It is 1810, and in Napoleon's determination to conquer Portugal and push the British back to the sea he sends his largest army yet across th... read full description
reviews
Apr 20, 2010
Joyce
rated it: 
No. 10 in the Richard Sharpe series.[return][return]It s still 1810, and the British Army and Captain Richard Sharpe are still in Portugal. Bought by Sharpe s stolen gold, Wellington has had built enormous defences known as the Torres Vedras just north of Lisbon, constructed with Sharpe s stolen gold. Wellington has ordered the Portuguese countryside stripped of all food, hoping in that manner to force the French to retreat out of starvation, since Napoleon s army existed by living off the l
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Jan 04, 2012
Rebecca
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Dec 13, 2011
Kathy
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Tenth in the Richard Sharpe military fiction series revolving around Richard Sharpe, a captain now in Wellesley's forces in Portugal in September 1810.
<h2>My Take</h2>
Well, Sharpe got the girl again. I wonder what will happen with this one?!
As for this installment's pain in Sharpe's ass, it's brevette captain Cornelius Slingsby, a drunk and an idiot who must be related to Sir Henry Simmerson with his obsession with the rules and his need to be respected. More...
<h2>My Take</h2>
Well, Sharpe got the girl again. I wonder what will happen with this one?!
As for this installment's pain in Sharpe's ass, it's brevette captain Cornelius Slingsby, a drunk and an idiot who must be related to Sir Henry Simmerson with his obsession with the rules and his need to be respected. More...
Oct 16, 2011
Teresa
rated it:
Bernard Cornwell is still my favourite writer as far as fighting is concerned - I believe him to be the only one who has made me want to read long fights and battles. That said, and being this the second Sharpe book I've read... Sharpe seemed to be the only competent fighter, while the rest ranged from slightly to completely incompetents. Allowance on the incompetence range is made to Harper and Wellington (although this one is obvioulsy untouchable due to hierarchy and Sharpe's personal respect
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Oct 05, 2011
Phil
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Feb 05, 2012
Tom
rated it:
Not a bad work of historical fiction. It's written with enough detail to appeal to history buffs but in a style that is easy enough to read for non-experts. As with many of these books, the plot is a bit predictable... you always know that Sharpe will escape and get the girl in the process. You never really feel like he's in danger or get surprised by any of the plot elements. That doesn't make it an unenjoyable read... just one that isn't worthy of major awards.
The major drawback of More...
The major drawback of More...
Jan 16, 2011
Graham
rated it: 
I hadn’t read a Cornwell in a while so when I found SHARPE'S ESCAPE, I was eager for more action-packed historical hijinks. I got them. From the very start this is light, exciting entertainment with an action-oriented situation seemingly thrown in every few pages or so.
There’s a hulking Portuguese bad guy that needs sorting out and an excellent extended set-piece around the middle of the book which details the escape of the title – Sharpe and the people he’s with must escape from ce More...
There’s a hulking Portuguese bad guy that needs sorting out and an excellent extended set-piece around the middle of the book which details the escape of the title – Sharpe and the people he’s with must escape from ce More...
Jun 14, 2011
Ed
rated it:
Richard is back in the saddle again in this, the tenth book chronologically, in the series. After the disappointing "Sharpe's Gold", "Sharpe's Escape" is back in the groove.
The usual villains: arrogant British officers, untrustworthy allies, and evil French soldiers are all here as are the usual heroes and heroines: Jorge, the trustworthy Portuguese officer, Sarah, the virginal Brit, Joana, the victimized local girl and of course, Harper, Sharpe's Irish Sergeant More...
The usual villains: arrogant British officers, untrustworthy allies, and evil French soldiers are all here as are the usual heroes and heroines: Jorge, the trustworthy Portuguese officer, Sarah, the virginal Brit, Joana, the victimized local girl and of course, Harper, Sharpe's Irish Sergeant More...
Sep 08, 2011
Sandy
rated it:
This is part of an epic, by numbers alone, series of books that remind me of listening to the radio episodes of Sargent Preston of the Yukon. One interesting sidelight: Gunpowder tea, with which I am familiar because I have a Gunpowder tea box in my living room, is aptly named. Soldiers in the Peninsular Wars carried cartridge pouches that held gunpowder in paper twists along with the bullet but they also carried loose tea leaves in the bottom of the pouch. Of course the gunpowder got mixed i
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Nov 13, 2010
airdiogo
rated it:
Para o 4º livro de Bernard Cornwell, este foi um dos que mais gostei.
