Last 6 remaining novels available
Fast-paced and colourful, Ronald Welch’s novels join up the dots of English history in a remarkably vivid and human way. The plots are gripping, the characters believable and the research meticulous. Elegantly designed and handsomely bound, they’re not only great reads but also distinguished additions to any bookshelf. Each title is published in a limited edition of 2,000 copies.
Many of the titles in the Cubs series have now sold out and are already fetching high prices from second-hand booksellers, but each can be read as a stand-alone adventure, so why not collect the final copies in this limited edition series now and collect the 6 remaining Ronald Welch novels?
No. 14, The Road to Waterloo
The manuscript of The Road to Waterloo lay unread among Ronald Welch’s papers for more than thirty years after his death and is published here, with specially commissioned illustrations, for the first time. Though not officially part of the Carey series, this novella fills a significant gap in the family story and fits neatly into the series – the French mother of its young protagonist James Carey, we learn, had fled to England during the Revolution, an episode which featured in the earlier novel Escape from France. Now James, at 17, is a Cornet in the 30th Light Dragoons, preparing to confront Napoleon Bonaparte, who has recently escaped from Elba. It’s a thrilling picture of the build-up to Wellington’s victory at Waterloo and of a great army preparing for battle, and it has all the inimitable Welch ingredients – a young hero who grows up during the course of the book, entirely believable characters and a fast-paced plot brought alive by vivid historical detail.
No. 13, Sun of York
Ronald Welch’s Sun of York is set during the final years of the Wars of the Roses, the long struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster for the English throne. Impoverished young aristocrat Owen Lloyd rides out with his father from the family’s run-down castle in the Welsh Marches to fight on the Yorkist side. He’s an angry young man, determined to reverse the family’s fortunes and take revenge on Sir John Turberville and his sons, who have laid claim to the Lloyds’ estate.
Brave and quick-thinking, Owen pursues his personal feud with the Turbervilles while at the same time distinguishing himself in battle and contributing to the victory of the Yorkist King Edward IV. He is introduced at Court, where he sees for the first time the enormous wealth of the City of London and is disillusioned by the cynical opportunism of those in power. Sun of York is a fascinating up-close picture of fifteenth-century politics – and an unexpected portrait of the future King Richard III. Finally, knighted and successful and with the family fortunes secured, Owen returns to Wales a wiser and more contented young man.
No. 11, Ensign Carey
In the seedy mid-nineteenth century London underworld, William Carey has a frightening encounter with George Hampton, a violent and unprincipled young man on the make. Banished from Cambridge as a result, in 1856 William travels to India, where his father has obtained a commission for him in the 84th Bengal Native Infantry, and his path again crosses that of Hampton. William is no saint, but when the Indian Mutiny breaks out among the native troops, he acts with generosity and courage.
No. 10, Nicholas Carey
It is 1853, and on holiday in Italy, Captain Nicholas Carey is persuaded by his cousin Andrew to help three Italian revolutionaries escape the Papal States. After returning to England, Nicholas runs his cousin to earth in Paris, and the two foil an assassination attempt on the Emperor Napoleon III. Rejoining his regiment Nicholas then distinguishes himself in the Crimea at the Battles of Sebastopol and The Redan.
No. 8, Escape from France
With news of the revolution in France, the Careys are anxious about the fate of their relatives, the aristocratic d’Assailly family. Young Richard Carey, still a Cambridge student, is sent secretly by his father Lord Aubigny on a mercy mission to bring them back to England. A complex tale of daring and disguise, and a vivid picture of revolutionary Paris.
No. 7, Mohawk Valley
In 1755 young Alan Carey is sent to the colony of New York by his father the Earl to look into his estates in Mohawk Valley. It’s a life-changing experience. Alan grows in moral stature as he deals with a dishonest bailiff, learns the ways of the virgin forest, overcomes hostile Indians and renders invaluable service to General Wolfe during the capture of Quebec.
‘Thank you once again for republishing these great books . . .’
'Thank you to all at Slightly Foxed for the full set of Ronald Welch's Carey novels you have produced over the last couple of years. I am enjoying working my way through them again and am very...
Read moreFor readers ‘who, like me, enjoy historical battles and will treasure these books . . . ’
‘The book Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch tells the story of a young Squire called Philip who (later on in the book) becomes a knight . . .’
Read more‘I look forward to introducing my grandchildren to the Careys . . .’
‘Thank you very much for The Road to Waterloo which arrived safely this morning – just as I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms after finishing the series . . .’
Read moreEscape from France | The news from Paris was brief and startling . . .
The news from Paris was brief and startling. King Louis, the Queen and all the Royal family had escaped from Paris and were believed to be making for the German frontier. Already a petition had been...
Read moreWolf Hall for kids: Why Ronald Welch’s novels will help your children fall in love with history
Ronald Welch, a tank commander turned schoolmaster, is one of the 20th century’s most underrated children’s writers. Like Hilary Mantel, he understood that what makes a lost epoch stick in your...
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