THE SPANISH, ARMADA: Horizon Caravel Series

Another venture on the overcrowded ocean -- but this makes a place for itself as preparation for (or supplement to) Robert Marx's fine Battle of the Spanish Armada 1588 (1050, J-356). The latter is a detailed description of the action at sea and its implications for the men who participated; the former takes half the book to tell how it all came about, with emphasis on the confrontation of Catholic and Protestant faiths in the context of European history. The chief characters -- Elizabeth, Philip, and their captains -- play their parts with good effect, abetted by sixteenth century paintings, drawings and maps. The material does not have the freshness, in content or treatment, of others in this series; it's less compelling than the Marx, but it does provide a dependable adjunct to historical studies.