Rating: 
Summary: Another excellent book in the series
Review: Again Bernard Cornwell has produced another Sharp's masterpiece. He does an excellent job of blending history with fiction to provide a feeling for the time. I wish I could find another series that I enjoy as much as the Sharp's series. My only regret upon completing the book of was that it appears that there may only be one more book. The one where are Sharp becomes a lieutenant.
Rating:
Summary: Another brilliant Triumph for Cornwell & Sharpe
Review: Bernard Cornwell once again leads us through an interesting bit of British history through the person of Richard Sharpe. After the introduction of Sharpe's early years fighting for King George in "Tiger", we now are given the understanding of his ever burning passion for advancement - his field promotion by Wellesley from Sergeant to Ensign was presaged by an offer of a lieutenancy in the Mahratta army. Cornwell again gives a detailed and bloody account of this "against the odds" battle by Wellesley versus an army 20 times his size. It's a lovely story, and I can't wait until the next book (already available in the UK) is published here.I'm addicted to Sharpe.
Rating:
Summary: Muslim fanatics of 1803
Review: Considering events after September 11, 2001, it is perhaps appropriate to read the novel. The setting is in India in 1803 and it covers a relatively short time period ending with the Battle of Assaye on September 23, 1803. The Muslim armies from the northwest, reinforced by Arab mercenaries, have swept onto the plains of India with the intention of conquering the country. The Muslims have hired European mercenaries including British renegades. The are opposed by the British Army and the East India Company sepoys under the combined command of Major General Wellesley. The novel has considerable action including Muslim fanatics and British soldiers trained to march into enemy fire. This was a time period when little quarter was given and wounded enemy were commonly bayoneted. Victorious armies commonly plundered captured cities, robbed the enemy dead, and raped any women they found - the few perqs of a common soldier. The population suffers as armies concerned with loot, personal advancement, feeding themselves, and more loot, roam the countryside like plagues of locusts. Copyrighted in 1998, chronologically this novel is book 2 of the Richard Sharpe series. Cornwell, like Forester, reached the end of the Napoleonic wars, then stepped back in time to cover the early career of his main character. The novel starts with Richard Sharpe as a sergeant, being thrust back into action after spending the four years following the end of the previous novel ("Sharpe's Tiger") in a relatively quiet assignment. Colonel McCandless, his acquaintance from previous action, drafts Sharpe's services for a special assignment. Events lead Sharpe into making decisions about his future. He must contend again with Sergeant Hakeswill, and a new woman enters Sharpe's life. This is the novel where Sharpe steps up from the ranks.
Rating:
Summary: Muslim fanatics of 1803
Review: Considering events after September 11, 2001, it is perhaps appropriate to read the novel. The setting is in India in 1803 and it covers a relatively short time period ending with the Battle of Assaye on September 23, 1803. The Muslim armies from the northwest, reinforced by Arab mercenaries, have swept onto the plains of India with the intention of conquering the country. The Muslims have hired European mercenaries including British renegades. The are opposed by the British Army and the East India Company sepoys under the combined command of Major General Wellesley. The novel has considerable action including Muslim fanatics and British soldiers trained to march into enemy fire. This was a time period when little quarter was given and wounded enemy were commonly bayoneted. Victorious armies commonly plundered captured cities, robbed the enemy dead, and raped any women they found - the few perqs of a common soldier. The population suffers as armies concerned with loot, personal advancement, feeding themselves, and more loot, roam the countryside like plagues of locusts. Copyrighted in 1998, chronologically this novel is book 2 of the Richard Sharpe series. Cornwell, like Forester, reached the end of the Napoleonic wars, then stepped back in time to cover the early career of his main character. The novel starts with Richard Sharpe as a sergeant, being thrust back into action after spending the four years following the end of the previous novel ("Sharpe's Tiger") in a relatively quiet assignment. Colonel McCandless, his acquaintance from previous action, drafts Sharpe's services for a special assignment. Events lead Sharpe into making decisions about his future. He must contend again with Sergeant Hakeswill, and a new woman enters Sharpe's life. This is the novel where Sharpe steps up from the ranks.
