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Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe #2)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 3,732 ratings · 126 reviews

"I saw you fight at Seringapatam and I doubt Dodd can stand up to you.""He won't, sir, he won't," Sharpe said grimly. "And I'll keep you alive." "If God wills it." Sharpe smiled. "Don't they say God helps those who help themselves, sir? We'll do the job, sir."

Richard Sharpe--soldier, hero, rogue--the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to...more

Paperback, 291 pages

Published July 25th 2000 by Harper Paperbacks (first published January 1st 1998)

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

In 1803, 4 years after his debut in Sharpe's Tiger, Sgt. Richard Sharpe has carved out a more or less comfortable life for himself in Wellesley's army. As the book opens, he has just returned from being the sole survivor of a massacre led by a renegade British officer, Lt. Dodd. Colonel McCandless, the intrepid head of Intelligence for the British East India Company's forces, who befriended Sharpe and who was rescued by Sharpe from the Tippoo Sultan's dungeons during the Battle of Seringapatam i...more

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Feb 08, 2009 Toni Osborne rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Battle of Assaye, September 1803

India 1803, Richard Sharpe surviving a murderous act of treason vows to hunt down the turncoat, a bitter English officer by the name of Major Dobb. Sir Arthur Wellesley with Richard Sharpe at his side enter into the fiercest battle of their career, the bloody battle of Assaye.

Sharpe's Triumph is a riveting story of betrayal and revenge. The description of the battles, the deployment of the troupes and their progress leave you with the horrific feeling of being...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Blablabla Aleatório rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nubia

Índia, setembro de 1803. Quatro anos após derrubar o Sultão Tipu, Sharpe agora é o Sargento Richard Sharpe e tem uma nova missão: ajudar o Coronel McCandless a capturar o Major William Dodd, traidor do exército britânico. Dodd se juntou à Confederação Mahratta determinado a fazer grandes fortunas ajudando a expulsar os britânicos do território indiano e vem provocando bastantes baixas em seu antigo exército. Em sua última incursão, Dodd provocou um massacre em Chasalgaon, um ataque que poderia t...more Índia, setembro de 1803. Quatro anos após derrubar o Sultão Tipu, Sharpe agora é o Sargento Richard Sharpe e tem uma nova missão: ajudar o Coronel McCandless a capturar o Major William Dodd, traidor do exército britânico. Dodd se juntou à Confederação Mahratta determinado a fazer grandes fortunas ajudando a expulsar os britânicos do território indiano e vem provocando bastantes baixas em seu antigo exército. Em sua última incursão, Dodd provocou um massacre em Chasalgaon, um ataque que poderia ter sido considerado de enorme sucesso, se não tivesse deixado um sobrevivente para trás… o sortudo Richard Sharpe.

“Sharpe observou de rabo de olho o homem alto. Sentia-se responsável, amargo, zangado, assustado. O sangue tinha esguichado do ferimento em seu escalpo. Estava tonto, com a cabeça latejando, mas vivo.”

É assim que Dodd acaba na lista negra de Sharpe, que não pensa duas vezes em largar seu posto em Seringapatam e partir com o Coronel McCandless atrás do desertor. Aliado a essa premissa temos o Sargento Hakeswill, seu antigo superior e seu nêmesis que continua tramando formas de se livrar de Sharpe e de quebra ficar com todo o tesouro que o rival “herdou” do Sultão Tipu e uma nova batalha. Assim como em Azincourt, Cornwell traz uma batalha em assimetria numérica: a Batalha de Assaye que aconteceu em 23 de setembro de 1803 e que segundo registros históricos foi um exemplo da perícia (em maior parte sorte) do exército britânico que com apenas 5 mil soldados derrotou um exército de 50 mil. Este último fato, confesso, me fez passar o livro na frente de outros tantos, porque depois da narrativa de Cornwell para a batalha de Azincourt, esperava algo tão ou mais sangrento e cheio de adrenalina (me condenem, mas me delicio com as descrições bélicas do autor). Mas, nesse quesito fiquei insatisfeita. O destaque para as batalhas foi pouco, nada de planos, ardis, baixas… Foram cerca de apenas três capítulos dedicados à batalha, capítulos bem escritos por sinal, mas poucos.

