Customer Reviews

Sharpe's Christmas: Two Short Stories (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading the whole Sharpe series twice I decided to go ahead and purchase this book. At first I didn;t know what to expect, I figured it would be over just as quick as it started. This is the case, 60 pages takes maybe an hour to read. But the story, like always, grabs you from the start and keeps you reading.

These books are pretty much for Sharpe fans only, little about Sharpe is given away through these books. It is just a quick Sharpe adventure. I particulary liked Ransom.

These two stories are a must for any Sharpe fan out there.

5 Stars.

Unlike other publishers, this one numbers white pages, the copyright page, etc. There are 87 pages of actual text. Like Sharpe's Skirmish, this volume contains stories that were rewritten and republished as a fundraising effort. The price is somewhat high, but consider it a contribution to a worthwhile cause. They were originally published as Christmas stories in the "Daily Mail." The stories are very good, the first taking place on Christmas 1813 on the border between France and Spain. The second takes place in Normandy on a Christmas Eve following Waterloo.

While the first story deals with military action against the French, and Sharp meets an old acquaintance from India, the second deals with the conditions in France following the war, when unemployed soldiers became marauders. Sharp deals with an old enemy that he previously allowed to live, and finally settles in, at least for a time, on a farm in Normandy.

In a way, the second story deals with the question of disbanding armies after a war that lasted over 20 years. What do men do when they no longer have military employment?

i'm like an addict for cornwell's sharpe series. like 'sharpe's skirmish' before it, this is previously released material now presented in book form. here we get two (very) short stories, both taking place at christmas. in the first ('sharpe's christmas'), major sharpe is given the task of blocking the retreat of a french garrison, as another french brigade approaches from the rear. blood and mayhem ensue, but so does some rare french/english amity.
the second story, 'sharpe's ransom', takes place shortly after waterloo and sharpe has retired on half-pay to the french farmlands of normandy with lucille. some french hussars take lucille and their boy, patrick, hostage. how sharpe rescues them and at the same time wins over the reticent village fills the rest of the story.
once again, reading these stories was like visiting with an old friend. there's nothing really new here, but it warms the heart.

This book actually contains two short stories by the creator of Richard Sharp, Bernard Cornwell. These stories were originally published for the Christmas edition of an English newpaper but have been rewritten due to a "number of words" restriction in the original publication.
The two stories, "Sharpe's Christmas and Sharpe's Ransom" are written with the usual Sharpe's appeal and both relate in some round about way to the Christmas Spirit present even in tough guy Richard Sharpe. Both stories were extremely likeable and after reading all the Sharpe novels these were a pleasant addition to the saga. Anyone who is a fan of the series will like these two tales. The only drawback is that they could have been novelettes instead of short stories.
Len Brandenburg
Cincinnati, OH

To begin, this is definately for Sharpe fans only. But, for those, it is a must have. I gave it three out of five stars, but have done so conditionally.

Sharpe's Christmas consists of two short stories originally published in the Daily Mail. The first story, Sharpe's Christmas, I could only give two stars. It is Sharpe warmed over.

The second story, Sharpe's Ransom, is well worth the price of admission. I would give it four maybe even five stars. Having read all the books, I found it is much more enjoyable visiting with the retired major on the farm than following him back to Spain.

P.S. - let's see Sean Bean in Sharpe's Devil

The Christmas spirit caught up with Sharpe and he seemed to be enjoying himself. His new life as a member of a peaceful society at xmas was a definite change but of course there were some fights that he solved in a more peaceful than in his usual manner. all-in-all it was an enjoyable read and I would recommended the book.

This book contains two short stories about Christmas and Richard Sharpe. I recommend it only to those who are Sharpe fans and need no introduction to the characters, or circumstances. For those of us who have read all of the Sharpe series, these two light stories are icing on the cake. Buy the book, spend about 2 hours of your time and just enjoy.

This was a great value. The book arrived quickly and in perfect condition. The story is short but just as intense and interesting as all Bernard Cornwell's works are.

This was presented as a book, and I assumed it was a novel. It turned out to be the reprint of a short story, a fact not revealed in the original advertisement of this story.

Cornwell was asked to write a short story in the Sharpe series, to be serialized in a newspaper during Christmas week (when the reporters who had seniority would be on vacation, and the newspaper would be hard to fill). The tale, somewhat expanded (according to the preface) is reprinted here in chapbook form. It's another rip-roaring Sharpe episode. If you're reading the books in chronological order, you won't want to miss this story.