I thought when I requested this book it would really grab my attention, however after the first two chapters of the author seeming going around in circles, I was disappointed. The writing is overly wordy, and the author comes off as someone who wants to impress you with his knowledge and less any real information concerning the 12 battles he chose. I was extremely disappointed and would not recommend this title to anyone.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A book that reads as a history professor's lectures is something that just fits the bill. Walsh does a sensational job at laying the foundations of each battle he chose and in typical historical writing fashion, tangential rants also are included. This may not be enjoyable for all, but I ate up every word. Walsh's consistency in storytelling fluctuates based on what they are discussing and some parts felt a bit dragging as you read on to the next battle. I rather enjoyed this compilation and though Walsh does drag on a bit, it was a nice Sunday afternoon read.

A Rage to Conquer by Michael Walsh was an engaging and well-researched book.
A story on the Twelve Battles That Changed the Course of Western History.

An entertaining book about the great battles of history. The author does not attempt to give a military history. Rather, it is based on the personalities that drove men to war. The author makes the obvious statement that war is the principal agent of societal change.
While entertaining, the book has very a dangerous subtext: War is a human necessity that drives civilization and should be valued as such. The author glorifies war and warriors and sees both as the primary motivation for progress. The author reminds me of the old men in All Quiet on the
Western Front who Paul encounters after serving on the front line. They speak of glory and patriotism, but Paul only knows pain and death. This book glorifies men like Alexander and Napoleon who defeated every army which came in the way of world conquest. They were no different than Hitler and Putin, although history has treated them more favorably. They sought conquest and glory on the backs of their soldiers. The true heroes of history are Churchill and Zelenskyy who refuse to allow tyrants to run over them or their people.
I give this book two stars because it is an entertaining view of military history. However, the message conveyed is very dangerous in a world armed with nuclear weapons.

This book is about the twelve battles that changed our world. You can read the book as a whole or just read the chapters that interest you. .Walsh did excellent research and provides analysis for the winners and losers after each battle. It's a book that can be read piece by piece or all at once.

This was an interesting read for many reasons. I did have to go look at some reviews that were given, as I was curious why some would give it one star. "Conservative History" was one reason given, which I thought was rather humorous.

As a history teacher, I hold onto an unbiased approach, giving the facts and allowing students to make up their own minds. So, as I was reading through this book, the author laid out some great information, showing the rise and fall, and diving into aspects of battles that we should have given some attention to.
Being a female veteran, having women in the military is not a bad thing. Sorry, Mr. Walsh, I will disagree with you there. What I agree with him on, is that having female personnel in roles that they are not fully prepared for, or able to carry out. There are situations where having a female present could hinder. I am not super tall, but me trying to carry a 300 lb person off a battlefield would have been impossible. There are ways around it, but the lowering of standards for some roles is not a good idea. (Okay, coming off my soapbox now).

I enjoyed this read for what it was. A breakdown of battles, and their impact. I skipped the afterward after starting it. For personal political thoughts, I don't want to hear them. I don't care if it's celebrities, authors, the little kid down the street, I just don't enjoy it. The rest of the book, was interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

This is one for those who enjoy military history. That said, this is not exhaustive on any of the 12 battles Walsh examines and there may be some who do not find additional insight. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. While it wasn't for me, I know this will be appreciated.

A Rage to Conquer: Twelve Battles That Changed the Course of Western History by Michael Walsh

Michael Walsh’s A Rage to Conquer sets out to explore twelve pivotal battles in Western history and the commanders who fought them. As a sequel to Last Stands, the book dives into the idea that war is an unavoidable and integral part of the human experience, shaping societies and history alike.

The book covers a wide range of figures and conflicts, from Achilles at Ilium to Patton at the Battle of the Bulge. Some battles, like Midway or Austerlitz, are well-known, while others, such as the Siege of Antioch, highlight lesser-known moments in history. Walsh clearly did his homework—there’s no shortage of research here.

