BARRY S. RICHMAN ON HIS LATEST RELEASE, FOLLOW THE DRUM, A UNIQUE P&P RETELLING

 

Today on My Jane Austen Book Club, I’m excited to welcome Barry S Richman, author of the newly released Follow the Drum—a bold and unique retelling of Pride & Prejudice set against the backdrop of military life. This variation brings Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy into a world shaped by duty, honor, and the realities of war, offering readers a fresh perspective on a beloved classic.

With over a quarter million page reads in its first two weeks, Follow the Drum is clearly resonating with Austen lovers and romance readers alike. I had the pleasure of asking Barry a few questions about his inspiration, writing process, and the challenges of reimagining Austen’s iconic characters in a military romance.

Congratulations on the success of Follow the Drum! For those who haven't read it yet, can you tell us a little about this retelling and what inspired you to set it in a military context?

Follow the Drum is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, yes—but it is also a story about men who carry burdens the world never sees, and women whose strength outpaces their station. It begins with a reimagined Mr Bennet—not as a disengaged father, but as a former army operative whose past service shapes everything that follows. Colonel Fitzwilliam receives the same treatment: not merely a charming second son, but a soldier tested by war.

Setting the story in a military context felt natural. I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland, a Navy dependent, and later served in the Army as both an enlisted man and as an officer. The rhythms of duty, command, and sacrifice are familiar to me—they are the bones of every full-length novel I write. I do not have to imagine what a soldier thinks when facing the impossible; I have lived among such men and women. Giving Austen’s secondary characters that kind of history not only grounds them—it gives them weight. And I think readers can feel the truth in that. They seem to agree.

Pride & Prejudice has inspired countless adaptations. What drew you to Elizabeth and Darcy's story, and how did you approach putting your own spin on it while staying true to the essence of the original?

Their story endures because it is a battle—not of swords, but of principle, perception, and pride. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy begin as adversaries, each sure of their judgment, both wrong in key ways. That tension—the slow, earned shift from misunderstanding to love—never fails to captivate.

What drew me was the challenge of setting that journey within a world of orders and allegiances. I did not wish to modernise them, nor to smooth their rough edges. Instead, I asked: how might these same people behave under different pressures? What if Elizabeth’s clarity and courage placed her in a world where a misstep could cost lives? What if Darcy’s reserve and rectitude came from something more than hauteur—what if they were the habits of a man who had seen too much, borne too much?

Staying true to Austen meant honouring their growth. My spin was to let that growth unfold amidst war, secrets, and the weight of command. The heart of their story remains: two people learning to see, and then love, one another clearly.

The military setting adds a whole new layer of complexity to the story. What kind of research did you do to bring that world to life so authentically?

I began with what I knew—chain of command, operational secrecy, the tension between personal conscience and official duty. From there, I studied the British Army of the late 18th and early 19th centuries—its structure, its uniforms, the way orders travelled and intelligence passed between men. I also looked to the American Revolution, where George Washington led the Culper Ring—a network of civilian spies hidden in plain sight. That balance between military precision and clandestine improvisation deeply informed this story.

But what mattered most to me was not just accuracy, but texture. I wanted readers to feel the tension of hiding behind enemy lines, to smell the antiseptic in a surgical tent, to hear the clanging and banging of daily life in a bivouac. I wanted them to weep with a dying soldier who, with his last breath, asks for his mother. That kind of realism grounds the world—but more than that, it amplifies the emotional cost. When loyalty demands silence, and when orders contradict honour, the stakes are no longer abstract. They are human. And those are the choices my characters must face.

How does placing Elizabeth in a military environment shift or deepen her character compared to the original novel?

In Austen’s original, Elizabeth possesses wit, strength, and discernment—but she lives in a world where a woman’s power is limited to speech and social grace. Her independence is dampened by a lazy father, whose indifference leaves her to navigate life largely on her own. By giving her father a military past—a man shaped by command, by secrets, by service—Elizabeth faces different challenges entirely.

She is still able to express freedom of thought and speech, but now she must also reckon with duty, silence, and her father’s formidable presence. His is not tyranny, but the steady weight of a serious man—one who expects to be obeyed. She loves him, respects him, and must decide for herself where respect ends and selfhood begins.

In this world, Elizabeth navigates more than society. She moves among soldiers and spies. She must protect her family, carry knowledge that endangers lives, and reckon with truths that polite society avoids. She sees the cost of command not in theory, but in flesh and bone.

Her convictions deepen. Her heart expands. And her defiance—her refusal to yield when others might—becomes not only admirable, but essential.

She is still Elizabeth Bennet. But now she is also an officer’s daughter, a man’s equal, and a woman whose love is neither blind nor naïve.

Were there any characters from Austen’s original that surprised you as you wrote them into this new world—someone who changed in unexpected ways?

Mr Bennet, first and foremost. In canon, he’s clever but idle—sharp-tongued, amusing, and largely absent where it counts. I have never liked Austen’s version of him as a father. So, I made him a second son and gave him a military past. From there, the pieces fell into place.

He became a man shaped by discipline and loss—someone who withdrew not out of indifference, but necessity.

