A Regimental Affair (Hardcover)

Hervey's relationship with his wife is warm and loving, and there is much thoughtful character development here. When the regiment is transferred to Canada relief comes from dealing with civil disorder in England, but new friction soon developes with tragic consequences for Hervey and his lovely wife. All of this is well done, if a bit slow at times. Mallinson does not write in the rapid-fire fashion of some authors of historical fiction, and this may put off some readers. Where the series is to go now is hard to say, but I shall look forward to Hervey's continued adventures.

Note: The helmit pictured on the cover of this book appears to be more of a Heavy Dragoon helmit as opposed to what the Light Dragoons wore in this period.

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I do feel that the books could be improved with the inclusion of maps and perhaps a glossary of military terms from the period of the novels. Many times it is necessary to infer the exact meaning of a term by a careful reading and re-reading. Perhaps Major (? guessing at the rank here since I note he is a serving British Army officer) Mallinson's English readers are familiar with all the old terms but unfortunately many of us from the colonies are not. Maybe it is necessary to purchase and read his book "Light Dragoons" to appreciate and understand the terms.

In any case I recommend this book as a good read of military historical fiction. I look forward to the next installment in the saga.

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Mallinson has a fascinating topic and setting, appealing characters, an excellent grasp of his subject and a good knowledge of the English language.

But he isn't good at telling stories. Over and over, he slips into exposition, sometimes about things only peripherally related to the plot, sometimes about important points. Over and over he builds up tension, leads up to an action scene, only to painfully disappoint the reader by skipping to when it's all over. Even at the end, which contains an undeniably moving fight scene, he seems to have a certain distaste for the action, and description is lacking. The plot, interesting in itself, suffers from a lack of flow and cohesion.

This is the continued story of Matthew Hervey. Rejoining his regiment, he finds them in the grip of an incompetent, vicious commander, Towcester. Through battles with Luddites and a trip to America, he must deal with Towcester's spite. Meanwhile, he marries Henrietta, and she follows him to America, with tragic results. Though the plot device of the malevolent officer is hardly new, it's a good one. But, as I said above, it isn't as well handled as it could be. The potential drama very much gets lost. The end of the book, which is dramatic, feels as if it should have come as the climax, halfway through.

Appealing characters, especially secondary characters, and a dramatic conclusion can't quite save this book. I feel bad giving it a 2, but I can't help thinking the author is capable of much better work, if only he would learn to storytell.

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