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Sharpe #15
A Espada de Sharpe
O capitão Richard Sharpe precisa lidar com um mundo de espionagem e traição em A espada de Sharpe, um capítulo das Guerras Napoleônicas do consagrado Bernard Cornwell. Richard Sharpe está em guerra outra vez. Mas, agora, seu inimigo é apenas um homem: o cruel e implacável coronel Leroux. Depois de ser capturado pela companhia de Sharpe e escapar, ludibriando os soldados britânicos, Leroux ruma para Salamanca, onde almeja dar um golpe fatal no exército inimigo. Enquanto isso, ao descobrir a identidade de seu antigo cativo, Sharpe recebe a missão de garantir a segurança de El Mirador, um espião cuja rede de agentes é fundamental para a vitória britânica.Com isso, Sharpe é forçado a encarar um novo tipo de guerra, um terreno completamente novo num mundo de intriga política e militar. E, no ambiente pouco familiar que é a sociedade aristocrática espanhola, seus únicos aliados são lorde Spears, um oficial explorador das forças inglesas com uma queda por apostas, e la marquesa, uma bela mulher cheia de segredos.Paixões, vinganças e traições se cruzam em A espada de Sharpe. E Salamanca não só é o palco de um novo confronto entre as forças de Napoleão e de Wellington. É também onde o capitão Richard Sharpe deverá lutar pela vida em uma missão muito mais pessoal que qualquer outra.Soldado, herói, patife, Sharpe é o homem que você quer sempre ao seu lado. Nascido na pobreza, ele entrou no Exército para escapar da cadeia e subiu na hierarquia por sua coragem. Ele não conhece outra família que além do 95º Regimento de Fuzileiros, cuja jaqueta verde veste com orgulho.A espada de Sharpe é mais um instigante e aguardado capítulo de As aventuras de um soldado nas Guerras Napoleônicas.
350 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
490 people are currently reading
2712 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
534 books19k followersCornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his birth mother's maiden name, Cornwell.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
July 27, 2016
[7/10]
None of the Sharpe books is bad. They present history in a thrilling, heroic manner following the career of Richard Sharpe, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars who rises through the ranks thanks to his courage and martial prowess. I must confess though that after reading a fair number of them they tend to blend together in a 'paint-by-numbers' fashion. Cornwell has a winning recipe for cooking his historical romances that he he applies time and time again: Sharpe is the perfect soldier. Sharpe comes across a devious adversary. Sharpe meets a beautiful woman and seduces her. Sharpe gets in trouble with his superior officers. Sharpe finally distinguishes himself in one of the major conflicts of the war, almost single-handedly turning the tide of battle.
Richard Sharpe was good at this. He had been doing it for nineteen years, his whole adult life, more, indeed, than half his life, and he wondered if he would ever be good for anything else. Could he make things with his hands? Could he earn a living by growing things, or was he just this? A killer on a battlefield, legitimised by war for which, he knew, he had a talent.
I need something to distinguish between the different episodes, in my quest to read all the Sharpe books chronologically. A new reader can start anywhere without a problem, since the author himself didn't publish the books in chronological order and he took care to make each one viable as a stand-alone adventure. In the present instance, my bookmarks are the sword from the title and the city of Salamanca.
It was a weapon of exquisite craftmanship, a straight-bladed, heavy cavalry sword made by Kligenthal as were most of the cavalry blades, but this sword had been made specially for Leroux by the finest craftsman at Kligenthal. It was longer than most swords, heavier too, for Leroux was a tall, strong man. The blade was beautiful, a sheen of steel in the dappled green light of the wood, and the hilt and guard were made of the same steel. The handle was bound by silver wire, the sword's sole concession to decoration, but despite its plainness, the weapon proclaimed itself as a beautiful, exquisitely balanced killing blade.To hold that sword, Delmas thought, must be to know what King Arthur felt when he slid Excalibur, smooth as grey silk, from the churchyard stone.
Sharpe covets the beautiful weapon from the first moment he lays eyes on it, in the hands of a captured French officer. The quest is started when this officer, a dangerous killing machine named Colonel Leroux, breaks his parole, kills a couple of Sharpe's friends and escapes into the besieged city of Salamanca. The hunt for the sword is on!
The city of Salamanca is well worth a visit today, and not only in order to see the site of an old battleground. Cornwell did his research well (as usual), and makes it easier for the reader to go sightseeing in the old university quarter, in the magnificent central plaza, in the palaces of the wealthy and in the local monasteries. The action moves briskly between these locations, culminating with an assault on three fortified positions within the town. An important sidequest deals with a hunt for the best English spy in the peninsula, a secret agent nicknamed El Mirador. Another sidequest deals with the usual love interest for Sharpe, the beautiful and rich Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba. The competition here comes in the guise of a dissolute Irish noble, Captain Lord Jack Spears, one of the 'official' spies in Wellington's army, the kind that goes behind enemy lines in uniform.
The final confrontation of the Salamanca campaign takes place outside the city limits and is one of the largest and bloodiest so far in the series. Cornwell is in his element here, painting a clear picture of the opposing forces and of the deciding large scale maneuvers, filling in the big picture with detailed accounts of individual acts of valor. He is still favoring the British side with most of the praise, and I guess I need to find a French author if I want to discover what the French think about the whole Spanish campaign. For now Wellington gets the lion's share of the glory.
Sharpe comes out well out of the scramble, not surprisingly since I know how many more books are left in the series. The author did put him through the mangler here to a higher degree than usual . Leroux was a strong adversary, and the sideplots better handled than usual, especially the resolution of the quest for the Kligenthal sword. What I'm trying to say is that I might have given only three stars to the Salamanca episode, but this is mostly because I am already too familiar with the formula. For a new reader who only starts with the Sharpe novels, this one could go four stars or more.
I will continue with the Cornwell series. I am even considering stepping up the rhythm to more than a couple of books each year, because I really want to explore different historical subjects and I want to get to the finish line quicker with the current one.
None of the Sharpe books is bad. They present history in a thrilling, heroic manner following the career of Richard Sharpe, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars who rises through the ranks thanks to his courage and martial prowess. I must confess though that after reading a fair number of them they tend to blend together in a 'paint-by-numbers' fashion. Cornwell has a winning recipe for cooking his historical romances that he he applies time and time again: Sharpe is the perfect soldier. Sharpe comes across a devious adversary. Sharpe meets a beautiful woman and seduces her. Sharpe gets in trouble with his superior officers. Sharpe finally distinguishes himself in one of the major conflicts of the war, almost single-handedly turning the tide of battle.
Richard Sharpe was good at this. He had been doing it for nineteen years, his whole adult life, more, indeed, than half his life, and he wondered if he would ever be good for anything else. Could he make things with his hands? Could he earn a living by growing things, or was he just this? A killer on a battlefield, legitimised by war for which, he knew, he had a talent.
