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Napoleonic Wars #2
Beat the Drums Slowly
The second novel in a brilliant new Napoleonic series from acclaimed historian Adrian Goldsworthy.
Second in the series begun by TRUE SOLDIER GENTLEMEN, the story takes our heroes through the winter snows as Sir John Moore is forced to retreat to Corunna. Faced with appalling weather, and pursued by an overwhelming French army led by Napoleon himself, the very survival of Britain's army is at stake.
But while the 106th Foot fights a desperate rearguard action, for the newly promoted Hamish Williams, the retreat turns into an unexpectedly personal drama. Separated from the rest of the army in the initial chaos, he chances upon another fugitive, Jane MacAndrews, the daughter of his commanding officer, and the woman he is desperately and hopelessly in love with. As the pair battle the elements and the pursuing French, picking up a rag-tag band of fellow stragglers along the way - as well as an abandoned newborn - the strict boundaries of their social relationship are tested to the limit, with surprising results.
But Williams soon finds he must do more than simply evade capture and deliver Jane safe and sound to her father. A specially tasked unit of French cavalry is threatening to turn the retreat into a massacre, and Williams and his little band are the only thing standing between them and their goal.
Second in the series begun by TRUE SOLDIER GENTLEMEN, the story takes our heroes through the winter snows as Sir John Moore is forced to retreat to Corunna. Faced with appalling weather, and pursued by an overwhelming French army led by Napoleon himself, the very survival of Britain's army is at stake.
But while the 106th Foot fights a desperate rearguard action, for the newly promoted Hamish Williams, the retreat turns into an unexpectedly personal drama. Separated from the rest of the army in the initial chaos, he chances upon another fugitive, Jane MacAndrews, the daughter of his commanding officer, and the woman he is desperately and hopelessly in love with. As the pair battle the elements and the pursuing French, picking up a rag-tag band of fellow stragglers along the way - as well as an abandoned newborn - the strict boundaries of their social relationship are tested to the limit, with surprising results.
But Williams soon finds he must do more than simply evade capture and deliver Jane safe and sound to her father. A specially tasked unit of French cavalry is threatening to turn the retreat into a massacre, and Williams and his little band are the only thing standing between them and their goal.
325 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2011
67 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Goldsworthy
45 books1,553 followersAdrian Goldsworthy, born in 1969, is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including biographies of Julius Caesar and Augustus. He lectures widely and consults on historical documentaries for the History Channel, National Geographic, and the BBC. He lives in the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 21, 2019
Mostly follows one of the three friends introduced in True Soldier Gentlemen
An author who writes a series about the British Army in the Peninsular War will inevitably be compared to Bernard Cornwell and his Richard Sharpe novels and stories. Thus far Adrian Goldsworthy bears up well in the comparison.
In this novel the action follows ensign Hamish Williams newly commissioned from gentleman volunteer. Like Sharpe, Williams received his commission on merit not wealth or political connections. Both Sharpe and Williams are essentially penniless, barely surviving on their meagre pay. Williams is a gentlemen. Sharpe is from the slums of London. Both are sneered at by many of the wealthy, born "gentlemen" of the British officer corps. The stories of both delve a little into what really constitutes a gentleman. Like Sharpe, Williams finds himself separated from the army on the retreat to Corunna. There are other similarities but not enough to call Goldsworthy's work simply a copy of Cornwell.
Prior to trying his hand at historical fiction, Goldsworthy wrote works of history specializing in ancient Rome. Despite a very few rocky spots, Goldsworthy's prose is equal to the task of writing fiction. Example of rocky spot: Goldsworthy persists with an hussar rather than a hussar. Maybe it's a British English thing.
An author who writes a series about the British Army in the Peninsular War will inevitably be compared to Bernard Cornwell and his Richard Sharpe novels and stories. Thus far Adrian Goldsworthy bears up well in the comparison.
In this novel the action follows ensign Hamish Williams newly commissioned from gentleman volunteer. Like Sharpe, Williams received his commission on merit not wealth or political connections. Both Sharpe and Williams are essentially penniless, barely surviving on their meagre pay. Williams is a gentlemen. Sharpe is from the slums of London. Both are sneered at by many of the wealthy, born "gentlemen" of the British officer corps. The stories of both delve a little into what really constitutes a gentleman. Like Sharpe, Williams finds himself separated from the army on the retreat to Corunna. There are other similarities but not enough to call Goldsworthy's work simply a copy of Cornwell.
