When I began this novel-writing lark, one thing which boggled my mind was how we’d got to the point of boxing up our views of early 19th century British history by genre, as if there were some kind of fictional zoning laws.
In the one box, we have the world of military derring-do and the Napoleonic wars, celebrated in the works of Bernard Cornwell and Patrick O’Brian. Then there are the plotlines about domestic or romantic life beginning (sort of) with Jane Austen’s work–which have somehow transmogrified into Regency romances.
And beyond that? Nothing.
No politics. No Industrial Revolution. No music. And don’t let that love story touch that war story.
Unconvinced, I started to research the politics of the period, focusing on the assassination of the Prime Minister on 11 May 1812.
Which led me to study the workings of the Foreign Office, which spilled over into a study of Wellington, which led to code-breaking and the intelligence networks…
Then, I started to notice that all of our historical-adventure novels of the era are always set in the Peninsula or at Waterloo. There was a whole big war consuming most of Europe out there–from the borders of France off in every direction, mostly to the east–but there’s nothing about that.
Which was about the same time I started thinking of my books as a walled, mediaeval city–one with four gates–Northgate, Southgate, Eastgate and Westgate.
Through whichever port one enters in an old walled city, one can travel to the centre, though each gate will lead to a passage through different neighbourhoods peopled by different characters, past perhaps unknown monuments and sights. But it’s still the same city.
So…The first gate of this early 19th century city? My novel May 1812. The home front gate, if you will. The second? Of Honest Fame. The spying game, the world that until recently, historians and politicians denied existed–the French spied, they said; we were always gentlemen.
The third and fourth gates? Eastward into central Europe and to the south as well. Now under construction.
Welcome to my world.
It’s a great website, MM!!!!!! Beautiful. I’ll enjoy checking it out in more detail. Reb
Great website, MM. Pleased I dropped by and I shall be back… Jude
Bennetts! I’ve joined the ranks of your blog followers. I can’t wait to read it all. *grin*
Very well presented page. Full of the colour and detail one would expect from such a great writer. Good luck with it !
May I say that, having read extracts of your work on Authonomy, you have successfully achieved what you state above that you set out to do. Your work is extraordinarily good Mr Bennetts and surprised me in the best possible ways. Drew.
Well done lad! Now back to the stalls for a muck.
Masterly as always , well written and so accurate I will be among the first to buy 1812.
You stand head and shoulders above your peers.
Gosh, Ray, thank you.
Hi Ray, Found you on Authonomy. This post is wonderful. I got drawn into this period through the Sharpe books, but your analysis of the impact of an assassination on a country is something only a historian can stumble upon through primary records and draw out. Thanks for the highlight.
Will look at your book when I can figure out how to put something on a shelf.
Thanks very much, Janet. I’m very pleased to say that May 1812–the novel featuring the assassination of Prime Minister Perceval at the centre–will be available for you to hold in your hands and read the old-fashioned way in another six to seven weeks…
Cheers–MM
May 1812 is a fine book and I look forward to owning a copy. I hope it does as well as it deserves.
Found you, MM! So thrilled your incomparable books will at last be published. Malcolm Mendy directed me to this fact so do put me on your mailing list! I will always be grateful for all your help with my own work. The Crimson Bed is also coming out soon I’m happy to say.
Enjoying your blog and will be back for more.
Lorri, delighted to see you here! Thank you for that. The diiarts website will have info on signed copies if you’re wanting one–or at least that’s what they told me…I’m practising my scrawling my nom de plume meanwhile…ha ha.
Right,
Spiffy site, lots of info, and well presented.
Well done.
Will your latest be available in the U.S.?
Yours faithfully, etc.
Greetings, wanted to drop you a note congratulating you on DIIA – great website.
I’m blogging all this month about independently published writers, and would like to use your experience with DIIA as part of the blog.
Let me know if this is agreeable.
Loved the snowfall!
Kat
What a beautiful website, MM. Full of bons mots and pensées. Why didn’t I subscribe sooner? ‘Cos you spoil us on FB.
Here now and enjoying it until the laptop battery finally gasps its last.
Garalt
The answer is, as has been said to me many times, ‘you can’t spoil a rotten egg.’ Ha ha ha.
