A story of a battle against impossible odds and victory snatched from defeat is the smashing prequel to the action-packed Richard Sharpe adventure series.
Sharpe's Rifles
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From Publishers Weekly
The eight previous books about Richard Sharpe, up-from-the-ranks infantry officer in H.M. Rifles, followed him from Talavera in 1809, battling Napoleon's armies across Iberia into France in early 1814. This "prequel" set in January 1809 has the new Lieutenant Sharpe trying to get his small English band away from the victorious French. Sharpe hopes to join the British outpost in Lisbon but is waylaid by a Spanish major of cavalry into helping him pull off a "miracle." The noble Major Vivar means to raise the flag of Spain's patron saint over Santiago de Compostela, now in French hands, as a sign that Spain will not be defeated. Readers of the earlier books will enjoy the usual smooth writing and vivid, occasionally quite gory, color. The battle scenes are thrillingly realistic and we always learn something: a macho , for example, is a mule whose vocal chords have been cut so that it can't bray and warn the enemy. The subplots revolve around Sharpe's making the recalcitrant Harper a sergeant, winning the respect of his troops and, alas, losing a fair young English girl.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
Sharpe may come to personify the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars in the same way that Horatio Hornblower does the Royal Navy. Sharpe's exploits during the Peninsular Campaigns (1809-14) have been chronicled in eight prior novels; this "prequel" is the story of Sharpe's first command. He becomes the leader of a force of Rifles cut off behind lines during the disastrous English retreat from Spain and battles not only crack French dragoons but also the fierce winter weather and the hostility of his men. A Spanish major offers aid if Sharpe will help with his own desperate mission to guarantee a Spanish victory. A crackling adventure yarn, sure to delight Sharpe's many fans. Charles Michaud, Turner Free Lib., Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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More than a hundred men were abandoned in the village. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
More than a hundred men were abandoned in the village. Read the first page
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Slow Rider
Format:Paperback
Cornwell does what he does best in delivering another suspenseful, action-packed Sharpe book. Like all the others, I had a hard time putting this one down once I had jumped into it. It's rare that it takes me longer then 4 or 5 days to get through a Sharpe book.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great stepping stone in the path of Sharpe. I read the books first and saw the tv series after and then reread the book, and loved them even more. You wont find a better fight/battle scenes, Cornwell is a master of describing combat and making it feel real. He also creates villians and vendettas that get your blood up.
By Larry Hobson
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The product is not bad, but the fact that it is an ex-library copy was not part of the description.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sharpe's Rifles
Thanks for this excellent buy. The books in the Sharpe's series by Bernard Cormwell are now "semi-rare" and I was able to find this one on your web listing at a very reasonable... Read more
Published on Jan 5 2010 by Bernard A. Paul
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sharpe Takes Formal Command in the 95th Rifles . . . by Force
Many people compare the Hornblower books to the Sharpe novels and vice versa. The two series have little in common other than covering similar time periods in British history, one... Read more
Published on Jan 24 2009 by Donald Mitchell
4.0 out of 5 stars
Engaging Start to the Sharpe Series
This was my first foray into the Napoleonic historical fiction genre (including the Hornblower series as well as the Aubrey/Maturin books) and since I am more of a landlubber I... Read more
Published on Dec 28 2003 by C. Argent
4.0 out of 5 stars
The penisular wars begin.
Sharpe's Rifles is the book in which Sharpe gets his first command. It's the bringing together of two characters that will see the peninsular wars to an end. Read more
Published on Sep 1 2003 by David Hassall
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Action
Reading Napoleonic books can become a bit dull without some imagery to add to the mixture. This and the other books (along with the good if low-budget TV series) really bring... Read more
Published on April 28 2003 by D. A Butler
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding!
One of the best novels in the Sharpe series. Unlike later novels, in which Richard Sharpe seems infallible and invincinble,
Sharpe's Rifles portrays the hero as insecure and... Read more
Sharpe's Rifles portrays the hero as insecure and... Read more
Published on April 5 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
hear ye, hear ye, hear ye, Bernard is the man!
Another fine book. Writer's like Cornwell, of which there are few, never cease to amaze. Prolific yet always profound. Dramatic yet believable. Read more
Published on Nov 11 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars
great start to an addictive series
This is an excellent action book. Sharpe is a strong character, and the historical context of the story is very interesting. Cornwell's battle scenes are very well done. Read more
Published on April 28 2002 by Kiwibelge
5.0 out of 5 stars
sharpe's rifles
Firstly this is an exellent book like all of the others in the sharpe series.It is hard to believe ,at the start ,that the Chosen men will one day respect and like... Read more
Published on April 11 2002 by "adamconlin81"
5.0 out of 5 stars
AIM!.........FIRE!.....FIX BAYONETS!
After reading a number of C.S Forester's Hornblower series, I realized the appreciation I have for historical fiction that contains a main character's development throughout that... Read more
Published on Feb 4 2002 by Matthew Ozvat
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