Military Fiction by Jay Tarzwell
Standalone military fiction. Each book covers a different Canadian battle, a different era, a different protagonist.
Standalone military fiction. Each book covers a different Canadian battle, a different era, a different protagonist. Read in any order.
Canada's military history is full of extraordinary stories that most people have never heard. From the Boer War to Afghanistan, Canadian soldiers have fought in some of the most brutal engagements in modern warfare -- often punching far above their weight, often forgotten by the world.
The Canada at War series brings these stories to life through the eyes of unlikely soldiers. Not career warriors or decorated heroes, but ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances who discover what they're capable of when survival demands it.
Each book stands alone. Read in any order.
Toronto pickpocket Thomas Kettle enlists to dodge the law and ends up charging Boer trenches at Paardeberg. Flashman meets the Boer War.
GET ON AMAZON LISTEN FREE ON YOUTUBEFans of Paardeberg's blend of historical accuracy and roguish protagonists will find more across the Crimson PulpFic catalog:
The Battle of Paardeberg (February 18-27, 1900) was the first major engagement fought by Canadian forces as a national unit. During the Second Boer War in South Africa, the Royal Canadian Regiment helped force the surrender of Boer General Piet Cronje and 4,000 of his men along the Modder River. It was Canada's first significant military victory on foreign soil and marked the country's emergence as a military nation.
Yes. The battle, the Royal Canadian Regiment's involvement, and the historical context are all real. The novel uses real locations, real military units, and real tactical situations from the Second Boer War. The protagonist Thomas Kettle is fictional, but his experience -- enlisting under false pretenses, the Atlantic crossing, the march across South Africa, and the night assault at Paardeberg -- is grounded in documented accounts from Canadian soldiers who were there.
Yes. Each Canada at War book is completely standalone. Different battle, different era, different protagonist. The series is united by theme -- Canadian soldiers in extraordinary circumstances -- not by characters or plot. Read in any order, or pick the battle that interests you most.
Yes. The series concept covers Canadian military history from the Boer War through modern operations. Each book will feature a different battle and a new protagonist. Subscribe to our newsletter for release announcements.
Yes! Paardeberg is available as a free audiobook on YouTube. You can listen to the full audiobook at no cost.
Fans of Paardeberg typically enjoy George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series (roguish anti-heroes in real battles), Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels (Gettysburg), and Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series (Napoleonic Wars). For more Canadian military fiction, try Cole Black's Ice Breaker series -- near-future Arctic military thriller.