3 out of 4 stars
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Some books are harder to read than others. Brutal Valour, The Tragedy of Isandlwana, by James Mace, is not difficult because of poor language or phrasing or awkward literary compositon. The work is well written and the story flows well earning it 3 out of 4 stars. Brutal Valour is hard to read because the topic is diffiult and the author is uncompromising in his portrayal of the characters who were real people with real flaws during a period in history that would define the known world for the next century.
At times, the reader may need to fight the urge to put the book down and mentally create a 'happily-ever-after' ending. As a veteran, this book was especially difficult to read as I watched the oncoming train-wreck of poor decisions by upper echelons cause the fabric of the world's greatest military to unravel while the price for those decisions was borne by the incredibly brave soldiers and their officers who remained steadfast against not just overwhelming odds but the sure knowledge that their imminent deaths would be brutal and agonizing.
Anyone to made it through high school world history knows how this story ends and that these terrible few days would bleed over into the fabric of African /British relations for the next 70 years. Even those men who came away from Isandlwana as "victors" would not find peace. Men who made difficult decisions in great haste in the middle of battle would be vilified as cowards or have their memories tainted by those who considered them to be self-seeking and incompetent. From King Cetshwayo kaMpdande and Queen Victoria to the lowest Private of both armies; there were no winners at Isandlwana.
Although I rarely read the appendices of fictional works, I was pleasantly surprised by them in this book. I referred to the appendices throughout my reading of Brutal Valour and found them very helpful. The glossary of Dutch and Zulu words as well as British military terminology was also useful. In addition, throughout the book there are numerous maps and drawings. James Mace provides a short biography of each of the main characters upon whose actions this book is based. These notes help to keep the "human-ness" of the characters in the reader's mind and are a reminder that although this is a fictional work, the battle and the people were real.
If you are in the mood for some substantive reading, allow me to recommend that you invest your time in Brutal Valour. In today's world of instant everything and happy endings, a couple of hours spent in the heat of late 1800s Africa will be time well spent.
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Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana
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