Rebels & Traitors (see review) is more focused on the war, from the battles themselves to the hardship it causes to the people who aren't fighting but are aligned with one side or the other, as well as to the people who don't really care and are just trying to get by as well as they can. I don't remember anything about the diggers movement in it.I have to say I found the parts to do with the 'diggers' quite interesting. It's made me want to read other books sets round this period in time - they seem a little thin on the ground, although I do have Lindsey Davis' Rebels & Traitors which is a bit of a tome!!!
The Wilding (see review) is quite different - the main characters are more sympathetic, for one thing. And as Vanessa says, there's a mystery plot. It's set a couple of decades after the Civil War, but everyone is still trying to recover from it.Although I do have McCann's more recent novel, The Wilding, to read - hope it's better than As Meat....which has gone straight into the charity shop bag!
I consider that the mark of a great writer.