I need something to distinguish between the different episodes, in my quest to read all the Sharpe books chronologically. A new reader can start anywhere without a problem, since the author himself didn't publish the books in chronological order and he took care to make each one viable as a stand-alone adventure. In the present instance, my bookmarks are the sword from the title and the city of Salamanca.
It was a weapon of exquisite craftmanship, a straight-bladed, heavy cavalry sword made by Kligenthal as were most of the cavalry blades, but this sword had been made specially for Leroux by the finest craftsman at Kligenthal. It was longer than most swords, heavier too, for Leroux was a tall, strong man. The blade was beautiful, a sheen of steel in the dappled green light of the wood, and the hilt and guard were made of the same steel. The handle was bound by silver wire, the sword's sole concession to decoration, but despite its plainness, the weapon proclaimed itself as a beautiful, exquisitely balanced killing blade.To hold that sword, Delmas thought, must be to know what King Arthur felt when he slid Excalibur, smooth as grey silk, from the churchyard stone.
Sharpe covets the beautiful weapon from the first moment he lays eyes on it, in the hands of a captured French officer. The quest is started when this officer, a dangerous killing machine named Colonel Leroux, breaks his parole, kills a couple of Sharpe's friends and escapes into the besieged city of Salamanca. The hunt for the sword is on!
The city of Salamanca is well worth a visit today, and not only in order to see the site of an old battleground. Cornwell did his research well (as usual), and makes it easier for the reader to go sightseeing in the old university quarter, in the magnificent central plaza, in the palaces of the wealthy and in the local monasteries. The action moves briskly between these locations, culminating with an assault on three fortified positions within the town. An important sidequest deals with a hunt for the best English spy in the peninsula, a secret agent nicknamed El Mirador. Another sidequest deals with the usual love interest for Sharpe, the beautiful and rich Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba. The competition here comes in the guise of a dissolute Irish noble, Captain Lord Jack Spears, one of the 'official' spies in Wellington's army, the kind that goes behind enemy lines in uniform.
The final confrontation of the Salamanca campaign takes place outside the city limits and is one of the largest and bloodiest so far in the series. Cornwell is in his element here, painting a clear picture of the opposing forces and of the deciding large scale maneuvers, filling in the big picture with detailed accounts of individual acts of valor. He is still favoring the British side with most of the praise, and I guess I need to find a French author if I want to discover what the French think about the whole Spanish campaign. For now Wellington gets the lion's share of the glory.
Sharpe comes out well out of the scramble, not surprisingly since I know how many more books are left in the series. The author did put him through the mangler here to a higher degree than usual . Leroux was a strong adversary, and the sideplots better handled than usual, especially the resolution of the quest for the Kligenthal sword. What I'm trying to say is that I might have given only three stars to the Salamanca episode, but this is mostly because I am already too familiar with the formula. For a new reader who only starts with the Sharpe novels, this one could go four stars or more.
I will continue with the Cornwell series. I am even considering stepping up the rhythm to more than a couple of books each year, because I really want to explore different historical subjects and I want to get to the finish line quicker with the current one.
October 23, 2025
This very engaging historical adventure is, now, the 15th volume, due to the book Sharpe's Command, of the "Richard Sharpe" series, but for me personally this book Sharpe's Sword will remain the only true sequel of Sharpe's Company, simply because of its writing style and interactions.
At the front of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of the Battle of Salamanca, July 22nd 1812, while at the back you'll notice a well documented and very informative Historical Note concerning this eventful story.
Storytelling is excellent, for its the same kind as in Sharpe's Company, all characters, whether real historical and fictional, are very believable and lifelike in this historical adventure about deception, loyalty and bloody battle actions between Britain and France.
The book is divided into three parts, from June until July 1812, and each one has its own little story to tell about the exploits of Captain Richard Sharpe.
In the first part an important prisoner, a French spy who goes by the of Colonel Leroux, and this devious killer has escaped the British clutches and is hiding in Salamanca, while on the hunt for a huge British agent called "El Mirador", and in part two Richard Sharpe will be manipulated by a lady nicknamed La Marquesa, while around the same time he's fighting along to capture the three fortresses in Salamanca that are held by the French, but the British are betrayed and thus expected and beaten off.
In part three the final spy game will come to a head between Richard Sharpe and Leroux, after some home truths made by a Lord Spears about the old priest Curtis's secret identity and Major Hogan's secret list, while around the same time the Battle of Salamanca is fought between Britain and France, and this is wonderfully described and pictured within his wonderful historical adventure.
Highly recommended, because for me this book remains the true sequel to Sharpe's Company (see review), and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Exciting Sharp(e) Vengeful Sword"!
At the front of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of the Battle of Salamanca, July 22nd 1812, while at the back you'll notice a well documented and very informative Historical Note concerning this eventful story.
Storytelling is excellent, for its the same kind as in Sharpe's Company, all characters, whether real historical and fictional, are very believable and lifelike in this historical adventure about deception, loyalty and bloody battle actions between Britain and France.
The book is divided into three parts, from June until July 1812, and each one has its own little story to tell about the exploits of Captain Richard Sharpe.
In the first part an important prisoner, a French spy who goes by the of Colonel Leroux, and this devious killer has escaped the British clutches and is hiding in Salamanca, while on the hunt for a huge British agent called "El Mirador", and in part two Richard Sharpe will be manipulated by a lady nicknamed La Marquesa, while around the same time he's fighting along to capture the three fortresses in Salamanca that are held by the French, but the British are betrayed and thus expected and beaten off.
In part three the final spy game will come to a head between Richard Sharpe and Leroux, after some home truths made by a Lord Spears about the old priest Curtis's secret identity and Major Hogan's secret list, while around the same time the Battle of Salamanca is fought between Britain and France, and this is wonderfully described and pictured within his wonderful historical adventure.
Highly recommended, because for me this book remains the true sequel to Sharpe's Company (see review), and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Exciting Sharp(e) Vengeful Sword"!
February 25, 2019
Number 14 in the Richard Sharpe series.
This book concerns the campaign to capture Salamanca in Spain during June-July 1812.
Three things are of concern for Richard Sharpe in this book.
(1)The capture or the death of Philippe Leroux a cruel and vindictive French spy who will stop at nothing to get his hands on British secrets.
(2)Fighting for his very life after being shot by Philippe Leroux. So now Leroux’s death would be preferable to Richard Sharpe.
(3)The successful destruction of the French Army and the taking of Salamanca.
As always the history is front and centre in this entertaining read.
Bernard Cornwell never fails to deliver a 99% accurate account of the engagements between the French and British armies. I say 99% because this is a historical fiction and not a text book. So when you marry the fiction of Richard Sharpe’s heroic escapades with the savagery of the historical battlefield what you end up with is a highly entertaining read.
