Swearing Allegiance

This author writes epic and dramatic family sagas set during turbulent times in history On this occasion we have a fantastic story set during the first world war The story starts in Ireland at the time of the Easter uprising and we meet the Carmody family The children consider themselves Irish but they have an English mother and the family is divided as to whether the rebels are heroes or traitors.The story moves at a fast pace as the family are caught up in the troubles and eventually they move [...]

Fans of Ken Follett should download Swearing allegiance What an awesome historical saga, extremely well researched, reminiscent of Ken Follett The story of the Carmody family as they are forced to leave Ireland after the failed uprising and move to London as the first world war rages The author s use of description as she weaves her story is wonderful.I have read two other books by the author, Jana Petken, that s The Errant Flock and the Scattered Flock, both of which I enjoyed immensely, but Sw [...]

One thing I really must have to enjoy a novel is characters I care about In this well researched, fast paced historical novel, I quickly grew to care about the members of the Carmody family Jenny, the spoiled young woman, who grows up fast her older brother, Patrick, the upstanding young physician and her younger brother, Danny, who gets involved in the dangerous birth of the IRA and the Easter uprising of 1913 Through them, we are immersed in what life was like a hundred years ago in Ireland, E [...]

Amazing

This is a sweeping family saga set during the Dublin Easter uprising and the First World War The Carmodys are a well to do Irish family living a charmed life in Dublin Tragic events following the 1916 Easter uprising sees the family at odds with each other and forced to move to London.Young firebrand Danny is supporting the cause of an independent Ireland This puts him at odds with his brother Patrick who decides to join the Royal navy Jenny his spoiled sister finds herself penniless and forced [...]

Jana Petken s Swearing Allegiance The Carmody Saga Book 1 is a compelling family saga set between Ireland and WWI London Each family member has a heart wrenching tale to tell and we re rooting for them all the way Petken s narrative is chilling and real, taking us through all the emotions while filling in details of Germany s war against England and a tale within a tale, the ongoing story of the Irish Rebellion With the Carmody son s dragged off to war, and the loss of the renowned doctor and le [...]

A wonderful, wonderful read regarding Irish and British history that easily gets you hooked and keeps you reading late into the night Exceptional characters that you relate to and emphasise with Jana Petken really knows how to develop her characters and gets you into their heads The Carmody family are an Irish loyalist family fighting to protect their land during WW1 I read this on my kindle and thought it may catch fire such was the power of the detailed horrific scenes.Historical history was n [...]

Wow What a rich, brilliant story set during World War I There s war, betrayal, and even love Petken s writing is the best part poetic yet genuine, devastating but inspiring I experienced an array of emotions while reading this book the author had me in the palm of her hand.This story is a perfectly woven tale of action, heart ache, and sacrifice with so many well drawn characters, all of which I felt invested in even the ones I didn t like very much.It s well researched with dramatic flair and h [...]

Swearing allegiance is a novel of historical fiction, and a very good one.In smoothly written language it quickly draws the reader into the world of the Carmody family of Ireland, 1916 It is a moment that will change forever the fortunes and lives of everyone in that tightly knit group.The book begins with Danny Carmody surrounded by British troops in the Dublin General Post Office along with his fellow Republican rebels All know that the Easter Rebellion , as it is now known, has failed what th [...]

If I could give than 5 Stars I would, simply for the research I realize had to be invested in before writing this amazing narrative Much like life, this story invites you in and introduced characters in an unhurried, realistic manner that gives you time to get to know them and decide whether or not you like them Complex and fully developed, they, in turn, relate their tale spinning history out through a perspective that was comprehensible and engaging I never enjoyed History class in school, bu [...]

Swearing Allegiance is an excellent piece of historic fiction that places the reader squarely in WWI I found myself swept away in time as I read about the Carmody family, three Irish siblings who went from riches to rags after the untimely death of their father Patrick, Jenny, and Danny each deal with the blow in their own way, growing and maturing in the process, as the war marches on The war scenes are particularly well done, showing both great skill from the writer as well as the incredible a [...]

Surviving chaosI could not put this book down All the main characters anxious to get on with their lives a doctor ready to see his laborious research used to help patients two new doctors ready to begin their work of saving lives a young woman ready to say her vows and become a wife and mother a young man ready to learn how to fight for Irish independence All dreams shattered in one awful evening The family that survives this is a remarkable one Read it and enjoy.

War and PeaceNo matter what the circumstances or the location war is always horrendous The Killing and maiming of our young men and women is something that we should not get used to This novel made that very clear in the lives of several people But it also made very clear how much they longed for peace.

