The Bravest of the Brave

Name: The Bravest of the Brave
Rating: 2.5 (5 reviews)

by G. A. Henty

First published 1887

Amazon Gutenberg EPUB

2.5(5)

During the War of the Spanish Succession, a young English adventurer is drawn into the campaigning of Charles Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough, in Spain. The fighting of 1705–1707 combines sieges, rapid marches and uncertain local alliances as rival claimants compete for the Spanish crown.

The protagonist experiences war from the level of the men expected to carry orders through unfamiliar country while senior commanders argue over strategy and loyalty. Peterborough’s audacious operations provide the main historical framework, with the wider conflict linking Spain to Marlborough’s campaigns elsewhere in Europe. The novel turns a dynastic war into a story of endurance, initiative and the hazards of serving an army far from home.