Novamente baseado na personagem de Richard Sharpe e com o fundo histórico das invasões francesas por trás consegue sem se afastar da realidade histórica construir um romance empolgante e bastante cativante.
Aliás, este de todos os que já li até agora parece-me ser o romance que mais se aproxima dos factos históricos. Admito até que foi das melhores lições de história sobre as invasões francesas que tive.
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Novamente baseado na personagem de Richard Sharpe e com o fundo histórico das invasões francesas por trás consegue sem se afastar da realidade histórica construir um romance empolgante e bastante cativante.
Aliás, este de todos os que já li até agora parece-me ser o romance que mais se aproxima dos factos históricos. Admito até que foi das melhores lições de história sobre as invasões francesas que tive.
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Feb 08, 2012
Al
rated it:
Definitely one of the better Sharpe novels, and they're all pretty good. In this case, Sharpe takes on the French army in Portugal again (and also knocks off a few traitorous Portuguese as the same time), all the while contending with unappreciative or incompetent officers. Mr. Cornwell continues to display his mastery of the military events of the time, and show great respect for period detail. Good fun!
Jul 29, 2011
Great book, I have seen the tv shows with Sean Bean featurring as Richard Sharpe, and this enabled me to get a better image of what may be happening.
I must confess that the battle scenes were confusing to me, and I couldn't quite follow them, but loved this story, and I plan to try read the rest of the series.
I must confess that the battle scenes were confusing to me, and I couldn't quite follow them, but loved this story, and I plan to try read the rest of the series.
Mar 24, 2011
Jim
rated it: 
Another disappointment. Though Richard Sharpe shows an uncanny Bond-like ability to get out of any impossible situation Beranard Cornwell needs to find every more ways of putting him into these situations in places that he shouldn't be in.
Aug 04, 2011
Hazel
rated it:
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.
Aug 03, 2009
Duzzlebrarian
rated it:
Sharpe's jealousy of Slingsby, who is favoured by his CO, comes across as slashy. I don't think that's exactly what the author had in mind, somehow! Otherwise, it's a good installment to an well-loved series.
Jan 17, 2012
Nathan
rated it:
Sharpe again gets caught behind enemy lines with only a small squad, The Girl and a Silly Officer for company. But of course he gets out of it. Standard. Rated M for violence, occasional coarse language. 3/5
Apr 15, 2011
Owen
rated it:
I like this book. Another good military adventure for Richard Sharpe. His cleverness and approach to problems in the military is entertaining.
Feb 08, 2009
Will
rated it:
Typical Sharpe novel. In other words, solid writing, interesting history, action, a little romance and a lot of fun. Not the first book of Sharpe I would read, but well done.
Oct 17, 2007
[La fuga de Sharpe, número 15 según el orden de publicación en España. En realidad, sucede depués de Sharpe y el oro de los españoles, que fue publicado en segundo lugar; ver la lista completa]
Jan 30, 2010
Jeff
rated it:
This book was a slow-starter, but once Sharpe is in the thick of things, and in the soup, it turns into one of the more gripping of the stories. I feel like the first half of the book is a three-star effort, but the second half is a five.
Mar 06, 2009
Rachael
rated it:
Bernard Cornwell uses his usual blend of wit, excitement and immaculate historical detail to produce a fantastic and entertaining read.
Anyone who likes well-researched, well-written historical fiction MUST read Cornwell!
Anyone who likes well-researched, well-written historical fiction MUST read Cornwell!
Aug 31, 2011
Mike
rated it:
This is my second reading of this story. While I may have overdosed on Sharpe in the past, I find the author's factual renderings incorporating the fictional Sharpe to be very entertaining and I learned something as well.
Dec 17, 2009
John
rated it:
I believe this is the 22nd book in a series about this particular officer, which could explain why he is is as flat as a Boys' Own action comic strip character. Nevertheless, and entertaining yarn of battle and escape
Apr 01, 2008
Whitelady3
rated it:
Patrick Tull does a good job, specially when concerning to portuguese words. Is the only narrator I've heard, until now, with a good portuguese.
Jul 26, 2007
Brandon
rated it:
Another one of the middle-of-the-pack kind of Sharpe stories. Good writing and story, just not blow-me-away exciting like some of the others.
