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kateofmind's review against another edition
4.0
I've never been more eager to see a TV/movie adaptation of a novel as I am that of Sharpe's Gold. This is not because of its quality, which is fair to middling as Sharpe novels go.* Rather, it's because I'm dying of curiosity as to how the continuity problem is going to be handled.
The continuity problem named Teresa Moreno, whom I've already seen played to dashing perfection by the great Assumpta Serna in the TV movies of Sharpe's Rifles and Sharpe's Eagle. Even though her character didn't belong in them. Ahem.
Of course, I didn't realize until I got to this book what a problem she was going to pose, as this, Sharpe's Gold, is the novel wherein Sharpe and Teresa meet, and it's not at all cute. Sharpe has been directed to go collect rather a lot of Spanish gold that was moved to a sort-of-safe place until it could be paid out to the Spanish army -- their wages -- but then the Spanish army got its collective posterior well and truly kicked by the French and there basically isn't one anymore. There are just guerrillas (and I just this second noticed that this word basically translates into something like "mini-war"), known as the Partisans, herding sheep and growing barley by day, making life hell on earth for the French by night, sleeping, uh... sometime?
A family of them is more or less guarding the gold, in the family crypt, until what's left of the Spanish government figures out what to do with it and how to transport it to where it's needed.** Except said government has pretty much farmed that task out to the British, who have, via the newly made Lord Wellesley, in turn farmed it out to one Richard Sharpe, killer of men, destroyer of armies, hopeless dimwit when confronted with a pretty face (or, in this case, a girl with the guts and the looks to lead the French army away from her men by running naked through the night).
But see, the Partisans don't trust the British. And Teresa's fiance is chief of the Partisans thereabouts. And may also have some ideas of his own about what to do with that gold.
So next thing we know, Teresa is a hostage. Who doesn't seem to think much of Sharpe. Whom she has just met. But in the TV movies, in the movies, they've already made whoopie and promises. Quite a lot.
So as I said, for this one, I'm mostly interested in seeing how the whole Teresa plot gets handled for the little screen. My guess is the fiance will just turn out to be an ex-lover and there will be no side-switching and whatnot. Which will be duller than this novel was.
But maybe I'm wrong. Because there is plenty to enjoy aside from the Teresa plot, of course. I can't wait to see that great German brute, Helmut, in action, for instance. Because anyone Pat Harper regards as a big ol' monster is going to be something to see, a veritable Hodor, except trained with the sabre. Zowie!
And also, one of my favorite minor characters dying. Le sigh.
And also, Alameida. Which, OMG Alameida.
*Meaning it's still a damned fine book, but there have been better ones. I still like all the India books better than any of the Peninsular ones, so far, and this one didn't change my mind. And Sharpe's Havoc is still the best of the Peninsular War novels I've read.
**This, of course, reminds me of the bit with the heaps of Nazi war gold in the middle of the Philippine jungle in Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, and of Goto Dengo's observation that "gold is the corpse of value." But unlike that gold, Sharpe's gold is needed for a mind-blowingly epic purpose, in one of Cornwell's neatest weaving of history and fiction and speculation I've yet seen. Well done!
The continuity problem named Teresa Moreno, whom I've already seen played to dashing perfection by the great Assumpta Serna in the TV movies of Sharpe's Rifles and Sharpe's Eagle. Even though her character didn't belong in them. Ahem.
Of course, I didn't realize until I got to this book what a problem she was going to pose, as this, Sharpe's Gold, is the novel wherein Sharpe and Teresa meet, and it's not at all cute. Sharpe has been directed to go collect rather a lot of Spanish gold that was moved to a sort-of-safe place until it could be paid out to the Spanish army -- their wages -- but then the Spanish army got its collective posterior well and truly kicked by the French and there basically isn't one anymore. There are just guerrillas (and I just this second noticed that this word basically translates into something like "mini-war"), known as the Partisans, herding sheep and growing barley by day, making life hell on earth for the French by night, sleeping, uh... sometime?
A family of them is more or less guarding the gold, in the family crypt, until what's left of the Spanish government figures out what to do with it and how to transport it to where it's needed.** Except said government has pretty much farmed that task out to the British, who have, via the newly made Lord Wellesley, in turn farmed it out to one Richard Sharpe, killer of men, destroyer of armies, hopeless dimwit when confronted with a pretty face (or, in this case, a girl with the guts and the looks to lead the French army away from her men by running naked through the night).
But see, the Partisans don't trust the British. And Teresa's fiance is chief of the Partisans thereabouts. And may also have some ideas of his own about what to do with that gold.
So next thing we know, Teresa is a hostage. Who doesn't seem to think much of Sharpe. Whom she has just met. But in the TV movies, in the movies, they've already made whoopie and promises. Quite a lot.
