I started and was victorious in 3 seperate wars in the 3 years after reading this book. I only lost 301 men in total and 67 horses.
Definately recommend reading this book if you feel like you might lose your kingdom to invaders. Just be aware that you might have to initiate several wars without being attacked first, not everybody in the Senate will support this strategy.
The peace that came after the wars ended was well worth the hassle. We have a concert every Sunday in the square to celebrate our greatness.