The Scalpel and The Sword

As mentioned in a previous post I am now reviewing novels from British authors writing for Olympia Publishers. The next review is a novel entitled 'The Scalpel and The Sword' written by R. John Thorpe. 'The Scalpel and The Sword' is a novel about a character by the name of John and his growing up and off to school and the military and how his life always seemed to revolve around home and England. John has many decisions to make that will affect his living through all his days and the experiences he has lived and will be living through. This is a novel that is like a world tour from England to Africa to Asia and back to England. The time period is during the periods of many wars of the English empire of the 17th century.

R. John Thorpe has written a novel that reminded me of a few other British classics. In his description that R. John Thorpe uses on page 15 reminds me of the description used in his childhood community and again in the description on learning his medical craft, and in particular anatomy and physiology on page 42. The life of John Houston is one of excitement and duty in one way or another. In speaking of other English literature classics on page 67 "God love you, sir, have you anymore?" reminded me of 'Oliver Twist' and the phrase "Please sir may I have some more." Throughout the novel the character of John Houston is the main character that the other characters seem to lean on from his family life to his work life to his military life. His life seems to be arranged in a neat package the way R. John Thorpe protrays him.

R. John Thorpe was very descriptive in various scenes throughout the book that were medical, for example, in India who the princess was going to give birth and Thorpe's description of the breach birth exercises with the princess were quite detailed. John Houston is a character who is very lucky to survive his many adventures and the homeland that he loved and wanted to settle.

This could be a novel that would be good for readers interested in some medical history just for some of the procedures that John had performed on his patients. There are a few very old treatments used now that were used then even though John Houston did not believe is it anymore for he was at the very beginning of using a 'sterile field' in performing his craft. In the end he, John, came to an understanding of how he made his choices to help his family and peers.

This is a story of how the many relationships we all make during our lives show how we are to adopt and adapt to various ideas to help improve our lives as well as the others around us during a certain period of time. We take what we have learned and make improvements in order to help any way we can. It is a book of mental and physical survival.

'The Scalpel and The Sword' is a novel that will give the reader a look at how medical education has changed and yet in various ways stayed the same. The main character of John Houston is one proud man who loves what he does. John is a character that makes his choices and still cares about himself and the others around them in the many situations that happen throughout the book.

This would be a good supplemental book to try and illustrate as mentioned above how medical procedures have stayed the same, but as the years come and go there are better ways of doing treatments as John seems to do when caring for his military patients as well as for friends and family. Reading this story is one that will keep the reader turning pages to see how John Houston solves the problems that seem to find him. John is a character that teaches how to make the many changes that are needed in the situations that are presented, as he did when he was in the military unit and caring for the various kinds of wounds that were inflicted in battle.

'The Scalpel and The Sword' which is a novel that will give the reader a history lesson on the British military as well as on medical education that one learns when situations present themselves and how looking for solutions to other issues that may occur. It is a book that will have the reader thinking.