This is the third novel in the main series of the author's Herries Chronicles, following the lives of the various branches of the Herries family in the Lake District in the 19th century. The focus here is the bitter feud between the two branches of the family headed by Judith Paris and Walter Herries, epitomised by the construction by the latter of the eponymous house, on high ground overlooking the house of Judith's branch of the family. Like its predecessor, this gives a wonderful feel for the ebb and flow of the lives and generations in the beautiful and majestic setting of the Lakes, where I am currently on holiday for the fourth consecutive year. The action of the novel takes place over a period of just over half a century, with a lot of change in the world outside, though this doesn't come across as clearly in affecting the lives of the characters as the political and economic changes in the previous volume (though Judith's son Adam joins the Chartists). These are wonderful novels, full of colourful characters and interesting incidents, and I look forward to the final volume on my next holiday here next year. ( )

I have been working my way through this series of book The Rogue Herries Chronicles and am enjoying it so much. I look forward every day for my next update on the Herries family! The wealth of rich descriptive writing is wonderful, I feel I know this eccentric Cumbrian family and the surrounding countryside that they live in, very well indeed.
Judith is the Matriarch of the family, she is as free spirited as her "Rogue" father and gipsy mother, she has a temper you wouldn't want to mess with, but she has a heart of solid gold.
The Fortress is the story of the house built by Walter Herries (one half of the Herries family) who is a bitter enemy of Judith and her beloved uncle Francis and his family. She will fight tooth and nail to ensure they are left in peace. She is fast approaching her 100th birthday but still she fights on!
I love it love it, love it, maybe Hugh Walpole could be considered a little fusty by some of our modern day writters, but by gum, he can write a good story! ( )