Helpful Score: 2
Lt. Richard Sharpe has been stuck working as quartermaster for the 95th Rifles. Now he finds himself in command of a lost remnant of the regiment, cut off from the army during the disastrous retreat to Corunna.
The men don't trust him. They believe that only a gentleman can be an officer and Richard Sharpe is many things, but a gentleman is not one of them.
In order to escape, Sharpe must lead his men across the cold, bitter mountains of Galacia. He joins forces with a Spanish Major and his command. But that involves him in the Major's slightly mad scheme to produce a miracle to rally Spain.
Although this is the first Sharpe novel Cornwell wrote, I have been reading them in their chronological order, so I found the bitter and unsure Sharpe of this book a bit of a surprise.
But Cornwell and Sharpe are always dependable, blending accurate historical detail with swashbuckling adventure. Like every Sharpe book I have read, this an exciting and absorbing trip.
The men don't trust him. They believe that only a gentleman can be an officer and Richard Sharpe is many things, but a gentleman is not one of them.
In order to escape, Sharpe must lead his men across the cold, bitter mountains of Galacia. He joins forces with a Spanish Major and his command. But that involves him in the Major's slightly mad scheme to produce a miracle to rally Spain.
Although this is the first Sharpe novel Cornwell wrote, I have been reading them in their chronological order, so I found the bitter and unsure Sharpe of this book a bit of a surprise.
But Cornwell and Sharpe are always dependable, blending accurate historical detail with swashbuckling adventure. Like every Sharpe book I have read, this an exciting and absorbing trip.
good read, albeit violent.
Wow! What a story. Lots of action here. And this is the first book in which Sharpe is with the 95th Rifles and meets Harper.
Amy B's review of this book is right on the spot!
Amy B's review of this book is right on the spot!
Fast moving and great battle narrative. Looking forward to read more of the series. al
This is the chronological Book 6 (and the original Book 1) of the Richard Sharpe series.
This is the first book of the Richard Sharpe series that truly had me engrossed. The previous books were interesting, but this one was different. This is what I was expecting the entire time, and it was fantastic.
Cornwell has always done such an amazing job with character development and I have been constantly frustrated by the unnaturally slow pace he has used with Sharpe. Perhaps his uncharacteristic dawdling was due to the fact that he had to gradually build up to the Richard Sharpe that we meet in this book, a living, breathing, larger than life character who was simply waiting for Cornwells prequels to catch up with him. And even though some of the prequels frustrated me, they did serve a valuable purpose. The Sharpe of this book is certainly a rich character, but he is even more so now because we already know so much more about him.
In addition to great characters (we are introduced to Patrick Harper and Blas Vivar as well), the reader is given something equally as rewarding: a really good story. Before this book, I found the Sharpe series to be a trudge rather than a treat. This book has changed that completely and I am genuinely excited to see what happens next.
This is the first book of the Richard Sharpe series that truly had me engrossed. The previous books were interesting, but this one was different. This is what I was expecting the entire time, and it was fantastic.
Cornwell has always done such an amazing job with character development and I have been constantly frustrated by the unnaturally slow pace he has used with Sharpe. Perhaps his uncharacteristic dawdling was due to the fact that he had to gradually build up to the Richard Sharpe that we meet in this book, a living, breathing, larger than life character who was simply waiting for Cornwells prequels to catch up with him. And even though some of the prequels frustrated me, they did serve a valuable purpose. The Sharpe of this book is certainly a rich character, but he is even more so now because we already know so much more about him.
In addition to great characters (we are introduced to Patrick Harper and Blas Vivar as well), the reader is given something equally as rewarding: a really good story. Before this book, I found the Sharpe series to be a trudge rather than a treat. This book has changed that completely and I am genuinely excited to see what happens next.
Well plotted and it certainly helped pass the time on the subway and bus. As with Captain Hornblower (1938), the protagonist considers his self-doubts. The French invasion of Spain led to a very bloody war. Spain certainly had poor leadership--Ferdinand VII, hah! And they fought Bolivar, et. al. so hard for their American empire because that is where all the coin came from.
Sharpe's rifles has been one of my favorite books, I have read all of them.
