I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
An Infamous Army
by
Georgette Heyer
historical romance in a paperback edition and has 431 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Audibles.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include These Old Shades, Bath Tangle, Lady of Quality, The Black Moth, Venetia, The Spanish Bride, Simon the Coldheart, Beauvallet, A Civil Contract, Regency Buck, Frederica, The Unknown Ajax, Black Sheep, Sprig Muslin, Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle, The Grand Sophy, These Old Shades, Arabella, Powder and Patch, The Reluctant Widow, The Nonesuch, False Colours, The Corinthian, April Lady
Fourth in the Alastair-Audley Tetralogy and set in 1815 just before the Battle of Waterloo.
My Take
Not one of my favorites even if half of it is about the warm-up to the Battle at Waterloo between Napoleon and Wellington.
In this particular story, Colonel Charles Audley (Lord Worth’s brother and Judith Taverner’s brother-in-law; Regency Buck, 3) is smitten with Lady Barbara Childe, the granddaughter of the Duke of Avon, Dominic Alistair (Devil’s Cub, 2) when he meets her on a dance floor in Brussels.
Bab Childe has a bad reputation, and Judith is horrified at the thought of Lady Barbara ruining Charles’ life besides, Judith already has someone else in mind for Charley Audley. So it’s fun, frolic, and vicious flirting as everyone worries over how far Napoleon has advanced, which armies will cross over to him, and if Wellington can achieve anything with this “infamous army” with which he has to work. Besides, can Wellington actually win, as this is the first time he’s come up against Napoleon?
Half of the battle is seen from Audley’s perspective as he races back and forth between the Duke and the various brigades with their orders so that’s rather useful in “viewing” this battle; I do prefer Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe series for his battle descriptions.
I can’t help but cry as the toll rises on the battlefield between deaths and injuries — such a waste. Although, it is interesting to see the state of surgical capabilities for the time period. They certainly were a stoic lot. And truth does out when push comes to shove and Bab Childe redeems herself in the eyes of many.
The Cover and Title
I did like the cover on my version as it conveys the pre-battle flirtatiousness very well; the above cover just seems sad.
As for An Infamous Army, they’re made up of the dregs of the earth.
