Military Politics from Bonaparte to the Bourbons is an intriguing full-length biography and character study of Michel Ney, Napoleon's marshal who came close to snatching victory from Wellington at Waterloo in 1815. Raymond Horricks provides a comprehensive look at the marshal from birth to death, with all his valiant battles and his personal relationships in between.

Horricks describes Ney's first days as a soldier, fighting with the revolutionary armies and culminating in his great tenacity at Hohenlinden in 1800. He then delves into Ney's convoluted involvement with Napoleon, including his friendship with Josephine. As a marshal, he was the hero at Ulm, where an entire Austrian army under General Mack was forced to surrender, and later, the man who defeated the Russians at Friedland.

Horricks gives a complete account of Ney's escapades, ending with the reasons for and heroism of his trial and execution. The nature of this gallant marshal's life provides a rare insight into military politics in the early nineteenth century. Military Politics from Bonaparte to the Bourbons will be an enjoyable read for political scientists, historians, and students of military affairs.