Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles #1)

3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 · rating details · 1,801 ratings · 97 reviews

A Powerful and evocative story of the civil war's
first battle and the men who fought it

When Richmond landowner Washington Faulconer snatches young Nate Starbuck from the grip of a Yankee-hating mob, Nate is both grateful and awed by his idealistic rescuer. Turning his back forever on the life he left in Boston, Nate agrees to join the newly formed Flaulconer's Legion, even

...more

Hardcover, 309 pages

Published by HarperCollins Publishers (first published January 1st 1993)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson

Best Civil War Books

231st out of 386 books — 412 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,720)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Aug 03, 2007 Gpritchard rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've gotten more interested in Civil War books, both fiction and non-fiction. This fictional book tells of Nathaniel Starbuck, a son of a northern, radical (emphasis on radical) abolitionist preacher, who flees Yale Divinity School, comes south, and ends up in the Confederate forces being led by a friend's wealthy father.

I thought the day-to-day issues of preparing for war and the variety of folks involved in war prep (some realistically honorable, some opportunistic, etc.) , absurdities, etc.)...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 06, 2010 Eric_W rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Rebel is the first in the Nathaniel Starbuck series. Cornwell is best known for the Richard Sharpe series, but he has also written novels about Stonehenge and the Arthurian legend (all on my must-read list). The Starbuck series follows Nate Starbuck, son of Elial Joseph Starbuck, a radical abolitionist preacher, to the South, where he enlists in the Faulconer Legion, more from antagonism toward his father than from any allegiance to states’ rights or slavery.

Nate, while at Yale Seminary, had be...more Rebel is the first in the Nathaniel Starbuck series. Cornwell is best known for the Richard Sharpe series, but he has also written novels about Stonehenge and the Arthurian legend (all on my must-read list). The Starbuck series follows Nate Starbuck, son of Elial Joseph Starbuck, a radical abolitionist preacher, to the South, where he enlists in the Faulconer Legion, more from antagonism toward his father than from any allegiance to states’ rights or slavery.

Nate, while at Yale Seminary, had become enamored of a lithe (lithe, always lithe) young actress, who cons him into helping her rob the owner of the theater where she is performing. They flee together to Virginia just as Fort Sumter falls. She is met at the station by her lover and dumps Nate who, recognized as a Yankee, is about to be tarred and feathered by a mob, when he is summarily rescued by Washington Faulconer, an incredibly wealthy Virginia scion. Faulconer’s money was all made in the stock market and railroads, so his manumission of household slaves hardly represented much commitment to any particular position on the slavery issue. He takes Nate on first as his secretary, then as a lieutenant in his new legion. Elial is incensed at his son’s betrayal of abolitionist values.

Elial is the classic zealot who insists one can recognize a Southerner on sight because of their ape-like features stemming from poor breeding, hence their addiction to slavery. Elial glories in the destruction and blood of the battlefield and hands out biblical tracts to dying men, ignoring their pleas for water. Thaddeus Bird, Faulconer’s brother-in-law, is one of the funniest characters, and he nails Faulconer’s braggadocio and arrogance. He recognizes Nate's valuable qualities. "He can think, Adam, and that's a distressingly rare talent among young men. Most of you believe that it is sufficient to merely agree with the prevailing sentiment, which is of course what dogs and churchgoers do. Starbuck has a mind. . . . and he's endowed with a talent for cruelty."