Hello, MM Bennett’s blog. It’s such a beautiful site (sight?) that I felt I wasn’t really worthy to post a comment. I don’t play the piano, I ride like an Irishman and write totally un-literary novels, so I felt I’d lower the tone of the establishment. And I have recently joined the jolly band of indie (aka self-published) writers who are a little non-u in the publishing world. But I’m having a ball!
And I’m a HUGE fan of May 1812 and eagerly awaiting the next one.
Welcome, bienvenue, and guten tag. I ride Irish horses because as everyone knows, they are the best. And I hope you find lots to amuse you here–some of the history stuff’s quite a laugh. Because what’s the point if it’s all so boring that no one laughs?
A lovely website, with lots of interesting reading matter.
I’ll be back.
You have to laugh! Life’s too ridiculous sometimes not to. When are we going to be able to read the next one? I need another Bennetts fix!
Working hard on it, even as we speak.
Speaking and writing at the same time? You’ll be telling me you can play the piano and write simultaneously next. I can’t but I can spell simultaneously without using a spell checker.
I’m going to write a blog about books I love. Guess which one I’ll be doing first?
Cheers,
Susanne
I’ll be honest, it’s doing my head in a bit. Because as you know, and as I’ve blogged previously, writing is essentially a solitary pursuit, a retreat from the world and all it’s distractions. And I don’t do it well when I’m emotionally anything–I have to be quite still. So if I’m meant to be gearing up for a lecture or a talk, or recovering from an encounter with an argumentative ‘fan’, the writing suffers frankly.
The piano is quite different. Yes, it talks back. But nicely. Rather Beethovenly or Chopinly, if you see what I mean? Ha ha. So that only restores or in many cases, keeps me in the mental frame of a character.
And you can just stop trying to make me blush, all right? It’s working. And no, I will not take pictures.
The men, and women, of that period were all you say, my dear. But for me one of the overwhelming traits amongst so many, was the great sense of duty and honour and love of country; values that sadly are not so prevalent today.
Keep writing, Bennetts. Just keep writing and bring OHF to print asap please!
Yes, sir. Just as you say, sir. Have been hard at it, sir…
I don’t care if I make you blush. I will be working on that book post later today. I just so loved May 1812 and was sad when I finished it. Thank Goodness it was good and long so I could spend a lot of time with Myddleton.
In the meantime, you might like my article on why women can’t read maps… right there on my blog today.
Very sharp, well-designed site. Congrats. I love London historical sites, especially sites that have maps. My favorite London map is John Rocque’s superb 1746 map. http://www.motco.com/map/81002/ I used it to write my indie book, “George in London.” (Sorry for the outrageous self-promotion!! Hope its not too obnoxious!) Rocque’s map has fantastic detail and it’s fun to peruse as every lane, alley and mews is labeled. Some of the names are quite colorful: Bandy Leg Walk, Cock a Hoop Yard, Dunghill Mewse, Goat Stairs, Great Cock Alley, Horse-shoe Passage, Moneybag Alley, Pissing Alley, Scroops Court and Yeate’s Rents.
Thanks very much.
The background map is one of several in the British Library from 1812. I’m rather fond of it myself. And Jerry White’s history of London in the 19th century is just as full of fascinating names, places and descriptions–well, you’d find it heaven. I wouldn’t have written Of Honest Fame without it.
Cheers–MM
Thanks. I will check out Jerry’s book. And yours!
Tim
I’m obviously late to this party, but thanks to Amazon and the beauty of Kindle, I have just discovered your books. They are wonderfully written and researched. As a classical Regency fan and a fan of the spy genre, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I read both of them in two days. I am awaiting the next one (surely we get to learn Boy Tirrell and Dunphail’s story) with baited breath! I am a fan and will be highly recommending your books.
Cheers,
Donna
Thank you so very much.
Gosh! What a superb comment to wake up to. I am so utterly pleased and delighted that you’ve found the website and found the books and that you found them to your liking. So very very pleased about that.
Yes, there is a sequel on the way…well, another two are under way…or more than that. As I’ve done the research, I’ve found I’ve got material for more than I’d first imagined. If that makes sense.
