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Content by J. Chippindale
Reviewer Rank: 18
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Reviews Written by
J. Chippindale (England)
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24 of 105 people found the following review helpful:
Great Attention to Detail, 15 Jul 2008
If someone mentioned the name of Robert Hardy to you, you would probably bring to mind a picture of an English actor with a plummy-voice and tweed suit, who has appeared in countless television and theatre dramas and you would be correct. Many people do not know Robert Hardy's alter ego, the author and man who is interested in medieval weaponry in general and the English longbow in particular. Robert Hardy also has a long association with the Royal Armouries, so it soon becomes apparent that his love and knowledge of weaponry has been gleaned over a long period of time. With these qualifications it is only right and proper that people interested in the subject are more than ready to read what the author has to say on the subject.
I found the book both fascinating and informative. I did however feel that some of the photographs could have been slightly better, but this is a minor criticism and I suppose there are only so many ways that you can photograph a bow before the photographs begin to look repetitive. The book covers every conceivable question anyone could possibly ask on the subject of the longbow the medieval equivalent of the automatic rifle.
The book takes us from when the longbow was first used, possibly 8,000 years ago, right through until the present day. It gives detailed information on how to make a longbow from scratch, showing the tools and material needed. It covers all the major battles where either the outcome was decided by this fearsome weapon, or it featured heavily in the battle and even shows photographs of bows that were raised with the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's ship of war.
I found it fascinating to read about a weapon that virtually every Englishman had to practice using at some point during his life, much like the football practice that many young men religiously attend today. Although in the case of the longbow, depending on the period in history, we are talking about it was compulsory.
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29 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
A Terrific Read, 11 Jul 2008
Anything about the Roman empire, it's leaders, its legions and territories, be it fact or fiction has always fascinated me and this book is no exception. Extremely well written by an author who certainly has a love and outstanding knowledge of his subject. The book takes place in the third century AD. A time when arguably Rome's finest leaders are mouldering in their graves and Rome is no longer the mighty force that it had once been.
On initially picking up the book I thought that the author could possibly have picked a better period of Roman history as the backdrop for his story but I soon forgot all about that as I became engrossed in the storyline. While not quite in melt down the empire is no longer feared as it once was and its enemies are becoming bolder and bolder.
Rome's legions are made up of many nationalities, mainly soldier's from the nations that Rome had annexed in its relentless search for new territories to add to its burgeoning empire. Legionaries, hoping to put in their twenty five years service and retire a Roman citizen. This is the story of one such man, Ballista, a northerner in the service of Rome. A brutal, exciting and enjoyable story of the best kind, fiction with a large helping of factual history thrown in for good measure.
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15 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
A Practical Book for the Aquarist, 4 Jul 2008
I am always wary of tropical fish books, or any other for that matter that say Encyclopaedia or in this case A to Z. One book can never be comprehensive enough to cover such a vast subject as the freshwater tropical fishes of the world. Having got that out of the way, what the book does cover is accurate and put down in a concise way with lots of illustrations, over 200 in fact to add emphasis to the text.
Having a picture of a Firemouth cichlid on the front cover of the book would, to me seem a strange choice, as there are only a limited number of fish that would be able to live in harmony with this beautiful species. In fact most fish would be in fear of their life the moment they entered to tank.
However the book does cover some of the more popular species and certainly gives all the information required for either a beginner or the more knowledgeable hobbyist to set up and maintain a successful fish tank. If done correctly a fish tank can be a joy. Calming and soothing and far more interesting than most TV programmes. A to Z it definitely is not but a practical book for aquarist's library it certainly is.
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Rapscallion
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by James McGee
Edition: Hardcover |
| Price: £9.49 |
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| Availability: In stock but may require up to 2 additional days to deliver |
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20 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
Hawkwood Assists the Royal Navy, 4 Jul 2008
James McGee is the pseudonym of Glen Moy, who was born into an army family in 1950. He was educated in Gibraltar, Germany and Belfast, giving him a love of travel, which is evident in his meticulous, vivid portraits of diverse people and places. His varied career has included banking, bookselling, thirteen years in the airline business, and book reviewing.
This is the third novel (the other two being Ratcatcher and Ressurectionist) featuring Matthew Hawkwood, a Bow Street Runner, and a bit of a loose cannon as far as taking orders from his superior is concerned. An ex-army officer and one of the best shots in his regiment. Matthew is more used to giving orders than taking them and he is not above bringing his own form of rough justice to the slums and drinking dens of Regency London..
I must admit to enjoying this book slightly less than the previous two. I am not sure whether it is the fact that Hawkwood is taken away from his old stamping ground of the slums of London and the dross that live there, along with his old sergeant, Jago, who has helped Matthew on more than one occasion in the past. Jago the self styled king of the beggars became almost as much a part of the storyline as Matthew Hawkwood himself. The author has kept the character of Jago in the storyline but he does not feature anwhere near as prominently as before.
