Men of Iron

Men of Iron is a coming-of-age story targeted towards adolescent boys. Originally targeting this demographic in the 1890's, it seems a stretch to believe the same target can be hit now. However, there is enough action to keep the attention of the 12-16 year old set. This is a good thing, since the book is excellent at conveying a code which should never fall out of fashion: honor, friendship, loyalty, honesty, respect towards women, and the singular pursuit of a worthwhile goal.The story itself concerns the rags-to-respectability transformation of Miles Falworth, a noble-minded young man who is tasked with repairing his family's unfairly tarnished reputation. The plot progression is three fights, all of which are distinguished from needless violence by being righteous endeavors which help Miles learn and accept the code of chivalry. The first fight is born out of stubbornness, and serves to end the tyranny of the upperclassmen while teaching Miles an important lesson about leadership and cooperation. The second fight is a joust born out of duty, and serves to give Miles an important sense of self-confidence while emphasizing the positive returns paid by loyalty to king, country, and code. The final fight is a duel born out of legality (trial by ordeal), and serves to restore Miles' family to its rightful place, establish him as a man of means, and provides him with permission to marry his one true love.While the boyhood fight scenes drag on and the split prose technique (narrative is common, dialogue is archaic) can be awkward, the joust and final duel are compelling reads. What the book lacks in minor character development (it is not clear that his mortal enemy is 100% evil), it makes up in plot clarity and a succinct narrative.This book is a pleasure to read. My only regret is that Howard Pyle did not write more books to chronicle the life and times of Myles Falworth.

Simple story full of intrigue and challeng

Great literature, really descriptive and realistic, but not my kind of book. If you like quite long tales about knights than you should read it. (It says 137 pages but that is a glitch)

This is a Boys classic to rank along side of Robin Hood . I first read this book in the ninth grade but is easily read by any good reader 5Th grade up. This adventure about a young boy taken from his family at a young age who learns to do what is right , to stand up against bullies , to organise others in a right cause. The book describes what it might been like to be a squire , then a knight . We follow the main character to young manhood and the righting of a terrible injustice. Boys will love it. Makes you want to make a shield and sword and be courageous and right wrongs your self. This book was written expressly for boys. My sons have read it and I hope my grandsons will too. This is a great gift for a boy fifth grade and up ,a good book to read aloud to or with your child.

For those who love stories of earlier times, especially those times of knights and swordplay, this is a very enjoyable book. This one has been overshadowed by the fantasy genre in recent years but is a diamond in the rough. My only caveat is that you must have patience with the "olde" way of speaking that the author has chosen for his characters. Lovers of medieval stories should easily manage but others may be frustrated. Stick with it. You will be rewarded with a great story of friendship, coming of age and strength of character. And who doesn't love a knight in shining armor? And, gentlemen, fearnot. This is a story for you too.

Wonderful story form childhood! Though inaccurate with regards to the mobility of men in armour (they are not immobile if on the ground and do not have to be hoisted onto their horse) it is still an excellent book for young - and old - readers.This would be an excellent book for a Grandfather to read to his GrandsonThe narration on the Audible book is excellent as well. Though, the father and uncle are portrayed as being a bit too old in this listener's opinion..

"Men of Iron" is one of my favorite books from my preteen years. This well written story follow the story a young man (Myles) forced to leave his family and eventually attempt to right the wrongs evil men have visited on him and his family. It is a story of castle life, boyhood dreams, chivalry, and coming of age in medieval England.The language can be a little hard to get through, but well worth it for this great story!Highly recommended! Note that SCA'ers and fantasy gamers might also enjoy it.CFH

I remember reading this book at least 4 or 5 times as a kid. Even now, some 30 or so years later, it's still a great read.The style of writing is pretty archaic (Pyle uses grammar, punctuation & dialogue that sounds like it came from the 1400s, so it does take some getting used to). But, with the Kindle 2's built in dictionary I could easily look up any unfamiliar words.I would highly recommend this book & this Kindle edition.

I liked this book, although it did take me longer to read than such a book usually would. It is an original story about the son of a disposessed Lord who must restore his family's honour. It terms of historical accuracy it is quite good, especially when it comes to descriptions of weapons and armour.The main obstacle for me was the archaic langauge. It wasn't middle english, but seemed to be a slightly modified form of 16th century shakespearean style langauge passing off as the above.This is marketed as a children's book, but I think younger children would have real trouble understanding this, even i did at times, so might find it boring. If you have the patience to plough through the tedious parts, and get past the langauge however, it is quite and enjoyable book.