A great 4/5 star read.
This book concerns the campaign to capture Salamanca in Spain during June-July 1812.
Three things are of concern for Richard Sharpe in this book.
(1)The capture or the death of Philippe Leroux a cruel and vindictive French spy who will stop at nothing to get his hands on British secrets.
(2)Fighting for his very life after being shot by Philippe Leroux. So now Leroux’s death would be preferable to Richard Sharpe.
(3)The successful destruction of the French Army and the taking of Salamanca.
As always the history is front and centre in this entertaining read.
Bernard Cornwell never fails to deliver a 99% accurate account of the engagements between the French and British armies. I say 99% because this is a historical fiction and not a text book. So when you marry the fiction of Richard Sharpe’s heroic escapades with the savagery of the historical battlefield what you end up with is a highly entertaining read.
A great 4/5 star read.
February 12, 2025
This book is the story of a man who is a soldier through and through and is seeking revenge on a psychopath who kills for the pleasure of it. This tale is a great adventure saga but in real life it is not a good idea to seek revenge over military objectives. Keeping the personal out of military business is the right way to keep your cool. The revenge plot makes for a great story as the reader anticipates the final showdown with the villain getting a righteous payback for his crimes. The writer was excellent in creating his characters and describing Salamanca during the Napoleonic wars. Overall it was a great adventure novel.
November 29, 2021
I will give a full review at a later date.
August 15, 2012
Keep movin', movin', movin', though they're disapprovin'! Keep them doggies movin', Rawhide! ...must be constantly playing in Cornwell's head as he churns out these adequate historical fiction novels following rough-and-tumble ensign Richard Sharpe as he rises from the ranks of the British army with Wellington's fight against Napoleon as the backdrop and his own personal struggles as the focal point. Sharpe is a man with a mighty large chip on his shoulder as is, but it isn't helped that almost unfailingly in each book some outranking douche of a foppish dandy or a down-and-out dirtbag sergeant comes along and drops more shit on Sharpe. On the other hand, Sharpe is guaranteed to come across a lovely, often well-bred lady who inevitably succumbs to his rugged charm. Predictable plot devices aside, Cornwell knows his history and crafts some very exciting action. The Napoleonic Wars don't get much more entertaining than this!
September 14, 2025
Книгите от тази серия ми харесват все повече.
При все, че има очевидна матрица при писането им, авторът се е справил отлично и реалните събития са така добре вградени в измислените, до степен да бъдат трудно отличими.
В "Сабята на Шарп" има всичко, за което един ценител на военните истории може да мечтае - славни и кръвопролитни битки, безмилостен враг, шпионаж, интриги и пълнокръвна любовна история.
Но над всички участващи грее звездата на безмилостния професионален войник, капитан Ричард Шарп!
Чисто удоволствие!
При все, че има очевидна матрица при писането им, авторът се е справил отлично и реалните събития са така добре вградени в измислените, до степен да бъдат трудно отличими.
В "Сабята на Шарп" има всичко, за което един ценител на военните истории може да мечтае - славни и кръвопролитни битки, безмилостен враг, шпионаж, интриги и пълнокръвна любовна история.
Но над всички участващи грее звездата на безмилостния професионален войник, капитан Ричард Шарп!
Чисто удоволствие!
March 31, 2020
book 14 in chorological order, 4th in published order.
After Leroux Napoleon's top man in Spain (spy/assassin) kills the south Essex commanding officer colonel Windham. he runs afoul our hero and of course causes offense. Sharpe wants to kill the man on site and take his sword a beautifully made sword crafted for a tall man. but Leroux escapes and goes into hiding. Hogan enlists Sharpe to find him. Sharpe is also tasked with the protection of Brittan's top spy and so is throw into the world of espionage. That world is populated by an Irish priest Curtis, a gallant Calvary scout Jack Spears, and a beautiful noblewoman titled La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadasa yike love those Spanish titles the book refers to her as La Marquesa. one of these people is the british spy sharpe has to protect and the others are aligned with Leroux. Sharpe largely gets played and barely ends up saving the day by doing what he does best fighting like a bad ass. the espionage sub-plot did not work for me that not to say it was done badly just was not my cup of tea. Sharpe begins a adulterous affair with La Marquesa and this really upset me. I am a bit of a prude about adultery. after all that happened in Sharpe's Company with Teresa. you get married at the end and turn around and have a affair with the first intriguing woman you find. Sharpe's excuse of being a soldier and having to enjoy every moment of life did not sit right with me. guess I should be happy that he felt bad and accept that Sharpe is not perfect. Of course the main event in Sharpe's sword is the fatal wounding of Sharpe. Cornwell handles this really well with a chapter or two passing when the reader does not know what happened. But of course were talking about Sharpe so I don't need a spoiler alert to tell you he recovers. Sharpe rushes into battle before fully healed and leads his company at the battle of Salamanca a important British victory. The cruel mathematical equation of rank vs column is something I will never get tried of. No one writes this style of battle better than Cornwell! The novel ends with a still wounded Sharpe charging improbable on horseback into a French square. this is something totally different for Sharpe remember he could barely ride a few books ago. Sharpe gets his man Leroux who was sheltering in the squares center and his sword after a thrilling mono e mono showdown. Where he proves once again who is the better man. well at least in his mind!
The few chapters of doubt about Sharpe's fate are not only the highlight of the book but a hallmark event in the series. Sharpe wounding ranks among significant events like when Sharpe gets flogged, saves Arthur Wellesley life in India, takes the French eagle, and saves the war by capturing the Spanish gold. the espionage sub-plot and adultery aside Sharpe's sword is one of the better and more eminent books in the series.
After Leroux Napoleon's top man in Spain (spy/assassin) kills the south Essex commanding officer colonel Windham. he runs afoul our hero and of course causes offense. Sharpe wants to kill the man on site and take his sword a beautifully made sword crafted for a tall man. but Leroux escapes and goes into hiding. Hogan enlists Sharpe to find him. Sharpe is also tasked with the protection of Brittan's top spy and so is throw into the world of espionage. That world is populated by an Irish priest Curtis, a gallant Calvary scout Jack Spears, and a beautiful noblewoman titled La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadasa yike love those Spanish titles the book refers to her as La Marquesa. one of these people is the british spy sharpe has to protect and the others are aligned with Leroux. Sharpe largely gets played and barely ends up saving the day by doing what he does best fighting like a bad ass. the espionage sub-plot did not work for me that not to say it was done badly just was not my cup of tea. Sharpe begins a adulterous affair with La Marquesa and this really upset me. I am a bit of a prude about adultery. after all that happened in Sharpe's Company with Teresa. you get married at the end and turn around and have a affair with the first intriguing woman you find. Sharpe's excuse of being a soldier and having to enjoy every moment of life did not sit right with me. guess I should be happy that he felt bad and accept that Sharpe is not perfect. Of course the main event in Sharpe's sword is the fatal wounding of Sharpe. Cornwell handles this really well with a chapter or two passing when the reader does not know what happened. But of course were talking about Sharpe so I don't need a spoiler alert to tell you he recovers. Sharpe rushes into battle before fully healed and leads his company at the battle of Salamanca a important British victory. The cruel mathematical equation of rank vs column is something I will never get tried of. No one writes this style of battle better than Cornwell! The novel ends with a still wounded Sharpe charging improbable on horseback into a French square. this is something totally different for Sharpe remember he could barely ride a few books ago. Sharpe gets his man Leroux who was sheltering in the squares center and his sword after a thrilling mono e mono showdown. Where he proves once again who is the better man. well at least in his mind!
