Most helpful customer reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Career at Stake, Sharpe and Harper Slash Forward to Glory, Feb 6 2009
Sharpe's Eagle was the first book written in the series and falls as the eighth in the current chronological sequence. Wherever you place Sharpe's Eagle, it's a marvelous story . . . one that you will long remember.
All of the great themes of the series are beautifully developed in this story: foolish dim-witted privilege versus low-birth but professional skill and courage; the lowly, poor Sharpe being fascinated by and fascinating beautiful women desired by richer, more powerful men; quick-witted discipline overcoming strategic errors and mistaken assumptions of the enemy; a beautiful friendship between Richard Sharpe and the Irish Sergeant Patrick Harper; and an uninfluential soldier being indirectly important to Sir Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. Like the other books in the series, Sharpe rises up to accomplish something important.
Lieutenant Richard Sharpe had been left behind with a small band of 30 riflemen when Sir John Moore's retreat to Corunna had collapsed. Sir Arthur Wellesley wanted all the riflemen he could get, so Sharpe had been ordered to stay rather then returning to England to rejoin the second Battalion of the 95th Rifles. It's just as well. Sharpe had been a quartermaster before his superiors had been killed with no chance to get a battle command.
His friend Major Hogan has been ordered to blow up the bridge at Valdelacasa, and Sharpe and his men are to be the escort. Because of protocol, the Spanish want to lead the way. Because of that, Wellesley assigns Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson and his South Essex Regiment militiamen to be the British honor guard.
Sharpe is appalled that Sir Henry likes to flog and has taught his men to do things by the book, rather than emphasizing speed of fire. Soon, Sharpe gets a chance to make his points which makes an enemy of Sir Henry. Tensions escalate as Sir Henry takes an unnecessary risk and crosses the bridge to be blown and tries to get Sharpe to make a suicidal attack on cavalry. Sharpe declines, and Sir Henry makes a muddle. Sir Henry escapes his own mess, and Sharpe has to pull the bacon out of the fire . . . to save his own life as well as those of his men.
In fact, a terrible loss occurs . . . the King's Colours are taken by the French. Sir Henry blames Sharpe and promises to get Sharpe either drummed out of the army . . . or sent to the pestilential West Indies. Sharpe makes a promise to a dying man and knows that he must avenge the loss by gaining a colour standard, a French Eagle, in compensation.
From there, the story focuses on Sharpe re-establishing his honor, saving his career, and charming a pretty lady. In the process, his career takes an unexpected step.
The story has great historical details, from Sharpe's use of maggots to heal a wound to part of the story being based on the actual capture of a French Eagle by Ensign Keogh and Sergeant Masterson of the 87th, an Irish regiment, at the Battle of Barossa on March 5, 1811.
Naturally, not every story in the series is as good as this one. It's important to have some excellent stories to carry the not-so-excellent ones. Bernard Cornwell did his homework very well with this one.
Bravo!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
great reading you are there, Sep 18 2003
I HAVE READ ALL OF HIS BOOKS ALL THE SHARPS SERIES AND THE FOUR BOOKS ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR IM waiting for the him to complet the series,all so the other series about the archers find me more thank you DON
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The book that started it all., Sep 2 2003
Sharpe's Eagle is the first of many books by Bernard Cornwell in which his character, Richard Sharpe is a member of the British army in the years around 1800. I didn't read the book in the order they were written, I read them chronologically, but this book is still the best regardless.This book introduces Cornwell's fantastic writing style, he educates us of the British actions throughout many different campaigns. He is very detailed on a number of subjects, from how the battle was fought to the steps in which a cannon is loaded. After reading these books you feel like you know a great deal about such an important point in our history. This book introduces us to the upper class in-adequacies surrounding the British army of the time. Rich upper class 'snobs' became commanders by buying their commission, this left a greatly trained army to be run by untrained commanders. In this book an arrogant Sir Henry Simmerson, thinking he knows best, goes on to disgrace his whole unit by losing the Kings colours. It's then down to Sharpe, with the help of his immense bravery and courage to restore his regiment's honour. It's a great introduction to a truly interesting and gripping series. 5 Stars
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by Bernard Cornwell
by Bernard Cornwell
by Bernard Cornwell
by Bernard Cornwell
by Bernard Cornwell
