This book is an excellent display of how the French and Indian war fits into a European context. The only reason I would not give it five stars is that it loses the global context that is really essential to the war. Fowler covers not only the crucial Indian involvement but the sheer hopelessness of a French Victory. He clearly lays out how the war unfolded and what each side had to gain. He shows how the British reorganize their systems in America and bring about an eventual victory. The British victory is put in the context of what it means for the American Revolution a little over a decade away.