Advantages: Quick read, Pure action, Low history lesson
Disadvantages: Posthaste Pellucid Pre-Peninsula Plothole Plug

...The year is 1807 - two years before the events of SHARPE'S RIFLES - and Lieutenant RICHARD SHARPE is back in London, broke and minus one vital ingredient - a war. SHARPE'S PREY has the potential to be one of the worst ideas - and novels - of BERNARD CORNWELL's long-running SHARPE series. Set during the period of the Napoleonic Wars when the focus was on winning the war at sea; the battle for Naval supremacy - throwing an Army officer into the thick of it sounds like a mistake. Surely this is a job for HORNBLOWER; not RICHARD SHARPE? Well, no actually. Ships need more than crew, they need landing parties and individuals prepared to go on sabotage missions and... Heck, this is SHARPE! Any excuse for more SHARPE is a good excuse! SHARPE'S PREY and the earlier novel - SHARPE'S TRAFALGAR - fit neatly between CORNWELL'S India Trilogy... Read review

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Advantages: To watch again and again, without interruption
Disadvantages: It is repeated on Freeview again and again

...Brilliant TV drama adaptation of Bernard Cornwall's novel series based on the events of the Napoleonic Wars, at the start of the 19th Century, following the career of our hero, Richard Sharpe. Episodes 1. Sharpe's Rifles: In 1809 Sharpe saves Lord Wellesley's life, later known as the Duke of Wellington. He receives a field commission and is sent on his first mission with his rough band of chosen men, but finds it difficult because he is not seen as a "proper officer". (Certificate: 15) 2. Sharpe's Eagle: Sharpe fights to keep his promotion and goes after an imperial Eagle at the Battle of Talavera. (Certificate: 15) 3. Sharpe's Company: The English prepare to go into Badajoz, Sharpe's captaincy is refused and his enemy Sergeant Hakeswill is out to get him and his wife Teresa. (Certificate: PG) 4. Sharpe... Read review

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Advantages: Diverse action
Disadvantages: Not all the Sharpe series is as good

...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. 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. Sharpe's Eagle sees Sharpe joining the South Essex regiment led by Lt. Col. Henry Simmerson. The regiment though beautifully dressed are useless and Sharpe's leadership abilities bring him into conflict with Simmerson. At Valdelacasa Sharpe... Read review

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Advantages: Great Swashbuckling Action!
Disadvantages: After reading this you will spend a fortune on Cornwell's work :-)

...A Bit of Background: The year is 1809 and the British Army under Sir John Moore is trying to push the French out of Portugal. The book is set amid the worst winter the region has seen in decades and the British Army is retreating towards Corunna. Richard Sharpe is a newly promoted Lieutenant in the 95th Rifles, an elite skirmishing (light infantry) regiment in Britains Army. He is one of the few men at the time who entered the army as a Private to end up as an Officer. Only about 1 in 20 officers were promoted from 'the ranks'. The general way for a man to become an officer in those days was to purchase a commision, and typically these men were 'gentlemen' - however they certainly don't act like gentlemen most of the time! They are pig headed, arrogant, ignorant and very rude, especially to Sharpe, whom they dispise! The Story... Read review

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Advantages: Great Story
Disadvantages: A little bloody for some people

...One of the middle books in the Sharpe series, the story revolves as ever around Richard Sharpe and his group of Riflemen. The story begins with Sharpes men interupting a massacre of Spanish villagers by a French Brigidier General. General Loup (meaning 'wolf' in French) is part og an anti-guerilla unit and thus is one of the more horrific soldiers in the French army. When Sharpe executes two of his men infront of him for war crimes he makes and enemy who dogs him and pursues his up and down the frontier, and the enemy is every bit as clever, ruthless and hard as Sharpe is. The story culminates with Sharpe facing disgrace and ruin and the French and British armies pulled together at the bloody and terrifying Battle of Fuentes de Onoro. Here in the close quarters street brawling battle Sharpes future will be decided. The story rattles... Read review

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Advantages: Another brilliant installment of Sharpe's adventures
Disadvantages: Stretches credibility slightly

...Being a huge fan of the Sharpe series, I too have seen all the films and listened to the audio books (but not cos I was too lazy to read, it was the fact that the ones I've listened to are read by Sean Bean himself!), so it was with great excitement I started to read Sharpe's Trafalgar. I must admit I wasn't disappointed with the book, as Sharpe continues to be the swashbuckling hero of the Pennisular Wars, whether on sea or dry land! Although this book does stretch credibility slightly (one man being in every major battle), there is a truth in it (read the author's notes at the end of the book for an explanation), it does tie the whole seriers together rather nicely. It tells the story of Sharpe's journey home from India and how he gets involved in the battle of Traflagar, meets Nelson and how he falls for the wrong girl (as he... Read review

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Advantages: Classic Sharpe, A real boys own hero.
Disadvantages: A little slow on the intro

...Yet another outing for Richard Sharpe on the Battlefields of Napoleonic Europe. Although it is slower starting than some of the other books in the series this book is still thoughrouly enjoyable. Richard Sharpe is in his normal situation of being under the command of some jumped up 'Gentleman' who hasn't got a clue and it's left to Sharpe to resolve the Situation and save the day. Cornwell has a way of writing that has a knack of getting across to you just how bad a soldiers life could be, but still you find yourself raising a smile to the subtle humour that he weaves into Sharpes confrontations with his peers. All this leads to the books main battle that Cornwell depicts with amazing detail yet without making the read drag. While this is certainly far from the best book in the series, it still a thumping good read.... Read review

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Advantages: adds something different to the Sharp series
Disadvantages: none

...This book is one of the series of Sharpe books wrote by Bernard Cornwall. Set in the times of firstly India( Sharpes Tiger, 1st book) and then the Neopoleonic Wars it follows the life of Private Sharp who fights his way up the promotion ladder. It shows how hard it was for a Private to go from the gutters, to being an officer. In most of the books Sharpe crosses many ememys, mainly on his own side. As well as fighting many battles against his French enemy. From book 1 through the whole series Bernard Cornwall keeps you glued to the book and makes you feel as if you are actually there. His clever and sinister plots tied in with the characters Sharpe has to face make these books a ore inspiring read. A refreshing break from the life of war that Sharpe leads this book is very good. Sharpe and Harper are forced back to England to find... Read review

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Advantages: skillful fighting, brilliant battle ideas, very realistic
Disadvantages: As yet no feature film

...If you ever see Sharpe in the TV listings, I suggest very much that you don't miss it. The great thing about Sharpe is that you really feel a great comradeship with him and his men and you become a part of his selected few. This has to be down to Bernard Cornwell's (the original writer) fantastic imagination and Sean Bean's (as Sharpe) 'British' point of view. It is quite amazing the type of battles Sharpe gets involved in on his march with the British through Spain and France. There are some brilliant battle scenes through the series and the best is probably at Waterloo. This is where Sharpe finally gets to see Napoleon, his main reason to keep fighting. The styles of fighting are very interesting because they are so different from what would be seen today. The ideas behind some of the battles are very imaginative and the skill... Read review

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