Customer Reviews

Sharpe's Fortress (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #3)

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Bernard Cornwell writes historical fiction, most of it in the old style of Forrester's Hornblower and F. Van Wyck Mason. Much of his work has been the story of Richard Sharpe and his adventures as a member of Wellington's British army during the Peninsula Campaign in the war against Napoleon's France. The character Richard Sharpe is an illegitimate orphan from London's workhouses who enlisted in the army one step ahead of prison and hanging. He served in Wellington's army in India and saved Wellington's life in a battle. As a reward he was made an officer. The Sharpe's Rifles series begins with Richard as a Lieutenant, and takes him through battles and hard-earned promotions to Waterloo. Eight of the novels were made into a BBC television series, which has been shown on US public television and which is available on cassette. Cornwell wrote one additional book in the series, filling in between two earlier ones, and one Sharpe novel which occurs well after the Napoleonic Wars. He then started a "prequel" series providing background and telling the story of Richard Sharpe in India. Sharpe's Fortress is the fourth in the series set in India. Richard is already commissioned, and is just beginning to feel the alienation from fellow-officers because he isn't a gentleman. He is also learning to deal with enmity from enlisted soldiers because he isn't a proper officer-a gentleman who gives orders by right. The series of battles which led to the defeat of the Mahrattas and established the British Raj in India is interesting history. This novel begins with the Battle of Argaum and ends with the Siege of Gawilghur, which broke the back of the Mahratta empire. Now Sharpe and Wellington will be heading back to England, and this reader hopes that Cornwell will have more exciting stories to cover the six years between the end of this book and the beginning of Sharpe's Rifles. Richard Sharpe is to the British Army what Horatio Hornblower was to the British Navy. And Cornwell's stories are wonderful reading.

The new installment in the Sharpe series is one of the strongest yet. Set around the backdrop of the bloody storming of Gawilghur in 1803, Sharpe once again fights arch-enemy Obadiah Hakeswill, and still gets back in time to win the battle for the British Army. Bernard Cornwell triumphs again.

Although I prefer Bernard Cornwell's books on his hero, Richard Sharpe's daring exploits during the Peninsular War, this story--the third and final one set in India--about the young Sharpe's life as a newly made Ensign in the British Army is the best. In the previous book, Sharpe's Triumph, we learnt exactly how the then Sergeant Sharpe saved Sir Arthur Wellesley's (later Duke of Wellington's) life at the Battle of Assaye. Now, we see how Sharpe tries to adjust to the rank of Ensign that was thrust upon him for that heroic deed. All the elements of the other Sharpe novels are present here. The battles, especially the storming of the apparently inpenetrable fortress of Gawilghur, are excellently and vividly written. Sharpe is again with his back up against a wall in having to deal with both men and officers who resent that he's been "brought up", and facing his old nemesis, the twitching and sly Obadiah Hakeswill, once more. It's interesting to see this early relationship between protaganist and antagonist knowing how it plays out in the Peninsular portion of the series. Bernard Cornwell does take some creative license with history, but it is clear (as in all his books) how thoroughly researched it is. I always enjoy Cornwell's historical notes, and seeing what really happened. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment and seeing Sharpe marching on once more!

Our hero,Richard Sharpe,has now been promoted yo an officer in Sir Arthur Wellesley's army which is attempting to end the Maharatta War.

Due to the usual bad luck,lack of breeding,and because he's Sharpe,our gallant hero has been relegated to a boring,mundane job in the baggage train.While here,he discovers treason which has been covered up by his arch enemy,the brutal Sgt Obadiah Hakeswill,leaving Sharpe once more in peril and relying on his quick thinking ,his fighting ability and his desire to survive.

This book will not dissappoint any of Sharpe's legion of fans.

