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Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift Paperback – June 16, 2011

by Ian Knight (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 354 ratings
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The battle of Isandlwana was the single most destructive incident in the 150-year history of the British colonization of South Africa. In one bloody day more than 800 British troops, 500 of their allies, and at least 2,000 Zulus were killed in a staggering defeat for the British empire. The consequences of the battle echoed brutally across the following decades as Britain took ruthless revenge on the Zulu people. In Zulu Rising Ian Knight shows that the brutality of the battle was the result of an inevitable clash between two aggressive warrior traditions. For the first time he gives full weight to the Zulu experience and explores the reality of the fighting through the eyes of men who took part on both sides, looking into the human heart of this savage conflict. Based on new research, including previously unpublished material, Zulu oral history, and new archaeological evidence from the battlefield, this is the definitive account of a battle that has shaped the political fortunes of the Zulu people to this day.
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  1. Print length
    720 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pan Books
  4. Publication date
    June 16, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 2 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0330445936
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0330445931
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ian Knight is the leading authority on the Anglo-Zulu War and has written over thirty highly regarded publications on Zulu history, including the award-winning National Army Museum Book of the Zulu War. He has appeared in and written many television documentaries on the Zulus, and in 2008 was awarded the Anglo-Zulu War Historical Society's Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Award for a lifetime's contribution to the field.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pan Books; Reprint edition (June 16, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 720 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0330445936
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0330445931
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 2 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 354 ratings

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Ian Knight

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
354 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

R. Otoole
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2024
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Book is a fantastic resource of the British African community
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Lgomch
5.0 out of 5 stars History alive!
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2020
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I have read many history books before but this one is one of the best. I got hooked by it from the beginning and could not stop reading at any chance I had. It took me only 2 weeks to read this 700 plus pages book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of South Africa colonial past and the British army of this time. Lots of details, interesting and exciting reading from the beginning to the end, the author does not leave anything behind. This is the kind of books that when you are done, you have that strange feeling that it was too short!
4 people found this helpful
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Michael Layman (Kansas)
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read.
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2020
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The beginning is tedious with unfamiliar names/pronunciations, locations and historical backgrounds. It does require paying attention to details and using the maps to understand how events unfolded. It is very informative and does not deal with gruesome details about how individuals were killed, but does provide enough detail to understand what happened. The book is well-written, but could be improved with more maps and footnotes rather than endnotes.
One person found this helpful
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Angry Old Man
4.0 out of 5 stars Truly An EPIC Saga
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
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Zulu Rising is definitely epic. A good read but in my humble opinion about 250 or more pages too long for a reader who just wants a comprehensive look at what took place at Isandlwana. The section on Rorke’s Drift was probably shorter than it could have been. Too much information, way too many African names that were similar. It could also have used a few more maps placed into the text rather than at the beginning of this large book. That said, it was a worthwhile read but at over 700 pages something I won’t be re reading.
2 people found this helpful
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Bruce Roeder
5.0 out of 5 stars Truly an Epic Work
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2016
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I own and have read Washing of the Spears at least twice and for me it was the classic treatment not only of the Zulu War but also of the Zulu Empire since Shaka made it so. Zulu Rising imo has replaced Washing of the Spears as the definitive work on the subject for a number of reasons. For one I think Knight tells the story a bit better so the volume almost reads like a well done historical novel without the nonsense. Second, and I think better research since Washing of the Spears was published Knight does away with much of the mythology surrounding Isandlwana. For example, "the running out of ammo" myth popularized by the movie Zulu Dawn, "the crucified drummer boys" myth and the myth that Trooper Hookie was a malinger at Rorke's Drift. Knight treats both sides with respect in a war that should never have been.
5 people found this helpful
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diogenes
5.0 out of 5 stars book of Zulu history brought up to date
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2022
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unavoidably large book / very complete / well written / a joy to read / in same class as Washing of the spears be Morris / highly recommended / great seller with super service
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Gary Armitage
5.0 out of 5 stars Epic is right!
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2021
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All you need to know about two of the most incredible battles in military history. Knight's assessment is from a modern perspective BUT gives you the Victorian attitudes and beliefs. At Isandlwana, The British totally underestimated the Zulu War Machine. At Rorke's Drift, you understand the why and how of the victory. Amazing, informative and eye opening! Highest recommendation!
One person found this helpful
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S. T. Daly
3.0 out of 5 stars Good solid history with interesting preamble chapters
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2018
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Good solid history . Especially enjoyed the pre-history / set up of the state of the Zulu Nation and the earlier conflicts with colonial forces both political and military in the Natal . The maps are a little spartan but convey enough information to be useful . They are placed right at the front of the book so a little awkward to reference in such a big paperback . The author holds to the idea that the main Zulu force at Isandlwana were discovered by British scouts and that in turn triggered the main Zulu armies attack on the camp on the 21st rather than the 22nd as they had apparently planned . I passed over this without much thought until I had read the History by Ron Lock and Peter Quantrill :"Zulu Victory" where they argue that the Zulu General deliberately baited the British forces out of the camp in multiple directions . This is a big difference in view points and has me on the lookout for more opinions/ literature on this topic . That being said this was a good read .
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

O kärcher
5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best Zulu book ever written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2021
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Firstly, ignore all the negative comments about Ian’s work because all such comments are total nonsense. Unfortunately we live in a world where people complain and moan about anything and everything. It’s easy for those to sit behind a keyboard and criticise Ian’s work but why don’t they go and write a Zulu book if they think they know better or are experts? Ian isn’t one of those lazy authors who just sits at home searching the internet about the Zulu war, he actually travels regularly to South Africa to further his research and knowledge.

