John Wilcox (1)

Back in college (now a long time ago) I wrote a report on the Siege of Peking. Seeing Foothill and 352 make their way into this historical event was fascinating. It brought back memories of that report, and of the Heston movie, 55 Days at Peking.

Wilcox adds a very good perspective on the troubles and at the level of his characters understanding them. He further does wonders by showing not only what happens in Peking (Beijing) and what happens with the relief column.

There are aspects of our hero Foothills life I feel should be more developed, such as his getting too old for this, and perhaps the need to teach the next generation, to gather about men of the empire that can aid him, and aid the empire the way he does. That his English life is really non-existent, and after so many years, wanderlust might, should have faded.

Aside from those issues, the story holds well together, though there is some obvious parts in regards to a Villain and perhaps a subplot a little hard to suspend my disbelief for concerning that villain. But all things considered, seeing Foothill sweep out the Empire under Victoria's last days is worth a read.… (meer)

Finally a good book about the Boer war. It shows both sides of the Zulu vs British conflict. Simon Fonthill is a young man who is accused of being a coward for fainting when it was announced that his regiment is being sent to South Africa. He meets a Scott (Jenkins 352) who serves as his servant when they set off to South Africa.

You will enjoy the relationship that develops between the two men, as they have adventure after adventure culminating in an exciting battle which is the first of the war between Zulu and English. No spoilers here...read it and enjoy.

I will hunt out the rest of the series… (meer)

My only issue with this novel is not really a criticism, more a recommendation: bar some of the stronger language, this could have been marketed as a young adult/teen novel about the First World War. The characters are perfect for that genre - brave young hero looking out for his friend, plucky love interest - and John Wilcox explains the whys and wherefores of the war, not to mention describing the terrible conditions of the front line, in vivid detail. I enjoyed reading the story, but Wilcox missed a trick there - Starshine could have been the teenage Birdsong.

Demographics aside, I was really affected by the powerful imagery of the trenches and the indiscriminate loss of life that starts more or less on page one and barely lets up until the final chapters (which felt tacked on). 'The camomile, the poppies and the flies stayed with them ... abandoned trenches manned only by the deformed dead, bloated by the sunshine', 'like picking your way through Hades'. The characters are stereotypical but believable, and the camaraderie between the men in the trenches is both humorous and heartwarming. Wilcox over-eggs the pudding on occasion - especially with regards to the final resting place of a soldier shot for cowardice - and Polly's predicament adds nothing to the story overall, but the fast pace and high drama work well as a summary of the war, both in the trenches and back home in Blighty.

Very well researched - the words and phrases of that era, a lot of which are still used today, might have been drawn from a glossary of soldiers' slang - and neatly told. A few less f-bombs, though, and this could have been required reading for teens.… (meer)