The Battle Book

Already published in France to tremendous acclaim, The Battle captures the brutality and heroism of one of the greatest battles of the nineteenth century, in which nearly 40,000 soldiers died in a mere forty-eight hours. Honore de Balzac had always wanted to write a major novel of the Battle of Essling but never moved past the research stage. Using Balzac's notes (including interviews with participants) Rambaud picks up where his predecessor left off and has re-created the conflict with exceptional skill -- rendering the epic battle in all its pageantry, violence, and chaos. The Battle opens on May 16, 1809, as Napoleon's forces confront the assembled armies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at Essling, near Vienna. Angered by the Austrians' challenge to his rule over their land, Napoleon is determined to crush the enemy with the quick troop maneuvers that won so many previous battles. Yet the French soon find that the wide-open Austrian plains are not conducive to their techniques, and the enemy's sheer manpower begins to overwhelm them. Rambaud displays a masterful eye for detail, and with his exhaustive research and novelistic flair, he brings to life the real people of the time, including the Marshals Berthier, Lannes, and Massena; the writer Stendhal; the colonel and painter Lejeune; and, of course, Napoleon himself. From the lowest-ranked soldiers' fear and their resentment at fighting Napoleon's endless wars, to their commanders' own hopes, doubts, and rivalries, to Napoleon's deep insecurity about the stability of his power, Rambaud vividly portrays the experience of warfare at the height of savagery. The Battle is a frighteningly realistic portrayal of combat, a captivating piece of literary re-creation, and a spellbinding portrait of one of history's most fascinating and enigmatic characters.Read More