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***Spoilers***
There's a reason why books popular in the late 19th century are not popular in the early 21st.
The plot is simple: two English brothers, separated by unfortunate circumstances find themselves respectively in the French and Russian armies during the 1812 campaign. The padding around this simple narrative is excessive and repetitive and the denouement is so long, unsurprising and drawn out as to be almost painful. "Russian snows" don't appear until well over half way through and the Russian campaign itself is described only briefly and without much illumination, though there are a few nice scenes featuring Marshal Ney. Basically, don't expect any combat descriptions of any length. Even a potential encounter with hungry wolves is extinguished before it can begin.
The theme can be boiled down to how the diligent application of patience and practice will be ultimately rewarding. By book's end, the brothers are compensated for their efforts and there's a jillion pages describing how everyone is so terribly grateful for their services. Wealth, rewards, gifts, inheritances are piled on and on and on.
A side story involving the younger brother and a duel is interesting but takes place far from Russia in both time and place.
For the gamer, a pair of potential ideas emerge:
1) Skirmish gaming the smuggling actions that took place in southern England during the economic blockade could be interesting. Not sure what figures you'd use for the constabulary but they'd try to arrest what could be late pirate or Napoleonic naval crews and confiscate whatever exports they are trying to offload from their ships. Hidden coves, caves, slipping product by the roaming patrols – I'd game that!
2) the importance of singing as a morale raiser for the retreating French. Fold that into your campaign morale tables somewhere.
But don't bother with the book. Remember opportunity costs (what you give up be dedicating your time to this).