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Sharpe's Company: Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Badajoz, January to April 1812 [Paperback]

Bernard Cornwell
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Book Description

5 April 2004

Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Badajoz, January to April 1812

The Complete Sharpe Collection with a new introduction by the author

It was a hard winter. For Richard Sharpe it was the worst he could remember. He had lost his command to a wealthy man – a man with money to buy the promotion Sharpe coveted. And from England came his oldest enemy – the ruthless, indestructible Hakeswill – utterly intent on ruining Sharpe.

But Sharpe is determined to change his luck. And the surest way is to lead the bloody attack on the impregnable fortress town of Badajoz, a road to almost certain death – or unimagined glory…


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Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; (Reissue) edition (5 April 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0006165737
  • ISBN-13: 978-0006165736
  • Product Dimensions: 11 x 17.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 139,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

‘What makes these books such a successful formula is the blend of action, well-researched historical setting, colourful characterization and a juicy sub-plot’
The Times

‘Brilliant… Sharpe is a great creation’
Daily Mirror

About the Author

Bernard Cornwell worked for BBC TV for seven years, mostly as producer on the Nationwide programme, before taking charge of the current Affairs department in Northern Ireland. In 1978 he became editor of Thames Television’s Thames at Six. Married to an American, he now lives in the United States.


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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I have stayed in and explored both Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz - altough technically/historically, in the wrong order. I had read "Sharpe's Company" before visiting these fine places, and once again I must say that Bernard Cornwell and his friend Richard Sharpe provided me with a first class insight into the events which culminated in Wellington's capture of these vital fortress towns. What comes across best is the sheer size and apparent impossibility of the task - standing outside the walls, your money would always be on the defenders. Back to the novel though. Leaving aside the historical accuracy of "Company," borne of Mr. Cornwell's meticulate research, what the reader cannot fail to appreciate is the absolute terror of siege warfare in the Napoleonic age. Here we learn about two of Wellington's most important successes of the Peninsular War, both coming in 1812. Followed in the Summer by his brilliant victory at Salamanca, that year was truly the turning point of Napoleon's fortunes in Europe. (Things didn't go particularly well in the East either). The sub-plot finds our old friend Sgt.Obadiah Hakeswill returning to make Sharpe's life a misery. This time he avoids death in the bloody breaches at Badajoz by feigning death, and once inside the walls he finds and attempts to rape Sharpe's wife, killing one of our hero's friends in the process. Sharpe arrives in the nick of time, but Hakeswill escapes, and although we know he will meet his maker eventually, I personally feel that this would have been the opportune moment for Sharpe's ultimate revenge. "Battle," "Company," and "Sword" are, for me at least, the most entertaining and historicaly enlightning of the series. Coming, as they do, consecutively in chronological order, they make for the ultimate Sharpe trilogy, and I would recommend the Sharpe/Peninsula enthusiast to take time out to read all three one after the other. Clive Witcomb. Birmingham, England. January 2000.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Sheer class! 14 Nov 2000
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I have only read five Sharpe books but I have to say by far this book is the best I have read, it will be very hard to top this story. It is based on the dramatic events of Badajoz, the seemingly impregnable fort in Spain held by the French. Sharpe has problems of his own, let alone facing the fort he has lost command of his South Essex light company to a rich man, a daughter and wife to-be to protect, and his old enemy, the twiching, maddened and seemingly indestructable Sgt. Hakeswill to deal with. The book is a master piece and I challenge anyone who has read the book to say it isn't.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Donald Mitchell HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Sharpe! Sharpe! Sharpe!

I encourage you to read these books in order of the chronology of the events, rather than the order in which they are written. If you've been doing that, you've probably wondered whatever happened to Sergeant Obadiah ("I can't be killed") Hakeswill who we last read about in India. In Sharpe's Company, this spawn of the underworld returns to cause lots of mischief.

Viscount Wellington is still leading the allied forces in the Peninsula, having secured Portugal. In Sharpe's Company, two fortresses bar the way into Napoleon's Spain, Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. Naturally, Sharpe plays a key role in both battles. In this book, you get two sieges for the price of one.

The love story is much stronger here than usual in the series as the female partisan leader from Sharpe's Gold, Teresa, makes an important return appearance. In the process, Sharpe learns he has become a father . . . and his daughter is being cared for in Badajoz.

Sharpe's career also takes a turn for the worse. The temporary captaincy comes to an end, and he's reduced in rank to lieutenant reporting to a new captain who isn't as decisive as he might be. Hakeswill is soon undermining everyone to put himself to an advantage, and Sharpe's morale plummets while his hatred of Hakeswill grows.

Sharpe also comes to resent that he cannot become a permanent captain and toys with the idea of leading a Forlorn Hope into the breach to gain such a promotion.

The story's ending may turn your stomach more than a little as Mr. Cornwell treats us to a pretty graphic description of the sack of Badajoz by the British and Portuguese. It may be more historical realism than you really want to know about. Before that, the blood and guts get to be pretty strong as suicidal charge after suicidal charge is led into Badajoz's breaches.

It's an exciting book that you won't soon forget. I happen to like fiendish villains, and Hakeswill is a fine example to my taste. I love to wonder what horrible trick he will pull next.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Sharpe Does It Again
I am gradually working my way through the whole Sharpe series.They are a wonderful read and never fail to entertain,you even learn history along the way. Read more
Published 5 months ago by R. D. Mayles
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book
The books are great as they are part of a series. It arrived quickly after the order was placed. I would recommend these books
Published 5 months ago by lauren lewington
5.0 out of 5 stars Sharpe
I purchased several books written by Bernard Cornwall for a recent holiday and this was one of them, they were all great reads and with an elimant of history involved in them, I... Read more
Published 7 months ago by latheym
3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best of Sharpe
Sharpe's company is a fairly quick read - I got through it in three sessions. Although enjoyable it is not among the best of the series. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mr. Ross Maynard
5.0 out of 5 stars Sharpe's Company
You enjoy this type of story, or you don't. I am trying to read all the series in chronological order as there are often references made that you will only know by having read an... Read more
Published 13 months ago by AE Wheeler
4.0 out of 5 stars Hakeswill: the Return of a Terrifying Villain
The third novel in the Sharpe series, and one of the best - pacey and well plotted, with, as ever, the couinterpoint of Cornwell's deep historical knowledge and enthusiasm. Read more
Published on 3 April 2011 by Mrs. Jane Hawkes
5.0 out of 5 stars a must for sharpes fans
i love the sharpes series. yet another classic sharpes adventure. a must for sharpes fans
Published on 7 Jan 2010 by S. Miller
3.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunate
Unfortunately this book which was listed as "very good condition" was in fact only used but acceptable condition. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2009 by Mr. G. Simpson
5.0 out of 5 stars Enemies on both sides
This maybe my favourite Sharpe novel so far. The return of his arch emeny Obadiah Hakeswill, love, an impossible task and hurt pride, Sharpe has his biggest challenge for some... Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2008 by chuckles
2.0 out of 5 stars Not so sharpe
I found this novel disjointed and out of keeping with the Sharpe of the previous novels. The plot was not one of the best that Cornwell has managed, and the character of hakeswill... Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2007 by Sam Johnson
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