And thank you again. This, of course, will make me work all the harder…
Oh, happily, that makes perfect sense! That period is so very rich in material (in my opinion, not unlike the early 20th century and the two World Wars), and you make it so very readable. There is a lyricism in your writing similar to Le Carre’s that not only brings the story and action to life, but imbues it with a depth of emotion as if one had actually lived the events, not simply read about them.
As I further explored your site, I read the question regarding manure. I’m doing some reader input for a friend who has written a book, part of which takes place in London in the last half of the 19th century. I know from her extensive research that horse manure, human waste, garbage, etc. were all dumped into the Thames, which lead to the cholera outbreaks. It wasn’t until the stench overwhelmed Parliament that something was done about it.
And finally, (and I thought I wasn’t a morning person
) I also see that you are a cross country rider – well, come on down! I live in Lexington, Kentucky, horse capital of the world and have spent my working career in the Thoroughbred industry. Did you happen to come for the World Games?
The very best reference–and a cracking read!–for London during the 19th century is the book, London in the 19th Century by Jerry White. It covers the transformation of the city over the whole of the century, (some of it quite eye-watering) area by area, and has excellent maps. I often work from maps–as the cover of OHF would suggest (that’s one from the British Library which came out, funnily enough, in May 1812).
I’m so very pleased–more so than I can convey–that you enjoyed the writing as well as the stories. As for the living the events (ha ha), my family would tell you I have an 1812 face (I have to take their word for it, I’ve never seen it myself) from which they can tell I’m not in the room, I’m in 1812…Apparently I’m to a degree useless when I’m wearing this expression.
I was not at the World Games, unless you count in spirit. We all were there in spirit, cheering on Mary King and William Fox-Pitt. But I do follow the Kentucky Horse Park page on FB and look longingly every time they have one of their adopt a horse notices. (Those are just cruelty to horse-lovers those postings are.)
Again, I’m just so delighted you found the website, tickled pink that you enjoyed the books, and have given me yet another great reason to get cracking on books 3 and 4. Thank you so very much for that.
Thank you so much for the book recommendation; I will definitely check it out. Before becoming side-tracked by your two books, I had just picked up Jane Wellesley’s Wellington, A Journey Through My Family at our local bookstore. I think it’s had mixed reviews, but I’ll try it anyway.
I’ve just reread Gregor Dallas’s 1815: The Roads to Waterloo, which is even better the third time through. Dominic Lieven’s book about Russia against Napoleon was utterly grand, because he’s the first historian I’ve encountered who seems to understand a horse-drawn civilisation.
Haven’t seen that one about the Wellesley family over here, but then my reading list is always too long and I try to avoid being sucked into anything else…
High praise indeed reading something three times! More to add to my reading list. But while bare cupboards never worry me, I start to break out in a cold sweat when my To Be Read pile gets low!
I thought your point about “thinking in old money” was very well taken. That is something that annoys me in Regencies or other historical fiction. Understanding, even owning, what it means to live in a horse-drawn civilization seems to me to be essential to writing about it!
There was a great deal in the Lieven book about horses–where the best horse markets circa 1812 were, and why the loss of the 150,000 horses he took to Russia equalled disaster for Napoleon. Things which, for all I’m an expert in this historical stuff, I’d never considered. (Which sounds plain daft, but there you are.)
I’ve actually been thinking for a while of spending a week on Sark, where one can rent a horse or a horse and carriage for the duration of the holiday, just to learn how much slower life must inevitably be if going somewhere always includes tacking up…There are also holidays riding the Highlands which I think would be equally instructive.
I can’t comment on Regency romances because with the exception of those written by Georgette Heyer, they just don’t exist over here. When I did recently try to read a Pride & Prejudice sequel, which I suppose is kind of similar, it drove me potty it was so inaccurate–whis is why I wrote the blog about Austen, the Cash Cow.
I can’t tell you how enheartening it has been to have you find my books and website. I really am going to go do some work now. Ha ha. *plotting…plotting*
Enheartening?? I’m honored! Truly. But until I read the implications of Napoleon’s equine loss in OHF, I never would have been able to put the numbers into perspective. 150,000 horses lost equals the number I’ve read of horses now slaughtered annually! So the number that stopped an empire, is now the number that we find ‘disposable’.