This book is still well worth a read and it is not necessary to have read the other two books, although they may give some relevant background information on the lead character Matthew Hawkwood. The storyline places Hawkwood in the more rural setting of the Thames estuary and involves among other things smuggling and the prison ships known as the hulks. These are the rat infested, rotten, flea ridden stinking hulls of former men-of-war converted to hold French prisoners from the Napoleonic wars. To be sent to the hulks is tantamount to a death sentence. The Royal Navy have received information that a well organised smuggling racket is taking place within the confines of the hulks and when two naval officers sent to investigate mysteriously disappear it is time to see whether Hawkwood can fare any better in a world that is as close to hell as makes no difference. The friendship struck up by Matthew and Lasseur, a French sea captain makes for a new twist to the series.
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8 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
A Murder in Canterbury, 3 Jul 2008
C. L. Grace is a pseudonym for the author Paul Doherty, who also writes under several other pen names, Michael Clynes, Paul Harding etc. He has to be the most prolific author writing today and it mystifies me how he has had the time consuming position of head teacher at a school in the south of England and write such well researched books, for that is what they are. Whether he is writing about medieval England, Ancient Greece, Rome or Egypt he is more than adept at setting the scene accurately for the reader. However for me his always in his element when writing about the medieval period.
This set of novels feature the medieval physician Kathryn Swinbrooke and are good light reading. The idea of using a woman healer as the lead character sets them apart from many other books, and Kathryn is a likable and believable character. I say believable because at the period that the books were written history would have us believe that dabbling in medicine of any kind was tantamount to a woman admitting she was in league with the devil.
Kathryn has been recalled to Canterbury and is beleaguered by problems, not least whether her erstwhile and vindictive husband is still alive. Also the Archbishop requires her help in assessing whether a recently dead monk deserves to be made a saint, something that for his own reasons the Archbishop is none too keen on and last but not least for her to investigate why Canterbury should recently have had a plague of rats.
Business has been poor recently at the shrine of Thomas a Becket and the dwindling stream of pilgrims visiting the city has dropped to a trickle not only because of the rats but because of several pilgrims being poisoned not too long ago (see a Shrine of Murders). Because of this and other problems the cunning Archbishop does not want a new saint detracting from Becket's shrine and instructs Kathryn to do everything her persuasive nature can think of to stop this happening.
Kathryn's investigative skills soon lead her towards the fact that the monk did not die of natural causes by was in fact murdered and the hunt is soon on for the killer.
There is much to enjoy in these books not least the author's writing style, attention to detail and the backdrop of medieval Canterbury. Needless to say the author's research into the period he is writing about is second to none.
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Air Pistols
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by Dennis E. Hiller
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: £17.74 |
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| Availability: In stock |
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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
A Must for the Enthusiast's Collection, 26 Jun 2008
Another golden oldie from the Dennis Hiller range of books but again just as with its twin on rifles this book is a must for the enthusiast and collector. I first reviewed this book for the shooting press in 1994. How time flies. There are lots of books around on the most recent additions to the range of air pistols now available, but this book revives nostalgic memories of some of the best of the older models interspersed with some of the more recent ones.
The book contains some valuations, in my opinion of little use as the price of a gun or anything else is what somebody is prepared to pay for it, plus auction prices which have a little more bearing on the true price. However where it really comes into its own are the diagrams of the whole or parts of some of the world's finest air pistols. The author has always had an encyclopedic knowledge of air weapons and his ability to put this across to the reader in a clear and concise manner sets his books apart from many others on the subject.
This is the third edition of this book and was published in 1993, extremely dated in terms of equipment, but that is part of its charm, it covers a period that embraces some of the best air pistols ever produced. Air pistols these days may be more sophisticated and beautifully finished but are they better engineered than the Walther's or Webley's of past years? Not everyone would say yes to that question.
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15 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
Gentle, Easy Reading, 26 Jun 2008
This is the story of a man and a young boy whose friendship blossoms as they travel the country roads of medieval France together. Each in his own way, benefitting the other. On the one hand we have the Abbot Rutilius and on the other his appointed Acolyte William. Rutilius is the Papal auditor of monastries in 13th century France. He goes around the monasteries checking on their finances and standing in for any Abbot who happens to be away at the time of his visit, as is the case in this book.
William, soon to be fifteen years old is the son of a minor noble, a man who had led an undistinguished life but whose relations had become embroiled with the lost cause of the Cathars. William is a quick witted lad and has also taken something of a shine to Abbot Rutilius, seeing him as a father figure. They set off on the road together to the Abbot's next posting, St. Guilhem. Along the way they are robbed of some of their possessions and the Abbot's donkey.
Therefore it is a slightly disheveled and flustered pair who arrive at St. Guilhem, only to be told of a death that has recently occurred of one of the monks. On the face of it the death appears to be from natural causes but is later proved to be murder. The Abbot soon realises that all is not as it should be at St. Guilhem. Money is missing from the accounts in both the kitchen and the scriptorium and food is also going missing on a regular basis. Add to that the fact that another body is found and it soon becomes apparent that Rutilius and William have got their hands full in trying to solve the killings and the false accounting.