Another favorite quote of mine attributed to his famous general grandfather is: "War is much like making love to a woman, an activity full of delights, but none of them predictable, and the best of them capable of inflicting grievous injury on a man.” Vignettes of famous people abound. The image of Nathaniel Banks, the Union general at Second Manassas, filled with self-importance, who wanted nothing better than to run for president, preening himself in front of his sycophants until he realizes things are not going so well against Stonewall is a minor classic. Belvidere Delaney, the Southern attorney who presciently realizes the North will win the war and who volunteers to spy for the north is another wonderfully drawn character. Another great character is the foul-mouthed swear-you-under-the-table Nathan Evans, a Confederate colonel. For example: "Faulconer doesn't have men, boy, he has white-livered fairies, Milksops, Mudsills, Black-assed, shadbellied, shit-faced, pussy-hearted trash. . . [and:] Boston, a shit hole. A piss hole. A city of puking crap, Christ, but I hate Boston. A city of Black-assed Republican trash. A city of interfering, hymn-singing, lickbelly women who are no damned good for anything." Let's see Tony Soprano top that!

Cornwell must have done considerable research. One scene has all the qualities of verisimilitude and too delightful not to quote. A surgeon has just amputated a Northern soldier’s leg and the patient won’t come up from under the chloroform haze despite the ammonia spirits the assistant is waving under his nose. “ ‘Give me the chloroform,’ the doctor ordered, then took a scalpel to the patient’s torn trousers and cut back the tattered, bloody cloth to reveal the man’s genitals. ‘Behold a miracle,’ the doctor announced and poured a trickle of chloroform onto the unconscious man’s testicles. The man seemed to go into instant spasm and tried to sit up. ‘Frozen balls,’ the doctor said happily, ‘known in the profession as the Lazarus effect.’ ” The book culminates with the Battle of Manassas, during which Starbuck discovers his true vocation, that of a soldier. The battle scenes, while horribly realistic, are less interesting than the characters surrounding Nate. Nate, having met the “elephant” realizes that even though terrified, it appeals to him. He learned that “war was a gigantic game of chance, a huge gamble, a denial of all predestination and prudence.” The adventures continue in the second volume, entitled Copperhead. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Michael J. Fox rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's become something of a cliche to hear people say 'I really related to character X or Y' when they talk about books, it's almost as bad as 'I couldn't put it down' (honestly? We're you orbiting the Earth or does physics hate you?) and 'It was a real page-turner' (most books involve turning pages, unless it's on a Kindle or something equally as swanky, doesn't make it special).
HOWEVER. From almost the first page I felt the story of Nathaniel Starbuck was like what my life would have been lik...more It's become something of a cliche to hear people say 'I really related to character X or Y' when they talk about books, it's almost as bad as 'I couldn't put it down' (honestly? We're you orbiting the Earth or does physics hate you?) and 'It was a real page-turner' (most books involve turning pages, unless it's on a Kindle or something equally as swanky, doesn't make it special).
HOWEVER. From almost the first page I felt the story of Nathaniel Starbuck was like what my life would have been like in 1862 America. I could entirely relate to the upbringing of being forced into an unwanted fancy education, being surrounded by values that while you might not necessarily disagree with you just don't seem to be as hardcore in as everyone around you, being monumentally bad with women and having that one in your life who breaks your heart... I could go on, but I'd begin listing and this would drift into the territory of spoilers.
So yeah, I feel like the main character is me. But what else makes this book so great? There's vivid characters, great description of the scenery blah blah (so good, that I actually wanted to fly over to America a few times to see the places for myself). This book has everything you'd want from a book, in that sense it's almost perfect to a fault. What truly makes this book great is the fact that it's so gritty. So many books try to make heroic characters, and either fail miserably and end up creating some kind of superhero-esque character that becomes boring to read about as it removes all sense of danger; or they end up glorifying the conflict they are set in. 'Rebel', and the following three books, do neither, in fact they do the very opposite.
The battle scenes are well paced and provide enough action to tell the story of what happened without getting too bogged down. The book itself is very well paced and is a good example of what juxtaposition (if Michael Bay is reading this, look it up in a dictionary and then beat yourself to death with said dictionary) looks like. There's nothing bad I can really say about these four books except that there aren't more, and that it's sad the story hasn't been seen through to the end.
10/10, it was such a page turner that I couldn't put it down.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 16, 2012 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nathaniel Starbuck shouldn't be in South, but this son of a preacher man is positively hopeless when it comes to the ladies. Love tore him from the seminary, and it led him into Virginia just as the United States was about to be rent in war, as southern aristocrats -- having finally lost their domineering influence over the path of the nation -- seceded from the union rather than face the prospect of inevitable change. The appearance of a Bostonian in their midst on the eve of war doesn't sit ri...more Nathaniel Starbuck shouldn't be in South, but this son of a preacher man is positively hopeless when it comes to the ladies. Love tore him from the seminary, and it led him into Virginia just as the United States was about to be rent in war, as southern aristocrats -- having finally lost their domineering influence over the path of the nation -- seceded from the union rather than face the prospect of inevitable change. The appearance of a Bostonian in their midst on the eve of war doesn't sit right with the townfolk, and Starbuck makes his first appearance running from an angry mob set on tarring and feathering him. Fortunately, young Nathaniel is friends with the richest man in Falcouner County -- Washington Falcouner, who owns a mansion with its own name. Such influence is handy, for it saves Nate's life...but in return for his assistance, Falcouner would like Nate to join his fancy new regiment. While some fear war, to Falcouner it's a marvelous opportunity to dress in uniforms, salute the flag, woo the ladies, and win some glory. So Nate, son of an abolitionist preacher, is thrown by chance where no one would possibly expect to find him: in the ranks of the Confederate Army, where he will find what fate has in store for him.

