On a Foreign Field: A Story of Loyalty and Brotherhood

by Hazel B. West

Sir Reeve Montgomery is an Englishman born and bred, proud of his heritage and the right to serve his country fighting against the Scottish rebels. But when the tide is turned unexpectedly during the Battle of Stirling Bridge, he is wounded by an English arrow, left for dead by his comrades, and taken captive by Wallace's army. Wounded, and alone on a foreign field, he knows he should expect nothing but torture and death at the hands of the Scottish rebels who are known to be complete savages. But as he comes to know this tight brotherhood better, and sees Wallace's utter devotion to his men and the cause of freedom, Reeve begins to wonder whether the English are right to oppress them. Faced with these troubling thoughts, Reeve must decide whether he will stay true to his king, or join this brotherhood of freedom fighters, thus turning his back on everything he has ever known or believed in. This new novel by Hazel West is a thought-provoking, heartfelt read about the true meaning of loyalty and brotherhood.

Genres: Historical Fiction

360 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2012

About the author

Hazel B. West is the author of several novels including historical titles like On a Foreign Field, By Blood or By Bond; Wolfsblood, a book about werewolves in Roman Britain and the Modern Tales of Na Fianna series, which feature modern Irish warriors with swords and fast sports cars and lots of faeries.

Hailing from Purgatory (aka, Florida) Hazel is an indie author, book wyrm, and coffee connoisseur. She typically enjoys writing books with an unconventional flair, probably with a bit of folklore and mythology, most definitely with a lot of siblings or brothers-in-arms. When she’s not writing, she manages an Etsy shop, drinks a lot of coffee, listens to music, haunts conventions, or just holes up like an eldritch horror and binges her favorite shows—for inspiration. If you meet this rare creature on the street, she has been known to respond to the offer of coffee and old bookstores. But it’s probably best you try to contact her online first.

Reviews

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Christmas present to myself and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It’s the kind of story I just really like - where two enemies become friends. Plus all the historical information was a bonus. I knew some of the history already, but through this I learned a lot more about William Wallace and the Scottish rebellion.

I picture myself reading this sometime again in the future which is why I gave this five stars.

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

==============================================
Review when I read it the first time (July 28-29?):
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It has taken a while to write this review and I have excuses. I have been on vacation (and had all kinds of adventures fall upon me (or maybe I fell into them) (non-serious things like drowning), which I will not list for that is not the purpose of a book review), my computer has crashed more times than what is quite natural (thus losing what I had written on the review multiple times), and while I was reading this book we were about to leave to enjoy the aforementioned vacation. Now unto the review…

First of all, for some reason, the writing style of this book now strikes me as exceptional. It wasn't all action; in fact there was a good dose (not too much, though) of inner turmoil (YESSS!!!!!!), yet it was constantly invoking my attention. The way the author had Sir Reeve be taken by the Scots and everything resulting thereby was just marvelously done. I always like this sort of book, yet I fear that I may be doomed to say that I have read only one other, yet this cannot be true, so I won't say it.

As for the plot, I expected something excellently done, as I have always had glorious experiences with Hazel West's books. What I got was better than I thought possible (as custom when reading books by this author). Nearly every book has a plot, but this book had a true plot. In what way did it have a true plot? I have no idea. Perhaps it was because the plot pulled you in into the consciousness into which only readers can pass, converting the least among plot points into the most vivid origin of feeling that the reader has ever known. It may be the accurate and evocative depictions of emotion, thus drawing upon the reader's own sympathies. There! Two hypothesis, but really, I have no clue. I just have a post-sentiment that my two theories were almost exactly the same. What I am trying to say is, there is a whole bunch of stuff that is hugely better than junk. What is this non-junk? Here comes a list! I love lists. Think 1st and 2nd party inward strife, which takes physical manifestations (Yay? YAAAAYYY!); abandonment and betrayal; camaraderie; large battles; more betrayal; raids; WILLIAM WALLACE; cooking; archery; stolen clothes; small-scale fights (the author is suspiciously good at writing small-scale fights); immobility; a bonus plot with Robert Bruce. Oh! And Councils! Well, this is just wonderful! I was going to list a whole bunch of good stuff, but I'm so overwhelmed just remembering it that I can't pinpoint any single thing. Well, anyway, think this and then you may be able to peer at the reflection of the first layer of the majesty of On A Foreign Field. Well, I had better move on.

