From the increasingly prolific pen of P. McGill and the publishing house of Freezywater comes an excellent soft-cover booklet on the largest and bloodiest battle ever to be fought on English soil: the Battle of Towton, fought on Palm Sunday 29th March 1461 between Yorkists under Edward IV and the Lancasterians commanded by the Duke of Somerset. Besides the appalling loss of life among the common soldier, primarily on the Lancasterian side, this engagement is noteworthy for the fact that five peers of the realm were killed outright, one captured and executed the next day by the victorious Yorkists and according to one source, no less than forty-two knights were taken and killed at the end of the battle. The author states that 28,000 were killed altogether.

This publication details numerous events and battles leading up to the main event (Towton) itself. Actually the book opens with the non-event of Ludford Bridge (Sept, 1459) and proceeds step by step thru the battles of Northampton, Wakefield, Mortimers Cross and 2nd St. Albans. The text is clear and concise and one of the book's real strong points are the 7 battle maps drawn by Derek Stone. Mr. Stone is a real talent and his maps are some of the best I've seen in a long time.

Of equal artistry are the four full-page illustrations done by M. Meredith Williams which really bring alive some of the events and characters of the book. Bringing up the rear so to speak is a list of knights, squires, and gentlemen who fought at Towton; a poem (The Rose of Rouen) and a short bibliography. This is a lot of information to pack in 56 pages and believe me, I've spent a lot more money for a lot less product. Very highly recommend!