I never expected to read the Starbuck Chronicles, for despite having been born and raised in the South, I've always been a stalwart Union man. The idea of a northern fellow fighting for the rebels did not sit well with me at all. Oh, I grudgingly figured I would try the first book one day, because it was after all a Bernard Cornwell novel, and I am rather enamored of his work -- but I didn't plan on liking it. As it happens, Nathaniel Starbuck is not an idealist. Frankly, I was off my rocker to suspect that a Cornwell protagonist would be fighting for 'principles'. No, like Richard Sharpe or Thomas Hookton, Nate is just someone who found himself in the middle of a war, realized he had a talent for soldiering, and decided to play the cards he'd been dealt. Starbuck is no more a states-rights enthusiast than Sharpe is a fan of British foreign policy, but defend it he shall, because he happened to be on that side of the Potomac when the war broke out, and -- well, it'd enrage his father, and wouldn't that be fun?

Rebel is the story of a man finding himself in battle -- at the Battle of Bull Run -- but he really starts off a boy, and this sets him apart from every other Cornwell hero I've yet read. Even when Uhtred of Bebbanburg was a boy, he brimmed over with confidence -- his charging the Norse to avenge his fallen father so impressed them that they adopted him. But Nate Starbuck is a fuzzy-faced teenager by comparison. He's utterly unsure of himself: only that profound weakness for women kept him from being utterly dominated by his father. I've haven't seen a character this easily or drastically derailed by women since The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Nathan was raised Puritan, but he can't help being a lover...and love will turn him into a fighter and see him change the fate of a nation.

Nate Starbuck amuses me. Of course the novel is superb, filled with little details that make Cornwell's world seem real, and the characters are as ever fantastic, constantly defying expectations. But Cornwell's series are known for their larger-than-life heroes, and this one has just gotten his boots on. I'm looking forward to seeing what he makes of himself. As I seem to be sliding into an American Civil War mood (for the first time since 2003...), I may be reading the series this summer. I'm interested in seeing what an English author like Cornwell makes of a conflict that involves only Americans.

Related:
The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara
Rifles for Watie, Harold Keith. Meant for teenagers, set in the west, about a young boy who joins the Union army and has various wartime adventures, including a stint pretending to be a rebel after he's caught behind enemy lines scouting.(less)

like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 T.D. McKinnon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

‘Rebel’ is the story of a young man’s journey, escaping his origins - a ‘Fire and Brimstone’, deeply religious upbringing, an overbearing, dictatorial father and a Harvard seminary, where he was meant to finish as a minister of the faith, like his father - to the Southern States, at a time when the North and South stood on the brink of America’s civil war.

