Alan Bray (1)Critiques

The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. If he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray’s haunting debut, The Hour of Parade.

The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the Battle of Austerlitz by Valsin’s lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.

Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.

He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.

But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)

What did I like about this book?

This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.

The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:

In Russia, the bells were different-they didn’t swing but were fixed in their towers and struck by hammers so that the sound was a sharp crack

Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.

I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.


This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.

There is nothing I dislike about this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. If he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray’s haunting debut, The Hour of Parade.

The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the Battle of Austerlitz by Valsin’s lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.

Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.

He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.

But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)

What did I like about this book?

This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.

The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:

In Russia, the bells were different-they didn’t swing but were fixed in their towers and struck by hammers so that the sound was a sharp crack

Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.

I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.


This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.

There is nothing I dislike about this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. If he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray’s haunting debut, The Hour of Parade.

The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the Battle of Austerlitz by Valsin’s lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.

Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.

He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.

But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)

What did I like about this book?

This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.

The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:

In Russia, the bells were different-they didn’t swing but were fixed in their towers and struck by hammers so that the sound was a sharp crack

Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.

I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.


This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.

There is nothing I dislike about this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. If he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray’s haunting debut, The Hour of Parade.

The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the Battle of Austerlitz by Valsin’s lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.

Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.

He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.

But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)

What did I like about this book?

This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.

The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:

In Russia, the bells were different-they didn’t swing but were fixed in their towers and struck by hammers so that the sound was a sharp crack

Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.

I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.


This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.

There is nothing I dislike about this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

The past pressed on him so that he felt he must fall to his knees. If he could just tell Valsin all that had happened—then the younger man might understand and redeem them both.
One violent act draws together three very different people in Alan Bray’s haunting debut, The Hour of Parade.

The year is 1806, and Russian cavalry officer Alexi Ruzhensky journeys to Munich to kill the man responsible for murdering his brother in a duel, French officer Louis Valsin. Already thwarted once at the Battle of Austerlitz by Valsin’s lover, Anne-Marie, Alexi has been told by his father not to fail again.

Obsessed by the main character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel Julie, Alexi becomes romantically entangled with a beautiful and passionate young Bavarian woman.

He hides his true identity and befriends Valsin and Anne-Marie, only to find that he has no thirst for blood. As the three grow closer, tensions mount as Alexi and Anne-Marie desperately try to resist their growing attraction.

But as the novel comes to its explosive conclusion, Alexi will learn that revenge cannot be forgotten so easily.
(Synopsis by Author/Publisher)

What did I like about this book?

This is like reading a great literary work from the 19th Century with all its complexity. Bray has surpassed expectations of details of the differences between nations, military uniforms and history, sexes, and customs of the day. I learnt real history of the battle of Austerlitz.

The book starts the way all great literatures begin, slowly and deliberately so that the reader gains an insight into all of the characters, their background and the settings. I was amazed at the details of customs and etiquettes of the day; how to dress, how to behave, expectation of women and men, and sexual liaisons. Such details as the sentence below:

In Russia, the bells were different-they didn’t swing but were fixed in their towers and struck by hammers so that the sound was a sharp crack

Rousseau is at the centre of this story for Ruzhensky, and the emotions invoked by ‘Julie’ is so clearly portrayed in Bray’s character. The Hour of Parade has much of the philosophical discussion portrayed in its chapters as did the great writers of Rousseau’s time.

I enjoyed each character so much, I wanted to step back in time and join them for afternoon coffee in the cafe and discuss the nature of the day. I felt the despair, the anger and the longing through Bray’s words. The title is so cleverly woven into the story as being a relatively small part but having a huge impact. I loved how the story unfolded for each character, both individually and together.


This book satisfied my need to re-acquaint myself with the style of literature written during the early 19th century. I believe this book would be enjoyed by men and women who love classic literature. I look forward to reading more from Alan Bray.

There is nothing I dislike about this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

Set in Munich 1806, The Hour of Parade by Alan Bray is an epic historical-fiction that hearkens back to a time when literature was rich with vivid characters, and larger than life plots. Set after the Napoleonic Wars, the main character, Alexi Ruzhensky, a Russian cavalry officer, sets out on a trail of revenge; he is sent by his father to kill the French Officer who had killed his brother during a duel. Rather than complete his mission, he befriends his target, although complications will result, such as Ruzhensky's affair with the Frenchman's mistress. The story is written in the style of the early 19th century-it is epic and portrays classic themes, such as romance (a love triangle), revenge, pride, war and friendship. This is Mr. Bray's first novel, yet his style is one that compares to literature's greats, such as Tolstoy, who has a bit part within the story. The Hour of Parade offers readers an epic tale, written as if it were penned during the 19th century, with a plot that widens bit by bit as it arrives at it's volatile conclusion. Truly a beautifully written story.