Not a book that I would have expected, but when you get right down to it, it surely fit. The Huns were, after all, often portrayed as nomadic warriors whose sole goal was pillage and plunder.

At least, that is the way history has portrayed, them and while I'd be remiss to say that history was wrong, there was a lot more to the Hun than you might think. For one thing, the Hun was a superb horseman and was quite skilled at weapon making, being the primary developer and user of the composite bow, a quite complex piece of military engineering.

Where the Hun gets most of its bad press is that these people had no written language so, like the Native Americans were unable to give historians much of a look at their side of things. Much of what we do know about the Hun comes from outsiders who spent time living and trading with them.

The Huns generally co-existed with their neighbors peacefully when times were good and there was plenty of pasture for their animals. It is when the weather failed them that they sought alternate means of staying alive.

Nic Fields tells a fascinating story of these people, whose rise to fame and subsequent fall was basically due to one strong leader, Atilla. The book covers Hun Society, Appearance and Equipment, a section on the Composite Bow and Horses. The various campaigns and additional information.

Though it may sound trite, I found the sections on the Composite Bow and on Horses to be quite engrossing. I did learn a great deal from this book, made all the better by the superb illustrations of Christa Hook and the goodly number of other artifact photos and period paintings.

I think you will be equally impressed by the quality of this edition and should learn a considerable amount about these little-known peoples. It is a book that I heartily recommend.

December 2006

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