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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sharpe as ever!, April 17, 2003
For long-time fans like me who found "Sharpe's Prey" below par, I'm pleased to say that this one returns to first principles, frog-bashing in the Peninsula; and the author is back on form. If you wondered what happened to Sharpe, Harper & Co. after they joined forces on the retreat to Vigo (Sharpe's Rifles, Jan. 1809) and before Talavera (Sharpe's Eagle, July 1809), here's the answer. The Greenjackets are in the wilds of Portugal where the best Sharpe stories are set. Richard Sharpe is a disgruntled rifle lieutenant not long promoted from sergeant (not as unheard of in the British army as people think, especially when there was fighting to be done). Marshal Soult, 'Duke of Damnation' and aspiring King of Portugal, is closing in. Is all lost? Wait! an obscure sepoy general called Wellesley has landed at Lisbon ...
I'll leave the plot there except to say that it's a ripping yarn (and I've been reading them for twenty years). We meet an upper-class villain fit to take on Sir Henry Simmerson; a beautiful, runaway heiress; and a young Portuguese officer of character and education who has a thing or two to learn from Sharpe. Deja vu? Well, some of the best vus are deja. There have been better ones than this but not many. The atmosphere is as thick as Dan Hagman's tea. There are passages of real sardonic humor, which comes as a relief after the last outing. The action sequences are many and unsurpassed. My only regret is that an old favorite, Sweet William the one-eyed architecture fancier, hasn't shown up yet.
This isn't the best, but the time slots are filling up and Cornwell makes good use of them. Sharpe and Harper march again. What are you waiting for? And if you didn't understand any of the above, still read the book.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sharpe, Back in the Saddle Again!, January 31, 2004
Sharpe is once more back in Portugal with his friends in the 95th Rifles. This novel is intended to slip inbetween the previous "Sharpe's Rifles" and "Eagle." I suppose it does. Cornwell has cleverly crafted these novels so that each stands on its own. When he first started this series over 10 years ago he never imagined the success it would enjoy. After charging through the campaigns in Portugal and Waterloo he began to back peddle into Sharpe's earlier career to fill out more stories for the series. Thus we have the whole India novels and others which have filled in our heros earlier career. This installment more or less ties up the whole series, but I am sure Cornwell can still get some milage out of Sharpe yet! Here we have the standard formula that has served Cornwell so well over the years. His writing is always simple, direct and exciting. He has crafted these books down to an elegant system which consistently works despite often repeating the same elements over and over. Sharpe always has to face some arrogant English fop officer, he's usually detached with his merry half company of riflemen, safely away from the 2/95th which should be back in England recruiting. And he is always on some vague mission for Hogan or Wellington behind the lines which enables him to exercise his independent judgement. If Sharpe we stuck having to fight in the skirmish line along with everyone else then these stories would not seem half so appealing. In other words if Sharpe had to perform standard duties for a Rifle or Light company officer Cornwell could never have carried the series as far as he has. It's Sharpe's independence which allows Cornwell to develope action and suspence in the series, with a little romance thrown in as well. This time there is only a hint that Sharpe will get the girl in the end! So again we have Sharpe fighting what has become his standard alone on the mountain fort routine against impossible odds. It would seem to be the same old business as usual if Cornwell weren't so gifted in making it interesting and a little different each time. After facing off the French as usual Sharpe and co. rejoin the main action in standard fashion. In this case we have the celebrated action of Colonel Waters and the 3rd Buffs at the Seminary of Oporto. Cornwell neatly inserts Sharpe into the action, giving him credit for getting the Buffs over the river which rightfully belongs to a Portugeuse barber who actually found the boats. Cornwell appologises for this alteration of history, as well as others in order to make his story. The French always come in for particular rancor in these novels. Its almost as if Cornwell wants to put down the hero worship of Naoplean and his marshals during this period. Soult appears like a cream-puff with his pretensions to the crown of Portugal and his concern more for cusine than military dispositions. The French themselves as always look like a bunch of pillaging rapists practicing the Napoleanic principles of living off the land. Cornwell shows us what that term often implied. The final battle itself is always well done, Cornwell provides an exciting account of the several fruitless French assaults upon the Buffs at the Seminary. His descriptions always make the action seem a lot more bloody than it actually was, but to the men involved it must have seemed that way. Once the main action is over Sharpe is back on his own to settle old scores with the current bad guy of the novel, in this case the nasty and effiminate colonel Christopher who really can't provide a decent challenge for our hero so there is no grand sword fight at the end. Sharpe coldly disposes of him in the midst of the French army's epic retreat from Oporto. There is one worthwhile French character based on reality, the heroic Major Dulong who actually did save Soult's army at the bridges in question. Such men did make the French army what it was, even if their dash and ardor could not often stand up to the murderous British platoon vollies encountered in the Peninsular. As always Cornwell does a splendid job conjuring up these images from a colorful period of warfare. Shapre marches on again.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Filling in Sharpe's Career, January 24, 2004
This book was, perhaps, inspired by Forester's "Rifleman Dodd." In this case, a large group of riflemen are cut off behind French Lines instead of a single rifleman. As in Forester's novel, they take decisive action to turn the tide. Like other novels in the series, it is based on real events. After having Sharpe settle in France with his mistress, the author steps back in time to fill in a part of Sharpe's career, in this case in northern Portugal in 1809. It is based on the French capture of Oporto, and Marshal Soult's defeat by General Wellesley and his retreat back out of Portugal. The novel has a significant amount of blood and gore, including details of pillage, rape, and murder of civilians (based on content, I would give it a PG-13 rating). It illustrates the pig-headed type of military commander who expends men by assaulting enemy strongpoints rather than relying on strategy, bypassing strongpoints, and cutting off enemy supply lines. Perhaps it illustrates the historic problem of officers rising to general through influence rather than ability. There is also the double dealing Christopher from the Foreign Office, who tries to play both sides of the game. Sharpe again meets Lord Pumphrey of the Foreign Office, a somewhat shady individual who eliminates people who might know too much. Lord Pumphrey considers Christoper a problem, and sends Sharpe to deal with the problem. As in Denmark, it is convenient for the Foreign Office to have a murderous rogue like Sharpe available. There are some tasks that could not be assigned to a well-bred gentleman.
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