Customer Reviews

Different angle - By: Graham R. Hill, 16 May 2008
The publishers blurb promises that the book won't cover the same old ground & that is certainly true. More time is spent on the Tsar's visit to Britainin 1844 (ten years before the outbreak of war) than on the whole of the battle of Balaklava let alone the Charge of the Light Brigade, & Florence Nightingale is only mentionedin passing. However, Troubetzkoy, wisely assuming some preknowledge of the better known aspects of the conflict, delivers on the promise of the series subtitle. He explains the drift to war, covers the lesser known theatres of the Danube, Baltic & Kamchatka & doesn't fail to highlight the pointlessness of it all.

Some of the English is a bit odd (I thought it was because it had been translated from Russian, but it seems that the author grew upin the US) & the footnote numbering goes awry towards the end. Also, like other titlesin the series, there aren't enough maps. However despite these quibbles it's a good book.