Continue lendo em: http://blablablaaleatorio.com/2012/11...(less)

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Mar 14, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sharpe's Triumph is the second book in the Sharpe series, by Bernard Cornwell. I read the first book, Sharpe's Tiger a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. I meant to continue the series, but the lure of other books called and I just kind of dropped it. When I had the opportunity to select books for my bookclub, I brought this book as one of the options, and it was selected!

Cornwell is an extremely prolific author - he has written many books, in several series. Often when you see this sort of...more Sharpe's Triumph is the second book in the Sharpe series, by Bernard Cornwell. I read the first book, Sharpe's Tiger a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. I meant to continue the series, but the lure of other books called and I just kind of dropped it. When I had the opportunity to select books for my bookclub, I brought this book as one of the options, and it was selected!

Cornwell is an extremely prolific author - he has written many books, in several series. Often when you see this sort of volume of work by a writer, you might wonder about quality, but thus far I have found the books I've read by Cornwell to be good quality.

As one might expect, the Sharpe Series of books is based around a central character named Sharpe. Sharpe is an English man born in the late 1700s. Son of a prostitute who grew up in a foundling home, life was not easy for young Richard Sharpe. While the books are not about his upbringing, we learn snippets as we read that bring us to know the character through his past as well as his present. I think the author does a good job with this, leading to a very well-developed, although flawed, title character.

Sharpe takes "the shilling" as a young man, which means he signs up for the army. Starting as an infantryman private in India, through the series, he rises in rank due to his mixture of cleverness, bravery, and dumb luck. Sharpe has ambition, but it's not the ambition that an unflawed man would have - he wants to rub success in the face of those who tormented him in his past. As an uneducated man born of the lower classes in the class-restrictive society that was England in the 1700's and 1800's, Sharpe has a lot of obstacles to overcome. That's part of what makes the series so interesting - seeing the character meet and overcome these obstacles. Sharpe does have things going for him - he's smart (although uneducated), he's resourceful, and he's a quick learner, adapting himself to the circumstances around him. He has enemies, of course. Throughout the series, the industrious (and odious) Sergeant Hakeswill continues his campaign to get Sharpe. While that isn't a focus of this book, it is there, in the periphery. In this book, Sharpe's enemy becomes Major Dodd, who slaughtered his men at Chasalgaon and who he faces as Assaye. While it's wartime and the enemy is the enemy, I think more of Sharpe's true enemy is class, and society, as he seeks to succeed in his life and times.

In Sharpe's Triumph Sharpe is still in India, an infantry Sergeant in the King's Army. At Chasalgaon, he narrowly escapes death at the hands of a mercenary officer working for an Indian Prince, and joins a quest with an East India Company Officer-and-Spy to pursue the man who slaughtered his men and nearly killed him. In this quest, Sharpe comes across a decision he must make. Things look bleak for the Britishers in the face of these mercenary armies - they are outnumbered and outgunned. Sharpe is offered that thing he seeks - an officer's commission and men to lead - and the promise of riches. All he has to do is join them - the enemy - to become one of those mercenary officers like the man who slaughtered his own men at Chasalgaon.

It's a difficult decision for Sharpe. He justifiably sees his options as extremely limited in the British Army. The situation seems dire for the British Army in that part of India as well. This is a decision that could give Sharpe what he's long desired - officer's stripes and riches. Yet Sharpe remains loyal. The character himself wonders why - he decides it isn't because it would be joining his enemy, or because he had an unrealistic expectation of advancement in the British Army - it seems that even that slim chance of success in an army where the rich buy their positions would enable him to rub that success into the faces of his former tormentors back in England ("the only sash and sword he wanted were the ones that would let him go back to England and spit on the men who had made his life miserable"). His decision also seems to be reinforced by the theft of their horses and shooting of his friend and mentor McCandles, which Sharpe finds distasteful. The plundering rogue Sharpe finding flaw in this theft is hypocritical, but it shows the development of the character well. As much as Sharpe is and has been the rogue, he is more the noble hero in many ways. (one example: Sharpe is tending an injured McCandles at the home of an Indian widow woman. While he could sit back, he does not. He fixes the woman's irrigation ditch and well, etc)

