Love and War (Historical Romances) - A Novel of Wellington

One of Heyer's finest. Very interesting (and painstakingly researched) account of Waterloo mixed with a classic Heyer love plot. This time Heyer flips her script by making the woman more of the "rake". Sort of the ultimate period piece but don't read if you aren't ready for extensive details of the battles and movements of the British army. Also, in my limited opinion, its an extremely flattering portrayal of Wellington. For Heyer readers, she manages to weave in characters from 3 earlier books (Alastairs, Smiths, and Lord Worth).

A wonderful and accurate account of the Battle of Waterloo and evoking brilliantly the atmosphere in Brussels before, during and after the event. Heyer reintroduces characters from Regency Buck and Devil's Cub in a very realistic romantic story. The charming brother of the Earl of Worth, Charles Audley, falls heavily for Lady Barbara Childe, spoilt and headstrong grand-daughter of the Duke of Avon (Devil's Cub). Their story is anything but straightforward and is intertwined that of other characters both fictional and real. As usual Heyer's research is immaculate and the historical facts are seamlessly woven into the story. Like the Spanish Bride its really more of a history lesson than any of her other books but wonderfully done.

An Infamous Army is the story of General Wellington's successful routing of Napoleon Bonaparte in the battle of Waterloo. As Napoleon's troops make their way towards Brussels, General Wellington is having trouble obtaining solid and trained soldiers and enough ammunition and artillery to fight the battle successfully. Beloved by his forces, Wellington must direct and marshal the tactical forces over the countryside in order to overtake the French forces. In addition to those problems, he is working with various other military leaders and troops not under his command, and the effort to create a unified front is one of the major problems in this battle. The mood in Brussels, however, is one of excitement and merriment, as many of the English gentry are visiting Brussels, and fete's and dinners are the order of the day. Of the party going set, the most illustrious is the Lady Barbara Childe. Barbara, a young widow, is flamboyantly fashionable and out to take the city by storm. Both glamorous and ostentatious, Lady Barbara has her pick of men among the crowd, and is never without an admirer. Her bold behavior and extravagant flirting keep her name constantly on the lips of those around her. But Lady Barbara is not prepared for her unexpected feelings for Colonel Charles Audley, whom she meets at a party. Audley too is quite smitten with Barbara, and instantly proposes marriage, a situation which shocks and stuns their social set. Can Barabara put away her coquettish ways for Audley and make herself a true and devoted wife? As these questions loom, Napoleon advances, and the battle begins in all it's bloody glory. When all is said and done, many will be lost and injured, and all must look to the future in their newly changed circumstances, including Audley and Lady Barbara.

Normally, I love historical fiction. I enjoy the enlightenment of discovering little known details surrounding historical events, and the glimpse into the lives of characters who have changed the course of history, even when they are slightly embellished. However, this book was not very enjoyable. The amount of detail, while impressive, was overwhelming. Some of the military tactical information and battle scenes seemed to go on forever, and the jump back to the events surrounding Barbara and Audley seemed too few and far between. I also disliked the minutia of the details. For example, there was a lot of information on the various colors and styles of the uniforms of the soldiers, which divisions had been deployed, and who was leading them. It was almost like reading a roster of names... very dry and lackluster. While I appreciate the amount of research that went into this account of Waterloo, it was very uninteresting and leaden. Perhaps if one were reading this as a history book, it would have been different, but I believe that the inclusion of the story of Barbara and Audley failed at the attempt to elevate this book into the realms of historical fiction. They seemed an afterthought, something pushed in to give the story some flavor to a rather dull military procedural. The book's tone was one of instruction, and rather than being interesting, it was instead informative.

I also disliked Lady Barbara. I don't believe that in order to be a complex character you have to be cruel, but that's exactly what Lady Barbara was. She was very spoiled and recalcitrant, always pushing the boundaries of propriety just because she liked to make a spectacle of herself. Many times in the book she admitted to being an intolerable vixen, yet she shrugged it off and claimed that her behavior was something she enjoyed and would continue. If she had not made other's so uncomfortable and ill at ease I could have accepted that. However, she seemed to enjoy playing one man off another and disappointing her friends and family. In one scene she specifically begins to take interest in a man in order to take revenge on his wife for a small social slight. I found this to be repulsive and ill-bred. It was almost unbelievable that Colonel Audley felt so strongly for her, because he was the most gentlemanly and kind person in the book. I found them to be a bad match, and an implausible one as well. Barbara spent the book flitting off from one flirtation to the next, dropping each one as her interest waned. I did not believe that her behavior would change after circumstances were altered. She seemed flighty and her serious emotions were not believable, and I had no patience for her or her antics by the end of the book. I lost a little respect for Audley's character for being so blind to her shenanigans, and felt this portion of the book to be highly vexing.

Although I didn't enjoy this book very much, I can see that it has its importance. Looking at it from a historical perspective, it is quite an accomplishment. The stellar research and the author's ability to keep all the specific information clear and well paced might be more appreciated by some who are fond of military history. Had the story been less focused on the battle and more focused on the periphery I would have enjoyed it more, and been better able to recommend it. As it was, this book was not really to my taste.