A riding holiday in the Highlands sound wonderful! You might be surprised at how little riding actually goes on in central Ky. except for the events at the Horse Park and the races at Keeneland. It’s big business here and riding is not permitted over the farms. But horse racing and breeding have been going on in this area since the 1700′s, with the Kentucky Jockey Club (to govern the races) established in 1797!
I’ve found that I don’t really enjoy Regency “romances” as much as I enjoy books like what you’ve written – Regency history that may have some romance woven into the story. My favorite Heyers are her historical novels, and I’ve read her research and history in them are authentic. She did six of those in addition to her romances and her detective novels.
They reissued all of the Heyer novels, including the detective novels which had been out of print for years, over here about four (?) years ago. She’s a lot of Brits ‘secret’ pleasure. Ha ha. I think her ironic tone quite superb and she’s rather delicious on aunts and sisters and mothers too.
The whole of the South Downs is horse country, but that extends as well into the west into Dorset and Devon. Plenty of racing stables, livery stables, horses just in paddocks, all of it. Some farmers do allow horses to ride the edge of the fields. And there are the hunts too. Probably your weather is pleasanter though.
Napoleon was not himself a natural horseman, just as he wasn’t a sailor. So, his willingness or ability to factor in things that any horseman or sailor would instinctively include in their calculations and his mistakes based on that, also made him careless of the losses of both horses and ships. It’s this tremendous blindspot he has. Because he believes that because he’s Napoleon what he wants must instantly be provided, he can’t take in factors like a frigate doesn’t build itself overnight, nor have a trained crew immediately and you can’t spy out the lay of the land on the ocean and pick the most advantageous ground there. But he gives orders based on the idea that these things can happen because he wills it so, and the result is always a disaster. So, after the loss of the men and horses in Russia–I believe it’s about 500 to 1000 horses survived out of 150,000 and the survivors unfit for work–he gives orders for a new army to be raised with an equal number of horses. They seriously struggle to find the manpower, but the horses, that’s just a joke, and of course, those horses they do manage to requisition are wholly unsuited to the army’s needs and totally untrained and unusable for the cavalry.
And yes, enheartening. It’s very, very rare for someone to actually tell an author they liked the work, or to articulate what about the work they appreciated. It just doesn’t happen. In general, for mid-list authors, it’s like living in a cotton wool void. One’s friends either don’t read one’s work (in case they don’t like it and then have to face you!) or if they do read it, they rarely say anything beyond, “When’s the next one out?”
You gave me a chuckle at the pleasant weather comment. Central Ky. is notorious (as is most of the U. S. mid-West) for having extremes of weather, including tornadoes in the spring!
You said that Napoleon gave orders believing he could will the results – but didn’t the French manage to raise another army of hundreds of thousands? And what about their calvary at Waterloo, which I’ve read (incorrectly?) was impressive? You have really, really piqued my interest in these facts.
And finally, I have some experience with commenting from reading fan fiction, and I was thrilled to find your blog to be able to tell you how much I enjoyed both books. The ensuing conversation with Herself was a bonus!
At the moment I’m studying the fall of Napoleon–that is to say, 1813-14. (And doing my head in in the process, I’ve no doubt.)
When Napoleon returned to Paris in December 1812, within days of his return he’d given orders to raise another Grand Armee. (He carefully never mentioned what happened to the previous one which did strike some people as odd…) By March the few survivors of the Russian campaign were trickling home. Estimates of numbers of survivors range from about 30,000 to 7000. Few were fit for active service though. And it wasn’t just the men and horses that had been lost, the whole of the artillery was gone too, as were the uniforms, and anything else you can think of.
So. Napoleon gives the order to raise a new army. His chiefs of staff boggle. He gets cross and throws things. They set about it and within a few months have raised a new army of recruits–those who should have been conscripted in 1814 had already been called up, the National Guard of 100,000 is also at his command and he creates The Young Guard (a sort of new Imperial Guard) in order to lure the French middle classes into sending their sons into the army, rather than buying their sons’ way out. So technically, he has an army of 250,000. Or more.
