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To Do and Die
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Product Description
Review
Praise for To Do and Die:
'A finely-drawn depiction of battle and the camaraderie of war' Daily Mail
‘Mercer's prose is muscular yet silky smooth. His depiction of the experience of battle is unsurpassed’
Saul David, author of Zulu Dawn
‘An excellent fiction debut. Any more please?’
Military Illustrated
‘Mercer creates colourful, believable characters that stay true to the dialect of the time, but remain recognisable to any modern soldier. Fans of Sharpe, Flashman or Matthew Hervey should enjoy this novel’
Soldier magazine
Product Description
The historical fiction debut from former soldier, BBC defence correspondent and MP, Patrick Mercer, is a thrilling military action set during the Crimean War.
1854. War is imminent as the Western powers quarrel with Russia over fragments of the crumbling Ottoman empire. Wanting to prove himself to a father who will not let him forget about his own self-proclaimed military glories, Officer Tony Morgan is keen to set sail. Meanwhile, the Morgan's chambermaid, Mary, whom Tony loves but cannot marry, has wedded another officer in his company and will be accompanying the regiment to the front as a nurse.
Arriving at Sebastapol in the Crimea, the company's first engagement with the Russians fill the company with a short-lived confidence. Morgan is eager to show himself a worthy leader, but in the face of several bloody engagements which decimate the company, he finds himself shaken to the core by the brutality of war. He also has to quell potential mutiny against the cowardly subaltern Carmichael, whose first instincts are always to save his own skin. His romantic longings for Mary are revived after her husband is severely injured and she nevertheless proves herself a noble and brave addition to the company. Facing dire conflict on the battlefield and off, within his company and within himself, Morgan is going to be tested to the limits…
In his fiction debut, Mercer’s twenty years of military service is all there on the page. His mastery of both the broad sweep and the finer details of military engagement is superb and bound to make an impact with military action fans. His characterisation of the regiment is wholly persuasive and he nails soldier psychology, slang and the interactions up and down the chain of command with deceptive ease. This is probably the closest any of us will get to being in a battle.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one I gave up on. I found Mercer's writing style and determination to include everything - including domestic trivia - irritating and slow. Whilst I understand his desire to tell the reader about the conflict's history by incorporating it into the story, for me there was far too much and it just bogged the whole thing down. Also, the other ranks' Ealing Comedy-style dialogue never rang true. Add to that the gratuitous swearing and efforts to shock and I packed it in on page 100.
For a history of the Crimean War, you could do much worse than Julian Spilsbury's "Thin Red Line."
For a history of the Crimean War, you could do much worse than Julian Spilsbury's "Thin Red Line."
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Patrick Mercer is a leading authority on the Crimean War and has already published authoratitive accounts of the campaign. With such extensive first-hand knowledge, it has been only a small step for him to cross the line into fiction. And yet it is fiction based on a real historical character, accurately set against a gruelling and forgotten war, and written by a man who has himself led men on operations and knows first-hand the realities of combat. The combination has produced an excellent book that conjures up the sounds, taste and feel for war.
The awkwardness in portraying the love affair between officer and erstwhile maid reflects the genuine awkwardness that would have existed. Similarly the fear that grips Morgan on returning to the front line after being injured is one shared by many soldiers; it doesn't prevent him from doing his duty, but it knaws at him nevertheless.
There are many authors who write military novels, but few who have the knowledge and experience to do so with feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed Patrick Mercer's first novel, not just because I am a soldier and budding historian, but because it rings true. I hope a second novel will follow shortly.
The awkwardness in portraying the love affair between officer and erstwhile maid reflects the genuine awkwardness that would have existed. Similarly the fear that grips Morgan on returning to the front line after being injured is one shared by many soldiers; it doesn't prevent him from doing his duty, but it knaws at him nevertheless.
There are many authors who write military novels, but few who have the knowledge and experience to do so with feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed Patrick Mercer's first novel, not just because I am a soldier and budding historian, but because it rings true. I hope a second novel will follow shortly.
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
No maps, no diagrams. This novel does not need them. Patrick Mercer's depth of research and descriptive excellence takes you effortlessly from Ireland to the Balkans on a sometimes bloody, sometimes tender but always human journey.
Military history is not a genre I have read much before, but I enjoyed the battle scenes which were gory and bloody but extremely exciting and brought hand to hand battle to life.
The characters are well drawn, the romance sensitively portrayed, and I liked the details and explanations; did you know the rifle bullets were as big as the end of your thumb? or that soldiers opened their mouths wide in order to hear better? neither did I, and I was pleased to learn small details which helped build the bigger picture.
The relationships between the officers and men rang true and the dialogue was realistic and believable; the banter between the men was often amusing and I laughed out loud several times.
By the end of the book I felt I knew all the characters well and am looking forward to meeting them all again in the sequel. Can't wait to read the next one.
I am so pleased to have discovered both a type of history I have not read before, and a talented author who writes it like it is. (or was)!
Military history is not a genre I have read much before, but I enjoyed the battle scenes which were gory and bloody but extremely exciting and brought hand to hand battle to life.
The characters are well drawn, the romance sensitively portrayed, and I liked the details and explanations; did you know the rifle bullets were as big as the end of your thumb? or that soldiers opened their mouths wide in order to hear better? neither did I, and I was pleased to learn small details which helped build the bigger picture.
The relationships between the officers and men rang true and the dialogue was realistic and believable; the banter between the men was often amusing and I laughed out loud several times.
By the end of the book I felt I knew all the characters well and am looking forward to meeting them all again in the sequel. Can't wait to read the next one.
I am so pleased to have discovered both a type of history I have not read before, and a talented author who writes it like it is. (or was)!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Didn't like this at all
I found this to be dull. The first chapter was nearly enough to put me off straight away with its bombardment of characters. Read more
Published 4 months ago by S Clark H
Good but could be better
I read the comments of other reviewers and am less enthused than they. I don't want to reveal the plot but the novel has an unfinished feel to it while the journey is quite... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Keith Lawson
Good start to a new series.
I have read a number of fictional accounts, based on fact, of people involved in the Crimean war and this had a markedly different approach to those others. Read more
Published 13 months ago by MarkW
Historically Correct
I liked this book and its quite a page turner, which I read very speedily. Mercer plunges straight into the action at the Alma and his descriptions of combat are very convincing. Read more
Published 21 months ago by D.Buttery
Fantastic immersive book
What a fantastic hidden gem this book turned out to be. I found it thoroughly absorbing and immersive, it really does put you there with the redcoats outside Sevastopol. Read more
Published 22 months ago by M. Johnson
Thoroughly enjoyable, excellent first book
This book follows the trials and tribulations of Anthony Morgan, a flawed human being and officer in the Grenadiers during the time of the Crimean War. Read more
Published 23 months ago by J. Cooper
To do and Die
Another Author who writes believable stories , I like the main character and as is true with military life today it isn't always the best soldier that gets all the kudos. Read more
Published on 17 May 2010 by NG Larke
Realistic the best recent military fiction
Not only is Patrick Mercer a careful researcher and a very fine writer, but he manages to avoid the trap of grafting on current social attitudes on to mid 19th century heroes. Read more
Published on 12 May 2010 by Mr. M. E. Herwin
Great First Novel
The historical fiction genre is getting so crowded its hard for a new author to introduce his character into a time frame that someone else does not currently inhabit. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2010 by Daniel Taylor
The Most Realistic Work of Military Fiction in its Genre
Not only is Patrick Mercer an acomplished politician and historian, his breath-taking debut novel 'To Do and Die' demonstrates his brilliance as an author too. Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2009 by Chris Hunter Author of Eight Lives Down
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