It's this sort of sentiment and logic that makes Sharpe a real character. He's a strange combination of noble gallantry and selfish rogue. The battle between the two is what makes these books extremely interesting and entertaining. He's come from nothing. Everything he has he's earned or stolen.

In this book, Cornwell takes us through the Battle of Assaye, where the British Army meets the Mahratta forces and their mercenaries. If Sharpe had made a different decision, he might be on that other side - the side with more men, more guns, better positions. Instead he is there, with the British Army and Wellesley, in his red coat, facing the dire odds. Another large character in the book, Sir Arthur Wellesley, is the mastermind behind the British forces. Sharpe and Wellesley's lives are intertwined in this series and despite their differences, the two men parallel in many ways (intelligence, cunning, bravery).

When Sharpe was earlier considering his offer to turn coat, he quizzed his East India Company friend and officer/spy, McCandless, on how an enlisted man might become an officer in the British Army. Aside from purchasing a commission, the only route is through 1. Becoming a Sergeant, 2. Being able to read and write, 3. Committing a suicidal gallant act in such a manner that comes to attention of someone high up. By this book, Sharpe is already a Sergeant, he's able to read some, and the battle at Assaye gives him the opportunity for number three - the suicidal gallant act - in front of Sir Arthur Wellesley. But during this suicidal gallant act, Sharpe isn't specifically seeking gallantry. He's saving a life, and he's practicing his most honed skill - that of killing.

After the battle, Sharpe wonders, as we do, if his gallantry will be rewarded. Sharpe indeed receives his desire - a commission. It feels satisfying in an "underdog gets his due" way, but in the world at the time, which the author has so skillfully drawn us into, the reader must wonder if getting what he wants will be a boon to Sharpe. After he promotes Sharpe, Wellesley remarks to another, "It'll turn out badly, of course... it always does." We wonder as the book closes, how will Sharpe handle his new status? How will he, the uneducated rogue, fit into the upper-class society of the British Officers' club?

Overall, I really liked Sharpe's Triumph. It's not the best written book in the world, but I really enjoy the title character and the author's exploration of the world through his experience. The author does a good job with the historical setting so that it's interesting but not too overwhelming in explanation and narrative. Still, it is fascinating to learn about how the world and war was at that time - the imperialism of the British Empire, the class structure, the role of the East India Company and its own forces, the bloody battles of attrition through musket and cannonball... I hope to pick up more of the Sharpe books in the future.(less)

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Jan 24, 2013 Nate rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was another fun Sharpe, this one dealing with Sergeant Sharpe's experience at the Battle of Assaye in 1803. Early in the novel some fucked up shit goes down and gives Sharpe a personal interest in the battle as well as a professional one. This is a shorter one, mostly focusing on the aforementioned battle and how Sharpe comes to be involved.

Well, I definitely had a lot of fun and managed to learn a good deal but this was just missing some little thing for me. I'm not really sure what it was...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Ensiform rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: war, fiction, historical

India, 1803. Sergeant Richard Sharpe is the sole survivor of a treacherous massacre, and is recruited by an old colonel to hunt down the ex-British soldier responsible. Deep into enemy territory, Sharpe joins Sir Arthur Wellesley’s small force riding against an Indian horde led by a former German soldier. Sharpe soon faces the prospect of battle against insurmountable odds, or the option to join the defectors.

This is the first Sharpe book I’ve read, and I enjoyed it immensely. For some reason, I...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Richard Sharpe is continuing his successful career in the British military while serving in India. Four years have passed since the previous novel. Things take a turn for the worse when he is confronted with the actions of another officer who has joined the forces of the Mahratta confederation.