Prior to trying his hand at historical fiction, Goldsworthy wrote works of history specializing in ancient Rome. Despite a very few rocky spots, Goldsworthy's prose is equal to the task of writing fiction. Example of rocky spot: Goldsworthy persists with an hussar rather than a hussar. Maybe it's a British English thing.
September 29, 2014
I did a bit of speed reading and finished this book in 4 hours. It spent entirely too much time with Williams, Jane and Wickham and not enough on battle. I don't read Napoleonic war era books in order to spend half the book on Williams’s dog-like devotion to Jane.
It is unfortunate that this series took a wrong turn and went with relationships over action but at least I still have Sharpe.
It is unfortunate that this series took a wrong turn and went with relationships over action but at least I still have Sharpe.
December 28, 2019
Part two of the series takes off from where the first one ended, and continues in the same vein. The storytelling is fluent, the plot works very well and, for me, the most important thing in historical fiction, great attention is paid to historical detail. However, the characters still remain slightly distant and shifting the point of view around in times of action is still confusing. A quick read with an almost impeccable balance between historical background and fictitious events, but it's hard to see me returning for a re-read.
April 7, 2023
This second installment of the series was much more heavily Jane Austen-ish than many readers are likely looking for. Nonetheless, considering it’s cataloging the retreat of the British army through Spain, which was not punctuated by much military action, I think this did a good job covering the ground in an engaging way. I don’t think the small sections of engagements we get are described overly well, but the book’s character-building focus continues to give good dimension to the various characters.
August 8, 2024
A fine sequel that sees a familiar set of characters develop further as the British Army pushes from Portugal into Spain before being compelled to retreat towards the coast.
I enjoyed the authoritative detail and the fact that all major incidents are firmly rooted in fact, as are many of the senior figures portrayed. I am already looking forward to reading the next instalment.
I enjoyed the authoritative detail and the fact that all major incidents are firmly rooted in fact, as are many of the senior figures portrayed. I am already looking forward to reading the next instalment.
June 23, 2025
An absolutely cracking read. A real page turner that I did not want to put down. Considerably better than the first book in the series as the subplot is exciting and makes considerably more sense. I do enjoy the military details which, dare I say, are more accurate than Sharpe. If the rest of the series are as good as this we are in for a treat!
April 28, 2021
Enjoyable Napoleonic Action
A pleasing mix of action and back story.
The story mainly follows Williams, who is separated from his friends and thus allows the author to describe both the action of the 106th battalion and also what Williams is experiencing.
A pleasing mix of action and back story.
The story mainly follows Williams, who is separated from his friends and thus allows the author to describe both the action of the 106th battalion and also what Williams is experiencing.
May 10, 2022
A well written book of the Peninsular War combining an engaging romantic backstory with the interesting and fairly accurate overview of the Corunna retreat from Spain early in the war.
December 5, 2023
This series is getting much more entertaining. I really like it.
August 1, 2013
The novel tells the story of Ensign Hamish Williams, a former 'gentleman volunteer' soldier who had served in the British army's ranks in the previous novel. A gentlemen volunteer could enlist in the ranks and eat with the officers due to his status, but due to either lack of funds or connections is unable to purchase a commission. The major battle in that novel was Vimeiro, one of Arthur Wellesley's early battles in Portugal.
In Spain, Sir John Moore is commander of British forces and is sent to the peninsula to assist Spanish forces in repelling Napoleon's invasion of their country. But bad luck, politics, a Spanish army in disarray and an aggressive campaign led by Napoleon himself forces Moore to withdraw and eventually retreat to the port of Corunna. At the start, Moore's army is outnumbered by more than four-to-one. Napoleon would take more than half his army back to Madrid when he couldn't bring Moore to battle.
Newly-promoted Williams is part of the fictional 106th Regiment. As part of the Reserve Division, the 106th is tasked with providing a rearguard for the demoralized army. It is winter and the harrowing journey across rough terrain forces the army to make do with dwindling supplies and the ever-present threat of Marshal Soult's vanguard nipping at their rear.
Discipline in the army breaks down, leading to looting and harassment of the Spanish locals along the way. During the retreat, Williams finds himself separated from the army along with Jane MacAndrews (daughter of his commanding officer). Amid their flirtations and budding romance, they also gain a following of a ragtag band of stranded soldiers who had also been separated during the retreat. This is timely, as Napoleon has assigned a French captain to lead a force to try to cut off Moore's retreat.