The popularity of the romances of Georgette Heyer, who defined the "regency romance" genre, continues after her demise. "An Infamous Army," details the events prior to and following the Battle of Waterloo with a realism that is acute. Ms. Heyer uses characters from previous books, "The Devil's Cub," "Regency Buck," and refers to characters from "These Old Shades" to build this enthralling romance that has no happy ending.

Reading the four (her only series) is a visit with old friends, when you need a fix for good writing, strong characters, good dialogue, and a firm sense of a historical period.

Nash Black, author of "Taxes, Stumbling Blocks and Pitfalls for Authors 2007" and "Qualifying Laps."

I normally like Georgette Heyer's Regency romance novels. They usually have some quirky characters that keep the plot interesting. This book had entirely too many details of the Battle of Waterloo and less focus on the two main romantic characters. It is obvious that Heyer had done extensive research on the politics surrounding Waterloo and the actual battle itself. The story line got bogged down with the history of this event to the detriment of the plot revolving around the characters. Heyer did do a good job, however, of contrasting the frivolous nature of English society in Brussels ( their emphasis on dress and social events) with the looming prospect of Napoleon's invasion. When the battle actually takes place, it is a rude awakening for many of those living there at the time.

This is such an informative book. The battle scenes would grace any non fiction work and do give the reader an appreciation of the characters of the time and the devastating loss of life in the battles leading up to and including the Battle of Waterloo. It may not be so gripping with the romance but certainly for any writer of historical fiction in that era, this is a must.
Highly recommended for information and appreciation of the wars in the Regency era.

Spring and summer, 1815. It has been reported that Napoleon Bonaparte has left the isle of Elba and is marching down to France from the north. The Duke of Wellington and other commanders are gathering their armies to prepare for any potential attack, though most people think it will lead to nothing. The Duke describes his troops as an "infamous Army, very weak, and ill-equipped, and a very inexperienced staff." You can cut the tension with a knife. As Europe prepares for battle, Colonel Charles Audley, during his stay in Brussels, falls for Lady Barbara Childe, a beautiful widow with a questionable reputation. She is a flirt, has broken many hearts, which is why everyone is shocked when she accepts the colonel's marriage proposal. Audley is a penniless soldier, and everyone thought that she would go for a wealthy gentleman. As the Battle of Waterloo looms and the people begin to flee the premises, the lady and her brave colonel embark upon a journey of self-discovery all their own...

I read this book about the same time as I reread Jane Austen's Emma, and I must say that it is difficult to pinpoint which one of the two I enjoyed reading the most. This is one of the best historical novels I have read in a very long time. Georgette Heyer describes Waterloo in such a way that you feel like you are there. She even describes the passage that Bonaparte takes in his effort to invade France. There is a main romantic plot centered on Lady Barbara and the Colonel, but the chapters that concentrate on the Duke of Wellington and the political affairs are much more fascinating. Put together, however, makes for a fascinating read. Georgette Heyer doesn't get enough credit for her novels. She -- like English contemporaries Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart and Anya Seton -- don't get the sort of praise that older novelists like Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte get. Yet they deserve it, including Heyer, whose work includes some funny Regency romances, some of which I've read, but had also written intelligent historical fiction and dark mysteries. An Infamous Army, first published in 1937, is the perfect novel for those who love the Napoleonic era. Cannot recommend this enough!

This is different from most of Georgette Heyer's novels. It's very heavy on historical details, historical people, battle scenes, etc. And, when a book gets into battle accounts, and troop movements, and strategic planning, my eyes start to glaze over, and I start skimming heavily. However, those details are such a huge part of the book, that I ended up skipping over much of it.

And the relationships aspect of the book wasn't particularly strong. I enjoyed the character of Lady Worth, but I didn't find the romance between Lady Barbara and Colonel Audley that believable. They both fall for each other in relatively short order, despite the fact that they are very different people. The behavior Barbara engages in is often the type that Audley would find appalling, but somehow he sees that she's really good underneath, despite having had only a few minutes with her. I also had no real attachment to Lady Barbara with her general recklessness, selfishness, playing men off of each other, etc. I thought Colonel Audley deserved better. There were, however, some nice scenes and bits of dialogue, a strength of Heyer's.

Still, unless you're a fan of battle descriptions, I wouldn't recommend this book. After you skip over those sorts of details, the romance left is only of so-so quality.

After reading several reviews on this site I was a little bit reluctant to read this book specially when I saw someone had given only 3 stars. I guess I was in for a great surprise! This is the best novel I have ever read. It has everything war, romance etc.... I was surprised that some people didn't even see the romance between Charles and Barbara. Let me say one thing I grew up in a war (Beirut-Lebanon)and every emotion that people experience in this book is for real. Giving parties, dancing, falling in love from the first sight, horrors of war, people without limbs etc.........It's all real. I just couldn't put the book down. Thanks God I have been living in USA for the past 17 years, but you never forget those crazy days. I give 5 stars although the book deserves million stars. Her discription of Waterloo is sooooooooo correct which amazes me.Georgette Heyer is the best I wish she wrote more books :(

Anna

There was too much detail about the doings of Wellington, getting ready for Waterloo, and the actual battle. I love Georgette Heyer for her romances but this was just a little romance and pages of history. She did a tremendous amount of research for this book. If I was interested in battle, I would have loved it.