The few chapters of doubt about Sharpe's fate are not only the highlight of the book but a hallmark event in the series. Sharpe wounding ranks among significant events like when Sharpe gets flogged, saves Arthur Wellesley life in India, takes the French eagle, and saves the war by capturing the Spanish gold. the espionage sub-plot and adultery aside Sharpe's sword is one of the better and more eminent books in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2025
This one went by in a blur, as I was gripped to the story and never wanted to put it down. It was blessedly a very different kind of book than the previous book and much less intense, though just as engaging in its own way. This is Cornwell taking a stab at writing a spy-focused thriller Sharpe book, and it really worked great. I had no clue how the actual history of the Battle of Salamanca went down, so I was in suspense with how everything would play out, and the climactic battle sequence did not disappoint. More surprising was how much I enjoyed the majority of the book that was mostly devoid of action, and you could tell Cornwell spent some time in Salamanca with how much the city came alive as the setting for the book.
I can't tell if Cornwell meant for the identity of the British traitor to be obvious by the middle of the story or not, but even though I had guessed a major plot twist it still didn't matter with how he had set up the personal and emotional stakes in such a complex way. Plus there was another even better plot twist that I didn't guess, so in the end the mystery spy plot was a big hit with me.
Cornwell was on a tremendous roll early in his career, and this just has me more and more excited to keep following Sharpe and company through the war!
I can't tell if Cornwell meant for the identity of the British traitor to be obvious by the middle of the story or not, but even though I had guessed a major plot twist it still didn't matter with how he had set up the personal and emotional stakes in such a complex way. Plus there was another even better plot twist that I didn't guess, so in the end the mystery spy plot was a big hit with me.
Cornwell was on a tremendous roll early in his career, and this just has me more and more excited to keep following Sharpe and company through the war!
July 28, 2025
Cornwell has been one of my favorite historical novelists since the 80s. This is one of the Richard Sharpe adventures, a series about a British soldier who fights in India, and then in the Napoleonic Wars in Portugal, Spain, France, and, finally, at Waterloo. I have been reading the books out of order. This one is about Sharpe's part in the crucial Battle of Salamanca, as General Wellington's British Army advances into Spain...
May 13, 2009
Another fine outing for Cornwell’s hero, topped and tailed by some impressively described battle scenes, but the heart of the book lies in the story in the middle. It’s a story of spying and spies; of heroes and villains; of secrecy, blackmail and a world in which nobody can really be trusted. Of course, Sharpe fits well into this story, and Cornwell keeps things moving at a breakneck speed with tons of action, romance and danger.
Leroux is another top villain, this time a torturer who enjoys skinning his victims, and one of the best the series has to offer. There are three extended passages which show Sharpe and Harper hunting down this sinister bad guy and all of them are among the best writing Cornwell has achieved.
The mid-section of the book, which sees Sharpe in peril from a grievous wound, is especially tender and moving and evidence of how much these well-established characters impact on the reader. The ending is thrilling and action-packed as always, with huge and satisfying battles.
SHARPE'S SWORD is one of the grisliest of the series, with Leroux’s method of escape from detection particularly appalling, but the strength of the story lies in the character motivations which are inventive, original and all ring true as usual. Fans will have a ball with it.
Leroux is another top villain, this time a torturer who enjoys skinning his victims, and one of the best the series has to offer. There are three extended passages which show Sharpe and Harper hunting down this sinister bad guy and all of them are among the best writing Cornwell has achieved.
The mid-section of the book, which sees Sharpe in peril from a grievous wound, is especially tender and moving and evidence of how much these well-established characters impact on the reader. The ending is thrilling and action-packed as always, with huge and satisfying battles.
SHARPE'S SWORD is one of the grisliest of the series, with Leroux’s method of escape from detection particularly appalling, but the strength of the story lies in the character motivations which are inventive, original and all ring true as usual. Fans will have a ball with it.
September 26, 2022
Sharpe #14...another re-read. This one revolves around the battles of Salamanca in Spain, mid-1812.
The British forces under Wellington are intent on defeating and chasing the occupying French forces out of Spain. They are joined in this endeavor by the Portuguese, the King's German Legion, and Spanish partisans.
Amidst this backdrop lurks the murderous French spy, Colonel Leroux. He has been sent by Napoleon to ferret out the spy master aiding the British. It is entirely inconsequential the number of people he needs to torture and kill in order to obtain his objective. There are also other spies busy with their own intrigue. Espionage is the word of the day and it's not at all pretty.
Sharpe and his Riflemen had the misfortune of witnessing one of Leroux's deeds, and only they can identify him. No one other than these men knows what he looks like, and he is very good at disguises. The company is on the hunt to find Leroux before he finds his way back to Paris with his list of enemy agents.
This was a terrific installment!
The British forces under Wellington are intent on defeating and chasing the occupying French forces out of Spain. They are joined in this endeavor by the Portuguese, the King's German Legion, and Spanish partisans.
Amidst this backdrop lurks the murderous French spy, Colonel Leroux. He has been sent by Napoleon to ferret out the spy master aiding the British. It is entirely inconsequential the number of people he needs to torture and kill in order to obtain his objective. There are also other spies busy with their own intrigue. Espionage is the word of the day and it's not at all pretty.
Sharpe and his Riflemen had the misfortune of witnessing one of Leroux's deeds, and only they can identify him. No one other than these men knows what he looks like, and he is very good at disguises. The company is on the hunt to find Leroux before he finds his way back to Paris with his list of enemy agents.
This was a terrific installment!
October 3, 2021
The fourteenth instalment in the Sharpe series works because of the same reasons as the others, and is flawed because of the same reasons as the others too.