Goldsworthy capably uses the setting of the retreat to Corunna to place Williams in harm's way (when it does happen) and conveys the army's constant fear of French attack and dwindling food. The retreat is described in great detail, especially how it affected the camp followers: the wives and children of the British army. Weather, starvation and sickness did more to hamper Moore's army than the French vanguard.
If you're expecting action, there is some of that ... but nowhere near the level of sabre-rattling adventure of Richard Sharpe's own journeys in Spain. The 95th Rifles do make an appearance in the story, so it was amusing to imagine that Sharpe and his Chosen Men could have been there too during the Battle of Corunna.
Williams does have a few skirmishes with the French, but his courting of Jane and his new rank of Ensign prevents him from being on the frontlines. While it was interesting to see what sort of responsibilities a staff officer might have, this usually meant that Williams was a courier on horseback, delivering messages to Moore and the other brigade or division officers. This keeps him out of harm's way, when it would have been more exciting to see him perhaps take his place with the line infantry and fight the French.
At the Battle of Corunna, he gets to witness Moore's untimely death just at the moment of victory. He's also a spectator when the skirmish line of 95th Rifles fights their private war against French voltigeurs. (You could almost imagine Sharpe on the battlefield with the 95th, calling out: "Chosen Men! To me!")
The action may have been lacking, but Goldsworthy does a more credible job developing Williams' supporting cast, including the lower ranks and the women who must follow their men in the retreat. Jane's character is more than just window dressing and we get the sense that Williams' courtship of Miss MacAndrews will be a subplot that will develop in future novels.
The novel is a slower read than the Sharpe novels, due to the lack of action and not enough intrigue. This is balanced with more fleshed-out secondary characters, the start of Williams' romance with Jane and vivid descriptions of the British army's successful retreat to Corunna. Moore preserved the bulk of his army to fight another day and even Wellington would later praise him for doing just that. It's this army that, by 1814, would later drive Napoleon's troops out of Spain and across the Pyrenees into France itself.
If you're a reader interested in Napoleonic history and looking for more drama and a little romance (at the risk of less action and adventure), Williams might be the military hero you'd like.
If you're a Sharpe fan who can't imagine the Peninsular war without lots of blood, sweat and fixed bayonets in action, then read this novel for its compelling depiction of the retreat to Corunna. There's enough action in there -- but don't expect a quick page-turner.
In Spain, Sir John Moore is commander of British forces and is sent to the peninsula to assist Spanish forces in repelling Napoleon's invasion of their country. But bad luck, politics, a Spanish army in disarray and an aggressive campaign led by Napoleon himself forces Moore to withdraw and eventually retreat to the port of Corunna. At the start, Moore's army is outnumbered by more than four-to-one. Napoleon would take more than half his army back to Madrid when he couldn't bring Moore to battle.
Newly-promoted Williams is part of the fictional 106th Regiment. As part of the Reserve Division, the 106th is tasked with providing a rearguard for the demoralized army. It is winter and the harrowing journey across rough terrain forces the army to make do with dwindling supplies and the ever-present threat of Marshal Soult's vanguard nipping at their rear.
Discipline in the army breaks down, leading to looting and harassment of the Spanish locals along the way. During the retreat, Williams finds himself separated from the army along with Jane MacAndrews (daughter of his commanding officer). Amid their flirtations and budding romance, they also gain a following of a ragtag band of stranded soldiers who had also been separated during the retreat. This is timely, as Napoleon has assigned a French captain to lead a force to try to cut off Moore's retreat.
Goldsworthy capably uses the setting of the retreat to Corunna to place Williams in harm's way (when it does happen) and conveys the army's constant fear of French attack and dwindling food. The retreat is described in great detail, especially how it affected the camp followers: the wives and children of the British army. Weather, starvation and sickness did more to hamper Moore's army than the French vanguard.
If you're expecting action, there is some of that ... but nowhere near the level of sabre-rattling adventure of Richard Sharpe's own journeys in Spain. The 95th Rifles do make an appearance in the story, so it was amusing to imagine that Sharpe and his Chosen Men could have been there too during the Battle of Corunna.
Williams does have a few skirmishes with the French, but his courting of Jane and his new rank of Ensign prevents him from being on the frontlines. While it was interesting to see what sort of responsibilities a staff officer might have, this usually meant that Williams was a courier on horseback, delivering messages to Moore and the other brigade or division officers. This keeps him out of harm's way, when it would have been more exciting to see him perhaps take his place with the line infantry and fight the French.
