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The Delayer
Dinosaur
United Kingdom
216 Posts |
 Posted - 22 June 2006 : 2:01:01 PM
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Ok Finished yesterday Young Bloods and thought I would give a fair review of what I did and did not like.
Good
Nice scene's and descriptions of both the Flanders campaign and the intrigues at Corsica and the failed attack at Sardinia. Very enjoyable and nethier have been covered much by other writers (Peninsular war will be another matter) both were pretty good.
I also thought that Simon had captured the core charachteristics of both men fairly well.That you get a real feel for the times and places which is also very good (cannot wait till Russia and the vast steppes).
Bad
The begining is very slow and the undeiniable fact that during these events both Nosey and Boney were peripheral figures at best and showed the merits for example say Cornwell using Sharpe as parrallel with Wellington so he could go off and have adventures rather than standing around doing nothing if about Wellington specifically.
In fact it could be argued that in writing about both these men he misses the two great commanders of the Revolutionary period Carnot who orginised the french armies and of course the great Suvorov who sliced through French armies like scissors through paper.
Both the snow ball match and Arthur with his toy soldiers was slightly groan inducing I hated when Iggulden did it with his Caeser and my mind does not change when Simon does its. Its just clunky.
UGly
How the situation in Ireland is represented as an English V Irish event with poor downtrodden Paddies and snooby English aristo's. With the english talking about them as a weak race etc etc. The whole situation was vastly more complicated than that.
For a good book I reccommend The Year of Our Liberty by Thomas Pakenham for a real look.
So there is my review all in all I found it enjoyable but not Simons best but certainly not his worst 7/10 for me.
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Big Dave
Dinosaur
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 08:18:33 AM
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I have to disgree with you, I think it is far and away Simons best work.
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Chuck Norris likes to knit sweaters in his free time. And by "knit", I mean "kick", and by "sweaters", I mean "babies". |
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AndyCanty
Homosapien
United Kingdom
6629 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 09:06:38 AM
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I'm forced to disagree also, I really enjoyed it, and after reading several books from tyhe era (sharp etc) it gave new insight into the world of the 1800's.
Yes the situation with the irish was more complicated than described, but in essance thats how it was, Bloods is not a book about transgressions towards the irish it's a novelisation of the lives and experiences of these 2 men who became 2 of the finest generals of history.
Thing is about the snowball match, i'm pretty sure i read somewhere that it actaully happened, maybe not in the way Simon describes but the event happened.
You also hated the way Iggulden did this type of background development of ceaser, again those where books about his life, good, bad and the boring.
Everyones entitled to there own opinion and not everyone will like bloods but thats books for you, i've read books that others have raved about and absultly thought it was load of drivel!
_________________________
If all the worlds a stage?
Where's my script???
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
13892 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 11:52:09 AM
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Im with you 2 i love the eagle stuff, but this is the best writing so far.
and andy your right the snowball bit is fact that was well workied into the story, i really liked that bit especially when i found it was true!!
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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AndyCanty
Homosapien
United Kingdom
6629 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 11:54:45 AM
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phew, least the old grey cells are a still working!
being objective, it's not and Eagle book! and some people will turn off it as it's not fiction based in fact, Bloods is pretty much dramatised fact! It's not a throw away novel ity's about real people and that what makes it more engrossing.
Especially when Simon said that there was literally thousands of books about napoloen when he started his research. trying to pic the good bits out of that lot must have cuased some sleepness nights!
_________________________
If all the worlds a stage?
Where's my script???
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
13892 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 12:08:35 PM
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the book as you say is pretty much pulling together all the facts that are known and putting a human face on them and adding the dialoge.
IMHO a great bit of work
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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AndyCanty
Homosapien
United Kingdom
6629 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 12:11:27 PM
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Oh yes, did i miss that...doh!!!!
Bl**dy great piece of writing. cant wait for #2 (Called Generals wasnt it?)..
_________________________
If all the worlds a stage?
Where's my script???
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
13892 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 12:14:36 PM
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the next books sounds like it will blow this 1st one out of the water
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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AndyCanty
Homosapien
United Kingdom
6629 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 12:24:20 PM
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It does indeed! and we know wellington will get more of share, because lets face it, welsey had a rather boring childhood opposed to Nabolene.
When Welly gets posted to india it'll be like lighting a fuse on some excellent reading! and we know how well Simon does action dont we! be intersting on his take on musketry etc, not quite so upclose and personal.
_________________________
If all the worlds a stage?
Where's my script???
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
13892 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 12:27:42 PM
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i have never (apart from sharpe) read about the founding of the raj so im very very interested!!
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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AndyCanty
Homosapien
United Kingdom
6629 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 12:30:26 PM
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yeah same here, i never knew how much they changed India until simon did his little bit on it from the launch.
_________________________
If all the worlds a stage?
Where's my script???
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Simon Scarrow
Small mammal
Uruguay
777 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 4:39:16 PM
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| Thanks for the feedback Delayer. I suspect that you were rather expecting an Eagle goes Napoleonic story instead of a sweeping epic. Carnot as commander? Hardly. Bureaucrat yes. |
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The Delayer
Dinosaur
United Kingdom
216 Posts |
Posted - 23 June 2006 : 6:18:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Simon Scarrow
Thanks for the feedback Delayer. I suspect that you were rather expecting an Eagle goes Napoleonic story instead of a sweeping epic. Carnot as commander? Hardly. Bureaucrat yes.
Both yes and not to that Simon but that was my opinion and my opinion only. As for Eagle style adevntures Napoleons campaigns and the battles and campaigns that Cornwell missed are screaming out for one it has to be said.
And yes Carnot was bureacratic but he is not called the Organiser of Victory for nothing. Though I guess Moreau would have been a better comparison though. |
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Finished Young Bloods my review Good bad and ugly
