I love Cornwell's ability to write a battle in a way that isn't ultraviolent or boring. I love his way with characters and showing their entire lives in just a few pages. I love his focus on parts of history that aren't well recorded, making me feel like a time traveler into the unknown.

Is he doing anything ground breaking? Probably not. But these books, like the Warlord Chronocles (narrated by the same guy, Jonathan Keeble, who does an excellent job with both books) are an immense comfort read for me.