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Feb 06, 2012

Ensiform rated it:

Portugal, 1809: cut off from the main British army, Sharpe and his rifles are sent to find a missing British girl, then fall under the command of one Colonel Christopher, a suspiciously Machiavellian spy. This being Sharpe, the educated, disdainful and scheming Christopher is a traitor, and soon Sharpe is marching for revenge, and to take back his nicked telescope (a nice touch).

This is more of the same grand Cornwell fiction, all high drama, detailed ordnance and a lot of bloodshed. More...

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Jan 07, 2012

Algernon rated it:

Another solid addition to the saga of the soldier turned officer in the time of the Napoleonic wars.

This time Richard Sharpe is once again separated from his regiment and fighting in some skirmishes on the fringe of the northern Portugal campaign of 1809. Cornwell shows once again how well he can weave historical fact with fictional events and places and how he can keep the reader reading just one more page, just one more chapter before turning off the light and going to sleep.
More...

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Nov 15, 2011

Kathy rated it:

Seventh in the Richard Sharpe military fiction series revolving around a lieutenant promoted up from the ranks. The action encompasses a retreat from Soult out of Oporto just before Wellesly arrives.

<h2>My Take</h2>
It's an interesting contrast between the "superior" upperclass blue blood values and those of scum from the gutter. Cornwell is a bit heavy-handed in it but he certainly gets the point across beautifully. I can't read his Sharpe series without want More...

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Oct 24, 2011

Baseni rated it:

Leutnant Sharpe sieht sich in Oporto einer neuen Aufgabe gegenüber. Er war mit seinen Leuten in Spanien von seiner Truppe getrennt worden und diente einem Militärkartographen als Sicherung im nördlichen Portugal. Nun aber steht die französische Invasionsarmee vor der Einnahme Oportos. Die Engländer und die Bewohner sind auf der Flucht. Gerade jetzt wird die Tochter einer Engländerin vermißt. Sharpe soll sie mit seinen Leuten suchen und sicher zurückbringen, gleichzeitig muß er einen Gesandten de More...

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Jan 16, 2011

Graham rated it:

One of the newer books in the series, this is an outing that goes back in time, just before the setting of Cornwell’s first Sharpe adventure. As such it’s a self-contained effort that one reads on an epic level, full of action and adventure and warfare in spades.

Cornwell has come a long way since SHARPE'S EAGLE, adding extra characterisation and juicy detail into the descriptive action which makes this an authentic as well as an enthralling read. The scope of the novel is just right More...

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Jan 01, 2011

Justus rated it:

My second Sharpe book and I liked it less than the first. The series "out of order" writing hurts it here: suddenly Sharpe is remembering stuff that was never mentioned in Sharpe's Rifles (e.g. the widow).

There is yet another Pretty Girl that Sharpe inexplicably falls for (along with an inexplicable kiss). A mention of Yet Another Pretty Girl That Sharpe Planned To Marry from a previous volume. (The constant recurrence of these girls is almost enough to move the book from Adv More...

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Sep 18, 2011

Phil rated it:

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

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Apr 08, 2011

John rated it:

I picked this up at a hostel minutes before leaving for the airport. This book saved me hours upon hours of boredom waiting in the standby line, sitting in airplanes for 11 hours, and standing in the immigration/border patrol line. However much I enjoy the adventures of Richard Sharpe, reading about him (the prose, while competently written, fails to wow) couldn't match the fun of an ITV television series. Still, I quickly devoured the book in lieu of airplane sleep and was generally entertained More...

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Apr 08, 2011

Marko rated it:

I don't know what's been happening to me lately. I used to think Cornwell was an average author with generic plotting skills and decent characterisation skills. Now, after just finishing the great Sharpe's Rifles and the good Sharpe's Eagle (yes, I made a mistake in the chronological order - darn the conflicting listings) I was expecting a return to mediocrity, but I was happy to realise that Sharpe's Havoc is as good or perhaps even better than Rifles was. Certain Lieutenant Colonel in the stor More...

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May 04, 2011

Martin rated it:

I thoroughly enjoyed the "first" three Sharpe novels set in India with their fast paced action, likeable characters and intriguing side plots. When the fresh baked Lieutenant left India and set out to join the 95th I could hardly wait for my order of the next two books to arrive. But, boy, was I in for a disappointment. Sharpe's Trafalgar was a serious letdown and the following Sharpe's Prey was despite some redeeming qualities almost as bad. I was close to giving up on Sharpe and move More...

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Dec 14, 2011

Kathy rated it:

First read Jan 13, 2009: Love the battle, tactics, camaraderie, and the history.

Seventh in the Richard Sharpe military fiction series revolving around a lieutenant promoted up from the ranks. The action encompasses a retreat from Soult out of Oporto just before Wellesly arrives.

<h2>My Take</h2>
It's an interesting contrast between the "superior" upperclass blue blood values and those of scum from the gutter. Cornwell is a bit heavy-handed in it but he c More...

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Jul 28, 2010

Joyce rated it:

#7 in the Richard Sharpe series.[return][return]6 months after escaping from Spain into Portugal, Sharpe and his men find themselves accompanying Captain Hogan of the Royal Engineers as he maps northern Portugal for the British Army garrisoning Oporto, with the French Army on its way.[return][return]Suddenly, Kate Savage, the daughter of a British wine factor in Oporto disappears. Hogan orders Sharpe to the Savage family summer home, Vila Real de Zedes, in order to find Kate and return her to h More...

