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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another fascinating 30 years in this definitive series, 15 May 2009
Anyone who has read the first two volumes of this monumental history will not need much convincing to open up this long awaited third instalment. I can quickly reassure you that Sumption's famed balance of meticulous research, readable prose, and plain good story telling is still very much in evidence.
It is a depressing period of the war for English readers, with the French resurgent under Charles V, De Guesclin, and their strategy of avoiding pitched battles. It is the story of repeated and expensive chevauches failing to find their enemy in the field and yielding little except disgruntled taxpayers and the taste of defeat, all the more bitter for those who could remember Crecy and Poitiers. It is the story of rampaging Gascon routiers, Iberian intrigues, and the rebellions of ordinary townspeople from Essex to Flanders.
One of the main pleasures of this volume is the filling out of characters who usually remain peripheral in more abridged histories of the period, but who were genuinely big players - most notably the various royal uncles of the two young kings, Richard II and Charles VI. Gaunt (who never hides in the pages of history) is of course the dominant character, and his plans to make good his claim to be King of Castille make a wonderful read.
The only word of caution with this book (and, indeed, series) is that it's probably not for the casual reader of history. To call it detailed would be an understatement, so be prepared, as each new campaign dawns, to wade through the accompanying tax receipts before you get to the juicy bits. The 'Men at Arms' chapter towards the end, addressing the society of the combatants more generally, is also a rather unwelcome hiatus, which might have been better broken up and spread amongst the others.
The volumes are becoming progressively longer, and at times verge on being a complete history of the period, making their title 'The Hundred Years War', much like the term itself, a bit disingenuous in suggesting that it's about one event. Make no mistake though, these books are a thoroughly gripping account of a fascinating era in our past, and I would recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone with more than a passing interest.
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26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitive work, 12 April 2002
Vol II of Mr Sumption's history of the Hundred Years War is as much of a delight as its predecessor. His knowledge of his subject is exhaustive, yet he never allows his narrative to become bogged down or convoluted, even when explaining the most intricate political manoeuverings. Clarity and ease of comprehension are obviously two of Mr Sumption's goals, and he succeeds completely in both respects.I found the in-depth analysis of the revolt of the Parisian commoners (following the disastrous Battle of Poitiers and the capture of the French King by the English) of particular interest. I have read several one-volume histories of the War and I do not recall any of them making more than passing reference to this episode. Obviously, in a multi-volume history Mr Sumption has more space in which to fully explain events, yet the revolt is of great importance to understanding the social and economic disasters that befell France as a result of this period of the War. It is also illuminating in respect to the later history of Paris and that city's "tradition" of revolution. Similarly, the attention to the ravages of the notorious companies brings home forcefully the sufferings experienced by France and her people. Although this is an excellent book, I could not in good faith recommend it to those who have only a passing interest in the subject - one of the several good one-volume histories would be sufficient to cover the major events of the War. For those who want a more in-depth understanding, however, I do not believe that Mr Sumptions's work has been bettered. Like the earlier reviewer, I am eagerly awaiting Volume III and sincerely hope that Mr Sumption will not wait so long to produce this next volume as he did between Volumes I & II. I am sure I am not the only person who wishes that he would retire from the Bar and concentrate on history (although our motives are probably different).
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14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Continuing the stunning work of Volume 1, 30 Dec 2001
Sumption simply takes off with Volume II in the same style that one so many admirers in the first volume.'Trial by Fire' takes us through the lowest ebb of the French crown: John II a prisoner in London; 'companies' of mercanaries terrorising and laying waste to the country. Edward III was probably the strongest monarch in Europe at that time and yet, by the time of his death, had not pressed home his advantage in any kind of decisive manner. Sumption takes us through the strategy and thinking of the English Crown while also showing how much of the activity done in his name was really beyond his control and, perhaps, not in his long term interest. This is amazing stuff. Easy to read, informative and exciting. I can't wait 'till volume III !!!!
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