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A review by nghia
Sharpe's Eagle by Bernard Cornwell
2.0
Sharpe's Eagle is (currently) #8 in order of chronological ordering, #1 by original publication date, and #3 in the "Peninsular War" part of Sharpe's saga. This was the first time where the out-of-order writing of the books caused me serious fits.
Sharpe's Eagle was the first Sharpe book (though I didn't know that when I read it) and when viewed from that vantage point it is pretty good. It is not without flaws but it -- when considered in a vacuum -- it is a pretty good adventure story. The bad guys are cardboard thin, the love interest is woefully under-developed, and the tidy resolution of three plot threads in the final pages are bit too pat. In other words, it fits right into its genre and delivers exactly what fans expect. Fun, not too mentally taxing, and Sharpe gets to be better than everyone else all the time at everything.
When viewed as part of the entire series of Sharpe books (well, the three I've read) the appraisal changes somewhat. First, it is nice to see Sharpe actually getting a girl for a change, though there are still echoes of Sharpe falling in love at the drop of a hat. But at least he's getting some for a change. And we see Sharpe in the context of a larger army and a larger war. Previously Sharpe had been acting in a very detached manner. That may lead to more interesting "adventures" but gives a strange perspective on a soldier's life in Napoleonic Europe.
So there are some good things about this book being "different" from the previous ones. But there are also differences that are just plain laziness and force me to reduce this to a 2-star rating.
Sharpe's Eagle begins with Sharpe complaining about wanting to rejoin the Regiment back home. Yet the previous book, not ten pages from the end, had Sharpe complaining that he didn't want to be sent back home.
In this book he says that he has never met General Hill. In the previous book he's with General Hill on the seminary roof.
In this book he complains about getting passed over for promotions. In the previous books he didn't seem to give a damn about promotion.
In this book Harper has the long-time hobby of bird watching. This wasn't mentioned in the previous two books.
In this book Sharpe says he splits the battlefield loot with Harper "as was customary between the two". In the previous two books (i.e. their entire time together) they had never done this.
In this book Sharpe is wearing a bag around his neck containing his worldly possessions. This was never mentioned in the previous two books.
I find that kind of slopping continuity insulting to the reader. It breaks my immersions in Sharpe's world and Sharpe's story. Instead of it being a "chronicle of Sharpe" I am constantly reminded by these retcons that all of this is just seat-of-the-pants hackery.
Sharpe's Eagle was the first Sharpe book (though I didn't know that when I read it) and when viewed from that vantage point it is pretty good. It is not without flaws but it -- when considered in a vacuum -- it is a pretty good adventure story. The bad guys are cardboard thin, the love interest is woefully under-developed, and the tidy resolution of three plot threads in the final pages are bit too pat. In other words, it fits right into its genre and delivers exactly what fans expect. Fun, not too mentally taxing, and Sharpe gets to be better than everyone else all the time at everything.
When viewed as part of the entire series of Sharpe books (well, the three I've read) the appraisal changes somewhat. First, it is nice to see Sharpe actually getting a girl for a change, though there are still echoes of Sharpe falling in love at the drop of a hat. But at least he's getting some for a change. And we see Sharpe in the context of a larger army and a larger war. Previously Sharpe had been acting in a very detached manner. That may lead to more interesting "adventures" but gives a strange perspective on a soldier's life in Napoleonic Europe.
So there are some good things about this book being "different" from the previous ones. But there are also differences that are just plain laziness and force me to reduce this to a 2-star rating.
Sharpe's Eagle begins with Sharpe complaining about wanting to rejoin the Regiment back home. Yet the previous book, not ten pages from the end, had Sharpe complaining that he didn't want to be sent back home.
In this book he says that he has never met General Hill. In the previous book he's with General Hill on the seminary roof.
In this book he complains about getting passed over for promotions. In the previous books he didn't seem to give a damn about promotion.
In this book Harper has the long-time hobby of bird watching. This wasn't mentioned in the previous two books.
In this book Sharpe says he splits the battlefield loot with Harper "as was customary between the two". In the previous two books (i.e. their entire time together) they had never done this.
In this book Sharpe is wearing a bag around his neck containing his worldly possessions. This was never mentioned in the previous two books.
I find that kind of slopping continuity insulting to the reader. It breaks my immersions in Sharpe's world and Sharpe's story. Instead of it being a "chronicle of Sharpe" I am constantly reminded by these retcons that all of this is just seat-of-the-pants hackery.