Are the characters worthy of the plot? Worthy is the word. Take Sir Reeve for example, since you have to put up with him throughout most of the book. He's a good chap; brave, impudent, and chivalrous. I'm not too good at listing the qualities of a character apparently, for I was sure he had more. William Wallace, of course, was, in understatement, well portrayed, being an excellent leader, one who despises politics, and one of the best just as a person. His band had wonderful and diverse members, all of whom I enjoyed immensely. Although there were such extraordinary secondary characters, I believe I liked Sir Reeve better than them, which is strange for me. Well, I'm not too good at writing about characters, so… ONWARD!!!!!

As for the historical accuracy, Hazel West purposely changed a couple of things for the sake of the story, but told of those changes in the author's notes.

Surely with all this merit the book has, it must have something not so worthy. This is true. The author did state that the book was going to be realistic. It comes in way of content. And that comes in way of cursing. However, I believe there was only one noteworthy word, that being "da"*"n," if you take my meaning correctly.

Well, that's about all I can write, and after all that time, I want to get this review out there. I write in a hurry, so I am sorry if there are any typographical errors.

[Rebecca Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history. Add in a good story from an excellent fiction writer and you have me sold. Hazel West crafted a wonderful story in On a Foreign Field.

You’ve heard of William Wallace. Yes, this book is about him. No, he’s not the main character. This book is more about the people who followed Wallace including Reeve, an English soldier, who was able to step back and see the bloody reality of war.

I have to admit that I normally do not like a ton of narrative. I like lots of dialogue mixed in. Ms. West is not one to do that. At first, I was expecting to be frustrated with a slow paced story, but that proved incorrect. Ms. West kept me completely interested as I read faithfully from page to page. The large amount of narrative was important and kept the story moving along instead of bogging it down.

To be honest, the fact that the main character is not William Wallace drew me in. This is a story of a man who started out hating the leader and would have struck him down but for the problem of being honorable. It’s a story of courage, inner struggles, a little love, decisions, and brotherhood.

Ms. West’s writing style is engaging and designed to keep the reader’s attention. Her attention to detail is amazing. I found myself on the battlefield with the swords clanging around my head and the arrows shooting past me in a blur. I could actually look down and see the blood flow on the battlefield. That is good writing. But most of all her characters are real. They all have flaws. They are all struggling with something, but they all love and hate with a passion. These characters can be related to which is not always easy for a writer.

I do need to warn you that the battle scenes are graphic. They are not as graphic as I’m sure a move of this could make it, but from a reader’s point of view, Ms. West does not back down from blood and the truth of war. It is not a pretty site.

Ms. West is one of the most talented authors I have read. Her words draw you in and put right there in the midst of the battle between England and Scotland. You walk away actually thinking you have met the legendary William Wallace. This takes a lot of talent.

I highly recommend this historical fiction book if like history. If you are a William Wallace fan, get a look at him from a different perspective.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a teenage Jacobite whose imagination was fueled by Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott. The Jacobites were supporters of the Scottish Stuart Kings after Scotland had formally become part of a new entity called Great Britain through the Acts of Union . I read a great many books dealing with The Battle of Culloden. In the Battle of Culloden the Jacobite cause was led to defeat by Bonnie Prince Charlie.

As an adult, I learned that many contemporary Scots thought the Stuart prince had been "a right Charlie" which is UK slang for being a fool. I began to question whether the restoration of the Stuart dynasty would have benefited Scotland myself. Had the Stuarts ever really cared about the Scots? Did any royal house care about more than maintaining its own power?

I knew that before the Stuarts ruled in Scotland there had been an earlier hero of the cause of Scottish independence who hadn't been a prince or even a nobleman. His name was William Wallace. His story was popularized in the Mel Gibson movie Braveheart . As a commoner in the 13th century, William Wallace never expected to rule Scotland. He simply wanted to end the tyrannical abuses of English rule. Surely from the perspective of this democratically inclined American, William Wallace made a far better iconic figure than the Bonnie Prince. Yet I had never researched Wallace or even read historical fiction about him.

