Julian Reynolds (1)

A labor of love. This is a strangely expensive ($52-$177) print on demand book from Xlibris with 254 8.5x11 pages. There are 5 pages of handrawn maps, 5 pages of good color photos, whille a glossary, bibliography and index take an additional 50 pages. The author, a former "defence intelligence analyst" and university tutor (not sure what that is, in Australia). As you can guess from the title, the author has focused on the fall of the Western Roman Empire; particularly the careers of Stilicho, Constantius, Aetius and Ricimer. His bibliography begins, to my pleasure, with Ammianus Marcellinus & includes CLaudian, Jordanes, Zosimus, SIdonus Apollinaris and others. Secondary sources include the usual suspects: Burns and Bury, Elton & Frere, Goldsworty, Heather, Oost, among others, as well as my favorite, J.M. O'Flynn's "Generalissimos of the Western Roman Empire." He did miss Ian Hughes' STILICHO. Following four sections on the 4 warlords noted above, the author concludes with Orestes & Odoacer and the fate of Romulus Augustus.

Having just received this book in the afternoon mail, I have not read it. Scanning however indicates solid research and cogent prose. Minus the Greek and Latin, perhaps this will be a good replacement for the out of print GENERALISSIMOS. However, the rather high price for a paperback may limit its sales. I purchased a $50 copy from a UK bookseller. Because this a favorite time period for me (and I wargame the period), I'm ok with the price, others may not feel the same.… (més)