What works about it? I loved the spying intrigue of this one – the back and forth of who the traitor was, and Sharpe's personal mission to hunt down Leroux. Bernard Cornwell is particularly good at writing about a huge, expansive campaign or battle while also honing in on a specific grievance and adventure for Sharpe. I really like the blend of it, and it worked particularly well in this one. The more depersonal aspects that I sometimes find in his battle sequences weren't here either. Sharpe was front and centre, and when he joins in with the Heavy Cavalry charge at the end, it was amazing! That felt new and fresh and exciting.
The friendship between Sharpe and Harper was gorgeous in this one too. When Harper tries to dig through the dead to find Sharpe, and then obsessively forges him a new sword... That got me. Just....
He had remade Sharpe’s sword, done it with care and friendship, and he had put into his work all the Celtic magic that he could muster.
There was some great banter and knowing remarks between them, and although I don't adore them as much as the other Napoleonic friendship that I go heart-eyed over, Jack and Stephen, they are still #friendshipgoals
So that was all good. There were some great side-characters here too. It was a shame Colonel Windham didn't last very long but the survival rate of South Essex colonels (or how long they keep all their limbs for) isn't very high. Jack Spears was the shining star in this book though. I think I was also influenced by his portrayal in the TV adaptation which is amazing, but he was just *chefs kiss*. The whole split loyalty thing and how he is covering up his insecurities with his bravado...
Now, we move swiftly on to the major downfall of this book. Which I know I know I say every single time with this series but it is still valid. The romantic subplot. Okay, first up, this book did not need a romantic subplot. The whole affair Sharpe had with La Marquesa felt like one of the least genuine, least coherent romances in a series full of ungenuine, uncoherent romances. It felt like every scene between her and Sharpe was forcing the reader to believe they felt something for each other. Ninety percent of the time I don't think Sharpe even believed it. It cheapened his marriage with Teresa who is the best girl of this collection, and just felt like...Oh, pretty lady, make Sharpe sleep with her. Uhhh...Bernard, you know female characters can be used for other purposes, right?
La Marquesa could have been an interesting character. She had the whole spying thing going on, the whole rebelling-against-her-gender thing. But she just got shoved into the old damsel in distress cutout. Then the final scene with Teresa just felt so cold; both of the romantic relationships therefore threatened to ruin each other.
HOWEVER. If a romantic subplot was necessary, it was literally right there. Right there!
How galaxy brain would this story have been if Jack Spears had been the romantic interest. I just want all the bi Sharpe. Because Jack Spears was already rocking that chaotic bi vibe. The whole sleeping-with-the-potential-enemy theme would have still been there, the danger and surreptitious nature of the relationship, the schism between classes. And that final scene between them would have hit something fierce. AND it would have had an improvement by both sides of the relationship being really interesting characters. Ugh, it could have been so good. Kick away this heteronormativity and it would have made more sense. And I know I always joke about Sharpe needing to hook up with one of the male characters but honestly, this one (as well as Sharpe's Tiger) was a perfect opportunity for one.
Because that scene where Jack Spears, half-drunk, went down on his knees to rub down Sharpe's overalls, and then cheekily looked up at him....I mean...
Not that I think that's going to happen in any of these books but y'know...it would be good.
Anyway, apart from those usual wet-blanket female character problems and a few jerky punctuation blips (*cue me hitting my head saying over and over "Stop writing 'Spears' in possessive as Spear's when his name is SPEARS"* Honestly once I'd seen it one time, I kept seeing it), this one was good.
What works about it? I loved the spying intrigue of this one – the back and forth of who the traitor was, and Sharpe's personal mission to hunt down Leroux. Bernard Cornwell is particularly good at writing about a huge, expansive campaign or battle while also honing in on a specific grievance and adventure for Sharpe. I really like the blend of it, and it worked particularly well in this one. The more depersonal aspects that I sometimes find in his battle sequences weren't here either. Sharpe was front and centre, and when he joins in with the Heavy Cavalry charge at the end, it was amazing! That felt new and fresh and exciting.
The friendship between Sharpe and Harper was gorgeous in this one too. When Harper tries to dig through the dead to find Sharpe, and then obsessively forges him a new sword... That got me. Just....
He had remade Sharpe’s sword, done it with care and friendship, and he had put into his work all the Celtic magic that he could muster.
There was some great banter and knowing remarks between them, and although I don't adore them as much as the other Napoleonic friendship that I go heart-eyed over, Jack and Stephen, they are still #friendshipgoals
So that was all good. There were some great side-characters here too. It was a shame Colonel Windham didn't last very long but the survival rate of South Essex colonels (or how long they keep all their limbs for) isn't very high. Jack Spears was the shining star in this book though. I think I was also influenced by his portrayal in the TV adaptation which is amazing, but he was just *chefs kiss*. The whole split loyalty thing and how he is covering up his insecurities with his bravado...
Now, we move swiftly on to the major downfall of this book. Which I know I know I say every single time with this series but it is still valid. The romantic subplot. Okay, first up, this book did not need a romantic subplot. The whole affair Sharpe had with La Marquesa felt like one of the least genuine, least coherent romances in a series full of ungenuine, uncoherent romances. It felt like every scene between her and Sharpe was forcing the reader to believe they felt something for each other. Ninety percent of the time I don't think Sharpe even believed it. It cheapened his marriage with Teresa who is the best girl of this collection, and just felt like...Oh, pretty lady, make Sharpe sleep with her. Uhhh...Bernard, you know female characters can be used for other purposes, right?
La Marquesa could have been an interesting character. She had the whole spying thing going on, the whole rebelling-against-her-gender thing. But she just got shoved into the old damsel in distress cutout. Then the final scene with Teresa just felt so cold; both of the romantic relationships therefore threatened to ruin each other.
HOWEVER. If a romantic subplot was necessary, it was literally right there. Right there!
How galaxy brain would this story have been if Jack Spears had been the romantic interest. I just want all the bi Sharpe. Because Jack Spears was already rocking that chaotic bi vibe. The whole sleeping-with-the-potential-enemy theme would have still been there, the danger and surreptitious nature of the relationship, the schism between classes. And that final scene between them would have hit something fierce. AND it would have had an improvement by both sides of the relationship being really interesting characters. Ugh, it could have been so good. Kick away this heteronormativity and it would have made more sense. And I know I always joke about Sharpe needing to hook up with one of the male characters but honestly, this one (as well as Sharpe's Tiger) was a perfect opportunity for one.
Because that scene where Jack Spears, half-drunk, went down on his knees to rub down Sharpe's overalls, and then cheekily looked up at him....I mean...
Not that I think that's going to happen in any of these books but y'know...it would be good.
Anyway, apart from those usual wet-blanket female character problems and a few jerky punctuation blips (*cue me hitting my head saying over and over "Stop writing 'Spears' in possessive as Spear's when his name is SPEARS"* Honestly once I'd seen it one time, I kept seeing it), this one was good.