Hazel West has written a William Wallace novel that I still haven't read called Freedom Come All Ye. I decided to read her second novel dealing with William Wallace, On A Foreign Field, because it has an unusual focus. The central character is an Englishman named Reeve Montgomery captured on the field of battle while he was fighting the rebel forces led by William Wallace.
Like Reeve Montgomery, my perspective was changed—maybe not by William Wallace, but by Hazel West’s portrayal of him. I learned so much more than I expected from this book.

For my complete review see my March 2013 blog post "Playing Red Rover With William Wallace: On A Foreign Field by Hazel West" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com

[Hazel West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi there (Author review, obviously) I just wanted to let everyone know how much I enjoyed writing this book and that I hope anyone who picks it up will enjoy it just as much. It's one of those that I hope can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Reeve and the brotherhood of Wallace's band are the kind of characters anyone can relate to, and I hope readers will sympathize, laugh, and cry with them. Check out my Author's page to read about "On a Foreign Field" on my blog and excerpts. Slainte, Hazel

[Lynnann Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently finished reading On a Foreign Field by Hazel West.

The story opens with the main character, Reeve, an English knight, and his companions readying themselves for the infamous Battle at Sterling Bridge. During the ensuing fight, Reeve is injured by, not only the Scottish warriors, but also by his own country's archers. When the English army retreats, Reeve's own best friend leaves him behind to be captured by the Scottish army of the epic hero William Wallace.

As Reeve does the work of a slave in the Scottish camp, he comes to appreciate the true camaraderie and complete devotion of Wallace's men, and finds himself wondering if he is fighting for the right side.

On a Foreign Field is an exciting, coming-of-age story of fighting for freedom and family, and the comradeship of brotherly love. I really enjoyed reading it, and, Yup, it made me cry just a little.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Yes. It’s simple, but very poetical. It suit’s the story perfectly. And there are no character impersonators.

Characters: Reeve is an excellent protagonist for a camaraderie story. He’s seemingly devoted to his country until it betrays him, and he comes to truly understand the Scottish cause. And once his loyalties have been gained, he is fiercely loyal; the best sort of friend to have watching your back on the battlefield. But probably some of my favorite characters were in the supporting cast. My heart always goes out to the “tortured souls,” and Galeyn was the one who played the role. I don’t normally like hot-headed characters, but I felt such great sympathy for him. He was just a boy; I wanted so badly to give him a big hug and never let him out of my sight. The two girls, Maggie and Adeline, were wonderfully strong female characters. Maggie was tough and quite capable of taking care of herself, but she retained a regal-like, feminine bearing. Adeline reminded me of Lorena in By Blood or By Bond: she was ready to find pleasure in the simplest things, and had a quiet strength about her. But probably the hardest character to make real to the Reader was William Wallace himself. He has become such a prominent figure in history, and such a very definitive one, that it’s a challenge for Authors to write him in a way that allows the Reader to actually connect to him. Hazel West pulls it off. She abandons the inaccurate Braveheart portrayal and presents him to us with emotions we can understand, a personality that we can easily say, “Yeah, I know someone like that.” But she still manages to maintain the aura of “legendary historical figure” that makes William Wallace so intriguing. On a Foreign Field isn’t swimming with villains, but however brief Menteith is in the story, he comes across as downright dangerous right off, and I actually thank that had he been in the story more, he might have lost some of that intimidation. I absolutely hated Gerard for abandoning Reeve on the battlefield. Yeah, he had a wife to think about, but the whole time Gerard was like, “I don’t want to die today!” It’s like he wasn’t ever thinking of Reeve at all; only himself, which just made him all the more despicable.

The Romance: This Author writes the kind of romance that I like: it’s there, but it’s subtle, and doesn’t get in the way of things. The romance between Reeve and Maggie is just that, and it comes across as a very deep affection - true love, not some sudden infatuation, even though Maggie and Reeve really haven’t known each other horribly long.

