This is the first book in a new series by Osprey on famous commanders of history past. It makes perfect sense to start with one of the more notable ones, Napoleon Bonaparte. His rise to prominence is truly remarkable and shows that when the circumstances are just right, some pretty incredible things can happen.

Though borne of a lesser known noble family on Corsica, when the island was taken over by the French, Napoleon was eligible for education in France. During this time he did well in mathematics and when he graduated, he was made an officer in the French Army, specializing in artillery. With the change in government during the French Civil War, he, along with many other young officers, found those who had achieved rank thanks to royal influence suddenly gone and many of those positions open to those who had the ability to earn them. As such, he rose quickly, gaining much in terms of rank and prestige due to his military abilities and prowess.

Eventually, he became one of the most successful generals the army had and thanks to his brilliant planning, rose to great prominence and into a position to finally take power. He held control of the nation for a considerable time, most of it spent on campaign where he generally did quite well. As he was an army-trained man, his ability to control sea battles was poor and on several occasions, his fleet suffered because of it.

In this book on Napoleon and his military and political life, the author, Fremont-Barnes, has chosen to provide a background on his family and rise to notoriety and finally into power. He covers all of Napoleon's more famous battles and has a look at the commanders of the opposing forces in each one of them. There is also a section on how other authors have seen Napoleon, certainly one of the most written about personalities of all time.  Throughout the book are period artwork  as well as illustrations and maps made specifically for this series.

In all, it is a fascinating look at one of the world's most famous leaders and his campaigns. If you have no other books on the man, this would be an excellent choice.  A most interesting read and one that I am sure you will enjoy.

June 2010

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