How does it compare to audio works by the same author?
Excellent
Advantages:
blood, beauties and betrayal
Disadvantages:
one day Sharpe will really die
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Richard Sharpe (immortalised by Sean Bean in the T.V. series) is the quintessential english hero in these conflicts. Joining the army in early adulthood to receive food above all else, he left a career of pick-pocketing and found his vocation. During his excursions in India, he saved the life of Arthur Wellesley, the later Duke of Wellington, allowing his career to develop to the rank of major throughout the series of books.
The 'Sharpe' series concentrates on the career of Richard Sharpe, his men and his units from the time of conflict in India to the peninsula wars against Napoleon and beyond.
If i could live my life as a fictional character it would be Sharpe. What a life it would be, a no-nonsense character at odds with his elevated status, stunningly handsome, leaving a trail of beautiful women in his wake. All his troops love him and would die for him and he has seen most of the world (most of France anyway.)
There is however a downside - he is very prone to being on death's door. He is unfortunately always dying, presumed dead, missing or bleeding from somewhere.
With this installment of Sharpe you will not be disappointed by any of the lack of any of this. His sworn enemy on this occasion is a dastardly chap by the name of Leroux. A master French swordsman and all round ungallant cad. Having unwittingly been taken prisoner by Sharpe at the commencement of the book he gives his gallant oath to not escape. However, shock, horror he does, (otherwise the book would be 5 pages long) killing Sharpe's friend and Colonel. Sharpe gives chase, hounding Leroux into the forts of Salamanca.
Leroux was tasked with finding 'El Mirador' a British spy, and following a bloody battle wherein Sharpe storms a fort, Leroux escapes (won't spoil this bit, very similar to a scene in 'The Silence of The Lambs' though.) Leroux is on the loose and Sharpe is fearful for his gorgeous Spanish Marquesa. Sharpe eventually finds Leroux being sheltered by a priest, and Leroux shoots Sharpe in the guts (that's gotta hurt!)
Sharpe's men, his ertswhile sergeant Harper and commanding officer tour the hospital looking for him but he is pronounced so near dead he is interred in 'Connelley's world' (a sergeant that runs the no-hopers ward.) Harper finds him takes him home and nurses him back to health, also fashioning him a new sword (leroux broke the last in a swordfight.)
Sharpe recovers (phew!) and goes on to fight Leroux in a last pitched battle, killing him in a mounted cavalry charge. Sharpe has earned the right to keep Leroux's bejewelled sword but chucks it into the lake (resonance of Cornwell's Arthur trilogy?) in favour of Harper's creation.
At risk of sounding repetetive with my reviews of the Sharpe series, this book is great. There are a number of twists and turns in this book, and although it still follows the trusted pattern of all Sharpe books it is thoroughly enjoyable. The characters are superbly cast and one of the enduring characters, Colonel Windham is killed off. This satisfies the balance of gore (plenty) and bodice shredding (she is beautiful and considered untouchable.) The battles are convincing and like all the series, the characters (such as Connelley, the priest, Wellington) all existed. This interweaving of real events with a fictional character fighting with a fictional regiment alongside real events is an outstanding achievement.
I love these books for their historical accuracy and pure escapism. Buy them and read them, they are cheap (£5.99) a book and offer great reading.
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Listenability
Once you start it, you won't be able to switch it off!
How does it compare to similar audio books?
Excellent
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