alexcavanaugh 's review for:

Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell

1.75

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Read this as part of a book club. This type of novel is not my thing. I think my biggest issue with it is that it considers itself "gritty realism" but at its core has the same sort of writing techniques as a Marvel movie. The battles are supposed to feel chaotic and violent, but everyone who needs to survive, survives, and whoever needs to die for the plot to progress is slain. I was bored waiting for whatever surprise reinforcement or trick would save the day by the third time Sharpe was caught in a battle he had no hope of winning. Then afterwards, Sharpe would quip with whichever ally or enemy was nearby, until the next hopeless battle he'd come out on top of. Just read an actual memoir from this era.