Sharpe's Fortress is the third (chronological order) in the acclaimed Richard Sharpe series. Following the events of Sharpe's Triumph, Richard Sharpe is an Ensign who is unhappy with his command. All he wants to do is fight, and instead he becomes the assistant to a corrupt commissary officer. His old nemesis Hakeswill is still alive and well, and allied with corrupt Indian Allies. The third in Sharpe's adventures in India, Cornwell conjures up another unique and rolicking adventure full of danger, blood and beautiful women.

"Sharpe's Fortress" is the third novel in Bernard Cornwell's India Trilogy, which is the first set of novels in the larger Richard Sharpe Series. It is essential to read these books in chronological order, so start with "Sharpe's Tiger" and move on to "Sharpe's Triumph" before tackling "Fortress."

The Fortress of the title is Gwalighur, the mighty Indian citadel in the sky. Thousands of feet above the plains below, approachable only through narrow deathtraps and populated by thousands of lethal soldiers, Gwalighur has stood for hundreds of years. Now, in addition to the fierce Mahratta soldiers and their Arabian mercenaries, Gwalighur also has in its ranks the ambitious British traitor, William Dodd. While Dodd may not be in charge of the fortress, he thinks that may be a temporary condition and if he is in charge, the British will never defeat him.

Dodd, unfortunately, has a powerful enemy. Richard Sharpe has sworn vengeance against him for Dodd's traitorous slaughter of British soldiers in "Sharpe's Tiger" (not to mention shooting Sharpe in the head) as well as for the death of Sharpe's cherished commander and friend, Colonel McCandless, in "Sharpe's Triumph." And as fans of the series know, Richard Sharpe is not the kind of guy you want holding a grudge against you.

But fortunately for Dodd, Sharpe is now Ensign Sharpe, promoted for valor on the field. Being an ensign is a tough burden for Sharpe, who more than once wishes he had remained a Sergeant. As is explained to him, the job of an ensign is to stay alive until promoted -- no fighting. So the enlisted men don't respect him. And the officers hate him, because most of them purchased their posting or had it handed to them through connections. Sharpe's promotion through merit challenges their entire world of gentile privilege.

And further complicating matters for Sharpe, treacherous Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill still schemes and plots Sharpe's downfall. Blessed with more lives than a cat and a murderous streak a mile wide, Hakeswill wants nothing more than to kill Sharpe and steal Sharpe's vast wealth (a secret known only to few).

This is classic Bernard Cornwell, and "Sharpe's Fortress" hits all the usual high points. Nobody writes clearer, more compelling battlefield scenes, and Cornwell shares James Clavell's abiity to transport the reader to another place and time with a minimum of exposition -- a rare gift honed by years of constant practice. Occasionally poetic, often moving, and always thrilling, Cornwell's prose keeps "Fortress" moving at a rollicking pace. Check it out, but not until you've read the earlier books (and check out Cornwell's website for further information on the Sharpe series, which can be confusing because it wasn't written in chronological order).

This is the third book of the series, and I can't seem to read them fast enough. I'm leaving the office early this Friday to go home and read.

Sharpe's Fortress is chronologically the third book in the Sharpe series (following Sharpe's Tiger and Sharpe's Triumph). See Bernard Cornwell's website for the full sequence of the books since they were not written in the chronological order of the events. Personally, I enjoy the Sharpe books. Cornwell puts a lot of effort into researching the history and locales of his works. He has visited the sites in India where the key battles took place and you can see photos on his website. That said, I did enjoy the preceding two books more. By now the novelty has worn off and the characters have been defined. Too many pages are spent restating the impregnability of the fortress. Nevertheless, this is great historical military fiction. Reading Cornwell is like being there and looking up at the walls of Gawilghur with cannon balls passing overhead! Promoted from the ranks, Sharpe acts on his determination to be good officer, in spite of the misgivings of his superiors. This completes the Sharpe in India stories. Next it's off to Trafalgar.