I learned so much about the Battle of Waterloo from this book. Even better, I learned about the conditions and attitudes at the time. The attention to detail is astonishing. And accurate, as I found out some years later when I read a book about Lord Moran, physician to Winston Churchill. One day Lord Moran asked Churchill what he was reading. He replied that it was an account of Waterloo by Georgette Heyer, and that no one had ever done a better one.

This is book 4 of the Audley-Alistar series. Too much war and not enough of the lively characters. This is the first book of Heyer's that I had to skip thru the chapters. Read the 3rd book, Recency Buck, and not this one.

I cannot believe that when I read reader reviews of Miss Heyer's work that I see numerous comparisons to Barbara Cartland! What an insult to one of the great writers of the 20th century. Cartland produced nothing but badly written attempts to rip off Georgette Heyer's work. I hope that during her lifetime Miss Heyer's sense of humor allowed her to bear it.

"An Infamous Army",an account of Waterloo from the perspective of numerous old & beloved characters,along with some new ones, is,as always,true literature and highly recommended to anyone who appreciates fine historical writing. The accompanying love story is both tragic and joyous. You will not be disappointed in this book.

I recently read AN INFAMOUS ARMY yet one more time (and aren't all of us glad Ms Heyer's gotten reissued to a new generation and an old one as well?) and I still appreciate it as containing the best and most emotionally involving account of Waterloo I've ever read as well as containing an adult and very human account of two people falling in love and what duty and selfishness cost them in the sweep of world events. Of course I've read and re-read all the prequals to this book so I know where the threads are from the previous works. But this is a stand alone work of glorious historical sweep. I do love Georgette Heyer.

I. Love. Georgette. Heyer. She rules. She rocks. Insert your soon-to-be-timeworn accolade here.

No one else can capture the meeting of spirits and minds that constitutes the beginning of true love the way Heyer can. In (almost all of) her romances, when hero and heroine first speak to each other, you know, immediately, that these two people -- no matter how unalike they appear -- are two of a kind. Their love is inevitable.

I've said all this, clumsily, because in "An Infamous Army," Heyer makes almost every mistake in the romance writer's book. Let's count 'em.

1. The heroine is too gorgeous to be true. Lesser writers commit this sin, but (normally) not Heyer. Every man wants her, and I do mean EVERY man. Yawn. In one scene, the heroine merely smiles at a man and he leaves the side of his pregnant wife to spend the evening in her company. Riiiiiiight.
2. The hero falls in love with her instantly ... because she's beautiful, and ONLY because she's beautiful. Did I mention he's 35 and universally described as sensible? I guess he fooled them!
3. The heroine is, for approximately 400 pages, selfish, capricious, ill-tempered and cruel. Yet we're supposed to root for her.
4. The hero is, for more than 400 pages, content to stand by the heroine's selfishness and cruelty and, at times, even defend her. He iz stoopid.
5. Most of the scenes that drive the romance plot are seen through the eyes of, not the hero, not the heroine, but the hero's sister-in-law ... who's already had her own book.
6. Did I mention how mean the heroine is? When it comes time to throw the reader a bone -- c'mon, don't hate the heroine! -- the best defense a character can come up with is to TELL (not show) us that occasionally the heroine has visited a sick soldier, rather than go to a ball. Given the number of balls we do see her attend, she must have cloned herself back in 1815 to accomplish the sickroom vigils. We never see her being kind, or courteous, or considerate, or even rueful. Ever.
7. Eventually, the hero has a falling out with the heroine. Go, hero! At this point you pray that Heyer will do something completely unexpected and find another heroine for Mr. Hero. And yet.
8. The heroine has a moment of redemption, in which she nurses injured soldiers with little complaint. This is admirable. If she were halfway likable, you could buy this experience as being enough to mature her. But. Heyer even has a character observe, drily, that the heroine's redemption might well wear off, once the drama of the battle is over. Word. I mean: WORD! But then the hero comes back from battle, wounded, and goodgawdalmighty, he takes the beeeeyatch back.

That was the sound of a book hitting Sheetrock.

9. There's a subplot that is mishandled, too, not only in being so confusing you need a chart to name the players, but also in forcing several characters to behave nastily ... just when you really need them to not be nasty. Yes, the heroine is one of them.

So. Heyer, the ultimate historical romance writer, really laid an egg with this love story.

But the story of Waterloo, of Wellington and his staff and the battle itself, is very well-done, if you like that sort of thing.

I was never particularly fond of books about epic battles until I read this book. It is justifiably considered one of the best depictions of the battle of Waterloo and made so much more readable because of the characters both fictional and non fictional that are woven within the plot. I would also recomend her other book Spanish Bride for readers interested in this book.