Reviews

Love the battle, tactics, camaraderie, and the history.

Cornwell writes so incredibly well and with such detail about the time period...it's mindblowing

gearyofbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

Being a big fan of the show it was inevitable that I would pick the books up.
I have gone for the chronological order.
Cromwell paints a vivid picture, strong characters and detailed landscapes.
And I absolutely picture big Sean when I think of Sharpe.

Hakeswill is a glorious bastard and a great villain.

His writing style is easy to get involved with and I look forward to the next battle.

lahoori's review against another edition

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4.0

Can't believe I liked a "war book" so much, but I did! Bernard Cornwell is a great storyteller--he draws vivid pictures and moves the action along.

desolation73's review against another edition

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4.0

I absolutely loved this book.and it would have got five stars except as my first book by Bernard Cornwall I had nothing to compare it with. A faultless book for me and Richard Sharpe is a great character.

adamskiboy528491's review against another edition

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3.0

Throughout the novels, Cornwell adjusts the actual events to fit his stories, putting whatever units and/or Sharpe himself at critical points of historical battles (Most notably, Sharpe fought at Trafalgar and Waterloo, a feat accomplished by zero British officers). He typically explains in the afterword the extent and nature of his artistic license regarding historical events. In this instalment, during the actual Siege of Seringapatam, a large explosion in one of the walls is believed to have been caused by a British cannonball detonating a magazine. It had little effect on the actual siege, but Cornwell writes it as a deliberate booby-trap set for the British troops that Sharpe prematurely detonates.

krep___'s review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

lisainbookland's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My first re-read - I just love this book. I'm definitely a fan of reading the series in chronological order; I tried publication order but it wasn't for me. However there is a large measure of nostalgia as well, being a re-read, knowing how much Sharpe has ahead of him. I read them in chronological order even the first time though and I hugely enjoyed both times - I think this book works well even as a standalone. These are such comfort reads for me!

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