The third in Cornwall's pre-series, "Sharpe's Fortress" finds Richard Sharpe back in India on his final adventure there before returning to take up arms against the French in Spain. With over 15 novels in this series, Sharpe may be starting to get a little worn, but Cornwall's compelling writing and genius for historical detail, espcially in military matters, always makes every Sharpe novel a worthwhile and interesting read. After Wellsely's (later Duke of Wellington) astonishing victory at Assaye, the remnants of the Mahratta confederation fell back upon their supposedly inpregnible fortress at Gawilghur. The interesting thing about Cornwall is that he brings to life often obscure aspects of military history during the Napoleanic period. While certainly a few have heard of Sir Arthur's great victory at Assaye in 1803, the subsequent siege of the Mahratta hill fortress has generally been religated as a footnote in the establishment of the British empire in India. Cornwall shows that despite eventual British triumph, the siege was no cake walk for them. The short-work that the assulting British troops finally made of the defending Indian garrison may offend the Politically Correct today. And yes, this is a book about run down red-coats like Richard Sharpe, and is not meant to tell the story from the perspective of the Mahratta, or Indians in general. Cornwall revels in the persona of the underdog British redcoat, that down-trodden creature of Britains pre-industrial slums, of which Richard Sharpe is a prime example. While Sharpe does come across as almost super-human in this book, and indeed the entire series, his character personifies the tough, gritty determination of the British soldier in this period. There is a reason why a handful of red-coats conquered India, and while this may offend our sensibilities today, we can gain from understanding how and by whom it was accomplished. India as a nation did not exist in 1800, and the various petty states that existed were never able to present a united front against the small British presence there. A handful of "Sharpes" under brilliant leadership were able to conquer an entire continent. As Europeans, we should not be ashamed of this, and should rather endeavor to understand how it came to happan in the first place. Cornwall's historical fiction provides a glimpse as to how this was done, by showing the various personalities and characters involved, and by weaving fiction with fact, we gain an understanding of long forgotton battlefields in distant and exotic lands. Cornwall's writing is graphic and violent at times, but no one ever said the early 19th century was ever a gentle and nice place to live! The novels of Jane Austen provide a false perspective in this regard. Sharpe and those like him were considered animals by polite society, yet their blood and sweat made Britain an empire. Those with politically correct views, may be offended, but might just learn something in the process. Sharpe continues to march on, providing entertainment and high adventure, as well as fine historical detail. What better combination can one ask for!

How did I not know how amazing these books were until now?! Typically I lean to scifi & fantasy & some historical or contemporary fiction. But over the years I would hear about the "Sharpe" series - and that there were something like 18 of these books. Didn't sound like my cup of tea really. But then I caught part of one of the ITV tv episodes and it was well, just ok. Not great - but I understood more of what the series was about. An "everyman" enlisted soldier who had risen thru the ranks thru bravery and action. Plus Sean Bean was a terrific Richard Sharpe. I mean talk about perfectly cast.

So I started with Sharpe's Tigers - the first chronological of the series - and I devoured it. I was speechless at Cornwell's craft. The book seemed so... real. So vivid, this wasn't history - this was real. These characters leapt off the page and into action. Sharpe is amazing character. We see ourselves in him, from humble birth, but given a chance he takes control of his life. Loyal to his friends, charming to the ladies and never afraid of a fight. Who wouldn't follow this man into hell!

This is the third of his India series and frankly its hard to not want to sit and read this with a few strong cups of coffee and do nothing else. His revenge is at hand, the dastardly Hakeswell and Dodd are within his grasp! There is a scene towards the end when Sharpe comes up with a plan to storm the impregnable fortress and he rallies his former light company to action and its simply fantastic to watch him work. How he inspires the men, gives them confidence, he was one of them and they know it.

The detail in these books is simply fantastic. When the soldiers fire their guns or cannons, we learn quickly and succinctly thru Cornwell's deft hand what type of guns they are using and the difference say between a musket and a rifle in the art of war. We lean about 16 pounders and grapeshot and cannister! Every page has a word I've never heard of before and I am just soaking it up. Its like being there! Well ok not really but every now and then I shake my head in sadness at what the British soldiers endured. Amazing.