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Sharpe's Fortress: The Siege of Gawilghur, December 1803 (The Sharpe Series, Book 3): Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Gawilghur, December 1803 [Paperback]

Bernard Cornwell (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 4 Jun 2007 | Series: The Sharpe Series (Book 3)

Sharpe, having just received his commission, faces his toughest battle yet in this return to India, the terrain of the bestselling Sharpe’s Tiger. Repackaged in the fantastic new Sharpe look.

Sir Arthur Wellesley's army is closing on the retreating Mahrattas in western India. Marching with the British is Ensign Richard Sharpe, newly made an officer, wishing he had stayed a sergeant.

An act of treachery by Sharpe’s old enemy, Sergeant Hakeswill puts him in terrible danger, and leads him to the horror of the impregnable Gawilghur’s ravine. To regain his confidence and his authority, Sharpe will fight as he has never fought before.

Soldier, hero, rogue – Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears.

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Sharpe's Fortress: The Siege of Gawilghur, December 1803 (The Sharpe Series, Book 3): Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Gawilghur, December 1803 + Sharpe's Triumph: The Battle of Assaye, September 1803 (The Sharpe Series, Book 2) + Sharpe's Trafalgar: The Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805 (The Sharpe Series, Book 4)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Harper; New edition edition (4 Jun 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0006510310
  • ISBN-13: 978-0006510314
  • Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11 x 3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 24,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

‘Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph

'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail

'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer
‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

From the Back Cover

It is 1803, and closing on the retreating Mahrattas in western India is Sir Arthur Wellesley’s army and with it Ensign Richard Sharpe, newly commissioned but wishing he had stayed a sergeant. Spurned by his new regiment, he is sent to the army’s baggage train and there finds corruption, romance, treason and enemies old and new, including the murderous Sergeant Hakeswill who has powerful friends while Sharpe’s only ally is an orphaned Arab boy.

And waiting with the cornered Mahrattas is another enemy, the renegade Englishman William Dodd, who envisages a glorious triumph, for the Mahrattas have taken refuge in Gawilghur, India’s greatest stronghold, perched high on cliffs above the Deccan Plain. He who rules in Gawighur, it is said, rules India, and Dodd knows that the fortress is impregnable, but it is here that Sharpe must face his enemies …

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars a litte tired 8 Dec 2009
By Alexis Paladin
Format:Paperback
With any Sharpe novel you know you are going to get a fast-paced, well told story and plenty of action. This is no exception. Here our hero must battle the prejudices of his own comrades as he rises to the rank of Ensign as well as the forces of Gawilghur lead by old enemy William Dodd and arch nemesis Obadiah Hakeswill, Sharpe's nemesis from the first two books. The early chapters, describing Sharpe's exposure of his Captain's corruption and subsequent kidnap are lively and interesting. Once again, as punishment for his honesty, Sharpe finds he must fight a couple of enormous local thugs known as Jettis and once again he eventually prevails. It as at this point where the novel begins to struggle a bit. It is difficult to see why Cornwell could not at least invent some other evil for Sharpe to overcome. The Jetti fight is almost identical to that in Sharpe's Tiger. Following the fight Sharpe basically seems to do what he wants, wandering from regiment to regiment at will and pretty much making his own orders. Of course we allow Cornwell a good bit of licence with Sharpe in the name of good story-telling but this really does stretch credulity a little too far. The Siege itself is well told and Sharpe conducts himself with his usual daring aplomb but again there are some things which are difficult to accept. It is never fully explained for example, why after taking the outer Fort, the British cannot simply wait and starve their opponents instead of ploughing recklessly forward on the same afternoon. This is not to say that in reality there was not a very pressing reason, it is just that is not explained here. Instead the capture of the fort feels a little too inevitable. Throughout the early chapters we are endlessly reminded of the impregnability of the `Fortress in the Sky' and yet ultimately it does not seem that tricky to capture it. Maybe these criticisms are a little harsh but Cornwell has set himself high standards and the first two `Indian prequels' were first class. It just feels that Cornwell was a little lazy with this one. Perhaps just a bit too keen to finish Sharpe's Indian adventures and ship him off to Trafalgar.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars An Officer's Life Has Its Drawbacks for Richard Sharpe 24 Nov 2008
By Donald Mitchell HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Sharpe's Fortress is the third of the stories about Richard Sharpe in India. If you haven't read Sharpe's Tiger and Sharpe's Triumph, I strongly urge you to read those books before this one. You'll like them, and they provide very helpful background for the events in Sharpe's Fortress.

