Both perspectives did not do justice to the complicated nature of the era and the many people living in it. They were highly subjective half-truths that led to misinformed opinions.

Here is some truths in it. Napoleon was a power-hungry man who were never hesitate to shed blood or cause devastation to achieve his goals. However, most of the wars were declared against him than the other ways around. After the declarations, he was the first to strike as he was often already prepared. In many cases, it is clear that he seeked to provoke them in order to give France causi belli to attack their enemies. For Napoleon, a good defense is a good offense.

If he was only defending France, the Spanish Ulcer would not have happened. Napoleon stabbed his allies in the back. Napoleon himself, said to the tune of can see himself ruling the world and anyone would have done the same had they been in his position". In the disastrous Egyptian campaign, Napoleon also said " he would be a devoted Muslim if that made the Egyptians accepted him as ruler". He was a powerhungry man, no question on this part, and since he rose through military victories, he used wars as a mean to keep power. But he also knew that he cannot always relied on wars. After a German youth almost assassinated him and his marriage to a princess, Napoleon seem to lose appetite for conflicts until he felt that he need to conduct the Russia campaign.

For the coalitions, restoring the Bourbons was never the priority. During the decades of constant warfare, the goal changed. The earliest wars was to end the revolution and restore the old regime. The republic was in its infancy, and it was already unpopular that Napoleon can crown himself emperor. After Napoleon coronation, the wars that followed were generally hostile feelings and distrusts. There were also Napoleon heavy demands along with the continental system which threaten to destroy all their nation economies. Combined that with aristocrats believing that the revolution would destroy them and patroits wanting to avenge their previous losses. There were those who saw a religious war and believed that Napoleon is the antichrist.

Overall, the actors in the war were never entirely heroes or villians. They acted according to their circumstances and motivations. Napoleon defended his interests in the ways he saw fit and able to, and the coalitions defended theirs in the ways they saw fit and able to. Which tend to be through devastating wars.

Sources

Suzanne Desan. "Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon".

David Chandler. "The Campaigns of Napoleon: History Greatest Soldier".

Owen Connelly. "Blundering into Glory"

Clausiwitz. "On War".