But then, awkward things happen. The Prussian head of the army (with the army) defects to the side of the Allies; the Austrians say well, we can’t send any more guys and we’re broke, the Russians push into Poland…
There are a few battles, namely at Lutzen and Bautzen in May 1813, where Napoleon triumphs over the Allied forces, but frankly at this point, he really can’t afford his victories, because the area of Europe where they’re all located, Saxony, can’t feed the troops. It’s that simple. They’ve had troops marching through their territory for too long and there’s just nothing left. Plus, now he’s facing three armies. And typhus is running rampant in his ranks. Plus, he’s trying to man all the fortresses along the Elbe to keep the Allies from pushing further toward France. There’s a long period of negotiations during the summer which yield nothing because he won’t budge on being European supremo.
Then his army gets crushed at the Battle of the Nations or the Battle of Leipzig during the 16-19 October 1813 and he sustains as many as 73,000 losses, including 30,000 taken prisoner, 5000 German deserters, as well as the loss of 325 guns and 40,000 muskets. And the subsequent disorganisation of the French in the following two weeks as they withdrew–well, it was a complete mess. The army just fell to pieces.
And by now, the problem of replacement troops is acute. He just can’t sustain the losses, he can’t really even sustain the victories and the number of cases of typhus is rising every day–roughly about 25% of his army have it. And they’re bringing it back into western Germany with them… It’s a nightmare scenario. And then the weather turns bad. Really bad.
The best book I’ve ever read on Waterloo is by Andrew Roberts and it’s a slim little volume and really makes the whole thing clear. Much clearer even that those vast models like they have at the Winchester army museums. That said, I’m hoping to never have to write about it. Because I’d end up sounding like a complete prat.
As to the French cavalry or the cavalry in general–I always refer those questions to my friend Jonathan Hopkins (he wrote a guest blog for me…it’s here somewhere…) because he knows a great deal more about the cavalry than I do. And obviously the best novelist writing about it is Allan Mallinson–a cavalry officer himself. His first book in the Matthew Hervey series takes place at Waterloo.
Thank you so much for the information. I feel as if I should be paying you for the private tutoring! And more book recommendations to add to the list.
Of course you must write about Waterloo! How can you not??? And of course it will be wonderful (prat indeed – harumph!) – I’m sure that subject could even encompass more than one book too.
The subject of the Prussians changing sides also struck me as ripe material for you as well. One can only imagine all of the espionage work that went on in the background leading up to such an event.
As to your last paragraph: Stop reading my mind. That’s just not on. Ha ha.
Waterloo? Well, there are already so many fine novels written about it: Heyer’s Infamous Army; Cornwell’s Sharpe; Mallinson’s A Close Run Thing…
And when I started out, I was rather determined to avoid the ‘set pieces’–that is the battles–and I really wanted to focus on the stuff no one else talks about: the home front, the ginormous civilian losses, the atrocities committed by the French, the assassination of Perceval, the extensive pillaging, the espionage…all the stuff that makes this a world war or a total war. (Here in the UK, the focus is almost entirely on the Peninsular War aspect of the thing or the Royal Navy during the period–to the exclusion of all else.)
That said, as I’ve been working my way through March 1813 (when OHF finishes) to December 1814, it’s dawned even on me that there’s no way I can avoid a battle scene or three. *frowns*
My spidey sense tingled when I read: “…and then an awkward thing happened…”.
I could see you doing the story ‘around’ the battles without actually doing the battle scenes. Telling it via couriers bringing information out, newspaper reports, soldiers that struggle back to hospitals, towns, etc. In other words, other characters getting the information or pieces of the information regarding the engagement. In effect, what you did for the Russian campaign or some variation thereof.
Waterloo is an integral part of the story that you are telling, and you have the talent and the scholarship to do it justice.
*Stunned and flattered, Bennetts rubs face and retreats to the corner…”
Since I was, er, already planning to do the invasion of France from the Pyrennees and the occupation of Paris, after I complete this next pair of books…er…righto, I’ll put it on the to-do list…
The downside of having rabid fans!
Ha ha ha.
Read the first two again. I’m told they read even better the second time. (By my dressage instructor.)
Oh, I definitely plan to read these again… ideally a little closer to the publication date of the next one!
Very nice site.