Customer Reviews

A Close Run Thing

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

What Bernard Cornwell did for Wellington's infantry and Patrick O'Brian did for the Royal Navy, Allan Mallinson has done for the cavalry, and, in so doing, has written a book that is an excellent image of the early 19th century in England. While this book accurately reflects the military events of the time, what makes it such a memorable read is its depiction of the society and characteristics of the era. This reader hopes that Mallinson takes Matthew Hervey into some of the other events that a cavalryman might experience in the post- Waterloo age Talent like this should not stop with one. If dashing characters, action and romance are your forte, you will not go wrong with this fine, first effort. As for me, I'm looking forward to the next one--an eternal optimist!

This is a well written piece of historical fiction. It focusses on a British dragoon officer in the period between the end of the Penninsula Wars (1814) and the Battle of Waterloo (1815). It is the first of what will apparently become a series of novels. This is not Richard Sharpe on horseback. Mallinson lacks Cornwell's style and narrative power and fails to provide the battle details that bring the Sharpe novels to life. Instead Mallinson focusses more on the social aspects of the times and the world of officers and gentleman. He apparently knows horses very well and this adds to the telling of his story. Lets hope our young hero goes to India after this or someplace else where the battlefield context can be explored to the depth it requires.

Mr. Mallinson dedicates his book, appropriately to the Light Dragoons, formally the 13th/18th and 15th/19th Hussars. These fine old regiments, like so many in the British Army today, are no more, and live on in truncated form. Mallinson pays tribute to them in his book. Cornet Hervey is a different kind of hero. Those use to the head-bashing logic of Sharpe and co. may find this book a bit of a challenge. I must confess I did at first, but what we have here is a different perspective of the time, and perhaps a somewhat more realistic one. Mallinson's character is educated, and accomplishes more with brains than brawn, though he does not lack in his saber skills, and has a rash temper to boot!
Still, we are not dealing with another Sharpe here, and Mallinson
attempts to provide a portrait of the time as well. The middle section where the regiment is stationed in Ireland was particularly well done, as it shows how difficult the transition must be for soldiers to become policemen. Also readers can see how difficult the Irish posting was for British soldiers then, as it is now. Hervey is not a rake like Sharpe, and he must agonize before declaring his love for the woman he desires. The depiction of Waterloo was interesting as well, since Mallinson places Hervey on the left flank of the battlefield, the part of the battle often least discussed, because it lacked the glamor of Hugamont and Le Haie Sainte positions. But this flank was extremely important to Wellington, as the arrival of the Prussians were crucial to the success of the battle. Hervery expereinces the trials and tribulations of awaiting the slow moving Prussians, and must attemept to effectively liason with them as they arrive. Perhaps the characters are a little less vibrant, and the writing a bit slow at times, but this series has promise. Hervey will need to explore his career in the 19th Century British Empire, and will therefore provide the reader with an interesting transition from the conventional warfare of the Napoleanic period, to the smaller affais of the Empire. Perhaps we might get the Sikh Wars in a future installment as well!

Mr. Mallinson dedicates his book, appropriately to the Light Dragoons, formally the 13th/18th and 15th/19th Hussars. These fine old regiments, like so many in the British Army today, are no more, and live on in truncated form. Mallinson pays tribute to them in his book. Cornet Hervey is a different kind of hero. Those use to the head-bashing logic of Sharpe and co. may find this book a bit of a challenge. I must confess I did at first, but what we have here is a different perspective of the time, and perhaps a somewhat more realistic one. Mallinson's character is educated, and accomplishes more with brains than brawn, though he does not lack in his saber skills, and has a rash temper to boot!
Still, we are not dealing with another Sharpe here, and Mallinson
attempts to provide a portrait of the time as well. The middle section where the regiment is stationed in Ireland was particularly well done, as it shows how difficult the transition must be for soldiers to become policemen. Also readers can see how difficult the Irish posting was for British soldiers then, as it is now. Hervey is not a rake like Sharpe, and he must agonize before declaring his love for the woman he desires. The depiction of Waterloo was interesting as well, since Mallinson places Hervey on the left flank of the battlefield, the part of the battle often least discussed, because it lacked the glamor of Hugamont and Le Haie Sainte positions. But this flank was extremely important to Wellington, as the arrival of the Prussians were crucial to the success of the battle. Hervery expereinces the trials and tribulations of awaiting the slow moving Prussians, and must attemept to effectively liason with them as they arrive. Perhaps the characters are a little less vibrant, and the writing a bit slow at times, but this series has promise. Hervey will need to explore his career in the 19th Century British Empire, and will therefore provide the reader with an interesting transition from the conventional warfare of the Napoleanic period, to the smaller affais of the Empire. Perhaps we might get the Sikh Wars in a future installment as well!