At the Battle of Corunna, he gets to witness Moore's untimely death just at the moment of victory. He's also a spectator when the skirmish line of 95th Rifles fights their private war against French voltigeurs. (You could almost imagine Sharpe on the battlefield with the 95th, calling out: "Chosen Men! To me!")
The action may have been lacking, but Goldsworthy does a more credible job developing Williams' supporting cast, including the lower ranks and the women who must follow their men in the retreat. Jane's character is more than just window dressing and we get the sense that Williams' courtship of Miss MacAndrews will be a subplot that will develop in future novels.
The novel is a slower read than the Sharpe novels, due to the lack of action and not enough intrigue. This is balanced with more fleshed-out secondary characters, the start of Williams' romance with Jane and vivid descriptions of the British army's successful retreat to Corunna. Moore preserved the bulk of his army to fight another day and even Wellington would later praise him for doing just that. It's this army that, by 1814, would later drive Napoleon's troops out of Spain and across the Pyrenees into France itself.
If you're a reader interested in Napoleonic history and looking for more drama and a little romance (at the risk of less action and adventure), Williams might be the military hero you'd like.
If you're a Sharpe fan who can't imagine the Peninsular war without lots of blood, sweat and fixed bayonets in action, then read this novel for its compelling depiction of the retreat to Corunna. There's enough action in there -- but don't expect a quick page-turner.
May 18, 2015
This is the 2nd book in Goldsworthy's series of the Peninsular War. Here we find the heroes of the 106th, after their victory at Vimeiro, facing Napoleon who is forcing them to retreat from Spain back into Portugal at the end of which, they will fight at Corunna. We meet the real historical figures of Paget and Moore, and various others.
Our fictitious characters continue along in a mostly plausible part of the retreat, though our main POV character does take a little detour that seems brought with the need to suspend our disbelief to accept his antics. Still, once we can do this, those adventures lead to a small story that provides a very powerful sequence of action and becomes rewarding.
There are still villains beyond the French, and there are moments we glimpse the life of the private soldier on campaign as well as the officers. Goldsworthy does justice to the era and the events and gives a well balanced tale that is worthy of a read if one likes the era. A fine counterpoint to the tales of Cornwell's Sharpe.
Our fictitious characters continue along in a mostly plausible part of the retreat, though our main POV character does take a little detour that seems brought with the need to suspend our disbelief to accept his antics. Still, once we can do this, those adventures lead to a small story that provides a very powerful sequence of action and becomes rewarding.
There are still villains beyond the French, and there are moments we glimpse the life of the private soldier on campaign as well as the officers. Goldsworthy does justice to the era and the events and gives a well balanced tale that is worthy of a read if one likes the era. A fine counterpoint to the tales of Cornwell's Sharpe.
May 13, 2014
This book couldn't really decide who it what it was about. First it was a book about war. Then it was a developing love story. Then it was about the French. Then about the English. Then the love story. Then more war. The author would be better suited to write screenplay if he intends to dart around between plot points. It also seems like as soon as there was sufficient flow to a certain plot point he purposely halted himself with the intention of writing another book. Instead of letting the story play out he would move on to something else. Because heaven forbid the book stand on its own. I personally didn't find any of the characters to be so lovable and relatable that I'd want to read another book about them. This could have been one good book, but instead turned into a trilogy of disorganized brainstorming.
May 30, 2014
One reviewer put it best as, this book has no idea who it is about and what the main narrative is. Is it the war, the French, a love story between a naive girl and a misogynist or a book about one man's struggle amidst it all? The series started with great promise, the new Sharpe, but getting beaten at writing a good novel by Bernard Cornwell is a sorry sight. I think Goldsworthy should stick with writing his historical overviews of Rome or try something new. This series has lost its charm and is wholly derivative of what has came before it.
September 11, 2011
Another novel in historical fiction on Great Britain's Napoleonic Army.
April 14, 2016
2nd book in the series and the main characters are really taking shape, highly recommend
August 26, 2012
More interesting than the first
novel in the series and I believe I am hooked
novel in the series and I believe I am hooked
August 8, 2018
A very believable and down to earth portrayal of a Napoleonic army. Good story telling with interesting and believable characters. Will definitely be reading more of his work
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews