Customer Reviews

Sharpe's Regiment (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #17)

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While there is some action in northern Spain and the invasion of southern France, in between the novel deals with the pecculations in the British Army circa 1813. The use of crimps was a common practice to supply crews for merchant ships (see Charles Tyng's "Before the Wind"). The Royal Navy used press gangs (see "John Nicol, Mariner"), but the British Army of that time period did not have authority to draft or press men. Consequently, the less popular regiments resorted to crimps to supplement the efforts of their recruiting sergeants. Up to the early 20th century, losses to disease were high in addition to battle casualties. A constant supply of new recruits was necessary.

When replacements for the South Essex fail to arrive in Spain, Major Sharpe is sent back to England to investigate accompanied by Patrick Harper, recently promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), and two junior officers. This leads to the immediate problem of finding the missing Second Battalion of the South Essex. Sharpe and Harper are old campaigners, rough individuals with many skills and willing to kill enemies - definitely not to be trifled with. Finding the battalion is one thing, but getting the replacements to Spain is another matter. Crimping has been carried to extreme heights involving highly placed people. Trained companies are being sold to the highest bidder to fill the needs of other regiments. Sharpe may be a skilled combat soldier, but he is not a diplomat and is unwilling to compromise. It helps to be a hero in favor with the Prince of Wales, but his real assistance comes from unexpected allies.

A side trip takes Sharpe into the St. Giles slum of his youth to dispose of a bagfull of diamonds acquired as spoils after the Battle of Vitoria. This provides an interesting view of the underside of sociey where life is cheap, and some commentary on Sharpe's early beginnings.

Cornwell's Napoleonic war series takes a break from the action in Spain to send Major Sharpe, his boon companion Sgt. Harper and two other trusted officers back to England to find out why they haven't been getting any recruits. Without new recruits, the South Essex regiment has fallen to dangerously understrength size and could be disbanded. They arrive in London to discover some shady dealings afoot, pay and provisions are being drawn from the army for men who are neither at the barracks or en route to Spain. Sharpe and Harper are forced to go undercover as raw recruits to discover the whereabouts of the missing men, and who's skimming the money. Along the way Sharpe runs into many characters from past adventures, including a big sister type from his street urchin days, his old commander Lawford who is now in government, his old nemesis Sir Henry Simmerson, and his personal English Rose, the lovely Jane Gibbons. He also meets and charms the airheaded Prince of Wales, and makes yet another dangerous enemy in Lord Fenner. It's a novel departure from the normal army action we're used to in the series, and Cornwell treats the reader to many neat tidbits about how recruiting worked, and how susceptible the system was to corruption. Of course, since it's a Sharpe book, there is a rousing battle finale as the army pushes into France.

In Sharpe's Regiment, Richard Sharpe takes a time out from the horrors of the Peninsular Campaign and finds an even more appalling situation back home in England. If reading the series in order, this book will provide you with a different look at Sharpe and serve as the turning point in both his military and personal lives. As always Cornwell's attention to historical detail shines through, showing the reader what was going on back in England while Wellington's forces persued Napolean across Europe.

The latest installment of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series has Major Richard Sharpe, a rifle officer of the South Essex Regiment, battling with corrupt politicians and crooked military officers. He is sent to England to fetch fresh recruits for his division. While at home he discovers a plot to sell his recruits to the highest bidder. Naturally he must foil these underhanded crooks and bring back recruits to his depleted regiment back in Spain. Surprisingly there are no battles (until the very end) , and Sharpe must outflank some crafty politicians using methods that he is not accustomed to. An interesting note is that this book includes a small view of Sharpe's personal history.

Bernard Cornwell writes good books. He is fun to read and his stores are always packed with adventure, action and intrigue. As with all of Sharpe books they keep you interested until the end. I have trouble putting them down. Cornwell's style is fast paced plots and snappy dialog, you may guess the ending but who cares, half the fun is getting there.

If this is your first Sharpe book don't let it be your last, "Sharpe's Eagle" and "Sharpe's Company" are among the best in the series. However, all of Cornwell's Sharpe books are good reads, you will not be disappointed.

Fresh from the victory at Vitoria detailed in "Sharpe's Honor", Sharpe is sent back to England to solve a mystery. His regiment is in danger of being broken up because of its low numbers, the replacement battalion back in the homeland is being converted to a shell unit for new recruits and soldiers in transit, but meanwhile it's still showing up on the payroll at full strength. What's up?

