Customer Reviews

An Act of Courage (Matthew Hervey 07)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although I find the claim referring to Mallinson as the heir to O'Brien and Forester a bit of a stretch, I have enjoyed this series. O'Brien had a subtle way of educating the reader to all the unfamiliar details of life on a British Man of War that Mallinson has not. It is a formidable task and other authors have bored me with out of place explanations as the story unfolded, so I am glad that Mallinson has not attempted it. However, not being well acquainted with the equine arts, I was often at a loss with the terminology of the horseman. Therefore, if you are not into horses you should not shy away from this series (I am not a sailor either), for the story still held me and I read it in as few intervals as time allowed me. I was moved by the way Hervey struggles with his duty to his personal life and his profession during his imprisonment. The shifting from the times of his earlier experiences in the war with Napolean to his more present situation in 1826-27 Portugal is aptly done. It is difficult for any author to keep it flowing back and forth and Mallinson does an admirable job of it. It is therefore a most pleasing read and well worth the time if you have read the earlier installments. Mallinson does not (appreciably at least to me), bore us who have read the earlier works with a lot of catching up, so I would urge the reader to seek out the earlier works in the series before beginning this one. I look forward to the further adventures promised.

An Act of Courage is similar in form to the previous Rumours of War; but better presented with fewer longer flashbacks to the Peninsula War, and less jumping between now and then and character perspectives. Its still a little choppy, but good enough I can - just - give it 4 stars.

Hervey is here in the Spanish prison of Badajoz, where he stormed the French nigh on 20 years ago as a culmination of sorts to driving them from Spain. Mostly he is remembering his youthful travails as a Cornet - and explaining how he managed to spend the better part of 6 years at that rank, which smacks of a bit of a fix-up by Mallinson ex post facto. This is pretty good, both as a study of a cavalry regiment and also as military adventure fiction. In the present day, he is resolving to improve his life and put his selfishness behind him: there are glimmerings of his old faith returning, but not much more than that.

In the past, there is trouble with another Cornet which is dealt with a little unsatisfactorily; for a while we almost get courtroom drama (as in The Reverse of the Medal) but only to be told the result almost as a throwaway - when we know what it must have been already - is a let down.

The book ends on the dual culmination of Hervey's rescue from Badajoz in 1826, and the storming of its walls in 1812. Then there is a little coda when Hervey's plans start to fall apart already; you feel a little sorry for him, so I suppose he is becoming a little bit sympathetic again, which must be a good thing.

Dont start reading here, for all this and Rumours contain the "earliest" adventures: they are not true prequels at all. Best to start at A Close Run Thing and read on as long as it takes you.

This is part of a great series by Mallinson. I enjoyed this book as much as the others. It is a good idea to read them in order though.