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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Imperial Sunset - whoever you are, read this book, 21 Feb 2004
I first read this book at the age of eleven from my local library. Now I have my own copy and over thirty years later have read it and reread it over 10 times.RF Delderfield is a master story teller. Here as with other accounts of the period he uses his story telling genius in bringing to life the tragic year following the disaster after the retreat from Moscow. I had no interest in history when I first read this book and had never heard of Napoleon. What I discovered was an epic story of Napoleon, his genius and just as important the character and motivation of marshals, generals, officers and veterans and 17 year old recruits. This story draws you in. How could one man motivate a nation and create a massive army to replace the quarter of a million veterans starved and frozen to death in Russia and Poland? How could one man turn the tables on the forces of Europe, every major country mobilised or ready to mobilise against him? Yet at odds of 3 and 4 to one this is what happened. How close was victory? RF Delderfield describes the chance happenings, the awful twists of fate, the despair and weariness of marshals, the blind optimism and elan of raw recruits. Napoleon believed in fate, the master strategist, the charismatic leader, the brilliant tactician, the professional gambler. All these failed when his opponents found a strategy which rendered Napoleon's brilliance ineffective. The Battle of the Nations at Liepzig should have been the end but Napoleon thereafter reduced to tiny armies recreated the brilliance of his early days in Italy. Winning victory after victory in the snowscapes of France in winter, at odds of 10 to 1, he could still create panic across Europe. At every level in Imperial Sunset RF Delderfield brings to life the people, frailty, heroism, honour, betrayal, despair, courage and superhuman efforts. We all know Napoleon lost in the end but at the age of 12 I read the story like a novel believing Napoleon could win. The awful part is, even on the last day, so did his soldiers. Now at the age of 47 I find Imperial Sunset provides important insight into humanity and heroism in extreme circumstances. If you love history read this book. If you love a good story read this book. If you are intrigued by people read this book. Read this book.
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by R.F. Delderfield
by R.F. Delderfield