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Sep 28, 2010

airdiogo rated it:

Neste segundo livro da saga de Richard Sharpe (dos editados em Portugal pelo menos) voltamos a acompanhar o nosso herói nas suas aventuras, desta vez no norte de Portugal.
Francamente comparado com o título anterior não gostei tanto.
Bernard Cornwell constrói uma intriga interessante à volta de uma série de personagens. Mas na minha opinião revela demasiado cedo demasiados detalhes e expõe por completo todos os seus planos.
Após esse momento o livro perde algum do seu interesse More...

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Jul 28, 2010

Jeff rated it:

Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series of historical fiction traces the adventures of Richard Sharpe through India and Europe through the Napoleonic wars. Sharpe begins life as an orphan of a prostitute and joins the army as a private to avoid a worse fate. Over the course of 24 novels and short stories, we follow his adventures, promotions, successes and failures. We also gain a ground-level perspective on the Napoleonic wars and insight into the life of a 19th century soldier through a compelling an More...

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Oct 09, 2011

Rebecca rated it:

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

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Oct 23, 2011

Torben rated it:

Eigentlich 3,5 Sterne. Für mich nicht wirklich der "beste aller Sharpe-Romane", wie der Evening Standard meint. Es passiert nicht wirklich viel mit Sharpe und seinen Scharfschützen. Viele Kämpfe, wenig Story. Warte jetzt zwar mit Vorfreude, aber nicht ungeduldig auf Band 8, der im Januar/Februar erscheint. Dann einer der ersten erschienenen Romane und sicher mit mehr Geschichte. Sharpes Mission ist für mich ein Übergangsroman zwischen den älteren Romanen der Sharpe-Reihe.

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Jan 18, 2012

Nathan rated it:

More Sharpe madness. This time Cornwell didn't even bother spelling out which of the other character's the girl ended up with, it was so obvious. Oh, Sharpe's a hero. Written after the TV series was made, and it was a clear influence on how Cornwell wrote the dialogue and some of the action sequences. Rated MA for frequent bloody violence. 3/5

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Oct 19, 2010

Booksrock rated it:

I simply love this series--Richard Sharpe is the superhero of Britain in the time when "the sun never set on the British Isles." I have learned more about Napolean and his wars than from any history book I can remember--and I have tried. Great adventure, great characters. I will hate it when I have read them all!

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Aug 04, 2011

Jansen rated it:

Exciting and fast moving, and set against the background of the first French invasion of Portugal, and its subsequent ignominous expulsion by the Duke of Wellington. Sharpe is once again at the dramatic focal point of the big events. But he doesn't get quite involved with any girl this time round.

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Jun 22, 2011

Tristax rated it:

Overall, not a bad addition to the Sharpe series but no where near Cornwell's best. The ending felt very rushed and while most of Sharpe's exploits would only work in a novel, his finale in Sharpe's Havoc crossed into the utterly absurd. The story is also a lot lighter in gravity than others in the series.

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Dec 18, 2010

Steve rated it:

True to form, this was a fun, quick, entertaining read. Perfect for a long plane ride back from Tokyo. It is a bit weird not really reading these "in order," but (unlike, for example, the Aubry & Maturin series - similar period, but on water, rather than land) they weren't really written in order, so...

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Jan 24, 2009

Dave rated it:

Still loving the set of books. I am book 7. Still great. true history, reall people, with Sharpe in the story, based on fact but written as fiction.
In Portugal fighting the french but the title tells you that.

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Jan 24, 2012

Ross rated it:

Read for a second time after many years. I rate almost all of Cornwell's novels as 4 stars, but this one doesn't quite make it because the villian is rather too much over the top. Still a good story and certainly not to be skipped in reading the Sharpe's Rifles series.

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Jun 07, 2008

Ed rated it:

Although recently written, it takes place in 1809 and is number 7 (I think) in the chronological order of Richard Sharpe books. It is one of the better ones. Lots of action, intrique, heroes, villains and Sharpe's incredible good luck.

I don't read the Sharpe books to learn personal lessons but rather just for enjoyment. I love historical fiction, especially well-researched historical fiction. Cornwell does good research. I always enjoy reading his notes at the end of each nove More...

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Nov 26, 2011

Lois rated it:

Whatever will I do when I come to the end of this series? And after each one I completely want to read the next. It's not like some series, where I can take a break and it's OK.

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Sep 11, 2011

Edward marked it as to-read

Looking forward to getting my hands on this - I haven't had a fresh "Sharpe" to read in a long while. a young reader turned me on to the series a few years ago and I got hooked.

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Feb 20, 2012

David rated it:

More skirmishes than battles in this one, and that's a fair metaphor for where it ranks in the series. Lightweight supporting characters and villains.

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Jan 11, 2012

Bonnie rated it:

Exciting tale, well told. Definitely violent and except that Sharpe seems a bit supernaturally brave and lucky at times, realistic about war.

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Nov 23, 2008

Nathan rated it:

It was another Sharpe book -- maybe a bit better than some of the earlier ones because of the development of the Harper and Hagman characters... but still basically enjoyable fluff.

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Dec 29, 2009

Richard rated it:

Not bad, though nowhere near as good as Sharpe's Rifles.

5 stars reserved for Tolstoy!

RW

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