18 h 35 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 18 h 35 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What does honour demand when a soldier must ride forward into overwhelming odds?
In One of the Six Hundred, James Grant sets a young man's private fortunes against the wars of his country. This Victorian adventure brings you into the world of the British army, where loyalty, danger and codes of honour shape a soldier's life. Duty is not just a word here: it asks something of the man who obeys.
The Light Brigade gives the novel its frame. Its title recalls the cavalry charge at Balaclava during the Crimean War, remembered for bravery against terrible odds and the confusion that sends the horsemen forward. Grant's direct voice, vivid action and openly patriotic tone invite you into a soldier's tale of courage and the cost of service.
What you’ll discover
- A soldier's private fortunes Follow a young man's story where personal hopes meet the demands of his country's wars.
- The Light Brigade's shadow Explore an adventure framed by cavalry bravery and the terrible odds at Balaclava.
- Honour under pressure Consider what obedience demands when a soldier's duty carries a heavy personal cost.
- The colour of army life Enter a military world defined by its loyalties, dangers and strong codes of honour.
- Victorian adventure in full voice Meet Grant's love of vivid action, long sentences and an openly patriotic tone.
Who will love it
This book suits readers who enjoy Victorian love triangles, Scottish country houses, lively mess-room talk, and a firsthand-style tale of the Crimean War.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Leave opens a brief chance
- Love and rivalry share a house
- Danger brings a secret engagement
- Kindness leaves Newton open to suspicion
- Berkeley turns appearances into a weapon
- Silence follows Newton to the East
- War threatens both life and honour
- Two loves reveal different loyalties
- Home remains present on the battlefield
Who’s who
- Newton NorcliffA Scottish lancer captain and the narrator, he loves Lady Louisa and must protect his name as war approaches.
- Lady Louisa LoftusThe proud, dark-eyed daughter of the Earl of Chillingham, she is pressed by her mother to marry for rank.
- Cora CalderwoodNewton's gentle cousin, devoted to him and to her father, she hides a deep love behind a bright smile.
- De Warr BerkeleyA wealthy, drawling brother officer, son of a brewer, he wants Louisa and will use any scheme to win her.
- Sir Nigel CalderwoodNewton's hearty uncle, a fox-hunting baronet, wants an heir for his name and happiness for the young people he loves.
- Jack StudhomeThe regiment's cheerful adjutant is Newton's closest friend and helps him face Berkeley.
- Agnes AuriolA consumptive curate's daughter living near the Reculvers, she waits for a letter from the man who ruined her.
- Willie PitbladoNewton's faithful servant, the gamekeeper's son, follows his captain from Fife to the Crimea.
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One of the Six Hundred: A Novel
by James Grant
A lancer lieutenant on a month's leave courts an earl's daughter while a rival schemes under the same roof.
Challenging10–20 hours to read20 languages
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“Rode the Six Hundred!”
In short
What would you do with one month of leave, a snowy Scottish estate and a chance to win the woman you love before a war takes you away? On the last night of December, Lieutenant Newton Norcliff reads his orders at Maidstone barracks and boards a night train north.
One of the Six Hundred: A Novel at a glance
- Reading time
- About 10 h 45 min8 h 30 min fast, 12 h 50 min slow
- Length
- 153,600 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A month of leave sends Newton north
Regimental Orders reach Newton Norcliff at Maidstone barracks. His lancer regiment must be ready for foreign service in the spring. Newton, a lieutenant of twenty-four, is also granted leave until the end of the next month. He is glad to leave parades and mess committees behind.
He says goodbye to his friend Jack Studhome, the adjutant, and takes the express to London with his servant, Willie Pitblado. War with Russia is plainly coming. The night train carries him through snow and over the Borders at dawn. His mother has died while he served in India, and he is going back to a house with an empty place in it.
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Details
- Language
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- Reading time
- 12 h 5 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Grant, James. One of the Six Hundred: A Novel. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/one-of-the-six-hundred-a-novel.
Grant, J. (2026). One of the six hundred: A novel. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/one-of-the-six-hundred-a-novel
Grant, James. One of the Six Hundred: A Novel. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/one-of-the-six-hundred-a-novel.
@book{grant2026one,
author = {Grant, James},
title = {One of the Six Hundred: A Novel},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/one-of-the-six-hundred-a-novel}
}
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What is One of the Six Hundred about?
It follows Captain Newton Norcliff of the lancers from a winter leave in Scotland, where he falls in love and gains a rival, to the Crimean War and the road toward the Charge of the Light Brigade.
Who is Lady Louisa Loftus?
She is the beautiful daughter of the Earl of Chillingham, courted by Newton and by his rival Berkeley. Her mother wants her to marry a title, so her love and her family's wishes pull against each other.
Is One of the Six Hundred a true story?
It is a novel by James Grant, but it sets its invented characters among real events, including the landing in the Crimea, the battle of the Alma and the siege of Sebastopol in 1854.
The author
James Grant
1822–1887 · Scottish historical novelist
James Grant was a Scottish novelist born in Edinburgh in 1822. He wrote historical novels and books about military history. His first novel, The Romance of War, appeared in 1845. His other novels included Jane Seton and Under the Red Dragon. He died in London in 1887.
“Rode the Six Hundred!”
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