Myke Cole has written a number of intriguing military history books, and typically Osprey Publishing has a rather high standard for what they publish. But Cole’s latest work, “Steel Lobsters: Crown, Commonwealth, and the Last Knights in England,” perplexed me. I am wondering why he chose to write this book, and furthermore, why Osprey felt the book was up to its standards.
It’s not so much that Cole’s writing was shabby, though I found his consistent use of first-person—as if speaking at a seminar—irritating. But every so often, he overexplained things. These were not descriptions; instead, he explained self-explanatory things as if he were providing valuable insights.
The Wells Are Dry
The primary subject of the book is the heavily armored knights, called “the Lobsters,” who fought for the Parliamentarians during the 17th century’s English Civil War, which resulted in the execution of King Charles I and the rise of a very short-term republic under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell.
The Lobsters were under the leadership of Sir Arthur Hesilrige, whom we learn a bit about, but not nearly enough for him to be the book’s focal point. The apparent problem is that there wasn’t enough information about Hesilrige to fill the pages. Cole, nonetheless, vouches for Hesilrige throughout the book regarding things like his courage and character, which breaks the golden rule for books to “show, not tell.” And since the Hesilrige well was rather dry, one can only speculate on how dry the Lobster well was, too.
Where Are the Lobsters?
Before Cole reaches those engagements, he presents the background of Charles I, the reasons for the English Civil War, the military leaders on each side, the use of armor for the cavalry (both soldier and horse), and the use of cannons and guns. The information about the armor and guns is interesting, and I wish this had been pushed to the foreground and everything else to the background, since the focus is the Lobsters’ cavalry unit.These inclusions, too, however, seem a way to fill pages due to the lack of data on Hesilrige and the Lobsters. There was simply too much information about topics that were too disconnected from the Lobsters.
Yes, the Lobsters were involved in the English Civil War. But in a 247-page book (ending at the epilogue), was it really necessary to wait nearly 200 pages before discussing the much awaited Lobsters? I found myself literally asking, “Where are the Lobsters?” And therefore, as aforementioned, asking myself, “Why was this book written?”
Cole covers a lot of topics in the book, but unfortunately most of these don’t include what is sold as the book’s core.
There is, however, some saving grace. The final engagement at the Battle of Roundway Down on July 13, 1643, is exciting and intriguing—and that is putting it mildly. But even this battle, the best Cole can do regarding the Lobsters’ actions as a unit is to speculate. But I digress; the battle results in a showdown between Hesilrige and the wealthy Royalist Richard Atkyns—two great and brave leaders of opposing sides. It is here, though, that I found the narrative of the book even more frustrating.
Why not simply take these two narratives—the life of Parliamentarian Hesilrige and Royalist Atkyns—and weave them together until they collide on the battlefield? This would have given Cole a more intriguing way of tackling the background topics regarding the Civil War, its opposing military leaders, armor, and weapons. This approach would have enabled him to keep the backdrop in the background while fulfilling his goal of bringing Hesilrige and the Lobsters into the foreground.
My suspicion is that he had decided on the subject, completed the research, and been issued a due date, so there was no turning back. Perhaps it was, as the English say, “In for a penny, in for a pound.”
I wish I could recommend this book, as I typically do with Osprey’s works, but I simply can’t. The book doesn’t deliver on its intended promise, which is the creation, engagements, and contributions (or lack thereof) of the Lobsters. It spends too much time on the peripheral subjects, and there are other, more in-depth books available on those.
