The first hundred pages dragged a little, as scenes were set and characters introduced. I'd have preferred to be launched straight into the thick of things, and get explanations as the story progressed. But, when the book does take off, it goes like Ben Johnson with rocket boots, and rarely drops its blistering pace. The Sword of Albion is an all out romp, packed full of daring do shaped into cinematic scenes and cliff-hanger endings which make it hard to put down. Having said that, the author's artistry and skill as a storyteller are sometimes leaned on to compensate for what the plot lacks. For example, Will Swyfte's escapes are not so much to do with his brilliance, as the unending incompetence of his opposition. All of them, every time. The supporting cast are, with a couple of exceptions, nicely developed. Swyfte's colleagues, Carpenter, Mayhew and Launceston are the best of the bunch. On the Spanish side, there are interesting and sometimes pivotal rolls, and the charactersation of Philip of Spain, in secret thrall to the Unseelie Court, is well presented. More disappointing was John Dee, the Queen's Magician, who makes cameo appearances in the manner of Q in Bond movies. A use which I felt reduced what should have been a significantly darker, deeper persona.

Most troublesome, was the character Grace, the sister of Jenny, Will Swyfte's lost love who was stolen away by the Fair Folk. We're told that it is his personal mission to find out what happened to Jenny, but he is hindered in this aim by Grace -- rather stupidly -- putting herself in harm's way. Others may disagree, but I felt that the character was there purely as a device, and had little substance or merit of her own. I could not understand why, given that the Fey already had Swyfte's true love, they did not simply use her against him in fiendish fashion. Similarly, it was an unusual lapse of imagination that produced a scene where Swyfte is captured by Unseelie forces, who resort to water-boarding him! This exception aside, the Fey characters are as well conceived and creepy as readers of Chadbourn's previous works might expect. There is also a very nice reveal toward the end of the book, concerning a mysterious and highly significant historical event between the English and the Fey, which is obliquely referred to in earlier chapters. It's a bombshell which adds a whole new layer of colour and texture, yet left me wishing that I'd known the details earlier, as that knowledge would have added depth and meaning to key scenes.

Because so much of Will Swyfte's character is, by design, smoke and mirrors, I found it hard to really like or dislike him. He was simply a focal point for all that goes on around him, and might even have been better as a supporting character. Mark Chadbourn clearly intends to create a swashbuckling, charismatic action hero, but his strength as a writer actually lies in the darkness and depth of more interesting characters such as Launceston. Selling a sociopath as the lead character might have been more difficult -- except to fans of Dexter -- but could have resulted in a classic anti-hero. Someone who fought darkness with darkness, and was more interesting because of his flaws. In summary, The Sword of Albion was a fast, fun read, that I enjoyed despite Will Swyfte, not because of him.