I just finished this book by Alan Mallison. I was not impressed. Maybe I am spoiled by Sharpe and other fiction describing soldiers and their battles but IMO, this was very dry and a hard read. Hear me out. The book follows a young Cornet of the 6th British Light Dragoons and picks up as he is facing a military trial at the end of hostilities in 1814. It then goes back to recall the events that occurred and his subsequent release from charges. This takes all of about 40 pages of the 320 page book. We then follow him to his peacetime posting and his involvement in the Irish countryside. All the while woven in the story line is a series of encounters with ladies, who he just basically talks with until he finally gets told by his sister and sergeant that one likes him. He gets engaged and then Napoleon makes his escape from Elba. This center section of the story took up about 200+ pages and was absolutely boring. I read alot and I like to have a book to read in bed for 30-60 minutes every night. I put this down several times and read some O'Brien and others as this center section was just plain horrible to get through. While there were some interesting scenes in this section they were too few and far between to save this part of the book.

Then came our main character getting into it at Waterloo and becoming a hero. Great stuff and well written. I think the author has the ability to write good stuff but just has to figure out what is interesting and exciting. I actually wanted more at this point. So if you dispose of the middle section of the book you have something worth reading.

JM2C

Mallinson tries, as he explains, to write an army counterpart to Patrick O'Brian's Aubery-Maturin series, and he very nearly pulls it off with this book. It is mostly a character study of his young Ensign rather than a book about war. Combat is limited to the very beginning and very end of the book, although the life of a cavalry officer is the main focus. Mallinson clearly intends to make a series of this book, but I am afraid he has run out of wars! O'Brian admitted regretting having started his series in 1800, leaving just 15 years for his characters' growth. Mallinson has started with the last battle of the Napoleonic Wars, so I'm not sure where he will go from here.

Yet this book does stand alone as a good read. It certainly gives the reader an idea of the scale of the carnage at Waterloo.

Nearly everyone agrees that Mr. Mallinson's extensive research and intimate personal knowledge of the life of a cavalry officer make this an engaging read. However, one aspect of this novel that has not been discussed much is the role of the Christian faith of the main character, Matthew Hervey and several supporting characters (from fellow soldiers to his pastor father and brother). Like many in England in the early 19th century, Hervey is a devout Christian. Hervey is written as one who views the world from a Protestant Christian perspective, and who strives to be faithful on the battlefield, at home, or wherever he may be. He is shown praying on the battlefield, quoting scripture, and meditating on Christian ethics and morality. The portrayal is honest and not in the least polemical. Christianity and Christians are not caricatured, but portrayed faithfully and engagingly. Thank you Mr. Mallinson for this welcome twist.

If you are looking for a book with a "feel" for being a member of Wellington's army in Spain and later Belgium for the Battle of Waterloo, this is your book. If you are looking for sabre slashing, pistol shooting action from horseback this is NOT your book. Coronet Matthew Hervey does see immediate action in the book, cutting a battery of French horse artillery to pieces in a dashing attack. Shortly after that Boney capitulates and the 6th Light Dragoons are shipped back to Blighty and then on to Ireland to help serve warrants and evict tenants. Hervey finds his future mate and then the unit is rushed to Belgium. Anchoring Wellington's right flank their job is to stay in place and prevent the French from turning the British right flank. Not a bad book but I like lots of action and this simply does not have it.

I usually prefer historical fiction novels set in more recent times--Civil War stuff like "Gods and Generals", or WWII fiction like "The Triumph and the Glory"--but because O'Brian and Cornwell have written so well about the Napoleonic era they have sparked my interest in the times. Mallinson has picked up where they left off and done himself proud with a great epic novel centered around Wellington's cavalry. If you like the above books you'll love this one, no doubt about it.

The style of the writing unexpectedly reminded me of Jane Austin (The author even pays homage to Ms. Austin in the story), a fresh look at a simpler time. Like Austin's work it presented an idealized picture of what life's like back in the "good ol' days". If you are expecting cover to cover military action, then forget it. The only real action (Battle of Waterloo) occurs at the last 80 pages or so. The "Flashman-esque" explanation of historical events are much less satisfying than how Mr. Frazer might have handled it. There are detailed description of operations of a cavalryman, I wish the author would've included a glossary so I can understand some of the more obscure terms.