The Mammoth Book of Sword and Honor

by Mike Ashley, Bernard Cornwell (Introduction)

The Napoleonic Wars in Europe, the Zulu conflict in Africa, the Civil War in America-in the nineteenth century, on battlefields around the world, cavalrymen and infantry marched into combat that was unparalleled in the number of lives it claimed and the amount of blood it shed. For the common soldier on the front lines at this time, swords and bayonets, not rifles and heavy artillery, defined the day-to-day fighting experience. Out of that experience have been woven some of the most memorable tales of courage in our literature. While some of the nearly thirty stories in this anthology are culled from classics by such celebrated fiction writers as Arthur Conan Doyle, Alexander Dumas, Prosper Merimee, Ambrose Bierce, and Stephen Crane, others have been especially commissioned for this volume. John Jakes, for one, brings to life a crucial moment of military doubt in his tale of the American Civil War, while John Aquino illuminates anew the military character of a young Robert E. Lee. Just as Richard Howard revisits the Napoleonic era with a new Alain Luisard story, so does Garry Douglas return to the Crimean War with a new adventure of Sergeant John Crossman, and George Macdonald Fraser embroils his redoutable Flashman in the Indian Mutiny. In all, there's adventure enough to thrill readers of any century.

Genres: Military Fiction

512 pages, Paperback

First published June 29, 2000

About the author

Michael Raymond Donald Ashley is the author and editor of over sixty books that in total have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Chatham, Kent.

Reviews

[Brannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly strong anthology set largely during the Napoleonic era, with a wider spread of stories touching on other conflicts of the time, mostly involving the British Empire.

What stood out to me most was the overall quality. Anthologies are always a gamble, and I usually expect a mix where maybe a third of the stories land, a handful are great, and the rest are forgettable. This collection flipped that expectation. I ended up finishing about 70% of the stories and genuinely enjoyed most of them, which is rare for me in this format.

The stories range across different wars and perspectives, but my personal favorites tended to be those set during the Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War. The variety keeps things interesting, while the shared focus on honor, duty, and the realities of war ties everything together well.

A few authors stood out in particular: Richard Howard, C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne, Prosper Mérimée, Charles Partington, Clayton Emery, Alexander Dumas, Garry Douglas, and Ambrose Bierce all delivered memorable entries that elevated the collection.

The book also includes an appendix of true accounts of soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross, which adds a nice historical touch and reinforces the themes explored in the fiction.

In short: a high-quality anthology that delivers far more hits than misses. If you enjoy historical war fiction, especially from the Napoleonic period, this is well worth picking up. Four stars.

[Robin Braysher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a mixed bag. A number of the stories are complete tosh, with preposterous stories and little regard for historical accuracy. Amongst the dross, though, are stories by Alexandre Dumas, Stephen Crane, Mark Twain and Joseph Conrad which make the book worth buying - admittedly I only paid 90 pence in a charity shop! - and reading. Conrad's 'The Duel' is especially welcome and was the inspiration for Ridley Scott's excellent 1977 film 'The Duellists'.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collections of stories. The Duel is still one of my favorite stories and love the film adaption, The Duelist, also.