Kings of The Boyne, by Nicola Pierce, published by O'Brien Press
DUBLINER Nicola Pierce's follow-up to the historical novel Behind the Walls sees teenagers Robert and Daniel Sherrard leave Derry following the siege to fight for William of Orange.
William and King James II join them as POV characters, as do Jacobite soldiers Gerald O'Connor and Jacques, providing an inside view of the conflict from different social classes, Game of Thrones-style.
There are some nice scenes – such as William's meeting with a boy and his dog Scruffy in Belfast – early on, yet the first half feels slow.
Pierce, who lives in Drogheda, captures the confusion of the Battle of the Boyne vividly in the second half, as the Williamites wade through the river, through smoke and gunfire, to victory.
Kings of The Boyne would be excellent to accompany history lessons. The looming figure of Louis XIV reminds the reader of the European impact of the conflict, while the characters and settings will provide teens with a local perspective.
However, a strong-willed central character was needed at times as the characters, from kings to veteran soldiers and teenagers, seem unusually anxious and indecisive when confronted with problems.
Cathal McGuigan
The Story Of A Brief Marriage by Anuk Arudpragasam is published in hardback by Granta Books, priced £12.99 (ebook £8.54)
THE final days of the Sri Lankan civil war were truly terrible for those caught up in it. Philosophy student Anuk Arudpragasam's first novel concerns a day in the life of Dinesh, a young man caught between Government forces and the ever-present danger of being conscripted into what he refers to as "the movement" – the wretched remains of the once formidable Tamil Tigers guerrilla army. His existence of sheer survival changes when he's approached by a man requesting that he marry his daughter for her safety.
Set in a refugee camp subjected to nightly bombardment, this is a tale with the emotional power of a Greek tragedy - a Euripidean Trojan Women with white beaches and neem trees. And it's told with a hallucinatory attention to detail that makes it feel like a first-hand account, although Arudpragasam (himself a Tamil) was fortunately shielded from the worst excesses of the conflict.
Now he bears witness for the silenced victims, shattering our complacency with an unsentimental depiction of human beings in extremis that is also a heartbreaking love story.
Liz Ryan
Holding by Graham Norton is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton, priced £20 (ebook £9.99)
THE Irish village of Duneen, Ireland doesn't see much excitement. Sergeant PJ Collins is inactive and overweight and has never had a real crime to solve.
That is until human remains are discovered on a farm that are believed to belong to Tommy Burke, an old resident of the village who was last seen boarding a bus many years before.
Discovering that Tommy was romantically involved with two women in the village, Brid and Evelyn, PJ begins to unwind years of secrets, regret, devastation and resentment, in an attempt to unearth the truth.
Holding is the debut novel from comedian and TV presenter Graham Norton, who proves his writing capabilities by managing to subtly inject his distinctively dry sense of humour into a largely dark text.
The sleepy village of Duneen comes to life and brings with it a certain peculiar charm that combines with sadness, comedy and intrigue to form an easy-to-love and impressive first novel from Norton.
Erin Bateman
Thin Air: A Ghost Story by Michelle Paver is published in hardback by Orion, priced £12.99 (ebook £6.99)
THIS haunting new novel and long-awaited sequel to the chilling Dark Matter by Michelle Paver certainly doesn't disappoint. The plot of Thin Air is undeniably gripping and a genuine page-turner.
After finding herself mesmerized by the history, vastness and the terrifying solitude of the Himalayas, Paver used it as the setting for this undeniably gripping account of a 1935 expedition up Kangchenjunga.
Young medic Stephen Pearce joins his brother Kits and an elite team to attempt to scale the world's third highest mountain, following in the footsteps of tragic 1906 Lyell Expedition.
The mysterious potential of such a remote location presses the relatable Stephen to ask: "What if ghosts really were to exist?" We follow Stephen's reflective journey as he embarks on the expedition of a lifetime.
If you enjoyed Dark Matter, you'll love Thin Air. Step in with enthusiasm and excitement, yet the greatest of caution...
Alice Crick
The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood is published in hardback by Quercus, priced £14.99 (ebook £7.49)
IN MURKY and misty Halfoak, Lizzie Higgs in found dead on the hearth, burned to death by her husband who is adamant his wife is a changeling. This gruesome murder doesn't come as much of a surprise to the residents of the village, which is mired in sinister fairy folklore. Cousin Albie, horrified to hear of Lizzie's demise, decides to investigate.
The atmosphere Alison Littlewood conjures up in The Hidden People is absorbing and there's a real sense of foreboding, you feel the fairies might show themselves at any moment.
However, the Yorkshire dialect is, at times, distracting, and the pace very steady.
I suppose that's in homage to its Victorian horror roots, but I did find myself wanting to skip ahead to the next plot twist or turn.
Rachel Farrow
Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen is published in hardback by Simon & Schuster, priced £20 (ebook £9.99)
The veteran rocker's memoirs took seven years to write, and he's clearly dug deep; alongside the story of his triumphant musical career, the book contains the uncomfortable details of childhood as a grandmother-spoiled boy, depression, bereavements and relationship blunders.
We already know from his songs that he's smart and impassioned, a poet of small town lives and loves, and a fierce critic of the failures of the American dream.
That largely holds true for his prose too, though occasionally the manner which might work wonderfully for an on-stage anecdote can feel forced or repetitive on the page. Still, on the whole, this is a fascinating, funny portrait of an avoidant, indecisive control freak who's been hooked since age seven on the sacred power of rock'n'roll, and has done more than his fair share to keep that great tradition alive.
It may not make converts, but is essential reading for fans.
Alex Sarll
