Continuing the epic story of the “By Hands of Men” series, a man and a woman, torn apart by fate, forge their own destinies in the world after the Great War.

Escaping her enslavement in Russia, Charlotte Braninov fights to build a new life in London while the shadow of modern fanaticism looms over Europe.

Robert Fitzgerald faithfully serves the Crown in Africa until honor compels him to risk everything to overcome an ancient evil, only to discover that the greatest war rages within himself.

This is the third book in the ‘Hands of Men’ series by American author Roy M Griffis. I had the pleasure of reviewing the first two books and he kindly asked me to assess his latest offering.

As with the second book, the structure of ‘The Wrath of a Righteous Man’ is divided into two parts, first we concentrate on Charlotte’s story before we reconnect with Robert who now finds himself in the heat and humidity of Africa.

Meeting Charlotte Braninov again was like becoming reacquainted with an old friend. We meet her on her journey from her homeland of Russia on board a ship bound for London. Travelling with her, are the compatriots she met during her imprisonment at the hands of the Red Army. During the sea crossing we witness a different side to human nature when benevolence takes the place of brutality. Charlotte’s altruism continues to shine through as she builds a life for herself and her companions in England.

Griffis gives us a bit of humour along the way with Charlotte’s charge, Zlata, learning some very colourful language from the sailors and choosing to use it at every opportunity. We also have some lovely examples of alliteration, similes and metaphors to add depth to the descriptive passages. I particularly liked Robert’s appearance, when he looked: ‘as if he had been shat out of a dyspeptic rhino.’

I penalised the author previously as I felt Charlotte’s story was so powerful that Robert’s tale paled by comparison. However, meeting Robert again, I found I had a new respect for his character and more sympathy and understanding of the personal demons he battled. This book is much more balanced and I found myself getting as anxious for Robert when he was again called to arms, as I was for Charlotte who faced dangers of her own.

Again Griffis has carried out his background research meticulously, as I’ve now come to expect. A huge amount of work has gone into this story and I congratulate him on his dogged determination to deliver yet another fine book. I believe the calibre of his writing improves with every story.

I look forward to much more from this very accomplished wordsmith and I can award ‘The Wrath of a Righteous Man’ no less than a perfect five stars. Roy M Griffis has now set the bar extremely high for his next story and I look forward to finding out what fate has in store for Charlotte and Robert.

I was born in Texas City, TX, the son of a career Air Force meteorologist. Attended a variety of schools at all of the hot spots of the nation, such as Abilene, Texas and Bellevue, Nebraska. Sent to my grandparent’s house in Tucson, Arizona when things were tough at home. I was pretty damn lost, as my grandparents were largely strangers to me. My older brother, a more taciturn type, refused to discuss what was going on. Fortunately, like so many kids before me, I was rescued by literature. Or, at least, by fiction.

In a tiny used bookstore that was just one block up from a dirt road, I discovered that some good soul had unloaded his entire collection of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “John Carter of Mars” series in Ballantine Paperback. Moved by some impulse, I spent my RC Cola money on the first book, “A Princess of Mars.” I think what struck me was how these books were possessed of magic: they were able to transport me far from this dusty land of relatives who I didn’t know and relatives pretended not to know me to another dusty land of adventure, heroism, nobility, and even love. It was the first magic I’d encountered that wasn’t a patent fraud, and when I closed the stiff paperback with the lurid images on the cover, I decided it was the kind of magic I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to mastering. And, thus, I was saved.

I live in Southern California with my lovely wife. My friends call me “Griff,” my parents call me “Roy,” and my college-age son calls me “Dadman.” It’s a good life.

@rmgriffis
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