The Generals

France 1795, and Napoleon Bonaparte would rather be leading one of the armies fighting France's enemies than putting down the citizens of France who object to the way the new regime is treating them.  The royalists take advantage of this situation.  Before long the leaders of the government are hemmed in at the Toulieres.  Napoleon takes charge and with the help of cavalry Major Murat, he gets some small cannons to defend the palace.  The ensuing result is a massacre when musket balls and grape shot rip through crowd.

Bonaparte is promoted to general and becomes the talk of Paris.  One person who comes to his attention as a result is Madame Josephine Beauharnais.  Because of his rising popularity in Paris, Napoleon is ordered to take command of the army in Italy, but not before he has married Josephine.

Meanwhile Arthur Wesley has returned to Dublin where he hopes for promotion, and the hand of Kitty Packenham.  Neither seems to be in the stars.  The next thing he knows is that he is being shipped out to the West Indies to take the war to the French in their colonies.  But even that is not to be as a storm forces his convoy back to Southampton.  There he finds that he has now been ordered to Calcutta.

It doesn't take Napoleon long to gain success in northern Italy.  The Austrians retreat and the army of Piedmont beg for an armistice.  However, the Directory back in Paris doesn't want him to have success.  He had been sent to Italy in the hopes that it would be the end of him.  However, success in Italy causes Napoleon to set his sights on Vienna.  Unfortunately the Army of the Rhine doesn't operate according to plan.  Napoleon strikes an advantageous treaty with Austria.

It takes six months for Wesley and his troops to reach India.  He is shocked at the squalor he finds upon arrival.  He is informed that not only is Britain at war with France, but now Holland and Spain have joined against Britain.  Shortly after arrival Wesley is tasked with planning an invasion of Manila.  After all his work planning, the command is taken away from him by a general.  But before the flotilla can reach Manila, a message is received that Austria is out of the war!  The flotilla turns back to Calcutta in order to protect the East India Company from uprisings that might occur.

Back in Paris, Napoleon begins to bring together like minded men.  He plans a war with Britain, taking the war to them in all of their colonies followed by an invasion of the island.  To do that, the British navy must be beaten and Napoleon must ensure that he has made a strong name for himself.  With that in mind, he convinces the Directory to assemble an army to invade Egypt.

A few days into the Egyptian and the Heat has gotten to his men; they are on the verge of mutiny.  Napoleon convinces them to march on to the Nile.  There his army runs into Murad Bey and his army of thousands of Marmalukes.  The French are victorious; now to march north to Cairo.  After Cairo falls, Napoleon learns that Josephine has a lover; angered and unable to confront her, he dedicates his life to achieving his goals.  He brutally begins to attack the remaining enemies, only to find out that his army is now utterly alone because the British navy has destroyed the fleet that brought the army to Egypt.

In May of 1798, Wesley's brothers arrive in Calcutta, Richard having been appointed Governor General.  Arthur is quickly assigned the task of securing Hyderabad from the French.  He does it without bloodshed.  However, news is received of Bonaparte's success in Egypt, which creates a threat to India.  The brothers next look to securing Mysore.  Arthur is sent there with his regiment.  Upon arrival Arthur is informed of Nelson's destruction of the French fleet in Egypt.  Planning for taking Mysore commences at once.

Napoleon is not having success in Egypt converting the locals to France's side.  On a brighter note for himself, he has taken as mistress, the wife of one of his officers.  However, to the northeast in Syria, troops are gathering to fight Napoleon, and the Sultan of Turkey has declared war on France.  Napoleon's march toward Acre in Syria is not easy, especially when some of his troops come down with the plague.  With no success at the siege of Acre, Napoleon decides to return to Egypt.

The withdrawal to Cairo is punishing on Napoleon's army.  There are no ships available to help transport them.  Napoleon knows that the Directory has abandoned them.  He also learns that the Directory is losing the war in Europe.   He needs to get back to Paris.

In India, Wellesley is placed in charge of the Indian column marching on Mysore.  In the first action, he is wounded in the leg, but that doesn't stop him from continuing on.  When the battle is over and victory accomplished for the British, Wellesley is given the task of being Governor of Mysore.

Back in Paris, Napoleon falls to the wiles of Josephine once again.  He also becomes part of a plot to overthrow the government.  The coup is successful and Napoleon is appointed First Consul of the new consulate.  Napoleon immediately sets to work governing France.  He realises that he can't have peace with Britain and Austria.  Britain's navy prevents any possible invasion of the island nation, so he plans on defeating Austria first.  The two armies meet at Marengo.  The Austrians win the battle and Napoleon is forced to retreat, however as the retreat progresses, the Austrians follow.  Napoleon turns and faces them.  In the ensuing battle the Austrians are decimated.

Wellesley's military success in India leads to peace and prosperity.  He is next tasked with preparing an expedition to Java.  However, before that can get underway, he and his men are shipped off to Egypt.  On the way, his command is turned over to General Baird.  Baird asks Wellesley to become his chief of staff, to which he accepts.  Unfortunately, Wellesley comes down with a disease, which leaves him bed-ridden and he is unable to go on to Egypt.  When his health returns, he goes back to continue his work as governor of Mysore.

Having returned to Paris after Marengo, Napoleon sets about establishing peace with the nations of Europe and isolating Britain.  He wants time to rebuild his army.  At the same time it gives him the opportunity to make things better for the citizens of France.  This would include a new law code and an agreement with the church.  Britain agrees to a peace treaty in 1802.  In this period of peace, Napoleon arranges to have him elected, by the people, First Consul for life.

Napoleon is not only busy improving the lot of the French, he is also building up his army.  Britain responds with an enlarged navy.  Finally, Britain has had enough and declares war.

Back in India, Wellesley has achieved the rank of Major General, but his work is not done.  He still has rebellious leaders to put down.  The last battles exhaust him, but now Britain has added India to its empire.  He simply wants to return home to recover.

Author Simon Scarrow has written an intensely engaging historical novel.  The development of the two main characters makes the reader feel as if they knew them personally.  Well researched and well written, the avid historical fiction fan will not want to put the book down.