FitzDuncan’s Gambit
The FitzDuncan Series Book 5
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Silver Medal for Fantasy, Readers’ Favorite 2023 Book Awards
Outnumbered? Feeling overwhelmed? Sounds like a great time to attack.
How many ways could you stretch yourself?
Caz’s skill and ability are stretched to the utmost when he is thrown into command of forces responsible for defending the Eastern March against the annual raid of the horse nomads from the east. Lucy faces an equal challenge, trying to restore Easton Manor after years of neglect and abuse. Caz gambles everything on a midnight raid that sends the nomads running.
Fenwick arrives with another mission commanded by the king. They are to travel to Scaramouche again, this time to obtain gems from the Vizier—gems that have supernatural properties that will benefit Caz and Fenwick. Accompanying them will be the crown prince, and Freddy as the dimwitted and obscene Lord Compote.
Waiting for Caz when he returns is an urgent plea from a father whose daughter has been captured by Rhetian pirates. Enlisting Fenwick’s assistance, Caz sets sail.
What can two men do against a gang of bloodthirsty pirates?
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FitzDuncan’s Gambit by John J. Spearman IV is the fifth book of The FitzDuncan Series. After being declared the legitimate son of a lord, Casimir FitzDuncan (Cas) rises to his new responsibilities, leading his troops brilliantly in the border skirmishes against the nomads despite being outnumbered in hostile terrain. Weary but not defeated, Cas returns home to his wife, Lucy, who has grown into her unique abilities just like Cas. Soon he must set off again with his friend Lord Rawlinsford (Freddy) to a foreign country to retrieve pieces of rare tan-zyan, playing a dangerous game that can cost them their lives. In the meantime, Cas travels to Easton Manor with his former foe-turned-companion Fenwick, the Royal Assassin, and finds himself having to rescue the daughter of a noble he was accused of kidnapping all those years ago.
Although low on fantasy, FitzDuncan’s Gambit contains plenty of political intrigues, compelling relationship dynamics, and thrilling battle sequences to satisfy the appetites of readers who enjoy stories set in medieval worlds. The one thing that John J. Spearman IV excels in above all is his portrayal of medieval warfare battle tactics. Every action sequence in this book is vividly described, with a logical structure around it that raises the stakes and make the narrative feel authentic and immersive. Character interactions are genuine and the dialogue gives the impression that these characters have known each other for a long time. I enjoyed this installment and recommend that for the best reading experience the books of this series should be read in the order of publication.
The fifth installment of Casimir FitzDuncan’s adventure series by John J. Spearman, FitzDuncan’s Gambit, blends a fictional memoir of war, shenanigans, and intrigue with the escapades of its venturesome hero, Caz.
As the stigma of being the bastard son of the Earl of the March fades for Casimir “Caz” FitzDuncan, now Lord Oritur, he embarks on a new role as a leader, duty-bound to protect the people of the March. Caz is off to conduct an unprecedented initiative in response to the continuous onslaught of Nomads on March. He determines not to let the nomads control the course of the battle as he takes an aggressive approach with the former rangers and armaments men at his side. However, his anxiety soon changes course as he considers whether his success will aggravate his willowy father’s anguish over his inability to rule and his mistakes from the past.
Meanwhile, the castle of Easton – the filthy and crumbling manor – undergoes a roller coaster of arduous renovations before ultimately ushering in a happy homecoming for the FitzDuncans. However, as peace and normalcy set in for Caz, his tendency to attract parlous escapades grabs hold of him. A trading agreement laced with manipulation and deception awaits him and his equally zealous collection of pals. The trouble knocks again at the door of FitzDuncan’s as Dr. Flamel, the soothsayer who foretold the bestowal of Caz’s birthright, prognosticates another prophecy. As the prognostication rings with peril and uncertainty, the miraculous insight of Lucy- the eccentric wife of Caz – convinces her- Caz must harness his abilities and link to the Martial Arts Gods.
The author’s explorations focus on the relationship of man with their spiritual authority. We see a strong correlation between luck and efficiency, as well as God’s assistance for people who strive for success, via Caz and his determination to attain his goals. As he overcomes one challenge after another, his persistence and his connection to divinity set him apart on the way to invincibility. As the story progresses from a tale of wars and intrigues to a magical realism portrayal, elements of diplomacy, adventure, and conflict are muddled together with the occult and Lucy’s off-center powers.
Another characteristic of fantasy fiction that appears throughout is carnivalesque. The dissatisfaction and frustration of Caz with Aquileia’s class structure lead him to defy the primitive rules of class even after his ascension to Lord Oritur. Though he still astounds at the regard he now receives against the treatment he had following his single stamp of bastard in the past, the negotiations between Caz and other subordinates set against the categories of influence. This characteristic contributes to the story’s brightness by releasing the dominant style or atmosphere through humor and disorder. The narrative recounts the adventures and experiences of Caz in the guise of a fictional memoir in the story. While the point-of-view is limited to one individual, with only Caz as the narrator, the characters are all well-developed and provide a lot of insight into their distinct personalities.
Quill says: FitzDuncan’s Gambit portrays a panorama of conflicts, conceits, and light-hearted concord – all engaging in a flight of fancy – as realistic and imaginative.