Sharpe, accompanied by Harper and two others, goes back to find out, and finds himself in a political rat's nest that threatens him with oblivion, up against an unscrupulous minister, Sharpe's incompetent former commander Simmerson, and a twisted martinet, who make thousands illegally selling recruits like cattle out of a secret training camp to hellhole tropical postings.

On the upside, he finds an unlikely ally in an English noblewoman deeply in debt - and also encounters Simmerson's niece, Jane Gibbons, whose enchanting likeness he had carried in a locket for years. Naïve in the ways of London drawing rooms, Sharpe has little going for him in London - except that he has one big fan: the Prince of Wales.

An enjoyable break from Sharpe's years in dusty Spain and Portugal.

Cornwell's Napoleonic war series takes a break from the action in Spain to send Major Sharpe, his boon companion Sgt. Harper and two other trusted officers back to England to find out why they haven't been getting any recruits. Without new recruits, the South Essex regiment has fallen to dangerously understrength size and could be disbanded. They arrive in London to discover some shady dealings afoot, pay and provisions are being drawn from the army for men who are neither at the barracks or en route to Spain. Sharpe and Harper are forced to go undercover as raw recruits to discover the whereabouts of the missing men, and who's skimming the money. Along the way Sharpe runs into many characters from past adventures, including a big sister type from his street urchin days, his old commander Lawford who is now in government, his old nemesis Sir Henry Simmerson, and his personal English Rose, the lovely Jane Gibbons. He also meets and charms the airheaded Prince of Wales, and makes yet another dangerous enemy in Lord Fenner. It's a novel departure from the normal army action we're used to in the series, and Cornwell treats the reader to many neat tidbits about how recruiting worked, and how susceptible the system was to corruption. Of course, since it's a Sharpe book, there is a rousing battle finale as the army pushes into France.

One of the things that I enjoy about Cornwell's Sharpe novels is the real picture the reader gets of the life and times of the common soldier. In this book, Sharpe is forced to return to England to find out why his army is not receiving new troops to replace the ones who have been lost to French lead. His quest forces both he and Patrick Harper to go undercover as new recruits in order to expose former Col. Henry Simmerson. The reader gets a real feel of how a soldier was recruited and trained during this time period in England. The book also brings in the Prince of Wales whose addoration of Sharpe earns the regiment the new name of the Prince of Wales Own! I just can't get enough of Richard Sharpe!

"He will repay my enemies for their evil." -- Psalm 54:5

Sharpe's Regiment is an unusually satisfying entry into this series because the book is literally crammed with evil doers who need comeuppance. And who will deliver that comeuppance, if anyone? Why, Major Richard Sharpe, of course, is at your service.

Unlike the other books in the series that take place during the Peninsular Wars, this one has relatively little action in Spain. Instead, Sharpe and Harper are mostly prowling the English countryside and London. It's an amusing change of pace to which Bernard Cornwell adds a rousing battle at the end in the epilogue. Like the best books in the series, it also pretty closely follows the real history.

So what's it all about? The campaign for Spain was settled by the Battle of Vittoria. Now it's time to mop up the remaining French and to invade France through the Pyranees. The South Essex is being starved for replacements and Sharpe learns that the unit is going to be disbanded. Wellington would rather have veteran units be reinforced rather than replaced and agrees for Sharpe to go to London to see what can be done.

The fun starts when Sharpe tries to tackle the bureaucracy and falls into the middle of political intrigue and financial peculation. There will always be those who seek to profit from war, and the British of this time were no exception. Sharpe begins to realize that even his hero's status cannot solve the problem without proof, and he goes undercover as it were to seek such proof.

The story features two beautiful women who find Sharpe attractive, an old friend, a greedy new enemy, a greedy old enemy, and many minor villains. Sharpe takes us from the top of British society to its dregs, and we gain a colorful, unforgettable portrait of England in the early 19th century. I was especially interested in the careful descriptions of how current and retired, injured soldiers were seen by the citizens they protected.

Bernard Cornell has packed the equivalent of about six novels into this one without making it seem overly dense. Keep your sense of humor as you imagine how Sharpe is reacting to all the fools around him, and you'll enjoy many good laughs from this very satirical and ironical story of beating Napoleon.

Have fun!

I ordered this item and received it on time and in excellent condition. Exactly what I had expected.

I have read all of the Sharpe's series up to this point and I am never disappointed. This book is unlike the others in that it does not deal extensively with the battlefield overseas, rather it is primairly set in England. But never mind that, it is full of action and excitement. The amazing thing about this series is that every one is different but still contains the same elements: grapic action scenes, spellbinding adventure and just a bit of personal interest/romance. Get the book, but be advised, you won't be able to put it down till it is finished!