Rating: 
Summary: Sharpe is at it again
Review: Cornwell does it again with another installment in this highly readable series. This novel deals with probably the most amazing battle of the entire series, Wellington's early "Triumph" at Assaye. Cornwell's writing overall has gotten progressively better as the series has progressed. Here his prose crackles with energy in the battle scenes (especially Sharpe's long fabled and finally recreated rescue of Wellington) and gives us some of Sharpe's best personal moments when he is offered a position as a mercenary. Will he leave the British enlisted ranks to seek his fortune as a soldier for hire? Long time readers know the answer but it still makes for good reading. Of course I would be remiss not to mention the appearance of Obidiah Hakeswill. Cornwell knows he has a classic villian on his hands and he plays it to the hilt making his evil Sergeant worse than ever. This is a must read for fans of the series and an interesting historical novel about Wellington's most amazing military feat.
Rating:
Summary: Up from the ranks
Review: Cornwell takes us back to India in this book and the action is as intense as the novels set in Spain and France. These novels focusing on Sharpe's early career are especially interesting because the show him without the support of his Riflemen and without the officer's rank that is the source of much of his pride and many of his problems. But this is the novel where Sergeant Sharpe suddenly realizes that his ambitions go far beyond his non-commissioned rank. And in making the decision to try to rise to officer he knows that he is consigning himself to an almost certain death, because his only chance to become an officer is through an act of suicidal bravery on the battlefield that is noticed by a senior officer. The decision to attack at Assaye by Sir Arthur Wellesley gives Sharpe his opportunity. Longtime readers of the Sharpe novels know what he did to get himself promoted at Assaye, and Cornwell does his usual masterful job in describing this horrific, heroic deed. This book has everything Sharpe fans have come to love, and anyone who has never read this series should gather up their pennies and carve out a few weekends to devour them all. You'll find yourself addicted.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding book from a constantly outstanding writer!
Review: I confess! I saw this book in a store and paid retail price rather than wait for the better deal from Amazon.com. That's because I have every one of Cornwell's books (including three contemporary thrillers) and I KNEW what was between the covers: a page turning yarn with vividly wrought characters, combined with impeccable historical accuracy. OK-- almost impeccable, but only to further the plot. I am so happy that Cornwell didn't stop the Sharpe series with Waterloo, and you will be too. One caution: if this is your first Bernard Cornwell book, your savings account balance is about to decrease. Bravo Mr. Cornwell!
Rating:
Summary: Splendid Portrayal of the Battle of Assaye
Review: I enjoy researching Battles and Cornwell does a great job of describing how this Battle was fought while at the same time giving us the story of Richard Sharpe. The map at the front of the edition I have showing the deployment and subsequent tactical redeployment of the opposing forces makes a nice accompaniament to Cornwell's depiction of how Wellington deployed his forces.
Rating:
Summary: Another great Sharpe book
Review: I have read all the Sharpe books and bought this particular chapter in England on a visit. At the time, the next in the series, Sharpe's Trafalgar was soon to come out, so I purchased it over amazon.co.uk and it too is wonderful. As a suggestion, if you are a fan of the Sharpe books, check out the Roger Brook series by Dennis Wheatley. These books are out of print and difficult to locate in the States, but they will fill the time in between the time while waiting for the next Sharpe novel. And I will guarantee you get hooked as strongly by Wheatley as you have by Cornwell.
Rating:
Summary: Nobody does it like Cornwell
Review: I've read 7 Sharpe novels in the last 6 weeks, and I have to say that Bernard Cornwell is a damn good writer! By this I mean that he keeps your attention, he's good good characters, and the books are hard to put down. I've read all of them but Sharpe's Battle, which I will get to soon enough. I have to say, though, that I prefer it when Cornwell creates his own adventures for Sharpe rather than trying to fit him rigidly into a big historical event like Waterloo (probably my least favorite Sharpe novel, if there can be such a thing). Keep him on the samll adventures! Either way, this guy can write!
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