September 29, 2014
My eighth Sharpe book still follows the same formula but I just love them all the more.
Set in the summer of 1812, the life of Britain’s most important spy is at stake. Sharpe has been given the task of ensuring their safety by finding the dangerous Colonel Philippe Leroux, who knows the identity of the spy and will stop at nothing to silence them. A cast of characters including the lovely Hélène, La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba (no Sharpe novel would be complete without a beautiful, unattainable woman), Captain Jack Spears, Father Curtis and Marshal Marmont flesh out the tale.
A close brush with death, the discovering of an unlikely traitor and the usual cast make this one of the best Sharpe’s books I’ve read so far.
Set in the summer of 1812, the life of Britain’s most important spy is at stake. Sharpe has been given the task of ensuring their safety by finding the dangerous Colonel Philippe Leroux, who knows the identity of the spy and will stop at nothing to silence them. A cast of characters including the lovely Hélène, La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba (no Sharpe novel would be complete without a beautiful, unattainable woman), Captain Jack Spears, Father Curtis and Marshal Marmont flesh out the tale.
A close brush with death, the discovering of an unlikely traitor and the usual cast make this one of the best Sharpe’s books I’ve read so far.
December 3, 2021
Book 14 and the Salamanca Campaign of 1812. The battles against the French has seesawed between Portugal and NW Spain. The Brits win a battle but retreat for supplies. And men continue to die.
In this book the focus is on protecting the identity of the English spy chief in Spain. Sharpe believes it is the most beautiful rich woman he has ever seen and while he resists for a few pages he succumbs. His nemesis is a French swordsman who at one stage almost kills Sharpe and Harper. Sharpe at one stage is left to die with the other soldiers on death door.
There are a couple of brutal battles told with the usual clarity.
In this book the focus is on protecting the identity of the English spy chief in Spain. Sharpe believes it is the most beautiful rich woman he has ever seen and while he resists for a few pages he succumbs. His nemesis is a French swordsman who at one stage almost kills Sharpe and Harper. Sharpe at one stage is left to die with the other soldiers on death door.
There are a couple of brutal battles told with the usual clarity.
March 28, 2023
Good not great. There are several books in this series that are great but this one was below average for the series IMO.
Still worth the read though.
Still worth the read though.
March 16, 2022
Sharpe's Sword is the 14th book in the Sharpe's adventure / historical series by Bernard Cornwell. This story is set during the period June / July 1812 during Wellington's Salamanca Campaign in Spain. Sharpe is attached to Wellington's spy master Maj Hogan to try and find a master French spy, Colonel Leroux. Leroux is a nasty man and is set on finding El Mirador, one of Hogan's most effective contacts.
Leroux has been captured but disguised himself as another officer and escapes into a French fort near Salamanca, even though having given his parole. He kills Sharpe's company commander and a young lieutenant while making his escape. Sharpe and his men, especially his faithful Sgt Harper, because they can recognize Leroux are assigned the task of finding him when Wellington attacks to take over the three forts held by the French.
There is also a spy within Wellington's camp who warns the French of the attack, with disastrous results. There are many suspects including a Spanish contessa with designs on Sharpe, Lord Spears, one of Hogan's spies who is recovering from an injury and spending much time with the Contessa and Sharpe, and Father Curtis, an Irish priest who seems to show up everywhere.
It all makes for a great action-filled adventure, with battles, intrigue and romance. Sharpe wants Leroux's sword and to capture the French spy. Sharpe's life is threatened many times (it is an adventure, eh? :0)). All in all, one of the better Sharpe adventures, filled with excellent characters and an interesting plot. I do like how Cornwell ties the actual historical events into Sharpe's storyline and highlights the actual history in the afterword. I've enjoyed this series very much and look forward to getting the next book in the series. (3.5 stars)
Leroux has been captured but disguised himself as another officer and escapes into a French fort near Salamanca, even though having given his parole. He kills Sharpe's company commander and a young lieutenant while making his escape. Sharpe and his men, especially his faithful Sgt Harper, because they can recognize Leroux are assigned the task of finding him when Wellington attacks to take over the three forts held by the French.
There is also a spy within Wellington's camp who warns the French of the attack, with disastrous results. There are many suspects including a Spanish contessa with designs on Sharpe, Lord Spears, one of Hogan's spies who is recovering from an injury and spending much time with the Contessa and Sharpe, and Father Curtis, an Irish priest who seems to show up everywhere.
It all makes for a great action-filled adventure, with battles, intrigue and romance. Sharpe wants Leroux's sword and to capture the French spy. Sharpe's life is threatened many times (it is an adventure, eh? :0)). All in all, one of the better Sharpe adventures, filled with excellent characters and an interesting plot. I do like how Cornwell ties the actual historical events into Sharpe's storyline and highlights the actual history in the afterword. I've enjoyed this series very much and look forward to getting the next book in the series. (3.5 stars)
August 29, 2011
Great battle scenes, but the romance between Sharpe and LaMarquesa was incredibly awkward and badly written . . . Sharpe's women make the Bond girls look like feminist icons!
In this story, you see the best and worst of the Sharpe series. The battle between Sharpe and the psychotic French spy, Leroux, is written very well. And Sharpe's love/hate relationship with Lord Spears is even better. But Sharpe and the Marquesa . . . sigh. You really have to wonder why Cornwell even bothers giving Sharpe a love interest. The women he writes about are so unconvincing and fake . . . just totally shallow and not even in a funny way.
Cornwell writes battle scenes better than anyone else alive, but he does tend to repeat himself a lot. Cavalry cannot break infantry troops drawn up in a proper square. He tells you this about fifteen times in five pages. And then -- surprise! The English and German cavalry breaks the French square.
In this story, you see the best and worst of the Sharpe series. The battle between Sharpe and the psychotic French spy, Leroux, is written very well. And Sharpe's love/hate relationship with Lord Spears is even better. But Sharpe and the Marquesa . . . sigh. You really have to wonder why Cornwell even bothers giving Sharpe a love interest. The women he writes about are so unconvincing and fake . . . just totally shallow and not even in a funny way.
Cornwell writes battle scenes better than anyone else alive, but he does tend to repeat himself a lot. Cavalry cannot break infantry troops drawn up in a proper square. He tells you this about fifteen times in five pages. And then -- surprise! The English and German cavalry breaks the French square.
October 3, 2008
I am an unabashed Richard Sharpe fan and Bernard Cornwell fan.
In this episode, built around the battle of Salamanca, Sharpe encounters the evil Colonel Leroux, France's most ruthless assassin. In the process of trying to capture Leroux and appropriate his highly valued sword, he becomes romantically involved with LaMarquesa, an extraordinarily beautiful woman whose interest in Sharpe is not purely romantic.
As always, Sharpe, while almost dying from a gunshot wound, eventually figures it all out and exacts his revenge.
