Copperhead (Starbuck Chronicles)

After reading Rebel the first book in the Starbuck Chronicles, I must confess that I was in no particular hurry to read the second. Nathanial Starbuck was a pale shadow of Richard Sharpe, lacking in depth and with motives that were not at all convincing. However Copperhead marks a return to form for Cornwell, not only does Starbuck gain a fresh depth of character and plausibility but the supporting characters are fleshed out. The battle scenes (as is usual with Cornwell)are rip-roaring. A great read! Highly recommended.

Pathetic Hero Drags the Series Down (8/16 people found this helpful)

Following in the tepid footsteps of Rebel is Cornwell's equally disappointing second tale of Nate Starbuck—a young Northerner who fights in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Starbuck is a very weak hero for Cornwell to hitch his Civil War series wagon to, and it's hard to care very much about his adventures. As in the previous book, comes across as more of a reflexively rebellious teenager than a heroic man of action. While it would have been interesting to see Starbuck really struggle with himself about the morality of his actions in joining the rebellion, the bulk of such internal conflicts are actually left to his best friend, Adam, who is a Southerner born and bred, and bullied by his father into uniform.

In this installment, Nate is drummed out of the "Faulconer Legion" by its commander, the vain, inept, and rich Gen. Faulconer, who hates him. This leads him to a Richmond prison cell, accused of being a Northern spy, all of which gets him enmeshed in the spycraft between the states. This rather conveniently dovetails with the activities of Adam Faulconer and Nate's own straight-laced brother. The spy material is rather interesting, with the appearance of real-life Alan Pinkerton as Union spymaster. The South's attempt to deceive the North as to its true manpower is particularly fascinating, and is portrayed by Cornwell as an element in their avoiding early defeat, along with Gen. McClelland's timidity.

While these semi-historical asides and speculations are interesting, the best part of the book is the walk-on cameo by a French Army observer Patrick Lésawn. Yes, he is the son of rifleman Richard Sharpe (hero of Cornwell's infinitely better Napoleonic series), and a vastly more compelling character than Starbuck. Indeed, one wishes Cornwell had decided to show the Civil War from within his eyes instead! Over the course of the book Starbuck displays a moral cowardice that makes him more and more unlikable, especially his pathetic treatment of his brother, when his brother reaches out to him. I'll continue the series in blind devotion to Cornwell, but these first two in the series are pretty weak.

Well researched and highly entertaining (6/7 people found this helpful)

After a slow start to the series with Rebel, Copperhead continues the story of Starbuck with a highly entertaining and very well researched account of McClellan's Peninsular campaign of 1862. Cornwell is an extremly fine writer of historical fiction and the Starbuck chronicles are second only to the Sharpe Series in terms of entertainment and an easy to get into historical account of the wars of the nineteenth century. For all fans of historical fiction i highly recommend this book and indeed, the whole of the Starbuck quartet. With action, brutal warfare, intrigue, treachery and treason, this book has everything a reader could want in a historical war book.

An outstanding piece of writing (3/4 people found this helpful)

The second Chronicle in the Starbuck series, this is Cornwell at his best. As good, if not better than Rebel, the story line continues to twist and turn in what is a superb read. Starbuck continues to amaze and i found it hard to put down. If you liked Rebel, you will love Copperhead

Copperhead (Starbuck Chronicles)

Bernard Cornwell

Reader Reviews:

Cornwell at his best!! (8/8 people found this helpful)

Pathetic Hero Drags the Series Down (8/16 people found this helpful)

Well researched and highly entertaining (6/7 people found this helpful)

An outstanding piece of writing (3/4 people found this helpful)

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