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38th out of 87 books
—
201 voters
Sharpe's Battle (Sharpe #12)
The "Washington Post" has hailed "Sharpe's Battle" as a book that "combines those strengths that have come to characterize Bernard Cornwell's fiction--immaculate historical reconstruction and the ability to tell a ripping yarn."
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
July 7th 1999
by Harper Paperbacks
(first published 1995)
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Sharpe Meets The Wolf Man!
Wonderful book, but I can already see that Bernard Cornwell churns all these stories out with a similar pattern.
Sharpe meets creepy villain.
Sharpe meets sexy lady, usually evil but sometimes just very confused.
Sharpe goes into a battle and gets beaten by creepy villain, usually by a dirty trick.
Sharpe is in disgrace.
Sharpe meets lovable losers who are in disgrace like him -- different but in the same boat -- sometimes upper class, sometimes foreign, but always dumb...more
Wonderful book, but I can already see that Bernard Cornwell churns all these stories out with a similar pattern.
Sharpe meets creepy villain.
Sharpe meets sexy lady, usually evil but sometimes just very confused.
Sharpe goes into a battle and gets beaten by creepy villain, usually by a dirty trick.
Sharpe is in disgrace.
Sharpe meets lovable losers who are in disgrace like him -- different but in the same boat -- sometimes upper class, sometimes foreign, but always dumb...more
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No. 12 in the Richard Sharpe series.[return][return]In May 1911, Sharpe and his company are still in Spain. Thanks to international politics, Sharpe is given the responsibility of training a mostly ceremonial battalion of the Spanish King� s Household Guards made up of Irishmen or descendants of Irishmen. But first Sharpe and his south Essex company encounter an unusual French brigade, led by Brigadier General Guy Loup, designed to fight the partisan� s with the utmost savagery. Encountering two...more
Sharpe is a captain who has come up through the ranks and is now attached to the" green jackets," riflemen attached to the Light Division.
Reviewers have lauded Cornwell's realistic portrayal of the period. I am in no position to judge, but it certainly seems real enough. The characters are well-developed, humorous, and likeable. Cornwell's description of Wellington' s defense at Fuentes de Orono, a battle that if lost might have spelled doom for the British, is marvelous. I never really underst...more
Reviewers have lauded Cornwell's realistic portrayal of the period. I am in no position to judge, but it certainly seems real enough. The characters are well-developed, humorous, and likeable. Cornwell's description of Wellington' s defense at Fuentes de Orono, a battle that if lost might have spelled doom for the British, is marvelous. I never really underst...more
In the next book in the series, Sharpe gets into trouble when he executes two French soldiers that he caught raping a girl in a small village. The men's commanding officer, Colonol Loup, witnesses his actions and puts a price on the rifleman's head. Meanwhile, Sharpe is dragged into the politics of the day when he is tasked with training an Irish regiment that fights for the Spainish. Wellington knows the company commaders are spies and wants them to fail, hoping that Sharpe's attitude will dri...more
Yet another excellent entry in the Sharpe series, which just seems to get better and better the more I read. This one starts off in the thick of it, in familiar territory: Sharpe and his boys are patrolling the Portuguese frontier where Sharpe finds and makes a new, hulking enemy: Brigadier Loup, one of the most unpleasant larger-than-life villains of the series so far!
What follows is an enthralling read, packed with treachery, betrayal and more surprises and plot twists than you can shake a st...more
What follows is an enthralling read, packed with treachery, betrayal and more surprises and plot twists than you can shake a st...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Jun 17, 2012
Smith
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any Teen who has no clue what War or the Military is because it hasn't changed much.
Recommended to Smith by:
No one, I found it browsing.
