Customer Reviews

The Sabre's Edge

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

 

 

Another worthy and recommended installment to the Matthew Hervey series - the study of the life and culture of a post Napoleonic-era British cavalry officer.

A brief synopsis - the setting of this book confines itself to India and Burma. Again, the sights and culture of India, are vividly described, and serve well as young Hervey wades through the trials and tribulations of both troop life and British governance. Again, there are encounters with noteworthy characters from history. The story culminates with the siege of Bhurtpore fortress. Hervey is less tolerant, more cynical, and much less spiritual - a logical result from Mallinson's previous storylines. He exhibits a natural confidence in his abilities, particularly in dealing with regimental affairs. Again, the action scenes are very well done, especially in regards to the siege of Bhurtpore.

In sum, Mallinson again provides an interesting depiction of India and Burma during the time period, with all its politics and military governance baggage. This book does requires a little more reader patience, as they must wade through a lot more history, historical characters, and the realistic portrayal of the monotony of occupation life. But, the story is well paced, and balanced with new and old characters. There is sufficient military action to keep the reader's interest while he or she wades through the associated items of historical context.

If you enjoy historical fiction of the Napoleonic era, especially the cavalry - try this book, you won't be disappointed.

Postscript: This reviewer was fortunate enough to obtain a copy of Mallinson's latest Hervey installment - "Rumors of War" - which is highly recommended.

Hervey back in England with his regiment, contrives to advance his career further. Hervey over the years has become less naive, wiser, and much more of a 'hardened' professional. His flirtation with Lady Greville advances to the next level, as he contrives - with her able assistance - to gain posting to a 'military assistance and evaluation' mission being put together for Portugal. Upon arrival, Hervey is reaquainted with some characters hinted at in previous books. Most notably, a competing romantic interest by a young widow from a noble family, in whom he had an infatuation as a young cornet. Throughout, Hervey draws parallels between his current and past experiences in Portugal. Most notable, are reflections of his coming of age as a young cornet and soldiering during Sir John Moore's Corunna campaign.

This slice of history from Hervey's perspective was very much enjoyed by this reviewer. The 'gems' are well worth the slow-going of Mallinson's writing style, which is consistent in the context of the historical time period.

Fantastic continuing story of Matthew Hervey. Brigadier Mallinson continues a great tradition, of outstanding storytelling! I look forward to his next book!

Its hard to know what to make of this book; by my reckoning there is about a five-year gap between A Call to Arms and The Sabre's Edge, and as far as we can tell Hervey has been riding in circles ever since, both literally and metaphorically. We open with Hervey on detached duty accompanying the infantry in assualting Rangoon and up the Irrawaddy, before an untimely gunshot wound sends him back to his Regiment. Really, this is a distraction from the rest of the novel, as are some following wanderings in India proper. About the only relevant points were the all-to-brief appearance of Peto and Hervey's survey of Bhurtpore.

The last half of the book really picks up, and makes me forgive a lot of what has gone before - the Siege of Bhurtpore with cavalry actions, night attacks and storming a breach in the great walls of the citadel. But I do wonder how much of the first half of the book was necessary.

Hervey is a man in full now; he is 35 as the book closes, and the boyhood characterestics of piety and nobility that many readers apparently found frustrating are long gone. He's not an anti-hero, but he seems to have sent an officer a message that suicide is the only honourable way out of a sticky situation for the Regiment, and sends another man to his death for no point other than to give him an opportunity prove his courage or lack thereof. He's also keeping a native mistress and seems to have quite lost his faith.

It's a pretty easy thing for an author to do, to debase a man. In a sense I would have liked to have seen Hervey struggle to maintain his position as a knight in shining armour; especially as I can well see that he can easily blame himself for his wife's death, which is the sole cause for the change in him as far as I can tell. There is not much guilt over the daughter he has not seen in 5 years, although the parallels to another motherless girl (Joynson's errant daughter) could be easy to draw. Nor is there much guilt over effectively making his sister sacrifice her life to Hervey can keep his; in fact, the more I think about it the less fond I am of Hervey the man.

On the other hand, this is book 5 of an 11 (as I write) book series, so perhaps there are twists and turns in the road to come. This is closer to 3.5 stars than 4, but closer to 4 stars than 3. Whatever else it is, it certainly is telling a historically accurate tale: perhaps its better to think of it as the Regiment's story than Hervey's, and enjoy it like that.