Review of Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana
1 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana" by James Mace.]
Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana by James Mace is an informative historical fiction about the battle between the British Colonial Forces and the Zulu warriors at Isandlwana on January 22, 1879. It gives great insight into the tragic results caused by the arrogance of a few men with influence who underestimated the strength and intelligence of the Zulu forces.
The book starts with a bloody and vicious battle between Cetshwayo KaMpande and his brother, Prince Mbuyazi, for the right to be heir to the Zulu Kingdom. It brings to light the origin of Cetshwayo and his fight to become the king of the Zulu. Then we switch to the British side and follow the story of the newest recruit of the 24th Regiment of Foot, Arthur Wilkinson, on his adventure to South Africa, where he joins the rest of his regiment. Here they became involved in the illegal war with the Zulu because of the schemes of High Commissioner Sir Henry Bartle Frere when he gave an impossible ultimatum to Cetshwayo to disband his[I]impi (Zulu army) and allow more British influence in the Zulu nation. Their egos bolstered by their victory over the Xhosa, the British arrogantly presume dealing with the Zulus will be a walk in the park. Cetshwayo was unable to comply and assembled his forces to defend against an invasion.
I knew very little about the Anglo-Zulu War, and reading about the details and events leading up to it was both educational and captivating. James Mace brilliantly describes the battles in cringe-worthy detail. I found it very illuminating to read about the logistical problems of war in 1879 South Africa and the everyday struggles the soldiers had to cope with. Switching to the Zulus, he uniquely portrayed their traditions and beliefs. The way they came together as a nation and how they conducted themselves in times of war was truly interesting. James Mace paints a vivid picture in the mind's eye that makes it easy for the reader to imagine being there. Integrating the real characters with the fictional and combing their lives and stories drew me in from the start. Adding in the photos of the officers and the Zulu made it easier to picture some of the characters and become invested in their fate.
I would have liked to study the maps more, but they were a bit small and became very unclear when zooming in. The one thing I found a bit frustrating was keeping up with all the military terminology, which I'm not very knowledgeable about. There is a glossary in the back that explains all the different terms, but I only found the glossary when I reached the back of the book.
I give Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in historical military fiction. The research is accurate, the fiction is entertaining, and it is very well edited. I found a few grammar errors, but not enough to interrupt the reading flow. I don't recommend this book to readers sensitive to violence, as the battle scenes are very descriptive. There is a lot of coarse language and some racial comments, but taking into account the setting and the period the book is based on, it's not unexpected.
******
Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana
View: on Bookshelves |
Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana by James Mace is an informative historical fiction about the battle between the British Colonial Forces and the Zulu warriors at Isandlwana on January 22, 1879. It gives great insight into the tragic results caused by the arrogance of a few men with influence who underestimated the strength and intelligence of the Zulu forces.
The book starts with a bloody and vicious battle between Cetshwayo KaMpande and his brother, Prince Mbuyazi, for the right to be heir to the Zulu Kingdom. It brings to light the origin of Cetshwayo and his fight to become the king of the Zulu. Then we switch to the British side and follow the story of the newest recruit of the 24th Regiment of Foot, Arthur Wilkinson, on his adventure to South Africa, where he joins the rest of his regiment. Here they became involved in the illegal war with the Zulu because of the schemes of High Commissioner Sir Henry Bartle Frere when he gave an impossible ultimatum to Cetshwayo to disband his
I knew very little about the Anglo-Zulu War, and reading about the details and events leading up to it was both educational and captivating. James Mace brilliantly describes the battles in cringe-worthy detail. I found it very illuminating to read about the logistical problems of war in 1879 South Africa and the everyday struggles the soldiers had to cope with. Switching to the Zulus, he uniquely portrayed their traditions and beliefs. The way they came together as a nation and how they conducted themselves in times of war was truly interesting. James Mace paints a vivid picture in the mind's eye that makes it easy for the reader to imagine being there. Integrating the real characters with the fictional and combing their lives and stories drew me in from the start. Adding in the photos of the officers and the Zulu made it easier to picture some of the characters and become invested in their fate.
I would have liked to study the maps more, but they were a bit small and became very unclear when zooming in. The one thing I found a bit frustrating was keeping up with all the military terminology, which I'm not very knowledgeable about. There is a glossary in the back that explains all the different terms, but I only found the glossary when I reached the back of the book.
I give Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in historical military fiction. The research is accurate, the fiction is entertaining, and it is very well edited. I found a few grammar errors, but not enough to interrupt the reading flow. I don't recommend this book to readers sensitive to violence, as the battle scenes are very descriptive. There is a lot of coarse language and some racial comments, but taking into account the setting and the period the book is based on, it's not unexpected.
******
Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana
View: on Bookshelves |
You are not logged in. Please log in or sign up to view members replies, participate in the discussion, and access more features.