It opens with the young man, Nathaniel Starbuck, newly arrived in Richmond and picked out as a Yankee by an angry mob.

I am obviously not an Am...more

like · see review

Jan 30, 2011 Alex Telander rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2002

In 1993 Bernard Cornwell began one of his first series to actually be completed. This book gives new insight into the American Civil War, which is an interesting series to write, considering Cornwell is a native of England. Nevertheless, this series, entitled The Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles, presents a new and different viewpoint of the Civil War, specifically from the Confederate point of view. Ironically, Starbuck himself is a Yankee.

In this first book, the reader is introduced to Nathaniel...more

like · see review

May 26, 2009 Graham rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, historical, american-civil-war

Cornwell’s REBEL starts off with an excellent, humiliating and very painful enaction of the whole classic tar-and-feather punishment meted out by Americans in the 19th century, and it’s enlightening to find out just what this process entails. It’s this kind of minute detail that distinguishes Cornwell’s wide-ranging research from other contemporary efforts. For example, later in the story we learn what a ‘ganderpull’ means, and Cornwell pulls no punches in his in-your-face description of it. Sur...more Cornwell’s REBEL starts off with an excellent, humiliating and very painful enaction of the whole classic tar-and-feather punishment meted out by Americans in the 19th century, and it’s enlightening to find out just what this process entails. It’s this kind of minute detail that distinguishes Cornwell’s wide-ranging research from other contemporary efforts. For example, later in the story we learn what a ‘ganderpull’ means, and Cornwell pulls no punches in his in-your-face description of it. Sure, we probably would have been better off without knowing, but it’s all here and adds an extra layer onto the narrative.

The main thrust of this novel is a character-driven story about Starbuck, the son of a Northern preacher who, through a series of misadventures, ends up fighting for the Southern cause. As this is the first book in a series, Cornwell uses an extraordinary amount of padding and background information to shape his world, as well as introducing the dozen-or-so characters that provide the main focus of the story.

As such, this is a slow-moving book that is surprisingly lacking in verve, although Cornwell’s prose is as tough and witty as ever. It does make for an interesting story, but it also means that this is a book hard to get into, which takes forever to get moving – right until the last pages in fact.

The only action, so to speak, is in the last quarter, telling as it does the battle of Bull Run, the first of the war. Here, Cornwell is up to his elbows in astonishingly gruesome bloodshed and realistic, down-to-earth relating of man’s heroism and cowardice, and the feel of taking part in a military operation. It’s fantastic stuff, but it’s a shame that it takes nearly all of the book to get this far.

As for the hero, Starbuck is from the outset the direct opposite of Sharpe, a rather whiny, by-the-book character who finally grows into a real hero – but again, that happens right at the end of the story, so you have to put up with his less-than-impressive characteristics right until then. At least he only had to do it once...(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 22, 2010 Wayne Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great read! The civil war is one of my favorite subjects and this historical novel takes a look at the war from the point of view of a young man from Boston who finds himself fighting for the South. The book is the first in I guess several that center on the impetuous Nathaniel Starbuck as he serves the confederacy.

I was struck by how unorganized the South was as they went to war. The citizens of the South were a much more individual centered society. They didn't go for many rules and they did...more A great read! The civil war is one of my favorite subjects and this historical novel takes a look at the war from the point of view of a young man from Boston who finds himself fighting for the South. The book is the first in I guess several that center on the impetuous Nathaniel Starbuck as he serves the confederacy.

I was struck by how unorganized the South was as they went to war. The citizens of the South were a much more individual centered society. They didn't go for many rules and they didn't like to take orders. These Southern Gentlemen had their own ideas about being governed and I think their biggest problem with they Yankees was not the abolition of Slavery but more to do with the Yankees telling them what to do.

If one were to remove slavery from the equation I think I find my sympathies lie with the South as they seem to have a better take on the power of the Federal Government. They don't trust the Feds and they don't want the Feds to have more power than the individual States. The South is fighting to keep their slaves but their basic reason for fighting is to keep the rights of the States more powerful than the rights of the Federal Government.

Cornwell in this book shows the North as unwilling to compromise or negotiate with the South. Cornwell thinks that if the Feds had come up with a plan to compensate the Slave states for freeing the slaves that the South would have gone for it. Most were looking for a way out of slavery. It seems that Cornwell sees this war as more of a war between State rights and the Feds need for a powerful central government.

Who knows if the ideas of the founding fathers especially Thomas Jefferson to keep most of the power of governance in the hands of the States would have worked in our modern world but you have to figure that if the Feds were a little less powerful we wouldn't have been in Korea, Vietnam, or Iraq wars it might have even been that we would have missed WW I and perhaps even WW II.

I guess that is one reason why our Civil War is such a fascinating time in our country's history. The Battle of Bulls Run had it been a victory for the North would have ended the Civil War right then and there. The South's improbable victory at Manasas or Bulls Run, won in spite of the confusion and lack of leadership from the South, turned the war into a long and bloody slug fest. With brother fighting brother with an intensity and anger that can only be seen when a brother fights his brother.

Again great book, I couldn't put it down. Not quite as good as Killer Angels but right up there with my favorite Civil War Novels. (less)

like · see review

Jun 20, 2010 Joyce Lagow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: civil-war, historical-fiction, kindle-edition

Nathaniel Starbuck is a Northerner, the son of a Calvinist, fire-eating, abolitionist preacher, who finds himself in the South in Virginia at the outbreak of the US Civil war. Having run off with an actress who has taken him for all he has, Starbuck is penniless and friendless in less than friendly surroundings. He makes his way to the home of one of his best friends whose family is one of the wealthiest in Virginia. Almost by accident and without strong convictions either way, Starbuck becomes...more

like · see review

May 04, 2009 Elisabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was entertained by the story, however it didn't really start to pick up until Bull Run, during the last 1/3 of the book. Felt like the character development was pretty good in everyone except Starbuck, the main protagonist. I felt like he was pretty one dimensional, again until near the end. He constantly seems to be distracted by remotely attractive women, to the point of complete oblivion, which seemed a little far fetched--are there no remotely attractive women in 19th century Boston? Also,...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 12, 2012 Ed rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

This is the first Cornwell book I have read. I am told I should start with the Sharpe series but I fell into this one so there you have it. I was immediately drawn in by the story. Nate Starbuck (I thought about coffee constantly during this book) is a yankee who hates his crazy, abolitionist preacher father. He steals money and flees to Virginia with his floozy girlfriend who immediately takes the money and leaves Nate. As it happens, Nate lands in Richmond just after the fall of Ft Sumter (For...more

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 01, 2012 Christian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

An interesting read about the first Battle of Manassas or Bull Run. The hero is the Boston born son of a fanatic abolitionist preacher enlisting with the fictional Faulconer Legion to fight for the South. Nathaniel "Nate" Starbuck as the young man is called, is everything that Cornwell's Richard Sharpe is not. The well educated young man, has been to theological seminary, comes from a good family and is easily struck by women (well there is something in common). Nate is looking forward to his fi...more

like · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Jorgen Schäfer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Bernard Cornwell’s Rebel brings us back to the start of the American civil war. Nathanial Starbuck is the son of a vehement anti-slavery preacher, but “Nate” as he is called does not like his snobby family. He starts to make friends among the “southrons,” and soon finds himself stuck in the war between the states.

