Essex dogs by Dan Jones

This novel set in the Hundred Years War fought between England and France seven centuries ago reveals the transitory nature of war, alongside the barbarity and utter randomness of death and mutilation. Jones, an academic well known for his earthy presentations of medieval society, has turned his hand to historical fiction. Exciting and fast paced the novel, Essex Dogs, is based on a small group of people to whom things happen that reflect everyone’s part in war, from the kings and princes to earls and lords to captains, archers, swordsmen and foot soldiers. 

What impressed me was the gritty day to day life of the ten men we get to know well: the Essex Dogs, a company of men who fight, eat, sleep, pillage and march together. Their leader, Loveday, an older, experienced man, watches over his unit with fearful eyes, aware of the danger they will be facing, encouraging them to watch out for each other, knowing that his peak fighting skills are behind him.

It is these ten men we see throughout the book including Father, a priest and fighter, Millstone Scotsman and Pismire as well as two Welsh brothers, and Romfort, who make good use of his long bow. 

Their lives reflect how they are treated, fed and housed, how the orders are given, the infighting between those in charge. We are introduced to the foot slogging tedium of life on the road, how a siege works, the seemingly random butchery of many villagers along the way. Each chapter heading quotes writing from the time, giving a strength to the details Jones includes in his writing.

Jones gives a vastly different account of the son of Edward the Third, the Back Prince, eager to be king, and shows his power, at odds with his father, contrasting with the relationship between Philip V1 and his son.  

The army travels across the English Channel to northern France, there to engage the imposter king, Philip V1 of France. The ten breaks up, Father part of a ruse to undermine the French, is tortured and killed, while Romfort is taken by the Black Prince because he is able to supply drugs, the Welsh archers go their own way, leaving only four left to fight. But they become tied up with the plans of those in charge, enabling Jones to give us a worm’s eye view of the campaign, particularly as it draws near Crecy. 

I loved listening to the audio of this book. It was an eye opener to the everyday behind the battles of war, of losing your shoes, of sharpening swords, of looting the villages - this detail was fascinating. The language Jones puts into their mouths was confronting, and I had to fast forward a couple of scene of brutality, but these are minor quibbles as I was transfixed, readily absorbing the plethora of detail found within their conversations.

This is the first book in a trilogy, the second, Wolves of Winter will be available in October.

Themes: One Hundred Years War, France England, War, Battle of Crecy, Historical fiction.

Fran Knight