'Combining an eye for vivid detail with a scholarly accuracy as to military and naval history expected from a former cavalry officer, Mallinson brings his chosen period to life with effortless flair'

'Mallinson's crisp, authoritative storytelling is as excellent as ever'

1827: at home and at sea, crises loom for Captain Mathew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons; while in the Mediterranean, Captain Peto sails his mighty line-of-battle ship towards Navarino Bay, and war with the Turks.

It is 1827: Britain and the Mediterranean Captain Sir Laughton Peto, recently engaged to Matthew Hervey's sister, is sailing his mighty line-of-battle ship towards Navarino Bay, and war with the Turks. Six months on, and Matthew Hervey is in London recovering from another bout of malaria and the wound from his battle with the Zulu. All is set fair for his marriage to the eminently suitable Lady Lankester, and his return to active duty at the Cape. But trouble lies ahead as familial commitments clash with affairs of the heart and Hervey finds himself embroiled in a military inquiry that could result in public humiliation. As the cataclysmic battle of Navarino Bay looms ever closer for Peto and his crew, Hervey faces a crisis that could change both his life and his military career...

1827: Captain Sir Laughton Peto, recently engaged to Matthew Hervey?s sister, Elizabeth, has just taken command of HMS Prince Rupert, the only three-deck line-of-battle ship in commission. He is the proud master of a wooden fortress whose formidable firepower is the equal of Bonaparte?s grand battery at Waterloo.

But his passage to the Ionian Sea ? where Admiral Codrington is assembling an Anglo-Russian-French fleet to evict the Turks from Greek waters ? will not be smooth sailing. First he must exercise his crew, most of whom have not seen action before. He has also been entrusted with the safe passage to Malta of the Admiral?s youngest daughter.

Six months on, and Matthew Hervey is in London recovering from another bout of malaria and the wound from his battle with the Zulu. All is set fair for his marriage to the eminently suitable Lady Lankester, and his subsequent return to active duty at the Cape. But trouble lies ahead as familial commitments clash with affairs of the heart, and Hervey finds himself embroiled in a military inquiry that can, at best, spell personal embarrassment, and that could result in public humiliation.

As the cataclysmic battle of Navarino Bay looms ever closer for Peto and his crew, the full outcome of which is not known in London even six months later, Hervey faces a crisis that could change both his life and his military career?

1827: at home and at sea, crises loom ?

In England, professional ambition clashes with personal happiness for Matthew Hervey of the Sixth Light Dragoons, while in the Mediterranean, his friend Captain Peto sails his mighty line-of-battle ship towards Navarino Bay, and war with the Turks.

Allan Mallinson:
Allan Mallinson was a serving cavalry officer. He is also the author of Light Dragoons, a history of four regiments of British Cavalry, one of which he commanded, and a regular reviewer for The Times, the Spectator and the Literary Review.

His previous novels all feature Matthew Hervey and are available in Bantam Paperback. The Sabre?s Edge, Rumours of War and An Act of Courage were Sunday Times Bestsellers.

2008-03-30 Social Cut And Thrust Rather Than The Sabre's Edge

I must confess that this probably the first story in the series that underwhelmed me. The cover of the book - a fine painting depicting a dragoon about to cut with his sabre - bears no relation at all to the story within. This novel develops Matthew Hervey's character in the peacetime London of 1827 - the 6th Light Dragoons are merely involved in manouvres rather than action - and there is a feeling about the novel that it marks a pause before sending the series in new directions.

Hervey awaits news of an inquiry while dealing with family issues but the meat of the novel (for those of us who enjoy derring do) is Hervey's maritime friend, Sir Loughton Peto, removed from the beach to take up command of HMS Rupert en route to Greece. Even here the bulk of the novel deals with the lead up to the Battle of Navarino, rather than the action itself.

I have no intention of describing the plot, suffice to say that Allan Mallinson has written a fine book in which several secondary plotlines from previous stories have been developed and some potential new plotlines have been introduced. I suspect Hervey's personal life to become more complex in future books. As in real life, few things are finally resolved but simply become more complicated with age. Although there is little military action in this book it is well written and more than held my interest over the few hours it took to read - I think it is a sign of what a fine writer Mr Mallinson is that such a novel (of social cut and thrust rather than the military variety) was so enjoyable.

While I think that a new reader could simply pitch into most of the other novels at any point in the series (if they could not start with A Close Run Thing for some reason) I believe that A Man Of War would not be a good introduction to the pleasures of Matthew Hervey's life.

I look forward to Hervey's return to Africa in the next novel.