Plot: Anyone who knows anything about William Wallace will be familiar with the general plot. Since this is not an alternate history story, the end is predictable, but the Author gets Readers to care about Wallace so much that I dreaded what I knew was going to happen. But the story doesn’t just focus on Wallace’s rebellion; it’s a story of camaraderie; of finding a cause truly worth fighting for; of gaining brothers when one would never expect to find any. Doesn’t really sound like much of a storyline, probably. But between the very engaging battles and skirmishes, I had a lot of fun reading about the characters’ developing friendships. This is more of a character-driven story than a plot-driven one, and I liked it. I also liked that Reeve didn’t actually play any major role in historical events, but was a mere observer; it makes it easier to believe that maybe, just maybe, Reeve - or someone very like him - actually existed. With a historical setting that so many people know, it’s pointless to try and create suspense, when everyone knows what happened to Wallace. So it’s better to write about the characters.

Believability: I happen to personally know that Hazel West does extensive research for her books, which definitely showed in On a Foreign Field. Her comfort with the era was extremely evident, through the little details and the ease with which she wrote about the major events. She knows what she’s writing about, because she’s done the research. The Author was also able to convince me that Maggie could travel with a bunch of men and not have it be a problem, for several reasons: One, Maggie’s brother was among the men; two, Maggie had a personality that allowed it, and three, Adeline’s added presence makes it to where she’s not the only woman among them, and that always makes such a situation more convincing.

Writing Style: Very good. Her battle scenes are easy to follow, and her sentences blessedly un-choppy. She does reiterate things like “brotherhood” and “brotherly love” and “brotherly camaraderie” to a point that begins to feel redundant, but her reasons for pounding the “brotherhood” aspect of the men’s relationship is a very good one. Nowadays, people seem to think that guys can’t be really good friends - indeed, can’t really care about each other - unless they’re gay. The concept of brotherhood and camaraderie has died out. So the Author wanted to make it abundantly clear that Reeve and Wallace and Galeyn and Gavin and everyone else were not - I repeat, not,/i> - gay at all, and unfortunately the only way she could do that was by repeating to the Reader that they have a brotherly affection for one another. On these grounds, I completely excuse the redundancy of it, and considering that the Author had to do all of her own editing, what spelling errors there are can also be excused.

Content: None.

Conclusion: We all know what happened to William Wallace. In fact, I know what happened to him so well that I cease to feel even slightly sad when I read Wallace’s death in books anymore. But I admit that I cried when I read the end of On a Foreign Field. I felt so awful for Reeve. And in not writing the gory details of his executing, but rather simply implying the violence, made the scene so much more emotional. In summary: I thought this book was a triumph. The characters were very likable and the writing good. The Author once more demonstrates her ability to make Readers care immensely for her characters.

Recommended Audience: Guy-and-girl read, thirteen-and-up, perfect for historical fiction fans.

[Melanie Cusick-Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This my first historical YA book in about a year, and this was a nice refresher.

Hazel writes about war and brotherhood really well, letting the dialogue and actions of her characters show the camaraderie and affection that exists between them. Reeve is interesting in his development, from being somewhat naive and idealistic as an English knight, to being more idealistic and honourable as a Scottish rebel, but more realistically so.

I liked the presentation of true brothers and loyalty between soldiers in this book - it felt quite realistic, and I do believe that people fighting for a cause they believe in, over and above a paycheck or lofty ideal, will be the stronger of the two. This definitely came through in this novel.

Wallace was an interesting character - I often found myself lost in the 'domestic' level of the story, watching the men going about their daily lives, that I forgot that some of the characters were significant historical figures. They were accessible and admirable at the most basic human level; they supported one another and valued brotherhood and security for their families above all else.

The historic backdrop is well presented: from the battles and lengthy breaks between them, to the villages and people they encounter. Hazel is very descriptive in her writing and I felt she built a strong world around her characters that I could visualise and relate to.