That change cast his relationship with Elizabeth in a new light. They remain close, but the tone is different. She sees him not only as her father, but as a man of gravity, of secrets, of old loyalties. It heightens the tension between them, deepens their mutual respect, and alters the way she challenges him.

What was the most challenging scene (or character) to write in Follow the Drum? And what was your favourite?

Mary. Without hesitation.

In Follow the Drum, Mary is born with albinism. That truth reshapes the Bennet family irrevocably. It isolates her—not just from society, but from the easy intimacy shared among sisters. It forces Mr Bennet to protect her while preserving his anonymity, and challenges Elizabeth to confront what loyalty and sisterhood truly demand.

Writing Mary was difficult because I wanted to treat her condition with honesty, without reducing her to it. She is not defined by her albinism, but she cannot ignore its consequences. She knows what it is to be stared at, avoided, dismissed. She carries that knowledge like armour—but armour is heavy, and it cracks.

The scenes between Mary and Mr Bennet were the hardest to write. There is no tidy resolution. Just understanding. Just love, stripped of pretence.

And for all those reasons, she became my favourite. Mary is not a lesson. She is a person—whole, wounded, and strong.)

As an author of Pride & Prejudice variations, what do you think it is about this story and these characters that continue to captivate readers across generations?

Pride & Prejudice endures because it speaks to something universal: the desire to be seen truly and loved deeply. Elizabeth and Darcy begin as adversaries, each certain of their own understanding. They must unlearn their pride, question their prejudice, and choose to grow. That arc—humbling, revealing, transformative—never goes out of fashion.

Austen gave us characters sharp enough to survive reinterpretation. They are elastic and eternal.

I return to this world because the questions it asks—about honour, truth, family, and love—are not just timeless. They are human. And each variation is a chance to ask them again, in a different voice, through a different storm. 

What’s next for you? Can we expect more Austen-inspired stories—or perhaps a return to these characters in future books?

Absolutely. My next full-length novel, Colour My World, is Elizabeth and Darcy at the centre once more—this time exploring a world where perception is both a power and a curse. That story is set for release in October 2025. After that comes Fear Not, Daughter, the sequel to Doubt Not, Cousin, slated for March 2026. That story continues the military and political threads within the larger Bennet-Fitzwilliam universe.

I’m also preparing a newly expanded edition of The Scarred Duchess, with over 10,000 words of revised and extended content.

Beyond those, I’m working on a collection of short stories featuring both canon characters and originals introduced across my novels—Mr Burton, Mrs Ecclestone, Reeves, Roark, Legget, Bill Steele, the Edges, and yes, everyone’s favourite ultimate warrior: Colonel Fitzwilliam.

The world I’ve built around Pride & Prejudice continues to grow—and as long as there are stories worth telling within it, I’ll keep writing them.

Thank you so much, Barry, for joining us and sharing more about Follow the Drum.

It’s always a joy to see how Jane Austen’s timeless characters continue to inspire fresh, imaginative retellings, and your unique military take brings both heart and depth to the classic we all love.

To my readers—if you're a fan of Pride & Prejudice with a twist of historical drama and romance, I highly recommend checking out Follow the Drum. You can find more details following the link below, and don't forget to follow Barry S Richman for updates on future projects.

Until next time—happy reading and may your TBR pile always have room for just one more Austen-inspired adventure! 

About the Book

The British kingdom harbours a perilous secret. At its heart is Thomas Bennet.

Since dead men tell no tales, the patriarch of Longbourn must live in anonymity or face the unthinkable—being the cause of a foreign nation attacking his homeland. Skilled in deception and strategy, Bennet succeeded until his youngest daughter is born with a grievous affliction; the scrutiny she brings threatens to expose the very secrets he hides.

Mary Bennet, marked by her unusual appearance, becomes the centre of fear and gossip. As society and even her own family grow wary of her, Mary must confront her isolation with quiet resilience. Unaware of her father’s burden, she is thrust into a world of suspicion, where she discovers her role is not as insignificant as it once seemed.

Elizabeth Bennet faces her own trials as the family fractures under the weight of secrecy. Forced from Longbourn, drawn to the enigmatic Mr Darcy, Elizabeth must reconcile her blossoming feelings for him with the unsettling truths she uncovers. As Darcy’s past and his connection to her father come to light, Elizabeth is left questioning whom she can truly trust.

Follow the Drum is a gripping tale of sacrifice, loyalty, and impossible choices. When the fate of a kingdom rests on the secrets of one man, how far will he go to protect his family—and how high will the cost be?

Check the book at Amazon

 About the Author

 Barry S. Richman combines his background in the armed forces and expertise with a passion for Pride and Prejudice retellings.

After two decades of exploring countless stories from the JAFF universe, his wife challenged him to try writing one. During a trip to Istanbul, Barry wrote four pages that wove his real-world experiences into alternate-universe stories inspired by Jane Austen’s characters. He continued from there.

He published his first novel, Doubt Not, Cousin, in 2023, followed by The Scarred Duchess in 2024. Follow The Drum continues his military-influenced alternate universe populated by characters familiar and new.

Barry and his “Jane Bennet” divide their time between Los Angeles and a seaside town in southwestern Turkey.

 Author Links

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