Art McGrath

Reading Mr. McGrath's work you get a sense that the man is quite the admirer of Napoleon, and has been in search of a vehicle to be able to relate that. He has given us Pierre Burns and that is perhaps the reason this book does not rate higher with me.

A piece of fiction or fantasy can create a character that is larger than life. A historical fiction, and one that has Napoleon within it, already has such a person who really lived, and adding to that time a person who did not exist but outshines the achievements of those around him, causes our disbelief to emerge.

Burns sees too much, does too much, becomes too good a soldier in too short a time when surrounded by those who have been at their profession for decades. There are moments when Mr. McGrath is able to use the first person POV to make the telling move swiftly. Specifically during a couple of action sequences. But then there are other times when the tale drags and drags, too little happening and then Burns, who has no skills, is appointed to positions of authority without training ahead of other men in the Grande Armee who have the training, showing that the Generals and Marshalls must be idiots to trust in such a position and untried individual.

Because of that, the desire to try and tell every event no matter how small or big, with Burns as a witness, the story loses credibility for me. It is fine, during such a time, to have the Lieutenant be told of events, or read about them in the papers. He does not need to go to the Coronation, nor be involved in plots there, or with the spying in Boulogne. He is a lieutenant. He is not the only man in the army who speaks english, nor the only man from America so his being signaled out at such and losing his temper as well as McGrath bringing it up to reinforce the title too many times, lessens the work.

No, it is am ambitious project that may span a dozen books, but their are biographies of the Emperor that cover much fewer pages and tell the story of all of Napoleon. Even Chandler's work, The Campaigns of Napoleon may cover less when all is said and done.

To bring back my interest, I would see more time covered per volume and done so in third person. Burns needs not be the best at everything. If he is to rise to general, as we have had a foretelling, perhaps making him a tactical genius is all that was ever needed for him to excel. But as he is the best duelist, best lover, best friend and companion, best leader, it has caused me to lose interest and think I should return to Horatio Hornblower whose faults are many and yet perseveres.… (mehr)