The book is an enjoyable piece of light reading with no gimmicks or sensationalism within its pages and it is all the better for it. Just a good, honest medieval mystery.
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10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
Still an Excellent book, 20 Jun 2008
I too purchased this book shortly after it was published in 2000 and at the time, having several other books on Towton did not think too much about the lack of maps, diagrams etc. Firstly because I could if needed find the relevant maps etc. in my other books and also because I travel over the area where the battle was fought on a regular basis nd know it quite well. The author's descriptive skills about the action and position of the troops are second to none, but as they say a picture paints a thousand words.
Other than the lack of illustrations the book is first rate, although some prior knowledge of the battle is a help in understanding some parts of the book. Robert Hardy, the actor has also given the book his seal of approval by writing the foreword. Hardy is a recognized authority on the English longbow. He is also a Trustee of the Royal Armouries. The book is still a terrific addition to anyone's collection of books on Towton but I agree it has had some of its appeal taken away by the lack of illustrations.
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24 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
The Latest Sir Baldwin Mystery, 17 Jun 2008
I am a big fan of Michael Jeck's Templar series, which now runs to a considerable number of books, this one being number twenty five in the series. The author has on occasions taken his lead character, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill away from his manor in the West country and sent him further afield, even in one book to the shrine at Compestela, in Spain. For me personally the books that feature Sir Baldwin, Keeper of the King's Peace for Devon and the surrounding area, ably assisted in his duties by his friend, Bailiff Simon Puttock, are best when our worthy knight stays close to home, but that is just my own opinion and anyway the opportunity to read a new book in the series is always a something to look forward to.
In the previous book, The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover, Sir Baldwin had been sent to Paris, to escort Isabella, Queen of England in her task of trying to bring peace between England and France. In this book, The Prophecy of Death, having had false accusations of murder laid against him while in France, Sir Baldwin and his good friend Simon are more than a little relieved to be back across the channel in England, but that relief is to be short-lived.
Sir Baldwin and Simon soon find themselves embroiled in the devious goings on of the English court and are desperate to get away from the subterfuge and back biting that seem common place in Edward`s court. The relative peace and quiet of the West country seems a long way away. Sir Baldwin, once a member of the disbanded Templar knight's is always fearful of his past catching up with him. Baldwin was one of the few who escaped the wholesale slaughter of the Order of Templar's, including their leader, Jacques de Molay, who was burnt at the stake by order of the then French King, Philip IV, with the blessing of the Pope. Baldwin knows that the English court is one of the more likely places that his previous existence may catch up with him. Though not in the least ashamed of his Templar roots, Baldwin is astute enough to know that they could still cost him his life.
England is in turmoil, not least because of Edward's annoying habit of ignoring his nobles and their wishes, preferring low-born favourites of his own choosing and the King has also exacerbated the situation by foolishly putting aside his Queen, Isabella, a dangerous thing to do to the sister of the French King. For the moment at least Isabella is still in France trying to negotiate a lasting peace with her brother, King Charles IV, but for how long? The actions taken by Edward, to confiscate her income and take her children away from her, do not bode well for the future of the country in general and Edward II in particular . . .
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18 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
Opens Up a Whole New World for the Whisky Drinker, 16 Jun 2008
Once you have browsed the pages of this book, a whole new world is opened up to the whisky drinker. Though by no means a connoisseur myself, I thought I was at least knowledgeable enough to tell a good one from a not so good one (is there any such thing as a bad one where whisky is concerned), or whiskey with an e as the Irish product is spelt.
Having in my time visited several of the smaller distilleries in Scotland, the most recent being Royal Lochnagar on the river Dee, near Balmoral, I though that I also knew some of the less well known, not to say obscure brands, but this book has an immense variety to choose from and certainly proves that the whisky available at your local pub or off-licence is merely the tip of the iceberg as far as whisk[e]y is concerned. Of course apart from numerous varieties from Scotland there are several varieties of whiskey common to Ireland, with Bushmills being probably the most well-known brand but of course there are many others, Tullamore Dew and Black Bush are just two more of a host of brands.
The book goes into great detail regarding the different types of whisky: Single malt, single grain and blended and the plus and minus points of the multitude of different brands. Many will be surprised to know that it is not only Scotland and Ireland that hold the monopoly on whisky. America of course produce their well know Jack Daniels and Jim Beam bourbons. Canada also produces whisky, as do places as far afield as Japan and India and surprisingly much closer to home, Wales.
The book tells the reader virtually everything they are ever likely to want to know regarding the history of whisky, e.g. the word whiskey is taken from an ancient Gaelic term "uisce beatha" which translates as "water of life". The book also goes into some detail of what gives a particular brand its distinctive taste and includes tasting notes for several key whiskies. The whisky industry is still thriving, even though many of the smaller distilleries have been brought under the umbrella of the multi-national brewing companies. For those who long to try something individual and different, it is still out there, you just have to look that little bit harder.
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