No real surprises here but once I got hooked on the series, finishing a book only whets my appetite for the next episode.
In this episode, built around the battle of Salamanca, Sharpe encounters the evil Colonel Leroux, France's most ruthless assassin. In the process of trying to capture Leroux and appropriate his highly valued sword, he becomes romantically involved with LaMarquesa, an extraordinarily beautiful woman whose interest in Sharpe is not purely romantic.
As always, Sharpe, while almost dying from a gunshot wound, eventually figures it all out and exacts his revenge.
No real surprises here but once I got hooked on the series, finishing a book only whets my appetite for the next episode.
September 7, 2015
really enjoyed this, Paul Mcgan did a great job narrating and did a very good impression of Sean bean as Richard Sharpe! shakeout was abridged though someday I will read the book in full
October 26, 2017
Adding a spy hunt to the expected military action raises the stakes without detracting from the pace. A fine addition to Sharpe's catalog of adventures.
March 23, 2022
This is the first novel that for me, Sharpe, as a character, acted and sounded like the big bads in the past 13 novels. The dialogue and thoughts he had, and decisions he made up to him being wounded as severely as he was, was almost shocking to me. He would kill this man, he would take this sword, he would have her. Cornwell has these thoughts bouncing around in Sharpe's head over and over and honestly, it read as creepy as it did when it was from those bad guys in past novels. In Sharpe's Escape, the older brother, the big bad, he basically had these exact same thoughts throughout the novel only he was supposed to be the villain! On top of all that, Sharpe's complete lack of faithfulness to his wife, lol. I am not a prude, I get it that Sharpe is a human, and all humans are layered and flawed, but he honestly was just like...that lady is smoking hot...I am gonna have her...I dont even feel bad about it. I guess that level of womanizing is expected in this the 14th novel in a series where our man kills and f's a new woman in every story, paying a little lip service and pining to the woman from the previous novel. But, after he finds out he has a daughter, marries her mother, has the thing he has never had, a family, he basically goes back into the old pattern. I am sad about the last lady I had...oohhhhhh, a new pretty one....I am definitely going to figure out a way to have her. Maybe that is why we love Sharpe? I dunno. Character wise, he comes off as the villain of the piece, and only "good" because the actual bad is SOOOOO bad. He is a complete moral void in terms of his family. This was longer than I planned. I love Sharpe, I love Cornwell. I just...I dunno.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2025
Sharpe is back in his fourth recorded adventure (publication order) finding him with Wellington in the days leading up to and the Battle of Salamanca. A very nasty French spy is temporarily captured by the British and the plot really revolves around Sharpe attempting to find him and gain possession of his sword. Sharpe is put in to perilous peril both for his life and his humanity.
I think I like this one less than most and it's easily my least favorite of the first four Sharpe novels. My real problem here is that Sharpe is just hopelessly naive for large parts of the book. I understand that he's not used to dealing with the aristocracy in any way other than as commanders (and frequently bad ones), but it feels to me that this would lead him to be significantly less likely to take any of these people at face value. But then again...never underestimate the value of a pretty face. This is still a solid read...Cornwell is never less than very readable. And the description of the actual Battle of Salamanca is pretty much spot on. A truly brilliant bit of maneuver by Wellington. And the brilliant breaking of the square by the King's German Legion at Garcia Hernandez...perfection.
I think I like this one less than most and it's easily my least favorite of the first four Sharpe novels. My real problem here is that Sharpe is just hopelessly naive for large parts of the book. I understand that he's not used to dealing with the aristocracy in any way other than as commanders (and frequently bad ones), but it feels to me that this would lead him to be significantly less likely to take any of these people at face value. But then again...never underestimate the value of a pretty face. This is still a solid read...Cornwell is never less than very readable. And the description of the actual Battle of Salamanca is pretty much spot on. A truly brilliant bit of maneuver by Wellington. And the brilliant breaking of the square by the King's German Legion at Garcia Hernandez...perfection.
July 4, 2022
There really isn’t much more I can say about Cornwell’s superb series about English Rifleman Richard Sharpe as he makes his way through the many battles of the Napoleonic War; this time the Battle of Salamanca. The side plot is interesting and involves a beautiful Countess, a French assassin and a British spy, but the real intrigue is the lengthy description of the battle. In the last seventy pages of the book, Cornwell describes, in great detail, the events that occurred outside of the Spanish city of Salamanca including Wellington’s ambush of the French army, the French counter attack and the unbelievable retreat of the French from Western Spain. All of which our hero, Captain Sharpe, played a huge (albeit fictional) role in. Great stuff.
March 23, 2022
Salamanca was one of Wellington's greatest victories during the Peninsular Wars, despite the fact that Richard Sharpe and Patrick Harper weren't really there. The descriptions of the battle and Garcia Hernandez are particularly exciting in this book. Unfortunately, you have to wait until Chapter 20 to get an inkling of what is to come. Most of the preceding chapters deal with Sharpe and La Marquesa, her lies and his naivete. The Sharpe series is excellent, but I could have done with less romance.
The television series with Sean Bean was also well-done.
The television series with Sean Bean was also well-done.
March 16, 2017
Fourteenth in the Richard Sharpe fictional military history series revolving around a man who has come up through the ranks. A natural soldier who fights back and forth around Salamanca in Spain between June and July, 1810 in this installment. The Americans have just invaded Canada.
My Take
I love the battle, tactics, camaraderie, and the history of the Richard Sharpe series.
It's all about spying in this installment. Master spies, the little guy. The depths to which the enemy will sink to destroy the oppositions' lines of information as well as the reasons people choose to spy
It's also about loyalty. To one's country, one's fellows. And the depths to which one's friends will dig to protect.
Cornwell does it again…I just wanted to step in with some penicillin. An autoclave. Or at least a pot of boiling water! His descriptions of the horrific conditions in which soldiers were treated are gag-worthy while the painful interactions Sharpe experiences in his initial meetings with the marquesa are enough to make you blush. And it's easy to get caught up in Harper and Hogan's worries about Sharpe when they think he's died.
There is some amusing banter back and forth between Jack and Helena. Teasing that has deeper undertones once you reach the end of the story.
This is a series I want on my bookshelf…or my Kindle…I'm easy!
The Story
Col. Leroux is trapped with the King's German Legions driving him and Captain Delmas into an ambush. Well, if he must be trapped, it won't be as Leroux! Nor will his parole hold him back from escaping from Sharpe and murdering anyone who gets in his way.
That same night Sharpe meets Helena. He wants her, but she is too far above him and he fears the ridicule that would he heaped upon him. I suspect Helena falls for our Richard partly because of his reticence as she blows hot and cold on him.
