The Regiment [Hardcover]

Christopher Nicole (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest historical adventures from Nicole ( Sunset ) neatly summarizes international politics from 1895 to 1914, and if that occasionally slows the narrative it's a nice, easy-listening kind of history lesson. Murdoch Mackinder, scion of a great family in the annals of the (fictional) Royal Western Dragoon Guards, starts as a virginal Subaltern in the Boer War in 1899. After quickly showing his mettle, he becomes a Victoria Cross winner and we follow his steady rise to major in the opening battles of WW I. His career brings him into contact with characters actual (Generals French, Haig, Kitchener, King Edward) and fictional (a Boer maiden, an evil German, Murdoch's American wife Marylee). Disturbed by Kitchener's concentration camps in South Africa, Murdoch is also upright, loyal and brave, a thoroughly nice chap if not very zippy. His appearance as a crisp centarian in the prologue, dated 1983, vitiates some suspense but his story is told with smooth authenticity.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 382 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (December 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312034180
• ISBN-13: 978-0312034184
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,816,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good soldier's officer - they do exist!, February 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Regiment (Hardcover)

Good read, with a nice view of the period covered (1899-1914), and a very PC young officer - almost anachronistically so, but hey, it IS fiction. Reading about a 'colonial British officer' giving a damn about the colonised sort of goes against the general press they've received, but no doubt they did exist, and Murdoch MacKinder is a nice guy.

I found myself believing his struggles with both his position within the professional and personal spheres, and enjoyed the preparation and de- briefing parts of the action pieces - not just the action itself. Also the comment on the performance of the British higher officers in their context was interesting, if smacking a lot of hindsight: this was the part I found hardest to believe.

I enjoyed it, and found myself searching for the sequel on-line - sez enough for me!