The Little Ball O' Fire; or, the Life and Adventures of John Marston Hall

John Marston Hall is a young boy whose life intertwines with the tumultuous events of the English Civil War. As a child who has endured his mother's death at an early age, young John accompanies his father, a soldier in the war. After his father's death, he pursues the life of a page, for many years in the household of a French nobleman. He learns loyalty and trust, but these are tested as he navigates a world defined by strife, treachery, and his own fiery spirit as he serves the French Crown and seeks personal happiness. . - Summary by LynneT