The Mahratta, seen previously in the earlier volume, have every intention of trying to force the British out of the subcontinent are willing to do anything to accomplish their goal. Sharpe is goes after th...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Graham rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, war, 19th-century

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 06, 2012 Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: english, fiction, historical-fiction, napoleonic-era, asian

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Sharpe series looks like a more "grown-up" Flashman. The books appear to be just as accurately researched and the writing is very good.
This story starts with a massacre which Sharpe miraculously survives, goes on to the siege of the city of Ahmednuggur where Wellesley first demonstrates his military audacity, and ends in the hard-fought (and well-described) battle of Assaye. Throughout this overall arc there is an understory involving a hated pursuit of Sharp...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Another great Sharpe novel. Again, the fictional aspect was fairly small & explained at the end by the author. The hardships the armies & their trains had to endure was amazing. Poor food, horrible medical conditions & constant betrayal were all just facts of life.

One thing did bother me about the ending - really bothered me. (view spoiler)...more

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Sep 15, 2011 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2011-reading-challenge

The Battle of Waterloo may be the victory for which the Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley) may be the most famous, but it's not the victory of which he was most proud: rather, it was that of the Assaye, fought in India in 1803.

For this battle, a hopelessly outnumbered redcoat army under his command took on, and defeated, a vastly larger Mahratta army: crossing a ford outside Assaye (a ford that wasn't supposed to even exist!) onto the enemies flank, then fighting their way through that enemy...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Benjamin Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, historical-fiction, historical-fiction-britain

This is the second in the popular Sharpe series by the prolific writer, Bernard Cornwell, and the middle book of what I understand is referred to as the "India Trilogy" subset of all of the Sharpe novels. It is now 1803, some four years after the events of the first novel, and Richard Sharpe is now firmly entrenched in Wellesley's army. (For those that don't know, Wellesley's great claim to fame is as the victor at the Battle of Waterloo, but he had a long career prior to that).

This time around,...more

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Jul 26, 2007 Brandon Woo rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: favorites

This is the second best of the India Trilogy, I'd say. Sort of a meh kind of plot if you look back, but a very fun read, and this is the one that really launches Sharpe from the ranks into the officers and sets the tone for the rest of the series of not really belonging but still the best man on the field.

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Jul 24, 2011 Les rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bernward Cornwell's novel has Sharpe still in India and now a sergeant. He's commandeered by Colonel McCandless to help the Colonel arrest an officer, Major William Dodd, who defected from the East India Company and now fights with the Mahratta confederation against the British. Major Dodd had killed a goldsmith and angered by the leniency of the sentence, General Arthur Wellesley had planned to to have Dodd dismissed from the army and then have him tried in a civilian court. Sergeant Obadiah Ha...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Dark-Draco rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure-fiction, favorites, historic-fiction

Another fantastic adventure. As a Sargeant, Sharpe witnesses a massacre by the renegade English officer, Dodd. As the only one who can recognise him, he becomes attached to the itelligence office, McCandless, who is hunting for Dodd. But Sharpe is still dogged by the hateful Hakeswill, who hatches a plan to get back at him and have him hanged. So pursued by Hakeswill, determined to kill Dodd, Sharpe becomes embroiled in the battle of Assaye, where Wellesley, hopelessly outnumbered, still chooses...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I guess I had forgotten how intense the Sharpe series is, but it's also very enjoyable. A good mix of short and long range plots, military tactics, historical color, and interesting characters. Much shorter than some of Cornwell's other series' (I'm looking at YOU Arthur books), it's a great read.

I think this one can probably stand on its own, since it references, but explains previous plot points from the other books, but I think it's more enjoyable if you've read the others.

Either way, I defin...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Topher rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Sharpe becomes a Mister, and the stage is set for the rest of the series, in particular the start of the next book should be the day or two after this one.

