This is perhaps the single most brilliant book of the entire "The General" series.

The other reviewers complain that there isn't much character development and that we don't get to see much of the character's lives when they aren't being shot at. This is a valid complaint and is the result of cramming about 2-3 books into a single volume but misses the point of the book completely.

This book is a wonderful illustration (or more accurately, set of illustrations) of the old military maxim that a war is usually won before it starts.

The authors start the book at the late Victorian/WWI technological level and rapid ramped it up to Spanish Civil War level; showing the stresses that drove the technology forward and its effect on both the strategic level and from the point of view of the soldiers who do the shooting and dying.

Yes, there's tons of interesting military action but that's not the point of the book. Watch the weapons and strategies evolve. Watch the economies and policies of the various nations change over time. Marvel at how Center, the Farr family, and the redoubtable Raj Whitehall set a trap for the Chosen over a 20 year period. And then realize at the end of the book that the worst is probably yet to come as the peace will probably be more difficult to win than the war.

The scope and breadth of this book is astonishing. It was written by two men who have a deep understanding of history, not just military history, and have learned some of its hardest lessons. I would almost argue that it should be required reading for anybody who wants to be a high government official.

This entertaining book was very different from the GENERAL series with Center and Raj Whitehall. Raj only has a bit part in this story, although his reminiscing about his life after the general series ended was satisfying (but short).

This is a World War I technology level war story, with very interesting battle scenes, but poor character involvement. The story skips in and out of the hero's life over a period of decades. As a reader, I never really connected that much with the people. I was interested in the final outcome of the war, but the nations were just as interesting as the people in this story, and just as identifiable.

This is a good solid read. If you are a big Raj Whitehall fan, it's fun to think that Center has given him a sort of immortality. If you want to see two of the greatest military authors have fun with World War I, this book is definitely for you. Maybe, as some reviewers have mentioned, if this were expanded into a whole series I would have felt more involved with the characters.