Overall, this was an interesting read, with strong characters and was a new take on seeing Wallace from an Englishman's perspective. The historical notes and 'add in' scenes at the end of the novel are interesting for readers and writers alike, for understanding how historical research and facts became fiction.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the smooth writing style of Hazel West and was immediately caught up in the high adventure and thrill of English and Scottish men battling it out with swords. The story revolves around Reeve Montgomery, an English knight, who is injured in "friendly fire" (so to speak) and then left behind on the battlefield where he is captured by the Scottish rebels. William Wallace likes him from the start and it is the beginning of a strong friendship. From the historical perspective, I think that the scenes where there are illnesses, childbirths and war injuries are perhaps not totally accurate in their portrayal of the medical treatment and should have included bloodletting, cupping and herbal medicines. The childbirths were lightly glossed over when this actually was a very dangerous thing for both the woman and the baby with high mortality rates at the time. I was a bit disappointed to learn that the main character, Reeve, was not a real person but I felt that his inner conflict about which side he should fight on provided a very interesting twist. There was a light sprinkling of romance in the storyline balancing the battle scenes. All in all, a very delightful read!

[Kathleen Garlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sir Reeve Montgomery is wounded, not only by friendly fire at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, but by the callousness of the men who left him behind to die. Men he viewed as friends. Captured by his enemies, he learns the true meaning of friendship and loyalty among the band of brothers who fight under the inspired leadership of William Wallace.

On a Foreign Field is a good book; one I think that would be especially enjoyed by boys looking for a story about loyalty and camaraderie as well as some pretty great fight scenes. Actually, my biggest complaint about the book is that so much of it is spent on descriptions and internal conflicts and less on action. It's during the fight scenes, whether they be battles or merely scuffles between the men, that the writing comes alive and almost jumps off the page.

[Linda Ulleseit · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so hard to find good books for teen boys. This one is perfect, although girls will like it, too. There's something universal about the bond shared by a group of people united by strife, whether male or female, that makes this book appeal to everyone.

This story of an Englishman coming to grips with his beliefs about loyalty and brotherhood is very moving. I expected the character of William Wallace to be bigger than life, but he came across as just a man. Perfect for a story where each member of Wallace's band had something to contribute.

I love historical fiction, and will eagerly be checking out other books by this author.

[Steven Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read with excellent character studies of the protagonist and William Wallace. Detail and settings were well done. The author showed an excellent understanding of period weapons and lifestyle.

It earned a 4 star rating from me and not a 5 because much of the story was told to the reader through an internal dialogue of the protagonist and I would have prefered more of it shown to me through the actions of the characters(primarily in character developement of the slightly more minor characters that were important to the plot's movement).

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story set during the rebellion of the Scottish against the English lead by William Wallace told through the eyes of an English soldier. A new approach that I have not read before and can say I thoroughly loved. There were a few fictional characters mainly the said soldier Reeve, who gives such an honest and courageous view. Each one was interesting and engaging. You feel the honor these men had and the respect earned by each other and what it meant to gain Scotland's freedom. Not only is the story such a good one but the characters just had me from the get go. Loved this book!

[Angel Lepire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for a read-in I signed up to do in Feb, and I'm sad to say I didn't finish it in time to participate in those discussions. But there was no way I would fail to finish this book. It's not something I would probably ever chose to read on my own (just not my genre), but I'm so glad to have read it. It is extremely well written, the characters are very engaging, and the story has a great flow. Highly recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction, tales of war or books about brotherhood. It is very accurately titled! Well done to this talented writer.

[KarenLana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a relatively new reader of Historical Fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are very well drawn and I was quickly drawn into appreciating them and their various struggles. I confess, the story had me in tears at the end. Now, thanks to the author, I'm going to do further reading on William Wallace.

[Candace Hinnergardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the story! All of the ideas that went into the plot made for a great story...BUT I wasn't a big fan of the writing style. It seemed very two dimensional to me. I felt disconnected from the characters. It was like I was just an observer from afar. Also, there were some grammatical errors. I would suggest that the author have more people proofread for misuse of words, awkward wording, and missing words. I will point out one mistake for an example. When Maggie is talking she says that Reeve is "notorious" for his cooking. Notorious is used as a synonym of infamous. It is not a synonym for famous. If it was meant to be notorious in a sarcastic way then context clues were not provided to make that clear.

[Csimplot Simplot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!!!