Hunter's Rage (Civil War Chronicles III)

Posted to the hostile territory of Dartmoor, Captain Innocent Stryker and his men are attacked by an elite cavalry unit commanded by the formidable Colonel Gabriel Wild and suffer heavy losses. Stryker has already clashed once with Wild, and the Roundhead has sworn to seek his revenge. After the attack, Stryker is faced with the annihilation of his company as he is hounded across the moor, eventually seeking shelter on an isolated tor inhabited by an enigmatic former priest who harbours no love for the King's cause. Colonel Wild is assisted in his revenge by Osmyn Hogg, Parliamentarian Witchfinder, who shares his own deadly history with Stryker. To save his honour and his life, Stryker must lead his men to glory from the protection of the lonely granite-topped hill. Into this atmosphere of intrigue and danger comes the beautiful but mysterious Cecily Cade. Stryker comes to her aid, unaware that she carries with her special knowledge that may prove the key to Royalist victory.

The battle between Stryker and his old foes takes him from the bleak isolation of Dartmoor, through the war-ravaged lands of southern England and finally to Stratton, where the bloody battle between Cornwall and Devon will decide the fate of the south-west.

Praise for Michael Arnold and the Civil War Chronicles
'Captain Stryker . . . is being pushed as "the Sharpe of the civil war", but Stryker is a character well able to attract readers on his own merits . . . The novel ends with the Battle of Hopton Heath in the spring of 1643. Many of the most famous engagements of the civil war are still to come, and the enigmatic Stryker's involvement in them promises much entertainment' (Sunday Times)

'A dark-hued romp, livid with the scents, sounds and colours of a country on the brink of implosion . . . impressive' (Daily Express)

'Michael Arnold's Civil War Chronicles have the makings of a fun, Sharpe-like series' (History Today)

'If you love Sharpe, you'll be knocked out by the 17th-century civil war adventures of Captain Innocent Stryker . . . at times this one-eyed veteran makes Sharpe look rather civilised' (Peterborough Evening Telegraph)

'Arnold is at his best describing real events . . . if you like Cornwell you will like Arnold' (Historical Novels Review)

'Heart-thumping action . . . Arnold brings the English Civil War to colourful life' (Lancashire Evening Post)

'A thumping good read. With considerable skill, Arnold has reached back in time to create a living, breathing depiction of 17th century England. From his vividly described battle scenes to the richly drawn descriptions of everyday life, from the earthy vernacular of its characters to the precise details of military equipment, every last part of this book oozes authenticity. Fans of Cornwell's Sharpe novels will love Captain Innocent Stryker - he's uglier, meaner and cleverer than Sharpe. Tremendous!' (Ben Kane, bestselling author of The Forgotten Legion Chronicles)

'A swashbuckling novel which I did not want to put down! Arnold's series of 'Stryker Chronicles' are "must-haves" on my birthday and Christmas lists. Along with Cornwell, Samson and O'Brian, Arnold seems to have been an eye witness to the events he describes' (Battlefield)

'Mike Arnold has created a fascinating cast of characters . . . I have no doubt that Hunter's Rage will count among my favourite reads of 2012' (forwinternights.wordpress.com)

'Arnold throws us into his most vivid and thrilling book yet . . . Crackling with the sound of musket fire and punctuated with the roar of cannon, this book brings the Cromwellian conflict to life in an intense battle of wits and weaponry' (Press Association)

'The battle scenes are uncomfortably good, the research is impressive and the narrative vivid' (Historical Novels Review)

Stirring deeds and a hero with whom we can identify, what more could one ask? (Good Book