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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
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
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As always, I encourage you to read the books in this series in the order of the chronology they describe rather than by publication date. Mr. Cornwell has come back again and again to "fill in" between books with other books. You'll enjoy the series more in a logical order.
At the current time, this is the 14th book in the chronological series.
After the desperate battles to throw the French out of Portugal and to enter Spain by breaching two fortresses, the British and their Portuguese and Spanish allies are near Salamanca looking to set up a battle that they can win decisively against the larger French forces.
As the book opens, the dangerous French Colonel Laroux has extracted some important information about a British spy ring through torture. But he's made a mistake and taken too long. He's at risk to be captured. Being a capable dissembler, Laroux soon has most of the British fooled . . . but not Sharpe. Laroux soon shows his true colors and the British realize it's essential that they contain Laroux's information before their spies are killed.
In the process, Sharpe becomes fascinated by Laroux's sword and begins to wish it were his. You'll begin to wonder how that might occur.
Next, Wellington has the relatively simple task of seizing three forts against far from extreme opposition after the main French army retreats. But it proves to be more difficult than expected. Someone has tipped off the French about when and where the attack will come.
Sharpe meanwhile is drawn into the party life of the Spanish aristocracy, finding himself drawn to the alluring La Marquesa despite being a newly married man. Is she also interested?
Sharpe is now asked to solely focus on Laroux, and a fascinating sequence of unexpected events ensues.
In the second half of the book, you'll find many more surprises than most Sharpe novels contain. As the historical note at the end indicates, many of these surprises follow the facts of the real history pretty closely. Within that framework, Mr. Cornwell has added his magic touch to weave some imaginary plots involving fictional characters that work seamlessly together. It's very nice!
Although the battle writing cannot be nearly as engaging as usual because the nature of the battles here provide a less interesting factual basis for the descriptions, there are still some pretty neat touches in giving us a sense of how Wellington won the day against the crafty and determined marshal Marmont.
At the current time, this is the 14th book in the chronological series.
After the desperate battles to throw the French out of Portugal and to enter Spain by breaching two fortresses, the British and their Portuguese and Spanish allies are near Salamanca looking to set up a battle that they can win decisively against the larger French forces.
As the book opens, the dangerous French Colonel Laroux has extracted some important information about a British spy ring through torture. But he's made a mistake and taken too long. He's at risk to be captured. Being a capable dissembler, Laroux soon has most of the British fooled . . . but not Sharpe. Laroux soon shows his true colors and the British realize it's essential that they contain Laroux's information before their spies are killed.
In the process, Sharpe becomes fascinated by Laroux's sword and begins to wish it were his. You'll begin to wonder how that might occur.
Next, Wellington has the relatively simple task of seizing three forts against far from extreme opposition after the main French army retreats. But it proves to be more difficult than expected. Someone has tipped off the French about when and where the attack will come.
Sharpe meanwhile is drawn into the party life of the Spanish aristocracy, finding himself drawn to the alluring La Marquesa despite being a newly married man. Is she also interested?
Sharpe is now asked to solely focus on Laroux, and a fascinating sequence of unexpected events ensues.
In the second half of the book, you'll find many more surprises than most Sharpe novels contain. As the historical note at the end indicates, many of these surprises follow the facts of the real history pretty closely. Within that framework, Mr. Cornwell has added his magic touch to weave some imaginary plots involving fictional characters that work seamlessly together. It's very nice!
Although the battle writing cannot be nearly as engaging as usual because the nature of the battles here provide a less interesting factual basis for the descriptions, there are still some pretty neat touches in giving us a sense of how Wellington won the day against the crafty and determined marshal Marmont.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
One of the best Sharpe books I have read, not predictable like some of the others. A must for any Sharpe fan.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As always, enjoyable reading which is fiction based upon facts. Maybe some events are not as they were, persons are not who they were, but the story is factual.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
peculiar and oddly godsend
it's been ages i hadn't read any sharpe novel, so i decided to snatch this one and have a bloody good read. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Omar Farid
Sharpe to the point
If you have got this far in the Sharpe books you know what's coming.
Hardship, visceral fighting, appreciative women and victory. Read more
Hardship, visceral fighting, appreciative women and victory. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Sharplord
Sharpe series
Working my way through this excellent series; trying not to read them too quickly! Cornwell again mixes historical fact with fiction. Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2010 by Operamandan
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
Good read
I just like the story, if you like the TV Series you won't be disappointed
Published on 2 July 2009 by W. Faulkner
A different Sharpe
I loved this book. It's a change of direction for Sharpe and shows a vunerable Sharpe, but that's why I liked it. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2008 by chuckles
One of the best in the series
In the summer of 1812 the British capture Salamanca with relative ease, but Sharpe sees both his commanding officer and a young ensign treacherously killed by a captured French... Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2007 by Didier
Does 5 Stars do this book Justice...?
I picked up this book after reading all the sharpe books in chronicological order from Sharpe's tiger where we experience Private Sharpe in India, reading and learning how he... Read more
Published on 5 Sep 2005
Words Aren't Enough to Describe It!!!!
This is the best book in the Sharpe collection. It has all the components that make the Sharpe books unforgettable, action, romance and loyalty.
Published on 3 Dec 2000 by holy_delta@hotmail.com
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