Customer Reviews

Sekigahara 1600 (Trade Editions)

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

 

 

When I read this book, I knew nothing about the period except what I had learned reading "Shogun". This book led me to go out and read further on the topic. Anthony Bryant does an excellent job of not only describing one of the most decisive battles in Japanese history, but also giving the background to understand it. He takes an very complex situation and makes it understandable. He even points out which people were the inspiration for which characters in Shogun!

The description of the battle itself is the core of this book and the author does a first rate job on this. Following the standard Osprey Campaign book format, he describes the opposing commanders (a fascinating topic in itself!), the opposing armies (this was a transition period with gun-armed troops fighting side by side with sword-wielding samurai) and the opposing plans before describing the battle. Unlike many books, however, he follows up with what happened after. The action is greatly aided by a series of maps which go a long way to making the complex events understandable.

Although the book is only 96 pages long, it provides a very satisfying introduction to the period that saw the end of internecine warfare and the reestablishment of the Shogunate. Please note that at present at least (July 2003), there are two identical editions of this book available on Amazon.Com at two different prices. So check around!

This book is almost the only treatment of this battle available in English unless you want to buy an out of print war game on ebay or a set miniature rules. Like most Osprey books you will find a formula presentation with workman like but not inspired writing. Osprey battle studies are utilitarian at best and his one fits the mold. Illustrations as always are excellent.

The author covers every aspect of the battle but only glances over most information with a page or 2 when I would have really liked a lot more. There are only about 30 pages on the actual battle (many pictures take up a lot of space) I wish he had written twice that amount of information. The information given is excellent, but like I said I just wish there was more. It does read a bit like a high school text book which can take away the emotion from the reader.