View source for False Lights by K J Whittaker

{{infobox
|title=False Lights
|author=K J Whittaker
|reviewer= Luke Marlowe
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary= The stormy Cornish coastline is the setting for this alternate history, which sends compeling characters into an epic, exciting and emotional plot. 
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=368
|publisher=Head of Zeus
|date=September 2017
|isbn=978-1786695345
|website=http://headofzeus.com/books/false-lights
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1786695340</amazonuk>
}}

Cornwall, 1817.

What if your worst mistake changed the course of history? Napoleon has crushed the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo, and his ex-wife Josephine presides over French-occupied England. Cornwall erupts into open rebellion, and young heiress Hester escapes with Crow, Wellington's former intelligence officer, a half-French aristocrat haunted by his part in the catastrophic defeat. Together, they become embroiled in a web of treachery and espionage as plans are laid to free Wellington from secret captivity in the Scilly Isles and lead an uprising against the French occupation. In a country rife with traitors, Hester and Crow know it is impossible to play such a game as this for long...

Alternate histories are a fantastic concept for excellent fiction, and there are some fantastic reads out there - from Robert Harris's [[Fatherland by Robert Harris|Fatherland]] through to ''The Man in the High Castle'' by [[:Category: Philip K Dick|Philip K Dick]]. The constant popularity means that new ones are always being written - but the constant flow means that for every hit there are a fair few duds - books that concentrate so hard on the concept that they leave plot and character by the wayside. As a result, it can be a gamble when picking up a book in that genre, but it's a gamble that pays off well in ''False Lights''. 

Instead of focusing on WWII  - the period so beloved by alternate history writers, K J Whittaker has chosen to go far further back in time to the Napoleonic wars. England is occupied by the French - but Cornwall, a county that has long prided itself on being an indepent and seperate region of the country, stands their ground. The characters are thrown into rebellion and war - and it makes for thrilling reading. 

Rugged scenery combined with even more rugged leading men and feisty leading ladies does make this a book that one can easily compare to ''Poldark'' - but Whittaker provides depth and nuance to her characters - meaning that the intensity of the plot is only amplified by quite how much she makes you care about the characters it revolves around. 

A satisfying conclusion allows some plot threads to linger - and I for one would be extremely keen to see them picked up in a sequel. Many thanks to the publishers for the copy, and for further reading I recommend [[The Silvered Heart by Katherine Clements]] - another book that combines historical detail with vivid characters to form in a plot that's as emotional as it is exciting. 

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