So as I said, for this one, I'm mostly interested in seeing how the whole Teresa plot gets handled for the little screen. My guess is the fiance will just turn out to be an ex-lover and there will be no side-switching and whatnot. Which will be duller than this novel was.
But maybe I'm wrong. Because there is plenty to enjoy aside from the Teresa plot, of course. I can't wait to see that great German brute, Helmut, in action, for instance. Because anyone Pat Harper regards as a big ol' monster is going to be something to see, a veritable Hodor, except trained with the sabre. Zowie!
And also, one of my favorite minor characters dying. Le sigh.
And also, Alameida. Which, OMG Alameida.
*Meaning it's still a damned fine book, but there have been better ones. I still like all the India books better than any of the Peninsular ones, so far, and this one didn't change my mind. And Sharpe's Havoc is still the best of the Peninsular War novels I've read.
**This, of course, reminds me of the bit with the heaps of Nazi war gold in the middle of the Philippine jungle in Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, and of Goto Dengo's observation that "gold is the corpse of value." But unlike that gold, Sharpe's gold is needed for a mind-blowingly epic purpose, in one of Cornwell's neatest weaving of history and fiction and speculation I've yet seen. Well done!
beejai's review against another edition
2.0
Typical Sharpe book. Good, not great. There's another random love interest that Sharpe has fallen deeply and madly in love with after only a few days and practically no interaction. Of course, her fiance is the evil villain that must be confronted, just like every other Sharpe novel. A lot of familiar characters play their cardboard cut out roles.
There are also some continuity issues. Here Sharpe is musing on how poor a swordsman is, yet as far back as Sharpe's Tiger he is portrayed as an expert even though that book is supposed to be a decade earlier than this. This is the problem series that are not written in chronological order. The conundrum is whether to read them in the order written or in the order the events supposedly take place. I think I made the wrong choice.
In all, the series is fun, but don't expect too much. His earlier works are incredibly weak but his later writings are better and I guess you just have to slog through books like this to get to the better ones.
There are also some continuity issues. Here Sharpe is musing on how poor a swordsman is, yet as far back as Sharpe's Tiger he is portrayed as an expert even though that book is supposed to be a decade earlier than this. This is the problem series that are not written in chronological order. The conundrum is whether to read them in the order written or in the order the events supposedly take place. I think I made the wrong choice.
In all, the series is fun, but don't expect too much. His earlier works are incredibly weak but his later writings are better and I guess you just have to slog through books like this to get to the better ones.
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I did indeed found the way to read the Sharpe series. In order in which they were published. This is the second novel I had no problem getting into after Sharpe's Eagle. The story picks up a few months after the celebrated catching of the Eagle. Sharpe is invested by Wellington of a mission that can only turn bad. Sharpe faces ethical dilemma, who lives, who dies, shall he stick to his duty and mission despite the high cost of human lives. Cornwell writes action really well, the French patrol attacking, the German mercenary saving the day and he takes you, the reader, part of it, part of the historical battles (in this case Almeida) like you are there standing next to Sharpe and Harper. Sharpe meets a beautiful dark haired beauty again but he wouldn't be Sharpe if he didn't.
cbking's review against another edition
3.0
More fun with Sharpe. So glad I still have a dozen more to read . . .
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
Sharpe’s Gold by Bernard Cornwell is another enjoyable volume in Cornwell’s Napoleonic War series featuring our hero, Richard Sharpe. I found this one particularly interesting not just because it’s a good story that proposes an unusual solution for the cause of a huge explosion that destroyed the fortress at Alameda, but also because of the huge ethical dilemma that Sharpe creates for himself. To my way of thinking, Sharpe doesn’t linger long enough on the ramifications of his act, which kills hundreds, in order to release himself from the order of a superior officer so that he can fulfill the order of another, Wellington. The general had ordered Sharpe to take his company into enemy territory and steal 16,000 gold coins from the Spanish, ostensibly a British ally. Wellington insists the gold is needed to save the war for the British. Sharpe succeeds, of course, after the usual narrow escapes and plunges into manure piles and beautiful women, but I found the decision he makes to get out of his dilemma totally disturbing.
ssindc's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable, quick, fun read. I was disappointed that the book (or the edition I read) didn't have a historical explanation/disclaimer at the end. (I've enjoyed learning what liberties the author took in prior books.)
majormess's review against another edition
2.0
Although I liked the story frame itself (especially the incorporation of historical events (in this case the siege of Almeida) to the plot), the entire Teresa part destroyed the book for me. While I usually don't mind so much the obligatory kitsch love story of every Sharpe novel, this time it felt artificial and forced, up to a point where it became just absurd.
pedanther's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
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