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Rating: 
Summary: "O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts" Henry V
Review: I bought this book after reading "...Brigadier Gerard," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which was based upon the life of this
man, Baron de Marbot. I'll have you know that I found it every bit as entertaining and fascinating as the "...Brigadier Gerard" book...even moreso for knowing that this fellow de Marbot really existed. When I read "...Brigadier Gerard," I was thinking how amazing some of the adventures were, or how fortunate he had been in this situation or in that one, but when I read about de Marbot, and of his incredible exploits, I was truly mesmerized. The coincidences..the simple twists of fate, the turns of fortune, the moments of chance...Hard to believe that this fellow experienced such awesome adventures... And all the while, amidst these adventures, we are kept abreast of the latest military tactics, the conditions of the land, the townsfolk and the soldiers, of all ranks during a period that seemed not to rest from battle... I tell you it is just a breathtaking piece of work (and for a female to say that is something indeed! ) When I read this book I swear it felt so real that I could easily imagine the sounds of voices or of artillery fire, or of horses hooves pounding or sabres clashing...Even scents came alive..The scent of a grassy knoll, or of a smoldering fire, or even that of the decaying flesh of men and animals...I could see the uniforms becoming more and mroe soiled and tattered with wear and with time...I could see troops moving silently through shallow streams in the dead of night; the moonlight spread across the ground like a sheet...I could see men's breaths when the air turned cold, and I could feel their struggle within when they knew that the end was near, but dared to keep the field. This book simply pulls you in and doesn't let go. But that is quite alright. You won't WANT it to let go. It is every bit as much of a page-turner as "...Brigadier Gerard" was, and it gave me a sense of history that I failed to find in any of the books
I studied in college. Marbot so intimately describes his friends, enemies, family, and fellow soldiers, that they became not only real to me, but almost familiar to me. Additionally, It did me well to remember a time when battles were fought in a much different manner than they are today... When words like Honor and Integrity and Duty and Loyalty were of paramount importance, and had substance,...They were not merely breath with sound. I cannot say enough positive things about this book, and to keep at it here would be like beating a dead horse. Let me just say this: If you are ever at a point where you just can't seem to decide on which direction you would like to go in with your next good read, try this one while you are working it out... More likely than not, when you are done, you will kick yourself for not having gotten it sooner. ( And try "... Brigadier Gerard " too! I have reviewd this as well...!! )
Rating:
Summary: "O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts" Henry V
Review: I bought this book after reading "...Brigadier Gerard," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which was based upon the life of this
man, Baron de Marbot. I'll have you know that I found it every bit as entertaining and fascinating as the "...Brigadier Gerard" book...even moreso for knowing that this fellow de Marbot really existed. When I read "...Brigadier Gerard," I was thinking how amazing some of the adventures were, or how fortunate he had been in this situation or in that one, but when I read about de Marbot, and of his incredible exploits, I was truly mesmerized. The coincidences..the simple twists of fate, the turns of fortune, the moments of chance...Hard to believe that this fellow experienced such awesome adventures... And all the while, amidst these adventures, we are kept abreast of the latest military tactics, the conditions of the land, the townsfolk and the soldiers, of all ranks during a period that seemed not to rest from battle... I tell you it is just a breathtaking piece of work (and for a female to say that is something indeed! ) When I read this book I swear it felt so real that I could easily imagine the sounds of voices or of artillery fire, or of horses hooves pounding or sabres clashing...Even scents came alive..The scent of a grassy knoll, or of a smoldering fire, or even that of the decaying flesh of men and animals...I could see the uniforms becoming more and mroe soiled and tattered with wear and with time...I could see troops moving silently through shallow streams in the dead of night; the moonlight spread across the ground like a sheet...I could see men's breaths when the air turned cold, and I could feel their struggle within when they knew that the end was near, but dared to keep the field. This book simply pulls you in and doesn't let go. But that is quite alright. You won't WANT it to let go. It is every bit as much of a page-turner as "...Brigadier Gerard" was, and it gave me a sense of history that I failed to find in any of the books
I studied in college. Marbot so intimately describes his friends, enemies, family, and fellow soldiers, that they became not only real to me, but almost familiar to me. Additionally, It did me well to remember a time when battles were fought in a much different manner than they are today... When words like Honor and Integrity and Duty and Loyalty were of paramount importance, and had substance,...They were not merely breath with sound. I cannot say enough positive things about this book, and to keep at it here would be like beating a dead horse. Let me just say this: If you are ever at a point where you just can't seem to decide on which direction you would like to go in with your next good read, try this one while you are working it out... More likely than not, when you are done, you will kick yourself for not having gotten it sooner. ( And try "... Brigadier Gerard " too! I have reviewd this as well...!! )
Rating:
Summary: Highly entertaining and educational.
Review: I'm a Napoleonic novice,and many things in this book are completely foreign to me, but this narrative gallops right along. This edited version makes me long for the full version. The author appears to write with both candor and a very dry sense of humor (I find myself wincing and laughing-I hope not inappropriately) about incredibly brutal battle exploits as well as about the behind-the-scenes politics. The author's sense of practicality, tempered with his sense of honor makes for a very appealing perspective on the events of the era. Further, it's truly amazing what the soldiers of that era had to deal with, just in terms of physical hardships (at least by today's standards). This book has served to seriously whet my appetite to read and to learn more about this period in history.
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