I had a tough time with this one. I picked it up a few months ago, read about 2 chapters, and returned it to the library. I had an equally hard time this time - but pressed through, and felt like I hit my reading stride by about chapter 5. I'll have to keep an eye on this series to see if that continues. While these books are entertaining, th...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Andrew Fear rated it 3 of 5 stars

More Indian daring-do. Once again I enjoyed this, but worried about the loose ends. Hakeswill makes his rather predictable come back in a somewhat disappointing subplot which adds little to the novel.I have little doubt that he will make another too and survive the elephant much as he survived the tigers. All of this has an air of "and with one bound he was free" about it unfortunately. The death of MaCandless was also rather predictable and a shame as he was a much more interesting character th...more

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Nov 21, 2010 Todd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Second in the awesome Sharpe series. This book chronicles the battle of Assaye in India and introduces the relationship between Sharpe and General Wellesley AKA the Duke of Wellington. I have learned so much from these first 2 books about the British Empire in India and about what went on there. I especially learned a tremendous respect for Wellington and how, greatly out-manned, this courageous British hero was able to beat the Rajah's army and the traitor Captain Dodd. Will take a break from S...more

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Nov 10, 2010 Dan Fulghum rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Military History buffs and Sharpe fans.

Recommended to Dan by: Amazon.com

Bernard Cornwell does a marvelous job of portraying the conflict in India, while developing Richard Sharpe's character. The battle scenes in the book are vividly represented in his writing. I especially enjoyed Cornwell's description of troop movements, weapons and the actual hand-to-hand clashes that occur. It takes in-depth research and a knowledge of the battlefield to verbally paint a picture of fear, strength, quick-thinking and motivation portrayed by Sharpe to stay alive while attaining h...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, war, action-adventure

Oh, thank heaven I'm done with this book! This thing just dragged on, and I was terribly diappointed in it because I enjoyed Sharpe's Tiger so much! I really felt like everything in this book was so uneven.

First of all, the plot was meandering, as though the author was unsure of where he wanted to go with this story. Sharpe had a mission in this book, but I often found it difficult to recall what that mission was because the construction of the story wasn't in service to that mission. There was...more Oh, thank heaven I'm done with this book! This thing just dragged on, and I was terribly diappointed in it because I enjoyed Sharpe's Tiger so much! I really felt like everything in this book was so uneven.

First of all, the plot was meandering, as though the author was unsure of where he wanted to go with this story. Sharpe had a mission in this book, but I often found it difficult to recall what that mission was because the construction of the story wasn't in service to that mission. There was a lot of fluff in here--honestly, this book could have been done as a short story, and it would have been much neater and tighter.

Secondly, Sharpe's Triumph contained long stretches of boring. Most of the book consisted of McCandless and Sharpe wandering all over the place with little or no action to speak of. When the battle finally does start, it's exciting, because finally something is going on! But then the battle goes on, and on, and on in great detail for 60 pages! The story got bogged down in the battle so that even the battle became boring!

The characters were also not as strong in this book. Sharpe almost seemed like a supporting character, Hakeswill, our villain, who was exquisitely evil in Sharpe's Tiger, was more annoying than menacing in this story. In fact, Hakeswill was completely unnecessary in this book--he was actually some of that "fluff" I talked about in the second paragraph. In addition, all of the other characters (except McCandless) were vanilla and bland.

Finally, one thing that really impressed me about Sharpe's Tiger was how seamlessly Bernard Cornwell was able to shift the reader's perspective from character to character--I mean, it was pretty slick! But in this book, there was nothing particularly special about the writing. There was nothing that pulled me in, and nothing that impressed me. I'll probably read the next book in the series, but I'm going to hope it's better than this one was, because if it doesn't catch me and hold me quickly, I'm not going to suffer with it until the end. (less)

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Dec 01, 2011 Huw Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, history

Don't get me wrong, I think Sharpe as a character is great. Risen through the ranks to officer status (ok, not yet) he upsets everybody who has bought their commissions and considers themself to be a gentleman of the period (the Peninsula War, 1808 - 1814). However, the plot is already becoming formulaic;
Sharpe gets given seemingly impossible mission, usually acting as chaperone to chinless Rupert (CR) who thinks he knows better (because he is an English gentleman). CR screws up completely and S...more

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Jul 19, 2011 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, military-war

How superb is Sharpe?

