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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The British lose the battle- but are the heroes, May 4, 2006
The author has taken some pains to be evenhanded, but does not quite make it. The great hero/woodsman of the book is A BRITISH OFFICER! Even though he participates in several losing battles with the "rebels", he always manages to kill a few just before he retreats. Even though it is the colonies that are being invaded by the British army, it is the colonists who are the ones who commit atrocities- on hapless loyalists. The only atrocities commited against the Americans are done by the evil savage, untrustworthy Indian allies. The British soldiers are given a human face, cheerful in the face of adversity. The colonials (except for the artist, who is not a soldier) are pretty much cardboard figures, fueding, vain, petty, for instance, for not giving Arnold his due, who is pictured as a madman, anyway. If you want to cheer for the British, read this book.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
engaging revolutionary War historical fiction, August 13, 2006
This review is from: Saratoga: A Novel of the American Revolution (Paperback)
In 1777, loyal veteran British Captain James Skoyles joins the 24th Foot marching down the Hudson Valley from Canada under the command of General John Burgoyne. A courageous warrior who earned his commission on the battlefield, James believes the upstart colonists will be quickly defeated once they reach the mouth of the Hudson in New York City and thus slice the colony in half. This major force easily takes the undermanned Fort Ticonderoga from the rebels that lead to "Gentleman Johnny" and his senior advisors being confident that the ragtag group will be routed. Only James retains a healthy skepticism as he notices the intelligence and grit of the enemy. However, even James is somewhat distracted when he meets Elizabeth Rainham engaged to marry Major Harry Featherstone, who he realizes is an abusive officer with no concern about the soldiers dying or maimed and cares even less about the civilian populace becoming casualties. As they compete for Elizabeth's affection with James dreaming of a post war future in New York with her, Saratoga is reckoning. This engaging revolutionary War historical fiction novel is at its best when the story line concentrates on the British military politics that hampered a powerful force. The plot loses some sting when it focuses on a romantic triangle between the two British officers and Elizabeth especially since James is all good and caring while Harry is all evil and a sociopath. Still the insight into the British military of 1777 makes for a fine tale as readers observe a confident James becoming increasingly a skeptic. Harriet Klausner
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good historical subject but inadequate story telling, May 12, 2006
In my view these historical novels when well done are good sources of information and entertainment for readers who prefer this genre to learn or refresh their memories of American history. The battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the American Revolution. This British military loss caused British politicians to take action to rescind the laws that antagnized the colonist. And it also caused the French to enter into a treaty with the colonist before the British politicans could act lest their actions would end the revolution and keep America as part of the an expanding empire of their mortal enemy the British. This British military loss was due in large part to their ignorance of the physical and human conditions in what can be described as the American savage wilderness. And the leader of the British force,"Gentleman Jack Burgoyne made no adjustments, he had 30 wagons of personal baggage to wine, dine and entertain himself and his officers through out the campaign while his troops suffered. The author of this book would have told a much better story by detailing all of this in more detail. It is too bad this author did not follow the format of Harold Coyle's novel,"Savage Wilderness." Coyle used the so-called French and Indian War as the backdrop for his novel and described this important historical event through the action of four characters: a French army officer and a French Indian ally to tell their story of this conflict and a British army officer and American colonial soldier to tell the other side. Coyle in this manner present a balanced, informative and interesting story. David Garland, on the other hand, mainly uses one protagonist, British regular army Captian Jamie Skoyles, to depict the the British defeat at Saratoga which was another important American historical event. Skoyles would have done much better to expand his slim characterization of British General Burgoyne and American General Gates who led the opposing forces in this battle, as well as developing a character in the American army to counter Skoyles in showing the American soldiers side. Readers will find the historically correct outline of this campaign leading to the British defeat at Saratoga in this book, but the emphasis on the James Bond-like exploits of a lone British Captain to tell the story falls short of a good way to do it.
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