I am always appreciative of the fans who have been following Talon's adventures over the last ten years that I have been writing them. But it is also an unexpected pleasure when a new fan discovers the series and follows it up with a terrific review of the first book, Assassins of Alamut. Lisl of Before the Second Sleep dives into the many layers of work that goes into writing a historical novel. She looks at the research, the development of the characters, the action, and the adventure. I am incredibly grateful to her for this very thoughtful and in-depth review. Here's a sample:
Masterfully written, Assassins of Alamut contains not only evidence of great amounts of background knowledge and research, but also urges readers to carry on. This might come in the form of pursuing the sequels (which indeed are written and we shall be seeking) or look into more within the history. Many of us are very enamored of medieval history, and here Boschert gives us the opportunity to view the time not only in a completely different region to what many of us study, but also from a perspective most are unused to. To top it off, the author acknowledgements contains a list of further recommended reading, some of which Talon himself may have been perusing in the garden.
In every way possible this novel is a gift, and whether bestowed upon oneself or others, it simply is a must-read tale whose only flaw is that eventually it comes to its end.