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Title: First Newbury 1643 (Campaign, 116) by Keith Roberts, Graham Tumer ISBN: 1-84176-333-0 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: February, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2 (1 review)
Rating: 2
Summary: Not One of Osprey's Better Volumes
Comment: Osprey's Campaign #116, First Newbury 1643, covers an action in the second season of the English Civil War. This book is obviously designed to appeal primarily to English audiences and hence, seems more narrowly focused than most other volumes in this series. American readers may ponder not only why this battle is described by the author as the "turning point" of the war, but also why such a seemingly minor action merits a book in the same series as Waterloo, Kursk and Gettysburg. The author spends the bulk of the volume relating events leading up to the battle then spends less than 10% on the battle itself. Furthermore, the author's plodding writing style and inattention to detail will surely make a murky situation even more opaque. First Newbury 1643 should only be purchased to round out one's Osprey collection, since it is not one of the better volumes in this series.
First Newbury 1643 begins with a rather lengthy eight-page introduction, followed by a brief section on the art of war in England in 1600-1650. The sections on opposing commanders and opposing armies comprise another 18 pages. The bulk of the campaign narrative focuses on events leading up to the Battle of Newbury, with only eight pages of text covering the battle itself. There are three 3-D Bird's Eye View maps of the Battle of Newbury and five 2-D maps (England in 1643, the siege of Gloucester, the march from Gloucester to Newbury, the march from Newbury to London, and England in late 1643). Perhaps the best parts of this book are the three well-done battle scenes: a parliament sally during the siege of Gloucester, cavalry clash at Newbury and Parliament infantry at Newbury.
Reading the first thirty pages or so of First Newbury 1643, I was struck by this author's seeming inability to describe military history in other than the most mundane terms (e.g. "on such-and-such a date, this body of troops marched here, and then on the next day, they marched there..."). The author incorporates huge chunks - actually far too much - of several contemporary accounts into his narrative and is constantly switching between 17th Century and 21st Century English in the same paragraph. As for describing the Battle of Newbury, not only does the author make no mention of casualties, but he seems at a loss to explain the significance of any of the events described. The description of First Newbury - a minor battle that ended inconclusively - as the "turning point" of the war appears ludicrous. Surely the battles of Marston Moor or Naseby were more significant and decisive. Overall, this book is superficially attractive but poorly-written and historically lightweight.
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Title: Towton 1461: England's Bloodiest Battle (Campaign) by Christopher Gravett, Graham Turner ISBN: 1841765139 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: April, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Stirling Bridge & Falkirk 1297-98 (Campaign, 117) by Peter Armstrong, Pete Armstrong, Graham Turner, Angus McBride ISBN: 1841765104 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: February, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Auldearn 1645: The Marquis of Montrose's Scottish Campaign by Stuart Reid, Gerry Embleton ISBN: 1841766798 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Tannenberg 1410: Disaster for the Teutonic Knights by Stephen Turnbull, Richard Hook ISBN: 1841765619 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: May, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Lepanto 1571 (Campaign, 114) by Angus Konstam, Christa Hook, Tony Bryan ISBN: 1841764094 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: February, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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