As the first book of the Starbuck Chronicles, Rebel has the burden of having to introduce the characters. This gives it a slow start, but roughly halfway through I found myself back in...more

like · see review

Oct 04, 2011 Peter Meredith rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So far a little slow and a little too involved. When Stephen King goes on for a thousand pages in The Stand, I wanted another thousand. With this author, Cornwell, however, I'm already a trifle bored after only half the book. Is this about the civil war or what. An action/adventure novel should have a touch more action/and adventure for my tastes.
Finally done. This book couldn't hold my attention too long. Perhaps I was in the mood for a little more war in my war book and a lot less angst. The b...more

like · see review

Mar 26, 2010 Joseph rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: military-fiction

If you've read a pile of Sharpe's books by Cornwell, you may feel like skipping the Starbuck Chronicles. On the other hand, you might feel like reading an American Civil War version of a Sharpe's book, in which case, jump right in.

The language of the battle sequences is familiar to readers of Cornwell's other books, and the characters are perhaps modestly different than the Sharpe's books, but we don't read Cornwell for striking innovation in narrative, we read him for rousing battles, dirty tr...more

like · see review

May 12, 2012 Lorri Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love Cornwell as an author, and he writes battle like nobody else BUT I was disappointed with this book and the others in the Starbucks series. I found his natural story telling seemed forced at times, almost as if it belied an ability to relate to American History. Of course, had I not read Cornwell previously, I suspect I would not have the same feelings, but given how spoiled we have been with the quality of his earlier works it was a matter of the product not meeting with expectations. Hav...more

like · see review

Sep 10, 2009 Brandon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first book by Bernard Cornwell I ever read, and I did so in 7th grade. I've said for years that the Starbuck and Sharpe books were the only things that got me out of junior high in one piece.

That being said, Cornwell's unflinchingly graphic with battle scenes, and though this one is two-thirds character- and world-building, the First Battle of Bull Run is no less bloody than any of Cornwell's other battles, and just as richly detailed.

The need for Cornwell to introduce the character...more

like · see review

Nov 05, 2008 Ed rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Civil War and other Historical Fiction fans

Shelves: historical-fiction, reviewed

I might never have picked up this book to read if it hadn't been written by Bernard Cornwell.

I am not a big fan of Civil War novels, "Cold Mountain" notwithstanding.

This volume is the first in the four book "Starbuck" series featuring Nathaniel Starbuck, a conflicted ex-theology student and son of a fiery abolitionist preacher. He is seduced by an actress who dumps him in Richmond, Virginia at the start of the Civil War. He is rescued from tar and feathering by his best friend's father Washingt...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 20, 2013 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Didn't like this book and struggled all the way through it. The first two thirds of the book are complete waffle about a really boring son of a preacher that decides he's going to join a Confederate Legion (he's from the North originally). The final third of the book is all about the first battle (?) of the American Civil War. Heaps of carnage and I hated reading about the poor horses that got killed. The book is well written but a boring story. I won't be reading the rest of the series.

like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

I enjoyed this book - it's got the usual Cornwell attention to detail. The battle scenes and feel of the craziness of civil war is brought out very well. He also does a good job with Starbuck who comes across as a very naive and self-centred young man. And this is part of his charm but also annoyed me. Cornwell shows how most people get sucked into war not for the bigger ideal but for other smaller personal reasons.

I'm not quite sure whether I want to continue with this series as it certainly ha...more

like · see review

Jan 08, 2012 Steve added it · review of another edition

Having enjoyed Bernard Cornwell's earlier novel set during the American War of Independance, I thought I give this a go. It's the first in his 'Starbuck Chronicles', following Nate Starbuck, a northerner fighting in the southern army in the American Civil War.[return][return]Alas I gave this up about 150 pages in. It was okay, but I just didn't really care about the character or what happened. Probably just me.

like · see review

Aug 27, 2012 Nancy Ellis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not my favorite Cornwell book but still very good! Interesting story told from the point of view of a Massachusetts boy fighting for the South in his friend's father's Virginia regiment. Thankfully the story is not romanticized or turned into fantasy as so many Civil War novels are. Through the development of many strong characters, the flaws of human ignorance shine through and make it a very good story.

like · see review

Mar 20, 2011 Erik rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

I think I have been spoiled by the Shaara books on the Civil War which are very good and deal more with battlefield strategy.