That said, A Rage to Conquer didn’t live up to its potential for me. The writing is verbose, often burying key insights under layers of tangents. Instead of the history coming to life, it felt more like wading through a dense lecture, with the author’s opinions often overshadowing the events being discussed. Walsh’s stance on war as a “manly pursuit” is laid on thick, and while it’s fine for an author to have a perspective, this one felt overly jingoistic and sometimes downright reductive.

The afterword was where things really went off the rails. Walsh veered into political commentary about the U.S. military, the aftermath of 9/11, and his opinions on modern leadership. His takes—ranging from critiques of women in combat to the supposed necessity of bloodshed to restore masculinity—might appeal to a specific audience, but they overshadowed the historical analysis I was hoping for.

There were some bright spots—I did learn a few new things about the battles, and the inclusion of lesser-known leaders was refreshing. But overall, the book felt more like a vehicle for Walsh’s worldview than a balanced examination of history.

Unless you’re a conservative reader with a specific interest in military history that leans into political commentary, this one might not be for you. For me, the writing style, heavy-handed opinions, and lack of balance made it a tough read.

I'm not going to be posting my review on this book unless requested because I had to add it to my DNF pile. I wanted to like it, but It wasn't long before I knew I wasn't going to, right at the beginning in fact. When the author started talking about how the violence of war is necessary and how it wasn't PC to say that, I got a bad taste in my mouth. I soldiered on, though, hoping that the tone of the book would change. It did not. On top of the misogynistic tone and what came across as a strong desire to be un-PC just for the sake of being un-PC, the writing was very dry and boring. I love history and love learning, but this book was less exciting than a textbook. I finally gave up and DNFed it.

First let me say, I have multiple history degrees, and I have spent years studying both cultural and military history. I have some experience reading and evaluating both primary sources and history books. I also understand not every book is written well and that even with a wealth of information from primary sources, writers can still miss the mark for many readers. Also, both of my parents and my stepfather are military veterans, and I am no stranger to war, the sacrifice, and the mental effects war can have on both men and women. My entire master's thesis focused on this topic.

This book is clearly not geared towards me since I am not a man and can't have the innate rage that Walsh says all men have in their desire for war and death or as the title suggests "to conquer."

Basics: it is several chapters, a rather quick read, and you can see that the author has explored the idea of using primary sources for support.

I was excited to read this based on the premise, but once I got into the introduction, I knew it was not for me. I should have stopped and simply Dnf'd the book then, but I pushed and waded through the absolute verbose vitriol that Walsh uses to exalt the military men he focuses on such as Alexander, Napolean, Caesar, and others, coupled with his belief that war is inevitable and glorious.

I wish I had stopped reading this when he said "if women are fighting in your front lines, then you're losing" or later when he speaks about how the purpose of a female is to punish man or lure them and she only lives for childbirth, or when he started going into the wonders of war and equating it to sexual release for several pages. Maybe I should have stopped when he talked about war having to be an art because if it were anything else then men couldn't accept the brutality and violence willingly that men need to be able to do to be vigorous, strapping, masculine men. I certainly don't even want to get into his diatribe against the "soft" and weak USA post 9/11. (but seriously, why was that even part of an "evaluation" about the 12 battles)

In between the glorification and the personal biases, there is a tiny bit of historical fact sprinkled in for those that want to venture into this work. For those that believe in their innaterage to conquer, this book is definitely for you, and you will love it

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

A Rage to Conquer Twelve Battles That Changed the Course of Western History by Michael Walsh was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had never read this author before but I was involved in some of these battles. The author is very knowledgeable about the battles and is also very head strong in his thoughts on war and the like, which some readers will not like. Of course the twelve battles chosen are subjective but if you, or someone you buy gifts for likes to read military history, this may just be the book for you or them.

