Sharpe's Tiger: Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Seringapatam, 1799 [Sharpe 1]

First of all, I am a big fan of the series. I have read many of them, although not in the chronological order. When I got my hands over this book I was thrilled. But then I got to the part when he made up verses of the "Koran".
This is not a real review, I have not completed the book because of that, but I felt I should at least state the mistake in it.
I pride myself for being open minded. I didn't object to the fact that the enemy were a Muslim. There were and are some incredibly stupid ones in history, it is human nature, but I could not go any further from the page where the made up verse was. I rated three, even though I suspect I would rate it more if I could complete it, I can't. It may sound silly to you, but I was offended.
I know it is fiction, but one of the things I like about Cornwell is how much research he puts in his books, I wish he made sure everything was correct in it, we muslims, do read other books too.

Vultures, Tigers and Sharpie, who could ask for more (1/1 people found this helpful)

It's 1799 in India, and Sharpe is 22, a private and thinking of deserting. His arch enemy, Hakeswill, is making his life a misery, and he is bored of the army routine of "hurry up and do nothing". Provoked into striking Hakeswill, Sharpe is flogged. After only part of the sentence is carried out, he's then offered a special assignment. From then on we are taken on a fast and furious action-packed ride based around the Siege of Seringapatam, with Sharpe joining Lieutenant Lawson on a mission to infiltrate the enemy to seek information and free Lawson's uncle who has been captured by the Tippoo.

Cornwall makes no effort to gloss over the privations and unfairness of army life, particularly for the rank and file, and spares no detail of the blood and gore of the events leading up to the siege and the final battle itself. Chronologically, this is the first episode of the Sharpe saga, and is based on real-life events, and the author openly acknowledges where he has altered proceedings giving as his reason "... fictional heroes must be given suitable employment".

This is a well-written and researched book, with loads of local colour and much 19th Century cant to evoke the atmosphere of the times. Its fast paced action gets you hooked into the storyline right from the first page, and I found myself unable to put it down. Admittedly, Sharpe's attitude towards women is definitely not PC, but does reflect both his character and the prevailing attitudes of the times, and we are provided with some glimpses of his softer side.

If you're looking for a pacey adventure based on historical fact, then I recommend "Sharpe's Tiger" as a great introduction into an engrossing series. For those of you wanting more details of the history around the Sharpe series, Cornwell recommends the timeline by Brian Timmins at http://www.brianstimelines.co.uk/SharpieA.html

Tiger a truimph (0/0 people found this helpful)

Forget the review by A Starbuck Fan - that person has put the same review on every Sharpe prequel which should be removed by an administrator because its not a review of a particular book.

Sharpe's Tiger is the official first book in the long running series. It's a fantastic opener and one you feel Bernard really enjoyed writing. Not only do we see a young Sharpe, confident and a private, but Hakeswill makes a brilliant return, we see Willie lawford and Tom Garrard again.

The story is set in 1799 an the British are at war with the Tippoo Sultan in Mysore. The story is so seemlessly written and descriptive that you are immersed in the story. Not many writers can do that.

Its a cracking book and I feel that the Indian Trilogy is Bernard's is the best of the "new" Sharpe books.

A good start to a grand series (1/1 people found this helpful)

'Sharpe's Tiger' is chronologically the first book in the series about Cornwell's archetypical redcoat, but not the first book he wrote, which explains why it is as accomplished as many of the later novels in the series. The common ingredients of most other Sharpe-novels are already here: there's action galore, a love-interest, and off course a couple of accomplished villains standing between Sharpe and his destiny (if that's not too grand a word).

I did find Sergeant Hakeswill almost grotesque and therefore unbelievable in his spite and anger towards Sharpe, but that's a minor default because regardless of that I couldn't keep myself from reading on until way past bedtime.

Perfect leisure!

Cornwell continues his betrayal (0/6 people found this helpful)

I read all of the original Sharpe series in the eighties and thought that the series had come to it's natural conclusion with Sharpes Waterloo in 1990. I was very suprised to see Sharpes Devil a couple of years later and to my mind this was a book too far in the series. Cornwell was always writing other books including the excellent Redcoat as well as his nautical thrillers. When he started the Starbuck chronicles I was delighted and followed Nates adventures in the same manner as I had Sharpe's. Then, after the Sharpe series had been shown on tv Cornwell abandoned "The Starbuck Chronicles" mid-series (after four books)and resurrected Sharpe. Not to sound too cynical but the only reason for this betrayal of fans who had bought the new books and were following Starbuck could only have been money...Cornwell betrayed and sacrificed the Starbuck fans for a newer and more lucrutive market...the new Sharpe fans worldwide who came to the books after the tv series. In order to continue to cash in along came all the new books each one inserted in a different period of Sharpe's career. If you have read the original series you won't recognise Sharpe's description in the new books..because it's Sean Bean!...Thanks Bernard, how's the yacht?

Sharpe's Tiger: Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Seringapatam, 1799 [Sharpe 1]

Bernard Cornwell

Reader Reviews:

A mistake in the book. (0/0 people found this helpful)

Vultures, Tigers and Sharpie, who could ask for more (1/1 people found this helpful)

Tiger a truimph (0/0 people found this helpful)

A good start to a grand series (1/1 people found this helpful)

Cornwell continues his betrayal (0/6 people found this helpful)

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