This is a quick read about what it was like to be in the British cavalry. You follow the life of Colby Goff as a new cavalry officer during the charge of the light brigade in the Crimea War, then as a reporter/observer during the American Revolution, Again as an observer/reporter during the Prussian/French conflict and finally (at least for this book as it is a trilogy) it ends with the Boer war in South Africa.

His battle scenes are well done in that you get a good sense of the confusion and horror of warfare. However the book seems nothing more than a leap from one battle scene to another. As an observer, you are never sure at times which side of the line he is on...it is that chaotic and frankly confusing at times.

The book really revolves about Colby's observations of the stupidity of war and its leaders. Contrast that with Bernard Cornwell's descriptions of the life in the British military in his Sharpe's series...while you see some inefficiencies and cowardice in the Sharpe series you really understand the discipline/life of being in war...You don't get that much detail in Max Hennessy's book. You don't really get a sense of life during this time period. The excitement is there, the chaos is there but it seems to jump around with minor love interests and eventual marriage in breaks from the wars.

It is a quick read, I might try other books by John Harris (Max Hennessy is a pseudonym) but I am not sure I will continue this trilogy ( )