An Infamous Army: A Novel of Wellington, Waterloo, Love and War (Paperback)

by Georgette Heyer (Author)
Key Phrases: light dragoons, infamous army, Colonel Audley, Miss Devenish, Lady Worth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
This must be the most accurately researched and detailed battle description that has ever appeared in a book of romantic fiction. The battle itself, and the weeks before and after it, forms the time line and backbone of this novel. The title refers to the Duke of Wellington's unkind nickname for the motley collection of national armies under his command in 1815 at Waterloo. Set in Brussels, as the French and Allied forces are converging, Heyer's story concerns the stormy courtship between Lady Barbara Childe and Col. Charles Audley. Lady Barbara, forced into an unloving and ugly marriage in her youth, has buried her hated husband and become a scandalous widow. Colonel Audley is a popular member of the Duke of Wellington's staff who knows the wicked widow's reputation but falls for her anyway; after their first meeting, he proposes marriage. Lady Barbara, fascinated by this direct attack on her defenses, consents to an engagement but refuses to restrain her shocking behavior. The Battle of Waterloo in all its glorious and horrifying detail then becomes the center around which the book's characters orbit. Definitely a romance for the historically minded reader, there is no fluff here. As the conflict rages, Lady Barbara helps to nurse the wounded men who wander back into the city, learning much about life, death, and love in the process. No magical happy endings occur, just the contentment of two people who have grown into their love for one another. Well read by Clare Higgins, An Infamous Army is highly recommended for public libraries. Barbara Rhodes, Northeast Texas Lib. Syst., Garland
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
On the eve of battle, passions are running high...

"A brilliant achievement...vivid, accurate, dramatic...the description of Waterloo is magnificent."-DAILY MAIL

"My favorite historical novelist."-MARGARET DRABBLE

IN THE SUMMER OF 1815, with Napolean Bonaparte marching down from the north, Brussels is a whirlwind of parties, balls and soirees. In the swirling social scene surrounding the Duke of Wellington and his noble aides de camp, no one attracts more attention than the beautiful, outrageous young widow Lady Barbara Childe. On their first meeting, dashing Colonel Charles Audley proposes to her, but even their betrothal doesn't calm her wild behavior. Finally, with the Battle of Waterloo raging just miles away, civilians fleeing and the wounded pouring back into the town, Lady Barbara discovers where her heart really lies, and like a true noblewoman, she rises to the occasion, and to the demands of love, life and war...

"Wonderful characters, elegant, witty writing, perfect
period detail, and rapturously romantic. Georgette Heyer
achieves what the rest of us only aspire to."
-KATIE FFORDE

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402210078
• ISBN-13: 978-1402210075
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #68,997 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You might want to fast forward through the Battle stuff, December 12, 2000

By	A. Woodley "Patroness, Janeites, the Austen list" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: An Infamous Army (Audio Cassette)

A sweeping romance of Lady Barbara, fiery tempered grand-daughter of theDuke of Avon and one of Wellington's Aide-de-camp's, Charles Audley. Set against Napoleon's Hundred Days. A mere three months in Brussells which culminated in the battle of Waterloo.

For confirmed Heyer fans this novel is the conclusion of two series. It winds up the affairs of the Dukes of Avon who we have read about through The Black Moth, These Old Shades, and Devil's Cub. And the affairs of the Earl of Worth's younger brother, first introduced to us in Regency Buck. An Infamous Army is the last time Heyer wrote a sequel. The book is immaculately researched and comes with a formidable bibliography of sources used. As Heyer was also best friends with Carola Oman, whose father Charles wrote one of the seminal works of the Peninsular War and Waterloo, she had impeccable sources at hand for this book.

Many people might be put off by the long battle descriptions of Waterloo towards the end of thestory, if you aren't interested in military history then much of the detail can be fast forwarded through - although bear in mind that Sandhurst, that most British of officer training instituions has used Heyer's book as a study piece for this battle. This is no light-weight rehashing of the facts.

I find myself torn by the this book. It is very good, and the story of Charles and Lady Barbara gripping - but the mix of the two styles - Historical battle description and fictional romance just doesn't work well for me. I find that I compare this book with MM Kaye's novel, The Far Pavillion's in which there is a long description of the seige at Kabul . I skim over that section whenever I re-read it - but you can't skim them completely, you see both books have two of the saddest events tucked away in the middle of the battle scence. Scenes which make me howl with tears each time I read them. In Kaye it is the death of Wally, in An Infamous Army there is an equally gut-wrenching death - but I won't tell you because it might spoil the book for you. Heyer deals with the event so well, it is stripped of pathos and false emotion.