After saving Sir Arthur Wellesley's life at the Battle of Assaye (described in Sharpe's Triumph, book two in chronology in the series), Richard Sharpe was raised out of the ranks into the officer class as an ensign. In Sharpe's Fortress, it becomes obvious that he's arrived in no man's land in a Scottish unit. The Scots don't want any English in the unit; most ensigns are about 12 years old and don't do anything except watch; and men in the ranks are jealous of Sharpe's promotion.

It is kindly suggested that Sharpe either sell his commission or join a new unit, one based in England. Sharpe doesn't want to do either one, and he's even more depressed when he is asked to take a temporary assignment helping get the supplies up to the front lines.

Arriving at his new assignment, it's clear that something is badly wrong. Needed supplies are being stolen left and right. Sharpe quickly gets to the bottom of the thefts and develops new enemies. Meanwhile, his old enemy Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill has survived Sharpe's last attempt to do away with him in Sharpe's Triumph and has new plans for Sharpe.

The main focus of the story is on the continuing war between the British and their allies and the Mahrattas in India. Turncoat William Dodd has gained every higher rank in the Mahratta forces and is looking forward to a huge victory when the British come to attack the seemingly impregnable fortress of Gawilghur. Much of the story is taken up with various defenders imagining how they will destroy the British in the different traps that await them in the high fortress.

Those extremely detailed descriptions of the fortress become more than a little tiresome. You do have a reward, however, because you'll better understand the story that Cornwell tells about how the battle is won. Actually, the fictional report isn't terribly far off from the actual experience as the historical note indicates. It is only the exaggerated role for Sharpe that misleads . . . while providing a good way to help you understand the battle.

The battle scenes are terrific in this book. It's only the tedium of the redundant musings that keep this book for being a five-star effort.

As usual, Sharpe finds that while he has temporary conquests with the ladies, he isn't going to be the one who takes them home permanently.

Enjoy!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Great continuation of the Sharpe series 1 July 2000
By "mos11"
Format:Paperback
Cornwell has written another excellent Richard Sharpe novel.

For me, the most gripping part of this (and others in the series) is the realistic account of the battles and the effects on the soldiers. Being in the British Army at the beginning of the 19th century must have been hell.

Against the backdrop of blood and guts, the author has woven a good story with considered charaterisation. Recommeded.

Since this novel ends at the battle of Gawilghur (1803), and Sharpe's Rifles commences in 1809, I wonder how many more novels Sharpe can feature in.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story made famous by the tv series
I am fascinated by the tv series regarding Sharpe and have been purchasing the Ebooks. A great read giving a good feel of the historic setting for the fictitious Sharpe. Read more
Published 3 days ago by John Hawker
3.0 out of 5 stars a bit boring
below usual standard for this author, rather formulaic, usually love Sharpe for unusual plots and historical settings, read it through however
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. J. C. Evans
2.0 out of 5 stars NO MAPS
I purchased this book for my husband who is a keen Cornwell/Sharpe reader and has many titles in paperback. Read more
Published 2 months ago by glenis ladell
5.0 out of 5 stars Sharpe's Fortress
Another good tale - I like all the Sharpe books and I like Sharpe, a sort of decent rogue - almost believable.
Published 3 months ago by Michael Mason
5.0 out of 5 stars well researched, historically accurate, and full of action
well researched, a chapter at the end of the book, tells you where the author has taken liberty with the facts. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Navigator
5.0 out of 5 stars sharpes fortress
i enjoyed the tv and dvd series and i am enjoying the book version as well the the kindle easy to read and convienent to carry arround
Published 4 months ago by johno
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining historical yarn
Usual Bernard Cornwell mix of history and Boy's own paper hero. Loved it, makes you want to read the next in the series, as always.
Published 5 months ago by K J Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars the master strikes again
the master bernard cornwell writes another tale of daring do how many male readers wish their name WAS RICHARD SHARPE ,I for one do
Mr Cornwell please keep up the good... Read more
Published 8 months ago by yorkie12652
5.0 out of 5 stars Sharpe's Fortress
Another good book which I just could not put down. Having served in a regiment whose history includes much service in India i found it facinating. Well done
Published 8 months ago by Kaibil DBS
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good historical fiction based on historical fact
I've read it before on paper, and now I've got it on my Kindle. I've already read it, but no doubt I'll read it again.
Published 10 months ago by P. Surtees
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