Shelves:
action-adventure
This was the book that caused me to read the whole series. I was wandering around the public library searching for something I haven't read. Regency and Napoleonic Wars are always of interest to me. Why I have no clue so I'll just claim I must have been there in a previous reincarnation. Lots of the books go straight back on the shelf but the first chapter caught my attention and held it. It starts out with a conversation that 99% of all Military have had in some form no matter what country or e...more
I really enjoyed this book because not only does it breakdown how the war with the French was being fought and the influence of the Spanish Partisans on the fighting. It evaluates the morals versus what is consider correct by the rules of war or by the law. In this book Sharpe catches two French soldiers in the act of raping a young Spanish women and instead of just capturing them and having them go through military penalties he decides that they need to be executed. There was another officer wh...more
If it weren't for the fact that I've read all of previous ten books about Richard Sharpe, I would have given this book at least four stars. The problem is however that this is my eleventh book about Sharpe and I must say that I'm slowly but surely growing tired of repetitious plot elements that turn up in every single book. Saving grace of Cornwell's writing style is the fact that once you start listening to an istallment of Richard Sharpe's adventures, the story quickly gains momentum and carr...more
sharpe is superb...as i continue on in this series, there are no demented serial killers; no supernatural forces at play..just the gutter boy-sharpe and the "holy cow, if i could punch you in the face" creeps (french, usually-some on the british side). cornwell, stays, i guess, true to the time, and love the way the battles and action are presented...might be time to really recognize Cornwell as a genius writer...might have to venture from his "sharpe" series to the arthur and viking books he ha...more
Alright, this is book #12 chronologically in the series so let's dispense with the standard boilerplate review openings and get to the good stuff. Sharpe's Battle is one of the books that was added to the series later but inserted in between the existing titles chronologically. As previously stated, I personally find these to be much better written and more keenly polished. Sharpe's Battle is no exception. In fact it's one of the better reads since Sharpe left India. The problem with keeping to...more
Battle is right in the title and battle is all up in the joint!
In this episode Rifleman Richard Sharpe finds himself with Wellington's army trying to maintain a foothold in Spain and in danger of being pushed back into Portugal or even right out of Europe by Napoleon's forces.
In a series started in 1981 and completed in 2007, Sharpe's Battle falls somewhere in between, yet feels very much like an old school Cornwell book. It's heavier on fighting and the plot isn't nearly as twisty as some late...more
In this episode Rifleman Richard Sharpe finds himself with Wellington's army trying to maintain a foothold in Spain and in danger of being pushed back into Portugal or even right out of Europe by Napoleon's forces.
In a series started in 1981 and completed in 2007, Sharpe's Battle falls somewhere in between, yet feels very much like an old school Cornwell book. It's heavier on fighting and the plot isn't nearly as twisty as some late...more
First read 27 Jan 2009: Love the battle, tactics, camaraderie, and the history.
Twelfth in the Richard Sharpe historical military fiction series revolving around Captain Richard Sharpe in the Peninsular War in May of 1811.
My Take
One of the subplots has Sharpe facing off with General Loup while the primary theme is sabotage. A weakening of one's enemy through subterfuge.
Harper is such a crackup with his little ways of distracting Sharpe when he's angry or frustrated. This time he keeps telling st...more
Twelfth in the Richard Sharpe historical military fiction series revolving around Captain Richard Sharpe in the Peninsular War in May of 1811.
My Take
One of the subplots has Sharpe facing off with General Loup while the primary theme is sabotage. A weakening of one's enemy through subterfuge.
Harper is such a crackup with his little ways of distracting Sharpe when he's angry or frustrated. This time he keeps telling st...more
Jan 30, 2010
Jeff Yoak
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio-collection,
read-in-2009
This is a solid continuation of the Sharpe story. It's a particularly bloody part of the war in which Sharpe must train and lead a group of Spanish Royal guardsmen, toy soldiers more fit for parade and ceremony than for actual battle. The leadership of the army set it up to fail in attempt to get rid of the unit, but Sharpe whips them into shape and ends up taking on a particular brutal group of French.
One of the things that stands out about this particular novel is the increasing effectiveness...more
One of the things that stands out about this particular novel is the increasing effectiveness...more
Great looks at the dynamics among "allies" in the Napoleonic Wars and professional versus conscripted militaries.
Explores the fragile position of Irish soldiers in the British Army and undoubtedly resembles the Army's experience with the Scots after 1745.
I always appreciate Cornwell's afterword identifying the "fictions" that have been added to the history as well as additional details of the conflict that didn't fit the storyline.
Explores the fragile position of Irish soldiers in the British Army and undoubtedly resembles the Army's experience with the Scots after 1745.
I always appreciate Cornwell's afterword identifying the "fictions" that have been added to the history as well as additional details of the conflict that didn't fit the storyline.