I would have him on my side in a bar fight!

I must be honest here - I never really thought that I would go for this sort of historical fiction. This period of history has never been my favourite. A chap I used to work with used to bore me endlessly regarding his escapades as an extra in the Sharpe tv series - so I made a point of never watching it.

I am so glad that I read the books though.

Bernard Cornwell is an excellent writer - his skill seems to develop with each new book.

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May 09, 2011 Torben rated it 5 of 5 stars

Noch besser als Teil 1. Die Struktur einer Fortsetzungsreihe macht natürlich den ersten Reiz aus und auch durch Cornwells Running Gags z.B. das Buch mit dem Titel zu beenden, immer 40-seitige Kapitel zu schreiben, etc. sowie sein kurzes, aber informatives historisches Nachwort gewinnt das Buch. Sharpe könnte der aufrechte, edle Opa oder Vater von Flashman sein. Auch wenn die Abenteuer und Kämpfe in Indien nicht mein erstes Interessengebiet sind, schafft es Cornwell den Leser zu fangen und selbst...more

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Dec 06, 2010 AndrewP rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

If read in chronological order this is book 2 of the Sharpe series and the 2nd of 3 that are set in India. Although I am not usually a big fan of historical fiction in general, I really enjoy Cornwell for his interesting and informative style. He manages to weave a ripping yarn while staying very close to the actual historic facts. (I did some google research into the battle of Assay after finishing the book.) There are no long boring paragraphs of endless description that serve no purpose. He j...more

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Aug 26, 2009 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

The second book in the Sharpe saga. Cornwell would be a desert island author except for the fact that if you were allowed 5 or even 10 books to take with you there's about a hundred books in the series. In addition to telling a good yarn, Cornwell is steadfast about weaving the plot into actual historical events as seamlessly as possible without changing the facts. And Obadiah Hakeswill is one of the great villains. Another good story from a consistently good author.

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Nov 18, 2012 Peter Hall rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 18, 2012 Nathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The anti-Flash. Sharpe is a gung-ho hero who thinks he "likes war". And it shows. Cornwell does not believe in namby-pamby stuff. This is a straight-up military fiction. Here's the character. Here's the situation. Here's some fluff to fill in before the battle sequence. Here's the battle sequence. It's write-by-numbers fiction, but it works well enough that I'm still buying them. Rated MA15+ for frequent coarse language, torture and war violence. 3/5

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Mar 14, 2011 Baseni rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historische-romane

"Richard Sharpe, mittlerweile Sergeant der britischen Armee in Indien, überlebt einen Angriff indischer Truppen unter der Führung eines englichen Offiziers. Dieser ist aus Frust und der Furcht vor Verfolgung durch die englischen Gerichte, er mußte mit einer Mordanklage rechnen, zu der Gegenseite desertiert. Ein Colonel erhält den Auftrag diesen Überläufer zu suchen und zu verhaften. Sein Helfer ist Sharpe. Die Verfolgung endet in einer Schlacht, die, obwohl mehrfach in der Unterzahl, von Welling...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Bazz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another fantastically written book from Bernard Cornwell that continues the adventures of (now) Sgt. Sharpe and his quest to become an officer in the King's Army.

From start to finish you find yourself hooked on the story and the chase to capture Major Dodd and bring him to justice, with the added action of a couple of key battles along the way. Add to all the fun of Sharpe's chase is also his old mate Obidiah.

If you're going to get into a series then Sharpe is definitely the way to go.

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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)

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Books by Bernard Cornwell

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)

The Winter King (The Warlord Chronicles, #1)

The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)

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

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“He had always thought there was an answer to all life's mysteries in the stars, yet whenever he stared at them the answer slipped out of his grasp... But he had to think now, and he stared at the smoke-dimmed stars in the hope that they would help him, but all they did was go on shining.” — 3 people liked it

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Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe #2)

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