- Paperback: 48 pages
- Publisher: Osprey Publishing (26 Mar 1992)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0850455480
- ISBN-13: 978-0850455489
- Product Dimensions: 18.4 x 0.4 x 24.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
325,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #56 in Books > History > Britain & Ireland > Anglo-Saxon 500-1000
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Product Description
Product Description
The Arthurian Age; the Celtic Twilight; the Dark Ages; the Birth of England; these are the powerfully romantic names often given to one of the most confused yet vital periods in British history. It is an era upon which rival Celtic and English nationalisms frequently fought. It was also a period of settlement, and of the sword. This absorbing volume by David Nicolle transports us to an England shrouded in mystery and beset by savage conflict, a land which played host to one of the most enduring figures of our history - Arthur.
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The Arthurian Age-the Celtic Twilight-the Dark Ages-the Birth of England: these are the powerfully romantic names often given to one of the most confused yet vital periods in British history. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The Arthurian Age-the Celtic Twilight-the Dark Ages-the Birth of England: these are the powerfully romantic names often given to one of the most confused yet vital periods in British history. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
David Nicolle's attept to describe the fall of Celtic Britain, and the subsequent history right up the the Norman invasion dips its toe into all aspects of military history, without getting itself too wet. A good yet brief overview of the Britons, Saxons, Irish, Picts, Noresmen, Scots and Welsh is provided, although some of the views expressed are now a little dated at the turn of the twenty first century. Overall this is a good introductory book - and I believe that this is all that the book is meant to be. The colour plates are as good as ever, and provide plenty of scope for figure painters, wargamers, modellers, re-enactors and those just interested in what the warriors of this time looked like. If you enjoyed this book, it is worth looking at the following too:
Lords of Battle (Stephen Evans) Barbarian Warriors (Dan & Susanna Shadrake)
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Don't be fooled by the title, this book doesn't just cover the historical Arthurian period. It takes you through from the end of Roman Britain right up to the end of Anglo-Saxon England, taking in the rise of the Saxon kingdoms and the coming of the Norsemen along the way.
Trying to cram so much history into so few pages is never easy, especially with the inclusion of Irish and Pictish affairs, so the book never manages to touch upon the subject in any great depth. Having said that, Osprey's distinguished list of books on military history are only intended as broad introductions, and this book fulfils that role pretty well.
The only downside is that so much of the interpretation within is now out of date; it could really do with a new edition to take in the past few years' findings.
As ever, the colour plate section in the centre of the book is really helpful, fleshing out our imagination of how the fighting man of the post-Roman era might have equipped himself.
Trying to cram so much history into so few pages is never easy, especially with the inclusion of Irish and Pictish affairs, so the book never manages to touch upon the subject in any great depth. Having said that, Osprey's distinguished list of books on military history are only intended as broad introductions, and this book fulfils that role pretty well.
The only downside is that so much of the interpretation within is now out of date; it could really do with a new edition to take in the past few years' findings.
As ever, the colour plate section in the centre of the book is really helpful, fleshing out our imagination of how the fighting man of the post-Roman era might have equipped himself.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is, so far, my favourite made by the “team” David Nicolle and Angus McBride; complementing a great and concise text by David Nicolle is some of the best artwork made by Angus McBride.
The text is divided in the following parts: introduction, chronology, the Arthurian age, Saxon and Celt, Britain and the Vikings.
The text provides a brief but very good introduction to the subject (Britain from the end of Roman dominion to the battle of Hastings) and is complemented by a fairly good bibliography (for further reading on the subject); perhaps this bibliography could be updated by the publishers or author (online?) as the book was published 20 years ago.
As I am an amateur illustrator I will take a little more space talking about the colour plates.
Honestly I can say that all of them are great!
When I got the book and was looking at the colour plates, every new one astonished me; the details, the composition and the atmosphere are superb in all of the illustration.
Next I will talk about each plate and present some of the best aspects of each one.
Plate A depicts a group of late roman soldiers; the faces of all of them and the helmet of figure 1;
Plate B presents some Anglo-Saxon warriors; the helmets and the entire figure 1;
Plate C (used in the cover art) is about a Romano-British warriors; the atmosphere and composition;
Plate D illustrates Pictish and north-British warriors; the atmosphere (at night) and the face of figure 3;
Plate E is about Ireland; again the faces, figure 2 and the army in the background;
Plate F (my favourite) represents a 9th century English king and a warrior and a monk; the composition, the atmosphere and details as the king’s cloths;
Plate G illustrates some Scandinavians warriors; the composition and the armour of figure 1 and the tunic of figure 3;
Plate H (one of the best) the composition and the atmosphere (in battle).
Either you are interested in the subject or really like good artwork this is really a must buy book!
The text is divided in the following parts: introduction, chronology, the Arthurian age, Saxon and Celt, Britain and the Vikings.
The text provides a brief but very good introduction to the subject (Britain from the end of Roman dominion to the battle of Hastings) and is complemented by a fairly good bibliography (for further reading on the subject); perhaps this bibliography could be updated by the publishers or author (online?) as the book was published 20 years ago.
As I am an amateur illustrator I will take a little more space talking about the colour plates.
Honestly I can say that all of them are great!
When I got the book and was looking at the colour plates, every new one astonished me; the details, the composition and the atmosphere are superb in all of the illustration.
Next I will talk about each plate and present some of the best aspects of each one.
Plate A depicts a group of late roman soldiers; the faces of all of them and the helmet of figure 1;
Plate B presents some Anglo-Saxon warriors; the helmets and the entire figure 1;
Plate C (used in the cover art) is about a Romano-British warriors; the atmosphere and composition;
Plate D illustrates Pictish and north-British warriors; the atmosphere (at night) and the face of figure 3;
Plate E is about Ireland; again the faces, figure 2 and the army in the background;
Plate F (my favourite) represents a 9th century English king and a warrior and a monk; the composition, the atmosphere and details as the king’s cloths;
Plate G illustrates some Scandinavians warriors; the composition and the armour of figure 1 and the tunic of figure 3;
Plate H (one of the best) the composition and the atmosphere (in battle).
Either you are interested in the subject or really like good artwork this is really a must buy book!
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