No Man's Land

Praise

“A barnburner of a novel. . . . A haunting fictionalization of a pivotal episode in a hellish war.” —The Washington Post

“A page-turner, an opera, a costume drama to binge watch. Simon Tolkien knows how to keep a story moving, and he does it well.” —NPR

“Rends the heart and sears the soul. . . . A splendid novel that exemplifies historical fiction at its descriptive, disturbing, addictive and engaging best.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch
 
“Visceral. . . . An unforgettable paean and a gripping war story.” —Booklist (starred review)

“An epic coming-of-age story. . . . Thoroughly enjoyable.” —Shelf Awareness

“Vivid set pieces, notably a wonderful section down a mine, while Adam is an intriguing central character: clever, sincere and, amid the turbulence of early twentieth-century England, a determined survivor.” —Daily Mail

“[Tolkien’s] most ambitious work yet. . . . Adam makes an attractive hero and his story has more than enough colour and energy to keep us reading.” —Sunday Times (London)

“In this emotionally charged novel, Tolkien brings to the fore the social injustice, poverty and attrition of war in early twentieth-century England. The scenes underground in the mines of Scarsdale are every bit as shocking as the harrowing descriptions of trench warfare when Adam and his comrades are repeatedly sent over the top.” —Sunday Express

“[A] bittersweet coming-of-age tale . . . Peopled with a rich cast of sympathetic characters.” —The Straits Times

“Entertaining. . . . A satisfying bildungsroman.” —Publishers Weekly

“Tolkien draws from the World War I-era experiences of his famous grandfather J.R.R. Tolkien to spin a saga worthy of Masterpiece Theater.” —Kirkus Reviews