Review: The Hussar's Duty by Griffin Brady
Today, I'm thrilled to share my review of The Hussar’s Duty, book #3 in Griffin Brady's gripping The Winged Warrior Series.
The Hussar’s Duty is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find other fascinating posts about the books and the history of the hussars here!
The Hussar’s Duty
I'd heard of Griffin Brady's fascinating series about the Polish hussars before, but never had an opportunity to read any of the books. This has now been rectified, and I'll have to get the other books in the series to discover Jacek's back story!
Blurb:
Poland’s most valiant winged hussar is called to fight in a campaign ripe for disaster. But he must also protect those he loves from jackals waiting to pounce. How does he choose between duty and devotion when death is on the line?
When Sultan Osman II sends Poland's envoy packing, the Commonwealth must prepare for war against one of the largest armies the Ottomans have ever assembled. Tasked with repelling the invasion is Grand Hetman of the Crown Stanisław Żółkiewski, and he knows who to turn to: Jacek Dąbrowski, the Commonwealth's most valiant Polish winged hussar.
Jacek has been idle far too long, and the call to arms is a siren's song he can’t resist. But he has built a life far from the battlefield with his wife, Oliwia, and their children. If he pursues his quest for glory, who will safeguard them?
Oliwia knows her husband is restless. In fact, she’s been sending Jacek on cross-country errands for years in the hopes of quelling his lust for battle. When she realizes her efforts are futile, she resolves herself to letting him go—after hatching a scheme to accompany him.
Honor. Obligation. Devotion. These forces push and pull Jacek in different directions. His country needs him, but so does his family. Where does his duty lie? His choice will cause catastrophic ripples no matter which path he follows … and could very well bring the loss of his loved ones or his life.
Will the cost of defending king and country prove too steep for this warrior?
This is a standalone continuation in The Winged Warrior Series.
Buy Links:
International Buy Link
Amazon US
The Hussar’s Duty is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find other fascinating posts about the books and the history of the hussars here!
The Winged Warrior Series
Griffin Brady
I'd heard of Griffin Brady's fascinating series about the Polish hussars before, but never had an opportunity to read any of the books. This has now been rectified, and I'll have to get the other books in the series to discover Jacek's back story!
With his days as a hussar behind him, Jacek helps his wife, Oliwia, the lady of Biaska, in the day-to-day running of the estate she inherited through her first marriage. But not all is well in the remote fortress in western Poland.
The Hussar's Duty begins with an errand Jacek runs for his wife. Looking to improve the finances of her property, she considers breeding warhorses. So Jacek and a group of his men, including Oliwia's 16-year-old brother, Filip, set out to collect the agreed number of mounts. But then, things begin to go awry.
On his return home, with a smaller than expected number of horses, Jacek finds an unwelcome visitor – a relative of his wife's first, dead husband. What is the man's intention?
When a letter arrives from the grand crown hetman, calling him back to action to defend the borders of the Polish Commonwealth against the Ottomans, who appear to be gathering, Jacek throws out the visitor and his entourage and prepares to leave, keen to get on campaign again. But then, Oliwia decides to join him, as his journey passes a remote property that's part of her estate – a property she intends to sell.
Reluctantly, he agrees, and they leave Biaska, and their children, in the capable hands of some of his men.
The journey is fraught with danger, and Oliwia comes close to being abducted, but just who is the noble behind the mask who intends to take her captive? Their journey continues, eventually, after several hair-raising adventures, towards the meeting point the grand crown hetman had agreed. But even there, intrigues are spun and dangers are lurking everywhere...
There is so much going on in this novel, I don't want to give away any more. The action is relentless, and the fast pace keeps you reading on. We meet an array of secondary characters, and you always wonder which of these would make another appearance – and when. It's a very clever plot.
The historical research is impeccable, and the author uses a range of expressions and titles in Polish, adding a great sense of authenticity to the setting. There is a glossary and a guide to pronunciations at the end, which helps understand in places where there's no description given. But the language doesn't distract from the story. On the contrary, it provides us with a closer view.