One of my favoutitess in the Sharpe series, as our hero gets to grips with the dastardly Brigadier Loup, as well as having to deal with the useless cermonial company of Spainsh troops, and their less than reliable commander. An excellent description of the Light Brigade in action, and the usual rousing fight at the end, which of course Sharpe wins! Jolly good show!
Jun 27, 2008
Ed
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Cornwell fans and historical or military fiction fans
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
reviewed
This, number eleven chronologically is one of the better stories in the series.
Sharpe's enemies are not British for a change. The French General Loup is a truly evil person who kills women and children indiscriminately in an attempt to control the local Spanish Guerillas. Loup's lover is a Spanish turncoat, Juanita, who spies on the British for the French. The Spanish General, Valverde, wants to keep Wellington from being named Generalissimo because he wants the job himself and believes by scape...more
Sharpe's enemies are not British for a change. The French General Loup is a truly evil person who kills women and children indiscriminately in an attempt to control the local Spanish Guerillas. Loup's lover is a Spanish turncoat, Juanita, who spies on the British for the French. The Spanish General, Valverde, wants to keep Wellington from being named Generalissimo because he wants the job himself and believes by scape...more
For some reason I really like this series although it's a far cry from the "Goldie Bear" series I also enjoy. This book just wasn't one of my favorites although it is well written and certainly exciting. It's pretty violent (no surprise there), maybe a bit more violent than most in this series and I guess that's why it isn't one of my favorites.
I am working my way through this series. I have enjoyed every book so far, but some situations are starting to repeat. Not the details but the fact that Sharpe and Harper get in trouble and have to kill a bunch of people to get out. Not much suspense in that.
This is another of the very good one's in the series. Good battle descriptions with Sharpe actively involved. Nicely drawn villain with satisfying ending. Story line again placed within an actual battle of the Peninsula War, so the reader is learning some genuine history along with the excitement.
Captain Richard Sharpe of the 95th Rifles (or Essex Light Company),once a ranker in India, a killer among gentlemen, takes on two of his more formidable foes: Ducose, the French spymaster in Spain and Brigadier General Loup, who specializes in bringing terror to the Spanish guerrilla movement. As ever, Sharpe is backed by his steady Sergeant (Patrick Harper) and by a half company of rifleman and a half company of Redcoats. This time he is chief drillmaster and scourge to a royal Spanish guard co...more
Really good entry in the series. Listened to most of it as an audio book. Great narrator and a really good audio book. Made the hours between LA and Oakland on I-5, one of the most boring drives in the world, race by.
The Richard Sharpe series is a magnificent work of historical fiction. Bernard Cornwell has written an amazing series following Sharpe from a private in India to a Lt. Colonel at Waterloo and then a civilian farmer.
Sharpe once again has to rescue his reputation through an act of derring-do, this time at the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro. The usual shenanigans. Rated MA for frequent violence and some adult concepts. 3/5
Story ends with the very bloody battle of Fuertes de Onero Sharpe gets into trouble again by following his principles but redeems himself with excellent fighting as usual.
Jul 04, 2012
Dawn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio-book,
hf-modern-nineteenth
My sixth Sharpe book was predictable but loved all the same.
May 1911, Sharpe is in Spain and making enemies again. This time with Brigidier General Loup, the bane of the Spanish partisans. During Sharpe's quest to bring Loup to justice and thanks to politics he has been given the task of training the Spanish King's ceremonial guard. With someone trying to get the Irish to revolt within Wellington's army and the seemingly impossible task of winning the next battle, Sharpe must use all his soldier...more
May 1911, Sharpe is in Spain and making enemies again. This time with Brigidier General Loup, the bane of the Spanish partisans. During Sharpe's quest to bring Loup to justice and thanks to politics he has been given the task of training the Spanish King's ceremonial guard. With someone trying to get the Irish to revolt within Wellington's army and the seemingly impossible task of winning the next battle, Sharpe must use all his soldier...more
Surprisingly the first book in the series where Sharpe does not find or fall in love with some dame.Fast paced as the other Sharpe's series .
I cannot believe that Sharpe slept with that double-agent whore. Well, I can, but I'm still disappointed.
For once Sharpe isn't going to rescue a Lady in Need. This is about gritty King of the Hill type of war.
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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
More about Bernard Cornwell...
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