Rating: 
Summary: It lit a fire...
Review: I love Bernard Cornwell's books - having discovered him, as many have, through Sean bean's TV portrayals of Richard Sharpe, I devoured the Sharpe books and then moved onto Starbuck.I'm English, and prior to picking up 'Rebel', I had little knowledge of, or interest in, the American Civil War (we add the 'American' because we had a Civil War of our own). My the end of 'The Bloody Ground' I'd become an obsessive. I've read a pile of factual books on the subject, and am getting Shelby Foote's huge hitory for my birthday, and I have to say, the story of this war is the greatest tale of the millenium. It has the grandeur of Greek myth, and yet it all happened. I have not read a single thing in any other books since that makes anything in Cornwell's books seem false. Experiencing Bull Run and Sharpsburg with Starbuck is real enough for you to smell the powder. I wish he'd write more. I know this series has had relatively poor reviews, by Cornwell's standards, but not series has ever captured mt imagination as powerfully. Perhaps those who bring extensive knowledge of the War to these books will be less impressed, but as an introduction to the most fascinating conflict since medieval times, this can't be beaten. I also will defend Cornwell's telling of this from the Southern perspective - few Southern soldiers gave a damn about slavery, yet their memory often gets damned because, at its core, their cause was unjust. yet the South, fighting for the wrong cause, brought nobility, courage, brilliant and panache to the field, while the North, fighting for the righteous cause, was incompetent, brutal and clumsy - rarely winning by any other means than crushing the Confederates under weight of numbers and superior resources. Its hard NOT to root for the South - even though you know you shouldn't, and Cornwell makes this paradox the core of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Great fiction...
Review: I loved this series, even though I discovered it about a year after "The Bloody Ground" came out. To the potential customer, I'd say buy it. It has a wonderful plot and almost perfect descriptions. To the author, I'd say to continue the series. I'm Indian myself, and though I enjoyed the Indian branch of the Sharpe series immensely, I'd much rather prefer to see the Starbuck Chronicles continued.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Civil War books to be published!
Review: I very much enjoyed this book. It had all the makings of a good historical fiction book. I am only 14, but have read quite a few books, and this is one of my favorites. It is the 4th, and best in the series of books that tell of a lost boy that develops into a hard soilder. of which I have read all of them. Bernard Cornwell was amazing, and made me want to keep on reading. He has many very developed characters, well described settings, and many things all going on at once, that make this book stand out as a work of art.
Rating:
Summary: I need more!
Review: I've followed the Starbuck series since Copperhead's publication several years back, and I've loved every page of every volume. The Bloody Ground is probably one of the installment's most riviting volumes that culminates into the second battle of Bull Run. What depresses me most is that while the series' first four volumes came out in such a short period of time, there hasn't been a page published in several years, as author Cornwell has gone back to his Sharpe series, among other things. I really hope he'll come back to Starbuck, as it's probably one of my all-time favorite series of books.
Rating:
Summary: I need more!
Review: I've followed the Starbuck series since Copperhead's publication several years back, and I've loved every page of every volume. The Bloody Ground is probably one of the installment's most riviting volumes that culminates into the second battle of Bull Run. What depresses me most is that while the series' first four volumes came out in such a short period of time, there hasn't been a page published in several years, as author Cornwell has gone back to his Sharpe series, among other things. I really hope he'll come back to Starbuck, as it's probably one of my all-time favorite series of books.
Rating: 
Summary: Cornwell's losing steam/interest in this last volume...
Review: Let's face it, Bernard Cornwell is one of my favorite novelists/raconteurs, but his go at the ACW is not up to his Napoleonic novels (SHARPE of course...), but neither to his masterwork (The Warlord Chronicles - ARTHURIAN TRILOGY)...
Above average, good battle descriptions as usual... but the plot does not CLICK!...
Try, "UNTO THIS HOUR", "CONFEDERATES", or "STONEWALL'S GOLD"&"UNHOLY FIRE" and see the diference it makes if the author is a "real AMERICAN writer of fiction"...
All the Starbuck novels are'nt up to par with Sharpe... and it's a pity... but try "GALLOWS THIEF" and be enchanted again!.
ONLY FOR DIEHARD FANS OF Mr. Cornwell OUTPOUT.
As a matter of fact WHEN the following title will be published is at this moment a point wich by itself proves the lack of interest (or even HOW to continue the main narrative line...) of the author...
STILL RECOMMENDED FOR DIEHARD ACW FANS... (wich I am of course...)
Rating: 
Summary: A story going nowhere--slowly.
Review: Sometimes one feels powerless when reviewing a book. Already, the chronicles of Nathaniel Starbuck, a Yankee fighting for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, are proving as popular as Cornwell's previous creation, Peninsular War hero Richard Sharpe. True, the historical period is nicely evoked and the battle descriptions are accurate. But the characters are all too simplistic. We never understand why the upstanding Starbuck is fighting to preserve slavery, why Southern blacks seem content in their place, or why all Rebels are nice and all Northerners nasty. The story of how Starbuck's leadership redeems a punishment battalion also goes nowhere--slowly. Yet whatever I say, I am sure this book will sell in great numbers. Go figure.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent historical fiction.
Review: The Starbuck series has been an excellent read. I am about finished with 'The Battle Flag'. I personally hope Cornwell will fire up another three or four books in this series. Reading this fictional series has piqued my interest in the Civil War. In conclusion, Cornwell is an excellent author and continue to be one of my favorites. I hope he does us all a favor and continues writing in the series. jes
Rating:
Summary: Starbuck continues to shine
Review: This 4th installment of the Starbuck Chronicles is as riviting as the preceding ones. Nate continues to evolve as the series proceeds--though evolve into what I am not yet certain. I am anxiously awaiting the 5th installment of this series.
Rating:
Summary: Starbuck continues to shine
Review: This 4th installment of the Starbuck Chronicles is as riviting as the preceding ones. Nate continues to evolve as the series proceeds--though evolve into what I am not yet certain. I am anxiously awaiting the 5th installment of this series.
| 