I like Jacek. He's honest, hard-working, proud, but at a loss, staying at home. A hussar at heart, he is happiest on campaign – when he's not irritated by futile politics. He's also a loving husband and father, and his fidelity is admirable. Torn between a life of military duty and landowner (through his wife), he wants to do what's best for Oliwia, but in his heart, he knows he can't stay back.
Oliwia is feisty and outspoken, but also suffers from a lack of confidence at times. After three children, she worries about staying attractive for her handsome, admired husband. This flaw makes her very human, and we empathise with her.
Filip is a hothead. A teenager looking to be a man, a warrior, like Jacek. But he feels disrespected, not give the level of responsibility he desires – and even when, he messes it up, but it's easy for him to blame his brother-in-law. Filip's quest for fame and position gets him into serious trouble, and you just want to shake him to make him see sense. A brilliant description of a younger brother, protected by his older sister and her husband, who is keen to step out of their shadows.
I particularly liked Henryk, Jacek's second-in-command and a notorious – unmarried – womaniser. Despite this obvious flaw, he's also very loyal and dependable, with a sarcastic sense of humour. I can certainly see his appeal...
Despite the many adventures that befall Jacek and Oliwia in The Hussar's Duty, there is at times much internalisation. In some instances, it fits in well, but in others, you just want to read on what's actually happening, not venture into their heads. A list less internal description may have kept the pace going when it threatened to slow down.
Although part of a series, the novel can be read as a standalone, as the author introduces parts of the main characters’ past, in a way that doesn't disrupt the flow of the story.
The Hussar's Duty is a gripping adventure, expertly researched, and full of action, intrigues and dangers. Set in an environment we hear little about in Western historical fiction releases, it provides us with a unique political playground. A highly recommended historical novel that has you turning the pages in anticipation.
And now I have to catch up with the earlier titles in the series...
~~~
Blurb:
Poland’s most valiant winged hussar is called to fight in a campaign ripe for disaster. But he must also protect those he loves from jackals waiting to pounce. How does he choose between duty and devotion when death is on the line?
When Sultan Osman II sends Poland's envoy packing, the Commonwealth must prepare for war against one of the largest armies the Ottomans have ever assembled. Tasked with repelling the invasion is Grand Hetman of the Crown Stanisław Żółkiewski, and he knows who to turn to: Jacek Dąbrowski, the Commonwealth's most valiant Polish winged hussar.
Jacek has been idle far too long, and the call to arms is a siren's song he can’t resist. But he has built a life far from the battlefield with his wife, Oliwia, and their children. If he pursues his quest for glory, who will safeguard them?
Oliwia knows her husband is restless. In fact, she’s been sending Jacek on cross-country errands for years in the hopes of quelling his lust for battle. When she realizes her efforts are futile, she resolves herself to letting him go—after hatching a scheme to accompany him.
Honor. Obligation. Devotion. These forces push and pull Jacek in different directions. His country needs him, but so does his family. Where does his duty lie? His choice will cause catastrophic ripples no matter which path he follows … and could very well bring the loss of his loved ones or his life.
Will the cost of defending king and country prove too steep for this warrior?
This is a standalone continuation in The Winged Warrior Series.
Buy Links:
International Buy Link
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
The proud mother three grown sons, she lives in Colorado with her husband. She is also an award-winning bestselling romance author who writes under the pen name G.K. Brady.
Connect with Griffin:
Website
Amazon CA
About the Author:
Griffin Brady
Griffin Brady is an award-winning historical fiction author with a keen interest in the Polish Winged Hussars of the 16th and 17th centuries.
She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Her debut novel, The Heart of a Hussar, was a finalist for the 2021 Chaucer Early Historical Fiction Award and a 2021 Discovered Diamond.
~~~
About the Author:
Griffin Brady
Griffin Brady is an award-winning historical fiction author with a keen interest in the Polish Winged Hussars of the 16th and 17th centuries.
She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Her debut novel, The Heart of a Hussar, was a finalist for the 2021 Chaucer Early Historical Fiction Award and a 2021 Discovered Diamond.
The proud mother three grown sons, she lives in Colorado with her husband. She is also an award-winning bestselling romance author who writes under the pen name G.K. Brady.
Connect with Griffin:
Website
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