Hold Fast

Reviews / Votes

"A Ripping Napoleonic War Adventure....an immersive, entertaining debut....[a] thoughtful, learned depiction of this deeply engrossing period in history." -- Michael Patrick Brady - The ARTery "Picture this: James Bond in a red coat, tight white breeches, and a powdered wig topped off with an odd mesalliance between a top hat and a cowboy hat....[A] rip-roaring novel." -- Susan Lowell - Historical Novel Society "Brilliant writing, vivid characters, thrilling battle scenes-all the hallmarks of great historical fiction are to be found in this suspenseful tale of an English intelligence agent in the war against Napoleon. Fans of the late Patrick O'Brian will be enthralled." -- Ian W. Toll, New York Times best-selling author of Twilight of the Gods "In Hold Fast, J. H. Gelernter has given us a stirring adventure tale with a headlong narrative that never flags. Set midway through the Napoleonic Wars, its immensely resourceful and appealing hero, Thomas Grey (humorous; cool-minded; lethal but not bloodthirsty), cuts a spectacular path through a richly imagined early nineteenth-century world. Readers will know at once that if Mr. Gelernter can bring simmering suspense to each hand dealt in an antique French card game they have most likely never even heard of, he won't disappoint them when it comes to warships hammering it out yardarm to yardarm, or in the more intimate violence of a rapier duel. Although most of the action takes place on land, the novel is imbued throughout with the spirit of the Royal Navy in the great age of fighting sail, and I hope to take many more voyages in the company of Captain Grey." -- Richard Snow, award-winning author of Iron Dawn "This is superb, like a great Cold War thriller, smart, fast, twisty and dangerous. Highly recommended." -- Lee Child "Gelernter keeps the suspense high without sacrificing plausibility. Bernard Cornwell fans will welcome this promising new talent." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Gelernter's first novel is a pleasing romp through James Bond territory, set back a century and several decades and moved to Napoleonic France." -- David Keymer - Library Journal