It's fortunate for Wellington and Hogan that Richard and his men have seen Leroux's face; they receive a special duty to keep watch on the three adjoining forts. Once the forts are captured, Sharpe and his men must find Leroux. A very tricksy man who almost makes it…again and again.
The Characters
Captain Richard Sharpe seems secure in his current rank. That breach at Badajoz had to help. Sharpe's wife, Teresa, comes to Salamanca with their daughter, Antonia.
His Company consists of…
…Sergeant Patrick Harper, an Ulsterman who is a gentle but ferocious warrior who is still with Isabella (see Sharpe's Company ); the 16-year-old Ensign McDonald; Daniel Hagman, the former poacher from Cheshire is still the best shot; Parry Jenkins; Lieutenant Harold "Harry" Price has managed to stay alive; Private Batten is still whining; and, Sergeants McGovern and Huckfield. Lieutenant Colonel Windham has finally come to appreciate Sharpe; he is quite the bluff Englishman who knows that only English dogs and English foods are acceptable while any gentleman has honor. Major Forrest is still with the regiment, and Major Leroy has risen up a rank.
Friends of Sharpe include…
…Captain Lossow of the King's German Legion and Major Michael Hogan who is in charge of Wellington's intelligence service. Captain Jack Spears (a lord) is an Exploring Officer with a major gambling problem who befriends Sharpe; he's one of the original goodtime boys. Major Colquhoun Grant is mentioned in passing as having been captured.
Salamanca, Spain
Father Patrick Curtis is an Irish priest who hates the English and is a professor of astronomy and natural history at the University of Salamanca. Brigadier General Bowes has a brief appearance. La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba, Helena, is staying in the family home in Salamanca and falls in love with Richard. El Mirador is the code name for the spy Leroux wants to capture.
The French
Lieutenant Colonel Philipe Leroux of the Imperial Guard is a ruthless monster and the Emperor's man. He will do anything, say anything to achieve his objective. His signature is to remove all the skin from a man he's questioning, leaving a square inch in which to sign his name.
The battles here are up against Auguste Marmont, Marshal of France and Duke of Ragusa, who is the son of an ironmaster.
The Cover and Title
This cover is another black-and-white sketch with a bit of watercolor as swords clash and horses charge against a white background. A narrow black border at the top showcases Cornwell's name.
The title is accurate enough as Sharpe ends up with two swords between which he must choose: Harper's gift or the glorious Kligenthal as to which will be Sharpe's Sword.
My Take
I love the battle, tactics, camaraderie, and the history of the Richard Sharpe series.
It's all about spying in this installment. Master spies, the little guy. The depths to which the enemy will sink to destroy the oppositions' lines of information as well as the reasons people choose to spy
It's also about loyalty. To one's country, one's fellows. And the depths to which one's friends will dig to protect.
Cornwell does it again…I just wanted to step in with some penicillin. An autoclave. Or at least a pot of boiling water! His descriptions of the horrific conditions in which soldiers were treated are gag-worthy while the painful interactions Sharpe experiences in his initial meetings with the marquesa are enough to make you blush. And it's easy to get caught up in Harper and Hogan's worries about Sharpe when they think he's died.
There is some amusing banter back and forth between Jack and Helena. Teasing that has deeper undertones once you reach the end of the story.
This is a series I want on my bookshelf…or my Kindle…I'm easy!
The Story
Col. Leroux is trapped with the King's German Legions driving him and Captain Delmas into an ambush. Well, if he must be trapped, it won't be as Leroux! Nor will his parole hold him back from escaping from Sharpe and murdering anyone who gets in his way.
That same night Sharpe meets Helena. He wants her, but she is too far above him and he fears the ridicule that would he heaped upon him. I suspect Helena falls for our Richard partly because of his reticence as she blows hot and cold on him.
It's fortunate for Wellington and Hogan that Richard and his men have seen Leroux's face; they receive a special duty to keep watch on the three adjoining forts. Once the forts are captured, Sharpe and his men must find Leroux. A very tricksy man who almost makes it…again and again.
The Characters
Captain Richard Sharpe seems secure in his current rank. That breach at Badajoz had to help. Sharpe's wife, Teresa, comes to Salamanca with their daughter, Antonia.
His Company consists of…
…Sergeant Patrick Harper, an Ulsterman who is a gentle but ferocious warrior who is still with Isabella (see Sharpe's Company ); the 16-year-old Ensign McDonald; Daniel Hagman, the former poacher from Cheshire is still the best shot; Parry Jenkins; Lieutenant Harold "Harry" Price has managed to stay alive; Private Batten is still whining; and, Sergeants McGovern and Huckfield. Lieutenant Colonel Windham has finally come to appreciate Sharpe; he is quite the bluff Englishman who knows that only English dogs and English foods are acceptable while any gentleman has honor. Major Forrest is still with the regiment, and Major Leroy has risen up a rank.
Friends of Sharpe include…
…Captain Lossow of the King's German Legion and Major Michael Hogan who is in charge of Wellington's intelligence service. Captain Jack Spears (a lord) is an Exploring Officer with a major gambling problem who befriends Sharpe; he's one of the original goodtime boys. Major Colquhoun Grant is mentioned in passing as having been captured.
Salamanca, Spain
Father Patrick Curtis is an Irish priest who hates the English and is a professor of astronomy and natural history at the University of Salamanca. Brigadier General Bowes has a brief appearance. La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba, Helena, is staying in the family home in Salamanca and falls in love with Richard. El Mirador is the code name for the spy Leroux wants to capture.
The French
Lieutenant Colonel Philipe Leroux of the Imperial Guard is a ruthless monster and the Emperor's man. He will do anything, say anything to achieve his objective. His signature is to remove all the skin from a man he's questioning, leaving a square inch in which to sign his name.
The battles here are up against Auguste Marmont, Marshal of France and Duke of Ragusa, who is the son of an ironmaster.
The Cover and Title
This cover is another black-and-white sketch with a bit of watercolor as swords clash and horses charge against a white background. A narrow black border at the top showcases Cornwell's name.
The title is accurate enough as Sharpe ends up with two swords between which he must choose: Harper's gift or the glorious Kligenthal as to which will be Sharpe's Sword.
March 27, 2023
The best Sharpe book so far, gripping form start to finish. A brilliant plot with genuine OMG moments that keep you guessing mixed with all the usual great character stuff with Sharpe Harper and Hogan, plus a worthy villain always helps. Building to an awesome climax for probably the most famous battle of the Peninsular War, which doesnt disappoint.
October 10, 2020
Another cracking read. I flew through this one.
February 18, 2024
All Sharpe are great, always 4 stars but hard to give 5 as they are so formulaic
November 22, 2024
Great story of Sharpe and Harper, love these books, great fun, excellent pace good characters, with tremendous writing around the large battles that really makes you able to see them in your mind!
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