An Infamous Army was written in 1937, and shows all the strengths and weaknesses of Heyer's style. Her incredible attention to detail, her ability to blend various sources into a gripping story, and yet while the book is very good, it struggles between its desire to be a serious attempt to represent the battle of Waterloo, and its need to be a romantic novel.

I find this conflict apparent in most of Heyer's Historic novels (Spanish Bride, Great Roxhythe, The Conqueror) It was really only her second to last attempt at a Historical novel, the following year, 1938, that I think she finally cracked the code. Royal escape sticks closely to the detail, and doesn't try to interweave too many fictional elements into it. In Spanish Bride, her last historical, a story of Harry and Juana Smith on the Peninsular, again I feel she suffers from historical detail overwhelming the story.

Finally, I have always assumed that the character of Charles Audley is based on John Kincaid whose two memoirs - Adventures in the Rifle Brigade and Random Shots, Heyer used as sources for this book. Their natures, good-humour and general character are so similar. It is interesting that in An Infamous Army she has the two characters meeting up.

If you do enjoy this book, then John Kincaid's two books have been republished and are available through Amazon - they are well worth reading and I think he is the best author to start reading - he is such good fun

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It doesn't deserve five stars...., February 4, 2000

By	Daniel (Reading, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Infamous Army (Paperback)

but oh my gosh, it demands twice as many again! An Infamous Army is an incredible book. On one level, it is considered by Waterloo historians to be one of the most important texts ever written about the Battle of Waterloo and its aftermath; and actually used to be - I don't know if it still is - a compulsory read for all Army cadets and students of military history. And on another level, it features a passionate, outrageous romance between the lovely, scandalous Lady Barbara Childe - the ultimate of all Heyer's Bad Women - and Charles Audley, the handsome and dashing soldier. She is the descendant of the hero and heroine of Heyer's great 18th century melodrama, "These Old Shades". He is related to the Earl of Worth in "Regency Buck". Their blazing and passionate courtship sets this book almost on fire. Babs, brazen as her red hair, is definitely the most shocking of all Heyer's heroines. The book is full of character development set against a practically flawless reconstruction of the events surrounding 1815. Heyer handles tragedy, humour (ranging from the decorous to the deliciously vulgar), high emotion, dislike and distrust, arguments, and pathos, and a dozen other elements without the smallest suggestion of sentimentality. The only problem is that, if you are not a military buff, you may find the description of Waterloo hard to follow. But I just allow this wonderful book to flow past me, and have re-read it many times. Many critics consider this Heyer's greatest achievement, and I must agree. It blends her two main features - her humour and her historical accuracy - so that both stand on their own, yet complement one another. Along with Cotillion, a witty subversion of Heyer's own traditional Regency plots (I've also reviewed this book on Amazon); and The Grand Sophy, which was voted one of the top 400 Novels of the Millennimum recently; An Infamous Army shows Georgette Heyer at her best. If only all set books could be this enjoyable!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Strong points and weak points, October 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: An Infamous Army (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read this book several times, and just finished another re-reading. For many years, I only read the romance, but gradually phased in more of the history. Generally I love historical fiction. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Heyer was such a meticulous historian that she had had trouble blending it with fiction. Parts of the book can be quite dry unless you are a Waterloo historian.

I have mixed feelings about the romance. I agree with the other reviewer that it's hard to see Charles and Barbara living happily ever after. They are both vital, interesting people but so different in type. Partly, this is because their basis for falling in love is never well established. They meet at a ball, and suddenly the capricious Barbara and the seasoned Charles have found true love? They have little in common; no meeting of minds or common values to build on. It's hard to agonize over their love affair. I join Charles' friends in believing he'd be happier with Lucy.

In the real world of the Regency, they'd probably have had an affair instead. Barbara being a widow would have made it acceptable, if they were discreet. But in Heyer's 1930's world it was not possible to explore that in romantic fiction.

This brings me to a few plot points that always bother me. There is the quarrel that separates them, involving Harriet and Perry. Charles says he'd already asked Barbara to sheath her sword where Harriet was concerned. True, but he ignores the additional provocation Barbara was given. It seems he wants to marry a spoiled, strong willed, hot tempered woman, but expects her to change completely the moment they become engaged. How realistic is that? It always makes Charles seem slightly priggish, in that final quarrel, and I feel that Barbara gets more blame than she deserves.

The other thing I dislike is the attitude of Judith and Barbara towards Lucy once her secret is revealed. They are both so superior and contemptuous, though Barbara has done things far more scandalous.

Good points of the book include following the further story of the Alastairs and the Worths, both improved from their original stories. I particularly enjoy the Duke and Duchess of Avon. It is this, plus the vividness of the characters and story, that makes it re-readable, even if you have to suspend disbelief over the romance.