"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Anyone who thought that survival in this war depended merely on fighting the enemy was naïve in the extreme. Jealousy, snobbery, intrigue, and patronage were the preoccupations of men of ambition in the Marquess of Wellington's army; and Hervey and others like him, decent officers with little but the ability to recommend them, were increasingly resentful of Wellington's indifference to it all. Indeed, many believed he actively connived at it.Politics and infighting within the ranks are, indeed, important elements in A Close Run Thing, which follows the fortunes of young Matthew Hervey, his regiment, and Wellington's army through the last year of the Napoleonic wars. What makes the novel so fascinating is that the most dangerous enemies are seldom the ones being fought on the battlefield. There are the villains--General "Black Jack" Slade, for example, "as incompetent an officer as was ever placed in command of a brigade of cavalry"; and to a lesser degree, Wellington himself, who seems indifferent to the system of patronage that kept people like Slade in positions of power. And there are the heroes--Hervey and his commanding officer, Major Joseph Edmonds, among others. As war's fortunes take them from France to Ireland and back again to the continent and an insignificant Belgian village called Waterloo, Mallinson paints a vivid portrait not only of military life but of the European political milieu.
In his note at the beginning of A Close Run Thing, Mallinson writes that he's long been a fan of Patrick O'Brian 's naval fictions set during the Napoleonic wars and that he "began to fret for anything remotely comparable for the cavalry of that period." Though one might wish Matthew Hervey had been more fully developed as a character, à la O'Brian's Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, Mallinson writes a battlefield scene with the same brio and encyclopedic knowledge that O'Brian brings to his engagements at sea. From the details of charging a French battery of guns to the peculiar ailments of a cavalry horse, Mallinson, himself a serving officer in a British cavalry regiment, knows his subject inside and out. This is a book sure to appeal to military-history buffs and readers looking for a ripping good adventure tale alike. --Alix Wilber
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. An heroic tale from the Battle of Waterloo and the final days of the Napoleonic Wars that introduces an unforgettable new fictional hero in Matthew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons.From the Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, a riveting read with the perfect combination of hero, history and adventure - perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian and Bernard Cornwell."Convincingly drawn, perfectly paced and expertly written.A Joy to read" - Antony Beevor."I can't wait to read the next in the series." - ***** Reader review."A captivating read."- ***** Reader review."Allan Mallinson is a truly gifted storyteller."- ***** Reader review.**************************************************************** *********Waterloo 1815. The war against Napoleon Bonaparte is raging to its bloody end at Waterloo.A young officer - Cornet Matthew Hervey - going about his duty suddenly finds himself at the crux of events.The decisions he has to make - both military and romantic - will change the course of his life, and possible have far reaching political consequences.A Close Run Thing is the first book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in The Nizam's Daughters. As war against Bonaparte rages to its bloody end upon the field of Waterloo, a young officer goes about his duty in the ranks of Wellington's army. He is Cornet Matthew Hervey of 6th Light Dragoons. Cornet Hervey faces decisions, both military and romantic, which will change the course of his life, and possibly the outcome of Waterloo. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780553507133
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 3248873
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780553507133
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780553507133
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. BRAND NEW ** SUPER FAST SHIPPING FROM UK WAREHOUSE ** 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. Seller Inventory # 9780553507133-GDR
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. new ed edition. 528 pages. 7.80x5.04x1.34 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0553507133
Book Description Condition: New. In. Seller Inventory # ria9780553507133_new
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Waterloo, 1815As the war against Bonaparte rages to its bloody end upon the field of Waterloo, a young officer goes about his duty in the ranks of Wellington's army. He is Cornet Matthew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons - a soldier, gentleman and man or honour, who suddenly finds himself allotted a hero's role . Seller Inventory # B9780553507133
Book Description Condition: New. 2000. Reprint. Paperback. As war against Bonaparte rages to its bloody end upon the field of Waterloo, a young officer goes about his duty in the ranks of Wellington's army. He is Cornet Matthew Hervey of 6th Light Dragoons. Cornet Hervey faces decisions, both military and romantic, which will change the course of his life, and possibly the outcome of Waterloo. Series: Matthew Hervey. Num Pages: 528 pages, map. BIC Classification: FJH; FV. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 197 x 128 x 33. Weight in Grams: 372. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780553507133
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 1414163-n