Scan barcode
A review by usbsticky
Sharpe's Gold by Bernard Cornwell
4.0
Spoilers ahead:
Summary: This is the second Sharpe book written. In this book Sharpe is tasked by Wellington to steal 16 thousand gold coins (about 59 thousand guinea?, can't remember) from deep inside Spanish territory so he can use the money to help build the Lines of Torres Vedras (cost about 200k at that time.
He reaches the Spanish hamlet where the gold is hidden only to find 2 regiments of French cavalry there. They beat the French and meet some Spanish partisans who know about the gold and want it too. However Sharpe manages to steal the gold and are helped by some King's German Legion cavalry they meet on the way back.
They manage to get back to the fortress of Almeida where they are followed by the partisans and are besieged by the French. The commandant of the fortress forces Sharpe to give the gold back to the partisans and stay for the siege but Sharpe kills the partisan commander, blows up the fort and leaves with the gold.
Antagonist: El Catolico, the partisan commander. A suave and highly skilled swordsman. Sharpe kills him single handedly by letting him stab him in the thigh and keeping his rapier there.
Romantic interest: Teresa, the daughter of the partisan leader, also love interest of El Catolico the partisan commander. He seduces her at least twice but she has to leave to fight the French and he gives her 1000 of the coins.
I like the Cornwell Sharpe series because they are easy to read and get into. The battle or action scenes are always well done as are character vignettes. Unfortunately each book also comes with an antagonist and romantic interest subplots which are predictable and routine (kind of like James Bond, kill the bad guy and sleep with the girl).
Summary: This is the second Sharpe book written. In this book Sharpe is tasked by Wellington to steal 16 thousand gold coins (about 59 thousand guinea?, can't remember) from deep inside Spanish territory so he can use the money to help build the Lines of Torres Vedras (cost about 200k at that time.
He reaches the Spanish hamlet where the gold is hidden only to find 2 regiments of French cavalry there. They beat the French and meet some Spanish partisans who know about the gold and want it too. However Sharpe manages to steal the gold and are helped by some King's German Legion cavalry they meet on the way back.
They manage to get back to the fortress of Almeida where they are followed by the partisans and are besieged by the French. The commandant of the fortress forces Sharpe to give the gold back to the partisans and stay for the siege but Sharpe kills the partisan commander, blows up the fort and leaves with the gold.
Antagonist: El Catolico, the partisan commander. A suave and highly skilled swordsman. Sharpe kills him single handedly by letting him stab him in the thigh and keeping his rapier there.
Romantic interest: Teresa, the daughter of the partisan leader, also love interest of El Catolico the partisan commander. He seduces her at least twice but she has to leave to fight the French and he gives her 1000 of the coins.
I like the Cornwell Sharpe series because they are easy to read and get into. The battle or action scenes are always well done as are character vignettes. Unfortunately each book also comes with an antagonist and romantic interest subplots which are predictable and routine (kind of like James Bond, kill the bad guy and sleep with the girl).