Sharpe's Revenge

This Sharpe-novel, as many others, begins with a battle scene: Sharpe, by now a staff officer of General Nairn, is present at (and participates in) the final battle before the capture of Toulouse. Soon after the allies learn that Napoleon actually abdicated two days earlier in Paris, and the Peninsular war has ended. Sharpe, at first, is glad and relieved: the years begin to take their toll, as a married man he feels more reluctant than before to risk life and limb, and he yearns to settle in rural England to live of the king's ransom he secured after the battle of Vitoria.

However, things soon take a turn for the worse when Sharpe is wrongfully accused not only of having stolen Napoleon's personal treasure which the new French government is eager to retrieve, but of having murdered the sole witness. So Sharpe must escape, and as a fugitive for both the English and French authorities find out who's behind the scheme that could cost him his life.

Because of the sheer number of comparable novels Cornwell has written it might seem almost normal that, yet again, this is a superb adventure novel, perhaps one of the best in the entire series, and of a quality many other authors never or rarely achieve. The plot is extremely well done, with Sharpe at first groping in the dark to find out who's out to get him, and when he does discover the culprit he makes it absolutely clear that no one crosses Major Richard Sharpe and gets away with it.

And now, sadly, there's only "Sharpe's Waterloo" left for me to read!

Enthralled once again by Sharpe (14/14 people found this helpful)

Each time I pick up a new Sharpe novel I always think it's going to be just like the last one. And to some extent it is. Cornwell's "same old" formula is most definitely a recipe for success. Once again I was gripped by Sharpe's exploits and found it hard to put the book down. I've read all the Sharpe peninsular war novels in chronological order up to this one, and though I cannot now recall where one finishes and the next one starts I almost feel like I've been there with him. Sharpe, Harper and comrades seem like good friends. And that's why, without spoiling the story I found the manner of the parting of Sharpe, Harper and Frederickson quite moving. Sharpe is unusually aware of his own mortality in this tale, not so do or die at all. I suppose we all change as we get older. Ducos, however, does not change, if you've met him and hated him before, you'll hate him just as much now. This is as good as any Sharpe I've read, give it a whirl.

Bernard Cornwell

Reader Reviews:

Another great adventure for Sharpe (3/3 people found this helpful)

Enthralled once again by Sharpe (14/14 people found this helpful)

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