is going to take place. King Alexander is young himself, compared to Norse King Haakon, but he is willing to stand up for his name and his country. Backing down is not an option, especially when his country is threatened like this. How will the battle end? Will King Alexander, and by extension, Scotland, succeed against the Norse army? If so, at what cost? How will William fare in all of these turbulent events? Will he come out unscathed?

The answers to these many questions can be found only in between the covers of this mediaeval historical novel called On a Sword’s Edge, by J R Tomlin. It is a book like no other in how it is written, structured, presented, and executed. The first thing that impressed me was the research that went into it. Yes, it was a historical novel, but a few things were changed here and there, especially where there was no clear historical account, like regarding the Battle of Largs. The book didn’t read like a historical textbook, so one should not be daunted to pick it up because of this. It read like an action novel, so it promises to hook you up from start to finish.

The battle scenes were my favourite part of the book. The author made sure that the words she used were very explicit and descriptive to transport one into those bloody scenes, where nothing was certain. The action sequences were so exquisitely detailed that I saw myself inside the action, seeing things from William’s eyes. This was accomplished through the use of the first-person narration. Williams was narrating the events as they happened, and as the protagonist, I felt closer to him than I think I could have been had it been written in the third-person narration. The descriptions were able to paint the pictures in my head while allowing me to construct the scenes with my other senses to make them livelier. This balance was achieved well through the concise use of words the author delicately chose.

The characters were not that many. The supporting characters all played a role of some sort in the book. None disappeared as soon as they appeared. The author made sure the characters that appeared were developed, so as the reader, I can know them and feel for them. Then when the battle happened, I knew who to root for and why. Their actions made sense and were consistent with the kind of people they were. King Alexander acted how a young king should have acted, especially one who wanted to prove himself and assert his leadership to his subjects. His heart was what captivated me and what set him apart from other types of kings that appeared in this book.

The book also had other subplots that supplemented the main plot, like William’s father’s land case on the side. This made sure that the book slowed down when it was moving rather fast. It acted as a breather. It slowed the pace, while everything, at least in the background, settled down. I loved this subtle aspect of the book. At the end of the book, there was a glossary and historical notes.

I saw minor errors; this showed the book was professionally edited. That’s why I am happy to rate it five out of five stars. I recommend it to people who love historical novels and those interested in the history of Scotland. There’s nothing I disliked about it. Teenagers to adults will like this book.

******
On a Sword's Edge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Ryan Chofwe · Post by **Ryan Chofwe** » 22 Dec 2024, 21:18

Great review

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 03 Jan 2025, 13:37

Kutloano Makhuvhela wrote: ↑20 Dec 2024, 17:41 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "On a Sword's Edge" by J R Tomlin.]

5 out of 5 stars
Share This Review

William is the squire of Sir John Stewart, Lord Stewart of Scotland. It is such an honour for William to be serving a man of this station, especially for a sixteen-year-old. This means William gets exposed to many important things that his lord does most of the time, and he gets to learn while at it. His role as a squire, however, is not as easy as it seems. It requires one to pay attention, follow rules, and know what is needed before it can be asked. William is good. If anything, he is very attentive, eager to learn, and willing to move up in life. His country of Scotland is at war with Norway, as the latter is determined to invade the former and take up most of its land. King Alexander of Scotland is prepared to defend his nation against this, and that’s why he ordered his army to go face-to-face with the Norse army to deter them from any further expansion.

Williams has never been to battle before. As one can imagine, he is nervous, but he is prepared to hide this fact and act with valour. His elder brother and father march with him as they approach the frontline, where the battle is going to take place. King Alexander is young himself, compared to Norse King Haakon, but he is willing to stand up for his name and his country. Backing down is not an option, especially when his country is threatened like this. How will the battle end? Will King Alexander, and by extension, Scotland, succeed against the Norse army? If so, at what cost? How will William fare in all of these turbulent events? Will he come out unscathed?

The answers to these many questions can be found only in between the covers of this mediaeval historical novel called On a Sword’s Edge, by J R Tomlin. It is a book like no other in how it is written, structured, presented, and executed. The first thing that impressed me was the research that went into it. Yes, it was a historical novel, but a few things were changed here and there, especially where there was no clear historical account, like regarding the Battle of Largs. The book didn’t read like a historical textbook, so one should not be daunted to pick it up because of this. It read like an action novel, so it promises to hook you up from start to finish.

The battle scenes were my favourite part of the book. The author made sure that the words she used were very explicit and descriptive to transport one into those bloody scenes, where nothing was certain. The action sequences were so exquisitely detailed that I saw myself inside the action, seeing things from William’s eyes. This was accomplished through the use of the first-person narration. Williams was narrating the events as they happened, and as the protagonist, I felt closer to him than I think I could have been had it been written in the third-person narration. The descriptions were able to paint the pictures in my head while allowing me to construct the scenes with my other senses to make them livelier. This balance was achieved well through the concise use of words the author delicately chose.

The characters were not that many. The supporting characters all played a role of some sort in the book. None disappeared as soon as they appeared. The author made sure the characters that appeared were developed, so as the reader, I can know them and feel for them. Then when the battle happened, I knew who to root for and why. Their actions made sense and were consistent with the kind of people they were. King Alexander acted how a young king should have acted, especially one who wanted to prove himself and assert his leadership to his subjects. His heart was what captivated me and what set him apart from other types of kings that appeared in this book.

The book also had other subplots that supplemented the main plot, like William’s father’s land case on the side. This made sure that the book slowed down when it was moving rather fast. It acted as a breather. It slowed the pace, while everything, at least in the background, settled down. I loved this subtle aspect of the book. At the end of the book, there was a glossary and historical notes.

I saw minor errors; this showed the book was professionally edited. That’s why I am happy to rate it five out of five stars. I recommend it to people who love historical novels and those interested in the history of Scotland. There’s nothing I disliked about it. Teenagers to adults will like this book.

******
On a Sword's Edge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

I am a fan of historical fiction, and I love the backdrops of medieval Scotland and Norway that are present in this book. Your review has presented this story as a gem that I must read. I am adding it to my bookshelves. Great review!

Blueberry Dragon · Post by **Blueberry Dragon** » 06 Jan 2025, 00:33

Thank you for bringing a wonderful historical fiction novel to my attention through your detailed review, @Kutloano Makhuvhela. Best wishes for the New Year!

Joe Alex 2 · Post by **Joe Alex 2** » 08 Jan 2025, 07:12

The way the author blends action with historical details, especially through William’s first-person narration, sounds like it would really pull me into the story. The battle scenes and character development seem well done too. I’m definitely interested in reading this book myself, especially given the strong portrayal of King Alexander and the historical context.