Chester Memories: Novelist explores Napoleonic battles
A FORMER Chester College student is getting to grips with the Napoleonic Wars in his first book.
Peter Youds, 54, who lives in Chester, has published an historical novel about the Battle of Corunna, which he describes as the Dunkirk of the Napoleonic Wars.
The book, Alone with Glory, is the first in the Ties of Blood series which will run to eight novels.
Son of Jack Youds, a professional golfer, Peter studied English and drama at the then Chester College and once trod the boards at the Chester Gateway Theatre as part of a Cheshire County Council youth theatre project. (This is in lower case because it wasn't the actual Youth Theatre run by CCC).
January 16 this year was the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Corunna, fought by British general Sir John Moore. He fought an heroic last stand to enable his army to escape to return to Spain to confront the French, under the man who would later become the Duke of Wellington.
The series of novels will tell the compelling story of how this small British force defied the might of Napoleon for seven years before finally defeating him at Waterloo.
Peter said: "This is a big challenge, researching and writing eight books in seven years, but discovering what men and women from many different backgrounds went through all of those years ago is really amazing. These are the times that inspired War and Peace, Vanity Fair and Jane Austen's novels, as well as more modern series such as Sharpe, Jack Aubrey and Hornblower.
Peter's own stories use fictional characters to describe many of the real events that influenced the way the world has developed right up to today.
He added: "There is plenty of swashbuckling and romance, but the history is also there and I hope readers will become as hooked as I am on this fascinating period and enjoy taking the journey with me."
Alone With Glory, by Peter Youds, is published by Bicorn Books and is available only from www.bicorn.co.uk, priced ã10.99 (inc P&P).
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