Although the Fantasy genre is something of a forte for me, I am active
in all forms of the fictitious narrative. A good work of fiction means
more to the Lord Winterborne than any palace of gold, or even the love
of a soft woman. That is why from time to time I will write the odd
review that is outside of what I consider to be the realm of fantasy
(see Second Issue: The History of Fantasy).
Historic-fiction
is another love of mine, so this week I will be reviewing the Richard
Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. As it were, I'm not going to review
the whole series (there are twenty books in it), but I will introduce
you to the first book: Sharpes Tiger.
Bernard Cornwell is
an Englishman in New York. (Well, Massachusetts- close enough!).
Originally from London, where he worked as a journalist in newspapers
and television, Cornwell is now a resident of the United States and
lives with his American wife in Cape Cod. He is the acclaimed author of
the Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles, about American Civil War; the
Warlord Trilogy, about Arthurian England; and, most recently,
Stonehenge 2000 B.C.: A Novel and The Archer's Tale.
The
Sharpe series is set mainly during the Napoleonic Wars, and each tome
is a fast-paced adventure with non-stop, hard-hitting action. Bernard
Cornwell a.k.a. Corny, or the Cornster is the grandmaster of
battlefield action:
He (Sharpe) remembered Sergeant
Hawthornes death best because the Sergeant had been hit by a musket
ball that drove a rib clean out of his red coat. There was hardly a
drop of blood to be seen, just the white rib sticking out of the faded
red cloth. You could hang your hat on that, Hawthorne had said in a
tone of wonder, then he had sobbed, and after that he had choked up
blood and collapsed.
That's on the second page. Brilliant. It
reminds me of that part in Monty Pythons Meaning of life:' it has
always been the calm leadership of the Officer class that has made the
British Army what it is.
The lovable rogue, Richard Sharpe, is
first introduced as a raw young soldier about to embark on the siege of
Seringapatam, an Indian stronghold against the advances of the British
Empire.
Harassed by the malicious Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill,
Sharpes only chance to escape persecution is by rescuing a senior
British officer, held prisoner by the Tippoo of Seringapatam, deep in
the heart of enemy territory. Initially, Sharpe sees this as a good
opportunity to go AWOL but, through a series of events, he learns that
soldiering is what he does best and so maintains his honor.
Sharpe
not only infiltrates the stronghold of the enemy, he ensures the safety
of the captured Colonel McCandless, and saves the British army from
annihilation.
Throughout the series, Sharpe, being one of
those rare officers to be raised from the ranks, climbs the rungs of
leadership by way of bravery, streetwise cunning and sheer
recklessness. When in battle, nothing is as frightening or as
fascinating as Sharpes will to survive, nor his bloodlust.
He
is a rough and rugged character, raised on the streets, always ready
for a fight. When juxtaposed amongst the other officers commissioned
from the British aristocracy, Sharpe stands out vividly. But behind his
coarse exterior we discover a charming, funny, romantic, sensitive guy.
What a wonderful hero!
The great thing about these
books is that they are loosely based on real historical events. Much of
the action actually took place, and our fictitious hero has just been
plopped in amongst it and given a subplot of his own.
I can't say enough, its bloody fantastic.
By Mark Adkin:
The Sharpe Companion: A Detailed Historical and Military Guide to Bernard Cornwells Bestselling Series of Sharpe Novels.
in all forms of the fictitious narrative. A good work of fiction means
more to the Lord Winterborne than any palace of gold, or even the love
of a soft woman. That is why from time to time I will write the odd
review that is outside of what I consider to be the realm of fantasy
(see Second Issue: The History of Fantasy).
Historic-fiction
is another love of mine, so this week I will be reviewing the Richard
Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. As it were, I'm not going to review
the whole series (there are twenty books in it), but I will introduce
you to the first book: Sharpes Tiger.
Bernard Cornwell is
an Englishman in New York. (Well, Massachusetts- close enough!).
Originally from London, where he worked as a journalist in newspapers
and television, Cornwell is now a resident of the United States and
lives with his American wife in Cape Cod. He is the acclaimed author of
the Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles, about American Civil War; the
Warlord Trilogy, about Arthurian England; and, most recently,
Stonehenge 2000 B.C.: A Novel and The Archer's Tale.
The
Sharpe series is set mainly during the Napoleonic Wars, and each tome
is a fast-paced adventure with non-stop, hard-hitting action. Bernard
Cornwell a.k.a. Corny, or the Cornster is the grandmaster of
battlefield action:
He (Sharpe) remembered Sergeant
Hawthornes death best because the Sergeant had been hit by a musket
ball that drove a rib clean out of his red coat. There was hardly a
drop of blood to be seen, just the white rib sticking out of the faded
red cloth. You could hang your hat on that, Hawthorne had said in a
tone of wonder, then he had sobbed, and after that he had choked up
blood and collapsed.
That's on the second page. Brilliant. It
reminds me of that part in Monty Pythons Meaning of life:' it has
always been the calm leadership of the Officer class that has made the
British Army what it is.
The lovable rogue, Richard Sharpe, is
first introduced as a raw young soldier about to embark on the siege of
Seringapatam, an Indian stronghold against the advances of the British
Empire.
Harassed by the malicious Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill,
Sharpes only chance to escape persecution is by rescuing a senior
British officer, held prisoner by the Tippoo of Seringapatam, deep in
the heart of enemy territory. Initially, Sharpe sees this as a good
opportunity to go AWOL but, through a series of events, he learns that
soldiering is what he does best and so maintains his honor.
Sharpe
not only infiltrates the stronghold of the enemy, he ensures the safety
of the captured Colonel McCandless, and saves the British army from
annihilation.
Throughout the series, Sharpe, being one of
those rare officers to be raised from the ranks, climbs the rungs of
leadership by way of bravery, streetwise cunning and sheer
recklessness. When in battle, nothing is as frightening or as
fascinating as Sharpes will to survive, nor his bloodlust.
He
is a rough and rugged character, raised on the streets, always ready
for a fight. When juxtaposed amongst the other officers commissioned
from the British aristocracy, Sharpe stands out vividly. But behind his
coarse exterior we discover a charming, funny, romantic, sensitive guy.
What a wonderful hero!
The great thing about these
books is that they are loosely based on real historical events. Much of
the action actually took place, and our fictitious hero has just been
plopped in amongst it and given a subplot of his own.
I can't say enough, its bloody fantastic.
- The Sharpe novels: (in chronological order)
- Sharpes Tiger (1799)
- Sharpes Triumph (1803)
- Sharpes Fortress (1803)
- Sharpes Trafalgar (1805)
- Sharpes Prey (1807)
- Sharpes Rifles (1809)
- Sharpes Havoc (1809)
- Sharpes Eagle (1809)
- Sharpes Escape (1810)
- Sharpes Gold (1810)
- Sharpes Battle (1811)
- Sharpes Company (1812)
- Sharpes Sword (1812)
- Sharpes Enemy (1812)
- Sharpes Honor (1813)
- Sharpes Regiment (1813)
- Sharpes Siege (1814)
- Sharpes Revenge (1814)
- Sharpes Waterloo (1815)
- Sharpes Devil (1820-21)
- 'Sharpes Christmas' (contains two short stories):
- Sharpes Christmas (1813)
- Sharpes Ransom (1815)
By Mark Adkin:
The Sharpe Companion: A Detailed Historical and Military Guide to Bernard Cornwells Bestselling Series of Sharpe Novels.
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