Bibliography

Date first published	1993
ISBN Number	0 006 17920 7
Page Count	435 p/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

America stands on the brink of civil war. Attempts to bring peace through negotiation have failed and the battle lines are being drawn.

Nathaniel Starbuck, is a Northerner in the deep South, and in trouble, not only because the locals think he is a spy, but because he can't go home, having fallen out of favour with his family, and stolen his employers takings, all for the sake of a woman. Who promptly dumps him!

Starbuck joins the Faulconer Legion, and having won his spurs, by persuading a local outlaw called Truslow to join, enjoys the peace, before being thrust into the heat of battle, where he finds his true calling.

Review

I have to admit that the first time I read this series I didn't enjoy it, and in fact have never read all of the books in the series. Now having read the story again, I'm not so sure why I didn't like it. Starbuck doesn't seem quite as obnoxious as I remember him, and the story follows Cornwell's well tried and tested style, love, traitors on all sides, and of course the heat of battle.

If there is a fault with the book, it does spend a lot of time in the period up to the opening battle, but I think it is necessary, to set the scene, and also to introduce some of the characters. It will be interesting to see which of the cadre follow Starbuck through the series.

Starbuck is not the only one to find his calling Thaddius Bird, the poor relation to the Faulconer family, also finds that he is a good soldier, and indeed it is his decision to lead the Legion into battle, that wins it his first spurs. For Faulconer, for all of his bravado, is much keener on promoting himself rather than the best interests of his men.

The blurb on the back of the book states that this is better than the Sharpe novels. I'm not so sure about that, certainly it might be a better first novel than the first Sharpe, but then the author has learned his trade. Personally I would rank Sharpe higher than this, and the Warlord Chronicles are also a good deal better. Perhaps I regard them as better, because I know more of the periods involved.

So to conclude, a better read than I had expected, and a fairly enjoyable romp through the Civil War.

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