Entertaining and Well WrittenI enjoyed reading the book The character development was excellent, and writing superb The only reason I didn t give it 5 stars was there was not closure to me in a particular area that is a large part of the story.

A very nice book Great setting in place and time Loved it

Interesting family saga Holds your attention Would want to read about the Carmody Family How about Book 2 Can t wait to read the sequel.

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review completely hooked, and desperate to read the next instalment Helen Hollickfounder DDRevs

Great fast moving story I didn t want it to end.

Gripping I didn t want it to end.

Trus a grand glorious family storyBoth a tragedy and a love story with all the Irish emotions and calamities Great characterization and filled with intensity.

Historical RomanceSeldom do I give reviews and haven t enjoyed many romance novels for years, but this book called for an exception The well developed characters and depth of historical background were mated beautifully.

Swearing Allegiance by Jana Petken continues the amazing series of historical romances this superb author keeps turning out This is the fourth Petken novel I ve read and it will be far from the last Her work is detailed, very character driven and her research, to my mind, is as good as anyone I ve read who writes historical fiction The four books I ve read to date, cover diverse and differing periods of human history from the Spanish Inquisition The Errant Flock to the U.S Civil War Dark Shadows [...]

I ve said it before, and I ll probably say it again several times, but historical novels aren t really my thing However, each time I happen to see Jana Petken has a new book out, I end up picking it up and getting sucked right into it, regardless of that alleged stance on historical fiction This, is of course, because Petken is a masterful storyteller and has an uncanny knack of creating captivating, sprawling epics.Swearing Allegiance The Carmody Saga Book 1 is the first book in what is obviou [...]

A thoroughly researched novel that begins with the Irish rebellion in Dublin in 1916 and moves to the front lines of World War I I had to read this book because it is billed as The Carmody Saga, Book 1 I have a friend who is a Carmody Of course, the family depicted here is fictional The events with which they become entangled are all too real, however The week long rising and its aftermath, is followed by imprisonment in Frongoch, in North Wales for young Danny.Danny s father is shot whilst coll [...]

I m a great fan of Jana Petken s writing storytelling and was excited to discover her latest novel, Swearing Allegiance The Carmody Saga Book 1 Set during The Great War WW1 comes a story that depicts wartime, vividly excruciating and brilliantly written From page one, the action begins full on, unrelenting in the horrors of war torn Irish loyalists fighting to protect their land Innocent civilians are shot down in the street and we instantly gain sympathy for the characters we meet, and our hear [...]

I picked up this book expecting a fantastic story, and I was not disappointed The story is so rich in detail and imaginary, I felt as though I was experiencing everything the characters were The most vivid part was in the trenches, amid the muck and blood, with rotten bodies sticking up through the mire And when Kevin was reading his letters, I kept praying, please don t let him get shot Of course, I m not going to tell you what happened There are a lot of historical events in this story, and th [...]

Swearing Allegiance, book one of The Carmody Saga, takes place in Dublin, Ireland in 1916, during the Irish Rebellion, and the first part of the Great War Jana Petken is a master storyteller and a magnificent writer I ve read every one of her books and have never been disappointed They have all been five star reads, and Swearing Allegiance is no different Once I started reading this book, I couldn t stop From the very first page, I was swept up into the author s world A world ravaged by war, los [...]

I am a big fan of Jana Petken s Mercy Carver series so I was expecting a good book but I was blown away by Swearing Allegiance I believe this to be this author s best book yet and that is saying a lot I know a first class, top notch author when I encounter one and Ms Petken is that in every way.What won me over so completely are the characters with depth and heart, each with a riveting story to tell These are not cardboard shell characters, they are living, breathing beings with dreams, struggle [...]

Set in the early years of WWI, SWEARING ALLEGIANCE tells the story of the Carmody s, an Irish family living in Dublin The saga begins with the 1916 Easter Uprising against the British in which the youngest son, Danny Carmody, takes part The elder son, Patrick and his father, Dr Robert Carmody, while not part of the rebellion, find themselves in harm s way as they try to retrieve the doctor s research materials from the college Waiting at home, are Dr Carmody s wife, Susan, and her mother, Minnie [...]

I m a big fan of historical fiction, and as a historical fiction writer Jana Petken is one of the best I ve read all of her books, and it keeps amazing me how different they all are, with a wide range of characters that you come to love and hate, and yet still remain highly realistic and factual, which I very much appreciate in this particular genre Swearing Allegiance follows the story of the Carmody family, caught in the turmoil of the civil war and later WWI As with all the previous Petken s [...]