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2 internautes sur 2 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
4.0étoiles sur 5
Gruesome, Janv. 22 2008
Young private Richard Sharpe and his fellow soldiers are preparing for the siege of Seringapatam in India. It will be Sharpes first battle, the objective: to topple the Tippoo of Myrose and drive out his French allies. When a senior officer falls in the hands of the enemy, Sharpe is asked to pose as a deserter in order to be captured and imprisoned with his superior. The plan is to orchestrate an escape and bring back vital information. His success will make Richard a sergeant but his failure will leave him at the hands of brutal executioners...
This work of fiction is based on real events, Mr Cornwell put into his writing an immense attention to details. At times it can get a little over descriptive; the plot is packed with gruesome violence, not for the squeamish. I was most interested in the main characters, Richard Sharpe is a ruthless individual and Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill is a tyrant at his best, it is fast established that they are enemies within the army. Cornwell went to depth describing other interesting characters throughout the novel. A very handy historical note is added at the back of the book to help understand why the author has taken some liberties with the historical facts. My first experience with this series will not be my last.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
Blood, Lust, Drink, Local Color, Intrigue, Adventure, Using Your Wits, and Battle, Oct. 29 2008
When I checked this book out of the local library, my favorite librarian looked concerned. Based on her knowledge of my reading habits, she was dubious that I would like Sharpe's Tiger. Knowing her reading tastes, I soon realized that the book is far too bloody, raw, and unrestrained for her delicate sensibilities. If you like your adventure stories to be pretty antiseptic in protecting you from grisly reality, this book won't be for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy feeling like you are there and experiencing the story, you'll adore Sharpe's Tiger.
The year is 1799. The place is Mysore in India. Richard Sharpe is a relatively untested private who is good at thinking and acting quickly. After Sergeant Bickerstaff dies, Sharpe becomes first in line to marry his beautiful widow, a half-Indian half-English woman, Mary Bickerstaff. But that's a dangerous thing to do because one of the officers and a sergeant have designs of Mrs. Bickerstaff for immoral purposes that will bring some money to them as well. Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill sets Sharpe up to make a fatal blunder, and Sharpe falls for the plot. As a result, Sharpe is at risk of losing his life.
While this is going on, Colonel McCandless who leads the British military intelligence activities has learned a crucial secret for successfully seizing Seringapatam, the well-defended Mysore seat of the Tippoo who is the most fierce and determined enemy of the British in India. Before Colonel McCandless can pass on the secret, he is captured by the Tippoo. McCandless's only hope now is that his emergency plan to secure a rescue will work.
Sharpe is drafted for a suicide assignment to pretend to be a deserter and infiltrate Seringapatam in an attempt to free the Colonel before the siege begins. His potential reward is to earn Sergeant's stripes so that he can be free of Hakeswill's authority. The story suddenly goes from army boredom to taut suspense as Sharpe's life is continually hanging in the balance.
The story provides a wealth of details about the British and East India Company armies at the time and the life of the independent Indian leaders. You'll also learn a lot about battle strategy and tactics of the time.
Richard Sharpe is a truly extraordinary hero for being cool under fire, resourceful, and quick to gain an advantage. He also has the perspective of a general without the rank and authority to do much more than lead his own steps when no superior officers are around.
The book is filled with exciting action, intriguing challenges, and brooding evil. Naturally, you'll be rooting for Sharpe to drive out those who are doing or want to do wrong. But the good versus evil isn't that clear. The Tippoo isn't a bad ruler: He's just the enemy of Richard Sharpe.
Although the book is somewhat simplistic in its morality, I think you'll enjoy a break from all of those books written today about anti-heroes.
I especially liked the glimpses of the young Arthur Wellesley before he became the famed Duke of Wellington.
I am looking forward to reading more books in the series.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
Now I understand all the hype!, Jui 16 2004
This is the first Sharpe novel I have read, although I did catch some of the TV series. I am not a fan of multiple formula novels churned out by lazy writers, and I was suspicious of this series.But Cornwell has done something different here. He has taken real events, from the career of Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington). Then he has inserted the character of Richard Sharp, a canny ex-thief ranker in the British Infantry. One of the men Wellington was to describe as "Scum of the Earth" after Badajoz. From the viewpoint of Sharpe we see the business end of the British Army, a worms eye view of the rise of Wellesley and the Indian and Peninsular campaigns. What you are getting is real history fleshed out with a cracking good story. And it is very well done! I am very tempted to dig further into this substantial series of books. I can see why they have become so popular.
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