We are spooling up to the launch of The Arrows of Fealty by Jill MacLean, the sequel to The Arrows of Mercy that tells the story of Edmund of Flintbourne’s son. Haukyn is a serf who owes fealty to the lord of the manor and whose life is tied to the soil, yet he craves adventure beyond the boundary stones of his village. In 1373, he leaves for John of Gaunt’s campaign in France. There, during five months of combat and loss, futility and atonement, he learns how armour-clad knights can be brought as low as any serf. Home again, he is caught between two women, pretty Annabel and Ilotte of the sloe-black eyes. Neither marriage nor fatherhood tames his restless spirit. When a knight who was his sworn enemy in France becomes the new lord of the manor, Haukyn leads his neighbours in rebellion against ancient custom and unjust taxation. England’s southern counties march in open revolt on London, where Haukyn witnesses the king grant freedom to every serf in the country. Unimaginable freedom. A freedom that will bring consequences.
"Deepy immersive, The Arrows of Fealty pierces the heart. The novel's world, at once strange and familiar -- yet ultimately different -- coaxes us into what the best historical fiction can do: form deep empathetic connections at once created and strengthened by the very strangeness. Paradoxical? Not in the hands of Jill MacLean. A treat for history fans, The Arrows of Fealty also welcomes every reader with universal themes of longing and love. Quiet and often subtle, written with great care, The Arrows of Fealty shines with the brilliance of fire at night." Michelle Butler Hallett, author of Constant Nobody, winner of the 2022 Thomas Radall Atlantic Fiction Award.
Learn more about Jill on her author page on the OC Publishing website. The Arrows of Fealty is available now for pre-order on Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, and can be ordered into your local bookstore.
Comments