The Lion Ascendant (The van Raveyck series)

Gosh, it's been a long wait.<i>The Lion Ascendant</i> is every bit as good as its predecessor <i>The Surgeon's Apprentice</i>. Well plotted, memorable characters (I especially liked Overste Leijonstierna), and touches of Biggins' wry humor. The only fault I could find is that in a few spots the proofreading needed work.Thanks, Mr. Biggins. Hope you won't keep your fans waiting quite so long for the next one!

These first two in Biggins new series are superb; every bit as absorbing as those in his series about the Austrian navy. They're the type of book that you don't want to end. The author has a real feel for the period, the early 17th century in this case. You can feel thanks for living in our age when you understand what medical care was like in those times when there was no anaesthetic and knowledge was quite limited with very primitive treatment and procedure. Biggins' description of medical operations are eye watering. Patients had to be physically restrained when undergoing what was effectively torture. In an environment which was filled with suffering and death the general attitude of the people was quite different to that of our softer times. The protagonist is an interesting character and we are introduced to many other interesting characters during his travels. I look forward to the next episode.

John Biggins continues to write well researched books. I very much enjoy his views on human nature. I am looking forward to Book 3.