Similar to his Sharpre series, Cornwell spends most of the book on a parallel storyline that usually sees it's climax during the books main battle, Bull Run in this case. I think I would enjoy the books more if he spent more time on the battle itself. Oh well... I am still going to read "Copper head".

like · see review

May 12, 2009 Will rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maybe I should have given this four stars, but I'm new to the game and I'd like to avoid grade inflation. The book, and Cornwell's storytelling specifically, caught me up and carried me once again to the place where the world all around slides by as I live in the continuous fictive dream. When the book ended, I wanted to spend more time in the company of that star-crossed rogue, Nate Starbuck.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 17, 2012 Ross Clague rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was such an enjoyable book! I am rapidly becoming a fan of 'historical fiction'. Cornwell takes you to the civil war in a way which shows you the horror the men of this war experienced and shows you the difficulties many must have faced in 'choosing a side'. Should you wish to learn a little of the civil war without the dry text of a history book, this series may well be your medium.

like · see review

Sep 12, 2011 Doug rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like GOOD historical fiction and I believe that Bernard Cornwell writes some of the very best of the genre. While waiting for his latest to hit the book stores I was looking to see what I had missed and discovered I had read none of the Starbucks Chronicles. When I got Rebel, the first in the series, I was sorry that I had overlooked it all this time. Starbuck is an interesting character and Cornwell writes about the Civil War amazingly well ( for a Brit, just kidding). A very good read.

like · see review

May 04, 2011 zoomdoggies rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

I nearly gave up on this book. The central character was pretty useless, and I found it hard to care what happened to him. I understand the tendency of testosterone-poisoned young men to make the same mistake over and over, but this guy was just being stupid. Even so, the latter part of the book did a good job of conveying the confusion, chaos, and craziness of the Battle of Manassas. Because of that, and because I'm a Bernard Cornwell fan, I will probably try the next book in the series.

like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Debby rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Read for our Military Adventure genre training. First of a quartet about the Civil War. This title deals with the First Battle of Manassas. It's a bit of a slow start but once the actual battle begins, the pace picks up (as does the gore) and gives an interesting view of the battle. This describes a fictional legion in an historic battle.

like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not a big war book reader but had this on hand, including part 2. It seems to definitely be written by a man for men. The hero seems to be more of a shumtz than a hero. I'm hoping for better decisions on Nathaniel's part in the next book. Still, interesting enough for me to read through and will probably start book 2 soon.

like · see review

May 18, 2011 David Siler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fun to read, a novel based on the true facts and events of the American Civil War. Nathan Starbuck has run away from his northern heritage and enlists with the Rebel army. The accounts of battle are exciting and vivid. A great read for those wanting an insight into the life of a soldier in the Civil War.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 90 91 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (31)

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

143 users

Military History > Civil War

21 users

War

8 users

War > Military

8 users

American History > American Civil War

6 users

Literature > 19th Century

4 users

Action

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Bernard Cornwell

Cornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his mother's maiden name, Cornwe...more Cornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his mother's maiden name, Cornwell.

Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times, but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.

He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a Green Card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.

As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find that there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.

Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel Sharpe's Company published in 1982.

Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) He also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British, in 1987.

After publishing 8 books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987 and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.

A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and a political thriller called Scoundrel in 1992.

In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.

Cornwell's latest work is titled Azincourt and was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.(less)

More about Bernard Cornwell...

Books by Bernard Cornwell

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)

The Winter King (The Warlord Chronicles, #1)

Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3)

The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Rebel

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Rebel
avg rating	preview: Rebel Goodreads rating: 3.71 (1801 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1607331.Rebel?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1258671697l/1607331.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1607331.Rebel?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Rebel by Bernard Cornwell[/url]

Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website