Some of the reviews on Amazon claim that Saul David’s Zulu book is better than Ian’s book, really? This is quite laughable, by way of an example in his book, Saul David, when discussing Isandlwana, highlights how Lord Chelmsford on the 22nd January, split his force but did not take a reserve supply of ammunition with him. Then during the fighting at isandlawana David is critical of quartermaster Bloomfield in respect of his distribution of ammunition but the important point that David does not mention at all, is that Bloomfield remained behind at the British camp at isandlwana and was in charge of the very reserve supplies, which Chelmsford had given clear orders to be made ready in case he (lord Chelmsford) needed them.

Ian’s book is superb, as a British person myself, you have you feel total sadness, disgust and sorrow in respect of how shameful British colonial policy was in South Africa in destroying the Zulu kingdom and should never be forgotten etc. Yet in reading Ian’s book I see modern parallels in the recent Iraq war in 2003. Were not Tony Blair and George bush both modern day versions of Sir Bartle Frere in wanting Iraq destroyed (like bartle frere wanted zulu land destroyed) behind the lies of weapons of mass destruction? The Zulu king and his Zulu people were no threat to the British and saddam Hussain was certainly no threat to the British or to the Americans.

I learned lost of new information as Ian goes into so much detail which I hadn’t come across before, for example, before the Zulu army left to confront Chelmsford, the army had various ceremonies such as vomiting and we also learn about meat being tossed in the air and Zulu warriors catching it with their mouths and sucking on the juices. We learn about after the battle of isandlwana how the whole Zulu nation was mourning with so many warriors having been killed. We learn about the great horror of what the British and lord Chelmsford saw on return to the devastated battle field at isandlawana etc.

If I was nitpicking, the book could do with some of the excellent battle diagrams that can be seen in some of Ian’s other books produced by osprey.

Ian is very good at producing Zulu testimony which is often ignored by modern authors.

It’s a wonderful book and I was slightly disappointed that I had finished reading it all, it’s simply that good.

Perhaps Ian can write a similar sort of volume(s) about the other battles of the Zulu war?
10 people found this helpful
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Yonze
5.0 out of 5 stars A great update on "Spears".
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2018
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Superb book and a great update on "Washing of the Spears". Two criticisms (1) an infuriating habit of writing all measurements in imperial and then putting the metric equivalent in parenthesis afterwards. As if we didn't know that a meter is a bit more than a yard. This is especially silly when the first measurement (often in a quote) is obviously a rough estimate. E.g "at about 50 yards (46 meters) ...." Pedantic. (2) The maps at the beginning of the book are barely adequate and difficult to read. This is a common problem with histories - "Washing" was even worse. Amateur historians like me need excellent and clear maps just as soldiers do. I would use Berton's "The Arctic Grail" or Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" as models. Although their format is a little larger, whenever you think "I'd like to see that (relationship) on a map" it is invariably right there under your nose.
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Roben
5.0 out of 5 stars Zulu's bedad!.
Reviewed in Australia on February 22, 2023
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So much of interest - I wish all history was written like this - Unexpected in depth review of the main players - their thoughts/backgrounds and foibles. Chelmsfords threat to Durnford re his recently acquired intelligence report, at the time ,was an absolute disgrace, and proved to be the axis about which the whole Isandlwana debacle unfolded.
More than just a reference book - A wonderful read.
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Martin Kidd
5.0 out of 5 stars Zulu Rising
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2017
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I have just returned from a visit to the battlefields at Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift. I had the pleasure to be joined by Anthony Coleman. His narrative bought the story of events that happened there to life and I found the whole experience very moving. Sitting under the summit of Isandlwana and looking across the valley towards the conical hill in the direction of the Zulu advance I was fixed on his every word. More so when we moved on to the Mission at Rorke's Drift and paid a visit to the museum there. Towards the exit is a model that depicts the events that occurred there. The small enclave of British Soldiers totally surrounded by at least 4000 Zulu warriors made me wonder how the fate of these soldiers wasn't the same as those at Isandlwana. So many brave men on both sides, the futility of War in all its glory. It furthered in me a quest for more knowledge on my return to the UK. Using what I had learnt from my experiences and the knowledge imparted to me by Mr. Coleman of Battlescenes, I started looking for suitable reading material. I found it in this gripping book. The narrative is superb and builds up the story leading to the events in marvelous detail. When reading it I was taken back to the battlefields and local area, it's like being there all over again and listening to Mr. Coleman. Ian Knight gives an accurate feel of the places concerned and clearly explains the history of the country in the events that lead to War. He shows the big picture as well as the finer details. The book a must read, one that I found difficult to put down as every page imparts knowledge and information that makes just reading the next page a given. Visiting the battlefields started a fire inside me and the flames have been fanned by Ian Knight and Zulu Rising, telling an epic story in a truly epic book.
13 people found this helpful
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Lewis Mountford
4.0 out of 5 stars The title is misleading but a great read for any one interested in the Zulu Nation
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2014
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If you're looking for a book on the rise and fall of the Zulu Nation, look no further. This is the first time i've ever actually sat down and read a non-fiction reference book, but I'm researching for a new book i'm writing and wanted to do some research. Now the title is very misleading, though about half the book is solely focused on Isandlwana, there is so much more to this work than just the two famous battles, it accounts for much of the history and Culture of the Zulus, from before Shaka to the South African union, their rise and fall so to speak.

It's very well rehearsed, and reads much like a novel, however this also leads to its major flaw because although it does include many pictures of those who took part in the battles, and there are several maps, it mentions many places that are not displayed on either, so it is very hard to picture what you are reading at time. Never the less, this is still a great book.
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