Reviews - Sharpe's Battle: The Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, May 1811

43 reviews for:

Sharpe's Battle: The Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, May 1811

This is a solid middle Sharpe book, with a decent fictional plot and engaging big battle set piece to finish off the book. However, the antagonist was on the weaker side and didn't get much page time, so the inevitable defeat of said antagonist didn't have much impact. The battle was also a bit hard to follow with the geography and tactics, so it didn't have the payoffs of some of the others. That being said, Cornwell provided his usual gritty action writing that transported me to the battlefield.

One of the refreshing aspects of the book was English Colonel Runciman, who for a change was a likable incompetent officer who had no pride or ambition to be anything besides the head of the wagon train. He was great comedic relief amidst some pretty brutal stuff, so his presence was much appreciated. There was a surprisingly emotional moment between an Irish colonel and a Spanish Catholic priest, and Sharpe also had an emotional reunion with someone from his old unit back in India.

Overall it's a good addition to the series, but I may be tiring of the formula at this point since I don't feel as invested as I once did with the first bunch. I may take a break soon to wait on the newest book to come out hopefully next year, which I think is supposed to slot in chronologically around where I am now.

zena_ryder's review against another edition

2.0

I didn't like this nearly as much as I've liked other books in the Sharpe series. This one had too much battle description and I skimmed a lot of it. Also, the "saving his honour" element as on the cover, was disappointing. It didn't have an interesting resolution at all. There was a surprise involving a priest, but that's about all this book had going for it.

tommyro's review against another edition

4.0

The series just gets better and better. Bernard Cornwell never disappoints - and neither does Mr. Sharpe.

judenoseinabook's review against another edition

4.0

Bloody, more so than some of the others, but brilliant description of battles. Sharpe is as heroic as ever

sshd3s's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

tome15's review against another edition

4.0

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe’s Battle. Sharpe No. 12. Harper, 1995.
Once again, Richard Sharpe helps Wellington and the Portuguese resistance kick the French out of Portugal. This time there are some particularly gruesome scenes of massacre of innocents by sadists in uniform. The cross-dressing Spanish spy is a memorable character. Some readers complain that after twelve novels they can see a formula developing. Really? I felt I knew how to load a musket a lot earlier than that. But formula has its value. It means that if you like the first eleven (count ‘em) books in the series, you are probably going to enjoy the ride in this one.