2.5 rounded up

An interesting summary of twelve "important" battles in Western history, and famous commanders, with an emphasis on von Clausewitz. Where I took issue with the book was Walsh's rather simplistic view that "man" is hardwired to warfare, further, that the problem with politics and the world today is that manly men need to get out there and slaughter and shed blood. Jingoistic at best.

A Rage to Conquer by Michael Walsh examines twelve battles that changed the course of Western history. The author views war as an important part of every culture that has led to societal change throughout history.

He covers several well-know leaders and a couple who are lesser known. They include Achilles, Alexander the Great, Julius Ceasar, Bohemond, and Patton along with others. Specific important battles are covered in detail. However, the writing felt extremely verbose to me. It took a lot to wade through the words used to get to the important nuggets Walsh was trying to share. While the writer obviously did a tremendous amount of research and is extremely knowledgeable, his points sometimes got lost in the tangential wording.

The book is obviously well-researched, but read too much like a textbook. I was looking for more straight history, but the author’s views come through loud and clear rather than providing a balanced view of events. I wanted the history to come to life, but it didn’t. Nevertheless, I did learn some new things about some of the various battles covered in the book.

St. Martin’s Press and Michael Walsh provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 28, 2025.

A bit tedious for me, but I shared with my husband who enjoyed reading it. He especially appreciated the 9/11 part.

Sorry. For me, this is a DNF. The writer is quite knowledgeable and erudite and a fine writer. But there's a goodly amount of bombast here along with an apparent glorification of warfare; and I'm just not interested. My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary ARC. All of the foregoing is my independent opinion.

"A Rage to Conquer: Twelve Battles that Changed the Course of Western History," a sequel to Michael Walsh's "Last Stands" and published by St. Martin's Press, is an impressive compendium of cultural information relating to Western warfare. I am working from an ARC graciously provided to me by the publisher. Many readers will be well aware of the format employed here of identifying key battles and commanders and tracking warfare and its development. That said, this book is a good bit more than that. The author begins with a brief but vital examination of Clausewitz' thoughts on war. This identifies key thematic concerns that the author then explores as he examines the historical record. So far so good, but the title is more than a wee bit misleading: the battles, from antiquity to the present are here but serve as sort of touchstones for much broader and far ranging discussion of cultural concerns relating to war. Add to this that the author seems to hew actively to Thomas Carlyle's "Great ManTheory of History," and I would argue that battles here are far less significant than the focus on great commanders and the broad consequences of their actions as revealed in their campaigns. There is a lot going on here, and the work, while occasionally dense to the point of obscurity, is also quite engrossing at its best. This book is not for everyone. The author's views are anything but politically correct, but he has clearly done his homework, and if you have the time and patience, it is a rewarding read.

A Rage to Conquer
By Michael Walsh

This is an amazing book. The author discusses twelve battles that shaped the course of history. But what he gives us is so much more: in-depth information about the combatants; what made the victors so much greater than not only the losers, but even their contemporaries on the winning side; what caused them to be the men they were at such pivotal moments; and most importantly, how their battles impacted history.

Here we see Achilles, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Constantine, right down to George S. Patton, Pershing and MacArthur. Throughout the book there are so many ideas about the hows, the whys, and the results that it will take a while after finishing the book to process them all.

Mr. Walsh is obviously a very intelligent and thoughtful man. In fact the only problem I found with this book, was that I needed to have my dictionary by my side while reading it. I am a well-educated woman with a wide vocabulary, but words like "tetragrammatonic" were not on my radar!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC of this gem of a book.

This book was a little information heavy to me. It read like a textbook, which isn't my go to style for nonfiction. However, it was well researched and informative. It just wasn't my preference.

DNF at 10%. Lots of flowery language and hard to follow. Not what I was expecting by the title of the book.

The author covers what he believes to be the twelve most important battles in Western history. I had set this book down several times unsure if I would pick it back up. It just didn’t grasp my attention and felt very much like required reading for a history class. I’m sure this book will be more enjoyable to non-fiction history fans.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley