Customer Reviews

Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles #1)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Nate Starbuck is a naive young Northerner who, gets involved with a young actress who persuades him to steal money from their employer and flee South. Once the lovebirds reach the Southern states, Nate discovers that the love of his life has snookered him. Unable to return North to his Puritanical father, Nate decides to join the legion being formed by a wealthy landowner Washington Falconer.

Nate's desire to become a soldier allows him to befriend a crew of odd characters like Major Bird, Truslow and Sally Truslow. Nate himself grows from being naive and guiless, to a rather self-sufficient young man. His adventures (and mis-adventures), are entertaining and gratifying.

My main and only problem with "Rebel" is that I found myself not really LIKING Nate Starbuck as much as I wanted to. Nate's a bit selfish in pursuing the things he wants, isn't particularly loyal to his family, and is rather self-indulgent. (Granted, Nate is young and irresponsible), but he seems to lack a moral compass and I wanted Nate to be a tad more heroic. Also, his motivations for fighting for the South, aren't strong. The desire to "Spite his father" seems immature to me.

Overall, this is a great series, sure to please fans of historical drama... But I just wish Nate were a bit of a nicer guy. I would've enjoyed the story even more.

In Bernard Corwell's "Starbuck Chronicles" Cornwell does everything right, succeeding IMO in writing the best historical fiction ever written on the subject of the American Civil War - Yes even better then John Jake's "North and South", or "The Red Badge of Courage"

Cornwell's greatest success probably is his amazing detail and great historical accuracy in desribing the war. What i probably found most impresive was his great detail in desribing battles such as Bull Run and Antietam - every sentence kept me captivated and this detail alone is reason enough for anyone interested in the war to read each and every book in the series cover to cover. You will hard pressed to find anything either fiction or non fiction that does a better job giving you a total mental picture of the battles portrayed in the series (i was especially impressed with the great detail desribing the battle of Antietam)

As with the other historical and political aspects of the civil war Cornwell addresses everything, the struggle of freedom over slavery plays a pivotal role in the series and throughout Cornwell's novels he does a great job of accurately portraying nearly every pivotal political and military figure central to the eastern theater of the civil war.

For those of you woried that the series may be to much history, not enough story put your mind at ease. Not only does Cornwell succeed in writing one of the best accounts of the war ever written he gets an "A" grade when it comes to the story as well.

Cornwell delivers one of the most memorable cast of characters ever. Just to give you a little background, without giving to much away the main character Nathaniel Starbuck (Son of a fictional famous abolitionist) arrives in Richmond, Virginia just as news arrives of the siege of Fort Sumnter. Through a series of events Nathan finds himself fighting for the South out of simple gratitude to the father of his best friend.

While the first book "Rebel" ends after the southern victory at Manassas (Bull Run) the rollercoaster of emotions, fitting the events that surround the characters really comes into being in the following books.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "Rebel" and read this series - you won't be dissapointed. It isn't often that i read the same book more then once but i've read each book in the series at least several times, they're that good.

I dearly hope that one day Bernard Cornwell will do us the favor of completing this incredible series.

Oh to write like Bernard Cornwell! How is it that an Englishman so aptly portrays the inner conflicts of a northern Bostonian who has joined up with the Confederate cause? Perhaps Starbuck, the protagonist in this 3 volumn epic has a counterpart in the successful Sharp series circa the Napoleanic wars. The new Rebel is Nate Starbuck and he's just as dashing, daring, and reckless as the older hero. It's evident that Cornwell visited battlefields on-site and did extensive research prior to writing this novel. But true to Cornwell's style he is able to blend in the good/evil antagonist Washington Falconer, founder of Falconer's Brigade, add a dash of the sexy harlot Ms Truslow, and debate the morals of the good vs evil via Reverand Starbuck the hero's father and you have not just a good novel, but a great novel!

Nate Starbuck is a traditional hero in the mold of Derfel Cadarn and Richard Sharpe! Bernard Cornwell has created a character unique from his other characters, but still struggling to be the best soldier he can be. The story of Nate Starbuck is an odyssey of a man being cast out from his life, and finding in himself a new life. Nate is a failure in everything he does, and the Civil War gives him the opportunity to become a soldier. This is a great book, and I can't wait to read the others in the series. Here is another hero I can care about!

For a different type of Civil War story I recommend "Rebel" by Bernard Cornwell. "Rebel" is the story of a lackluster seminary college student from Boston, MA finding his true calling in life as a soldier. Part of a four book series set, "Rebel" is book one of the Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles. The story is set in ante-bellum Virginia right before the Civil War is in full swing.

The hero Nate Starbuck is a northerner who decides to fight for the Confederacy. His reasons are not specifically stated but we can infer that he is rejecting his family's way of life and rebelling against both his nation and his repressive father. Starbuck decides to join his friend's father's legion as a second lieutenant. Prior to the war, Starbuck has shown little aptitude for any other trade and he hopes that soldiering is his true calling. The battle of Manassas (or the first battle of Bull Run) is Starbuck's proving ground where he shows his budding talent.

Very much like Cornwell's Sharpe series, Starbuck is a little too good to be real and that's what makes "Rebel" so fun to read. Interestingly enough Cornwell gives lots background about Starbuck, more than he has shared about Sharpe in any of his Sharpe stories. I think it is unusual that Cornwell's hero Starbuck selected the South to pledge his allegiance, he is after all a northerner born and bred. Perhaps It is Cornwell's way of illustrating how far Starbuck is rejecting his old way of life.

Nevertheless, I found the novel very entertaining and recommend it to readers who look for high adventure and exciting stories. It is hard to find fault with any novel by Bernard Cornwell. He is an excellent story-teller and he can write. I would recommend "Rebel" to readers who enjoy wars/battles and don't mind a few facts getting lost along the way.

In addition to all that's been said about the battles, I have to say that there is much of comic genius in this book. Thaddeus Byrd is one of the funniest characters on paper (paper worth more than what it is printed upon indeed). His blustery apprehension of the cracked world is as winning as it is side-splitting. His tenderness in considering his young wife make you love him. His achievement of presence in the Battle of Manassas is a remarkable development. As a Southerner, I have to say the Cornwell gets it right. It is very rare that anyone except Southerners get the details of Southern sensibility correct. And generally Southerners themselves are quick to hide behind a mask of pleasant amusement. But the bravado, insecurity, breeding, manners, and style of the South are perfectly laid out in the writing of this novel. I for one did not find the battle to be the heart of the novel. Rather, I found it to be the development of Faulkner, the braggadocio of a self-made man, the epitome of the South, and the revealing of his spineless nature. Mind you, I have living relatives name Robert Lee and John Davis. And the original name on my own birth certifice was Stonewall Jackson.

Most people will associate Bernard Cornwell's writings with the adventures of Richard Shape, both in Spain/France and more recently in India. Rebel is set at the start of the American Civil War, yet has many of the themes of the Sharpe books, the soldiers life, incompetent officers, sergeants to be won over, a love interest and the occasional internal dialogue reflecting the thoughts of the main figures. Cornwell brings his vast literary talents and depicts a Virginia of 1861 that is on the verge of a destructive and bloody war. His writing is what you would expect of an author who fine-tuned his military fiction over a whole series of musket and shell novels.

Nathaniel Starbuck is the son of a northern abolitionist preacher. Hailing from Boston he finds himself caught up in the turmoil of a Richmond - capital of the Confederacy - which seems intent on war. Saved from tar and feather at the hands of a war hungry mob by his friends father - the rich and egotistical Washington Faulconer - Starbuck enlists in the Faulconer Legion and marches off to war against his home - the North.

This is a good book and I enjoyed it a great deal. However, where I think Cornwell excels are in his descriptions of battle scenes. Unlike Sharpe who is usually thrown into battle within the first pages, Starbuck does not experience battle until the end of the novel. This is not to the detriment of the book, but it is worth bearing in mind if you are expecting a total replica of Richard Sharpe.

The battle in question is First Manassas or Bull Run in the North (the confederates usually named battle sites after the nearest inhabitation, whereas the Federals usually used the nearest geographical landmark). Cornwell writes with skill and enthusiasm of the battle, which reflects his obvious extensive research of the subject matter, for example, his depiction of the vulgar Confederate Colonel `Shanks' Evans is wonderfully graphic and historically correct. Often the events can seem confusing to read, not because of Cornwell's writing but rather because First Manassas was confusing! So be prepared to be propelled right into the heart of the battle, the musket smoke, the crash of the shell, the whine of the shot and the gasps of the dying.

Bernard Cornwell has written four `Starbuck' novels and it is reported that the question he dislikes the most is when will number five come along. There is no doubt that Sharpe is both his first love and indeed proves to be more lucrative but Starbuck is equally well written, good to read and hopefully deserving of further adventures.

I agree with the other reviewers. Cornwell can write a battle story like no other. His accounts are detailed, believable, and factual.

Rebel was a very good book. It was not on the same level as the King Arthur books, but it was interesting and the story was good. You will find Nate Starbuck in a similar role as Derfel and Thomas of Hookton.

I recommend this book to fans of Bernard Cornwell.

I find it interesting that Cornwell chose to write his story from the Confederate standpoint...nowadays many stories are told from the northern perspective. Being a current student of history, I think that it's important (even if the main character and some of those he interacts with are fictitious) that people acquaint themselves with truths from both sides. We should not be afraid of the past...however awful some events may have been, they nevertheless happened and are now part of our history. I enjoyed this book not only for looking at the "other" side, but because of Cornwell's descriptive ability...his account of the Battle at Manassas is about 80+ pages long and captures the smallest details. A very worthwhile read.

Rebel by Bernard Cornwall was one of the best historical fiction books that i have ever read. I recently finished this book and i enjoyed it so much that that very night i started to read the second book in teh satrbuck chronicles Copperhead. Rebel is filled with fascinating characters, suck as Truslow the un rifined backwoodsman who even though he hates Yankees befreinds starbuck and even helps him at the end of the book. The battle scenes were amazing.