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Starbuck Chronicles #1-2
Rebel / Copperhead
Books Sold by IBX
Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
153 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
538 books19.3k 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 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 16, 2012
I only fully read the first book which was ok, but I lost interest during the second book. A bit of a disappointment after reading Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles and Saxon Chronicles which are among my favourite books. Not being American I don't have an interest in the American Civil War so maybe I'd feel different if I was.
The books are well written, the plot pacing is good, the description of warfare and military tactics during ther American Civil War was impeccably Cornwell - I don't know, the story just didn't grab me. I was thinking of starting the Sharpe series but this kind of put me off.
I think the standard of Cornwells other books ie the Warlord Chronicles (Arthur/Merlin) and Saxon Stories set in medieval Britain was so high, and the stories so much more engaging I just couldn't get into this series and have a hard time reconciling that it's the same author.
The books are well written, the plot pacing is good, the description of warfare and military tactics during ther American Civil War was impeccably Cornwell - I don't know, the story just didn't grab me. I was thinking of starting the Sharpe series but this kind of put me off.
I think the standard of Cornwells other books ie the Warlord Chronicles (Arthur/Merlin) and Saxon Stories set in medieval Britain was so high, and the stories so much more engaging I just couldn't get into this series and have a hard time reconciling that it's the same author.
August 9, 2013
Mais um livro que me levou uma eternidade a ler, não só porque o meu tempo para dedicar à leitura já não é o mesmo e porque, também e estranhamente, este livro, ou pelo menos este primeiro volume desta trilogia, não me cativou, aborreceu-me mesmo.
Muitos sabem o quanto admiro a escrita de Bernard Cornwell. Exceptuando os inúmeros livros da saga Sharpe, penso que já li tudo o que ele escreveu e, embora tenha gostado mais de uns do que de outros, fascina-me sempre a forma viva como Cornwell “pinta” os cenários históricos que cria, a forma realista como descreve batalhas e quotidianos há muito perdidos na História.
Nesta presente saga, Bernard Cornwell situa a acção em 1861 em pleno início da Guerra Civil Americana. De um lado os Estados Confederados do Sul e do outro, os Estados Unidos do Norte. De notar ser este o contexto, no entanto e neste primeiro volume, Cornwell nunca se debruça sobre questões políticas, ou seja, quem não souber do porquê deste conflito, nada vai ficar a saber.
O herói dá pelo nome de Nathaniel Starbuck. Nascido no norte, filho de um pregador anti esclavagista, foge para o Sul atrás de uma prostituta por quem se apaixona, no entanto, vê-se nas mãos de um bando de sulistas que o querem linchar. É salvo pelo excêntrico Washington Faulconer que o convida a incorporar um regimento de tropas para combater os yankees. Starbuck vê-se assim diante de um dilema: ao alistar-se nas tropas do sul, vai combater as tropas do seu país, arriscando-se a encarar no campo de batalha o seu irmão e amigos.
Pese embora o estilo de Cornwell esteja lá. A forma objectiva, directa e realista, o certo é que ele perde-se na descrição da composição do regimento Faulconer, assim como em pormenores da excentricidade desse personagem. De princípio ao fim, a personagem de Nathaniel não é muito credível. Ou seja, jamais consegue ter aquele carisma que os principais personagens de Cornwell têm. Não é muito coerente a sua forma de agir, nem lógico as causas que o levam a tomar parte de um lado que não é o seu. Depois, um dos principais pormenores das obras de Cornwell, é ter sempre um personagem forte que combate como um leão e que inspira nos seus inimigos temor. Com Nathaniel isso não acontece. Pouco mais do que um miúdo, ele próprio não sabe bem o que anda ali a fazer e, na única batalha que este volume descreve, Nathaniel assume uma postura e age de uma forma estranha.
Algo que também não apreciei, foi a quase ausência de cenas de violência militar. Ou seja, qualquer livro de Cornwell é semeado abundantemente de cenas de batalhas ou de conflitos extremamente violentos e reais. Aqui isso não se passa. Exceptuando uma ou outra escaramuça, apenas nas últimas páginas surge uma batalha entre os dois exércitos. Claro que escorre então muito sangue, homens e cavalos esventrados, etc e tal, mas o certo é que não chega para elevar este livro a um dos melhores deste autor que, pessoalmente, é um dos melhores do gênero histórico.
Muitos sabem o quanto admiro a escrita de Bernard Cornwell. Exceptuando os inúmeros livros da saga Sharpe, penso que já li tudo o que ele escreveu e, embora tenha gostado mais de uns do que de outros, fascina-me sempre a forma viva como Cornwell “pinta” os cenários históricos que cria, a forma realista como descreve batalhas e quotidianos há muito perdidos na História.
Nesta presente saga, Bernard Cornwell situa a acção em 1861 em pleno início da Guerra Civil Americana. De um lado os Estados Confederados do Sul e do outro, os Estados Unidos do Norte. De notar ser este o contexto, no entanto e neste primeiro volume, Cornwell nunca se debruça sobre questões políticas, ou seja, quem não souber do porquê deste conflito, nada vai ficar a saber.
O herói dá pelo nome de Nathaniel Starbuck. Nascido no norte, filho de um pregador anti esclavagista, foge para o Sul atrás de uma prostituta por quem se apaixona, no entanto, vê-se nas mãos de um bando de sulistas que o querem linchar. É salvo pelo excêntrico Washington Faulconer que o convida a incorporar um regimento de tropas para combater os yankees. Starbuck vê-se assim diante de um dilema: ao alistar-se nas tropas do sul, vai combater as tropas do seu país, arriscando-se a encarar no campo de batalha o seu irmão e amigos.
Pese embora o estilo de Cornwell esteja lá. A forma objectiva, directa e realista, o certo é que ele perde-se na descrição da composição do regimento Faulconer, assim como em pormenores da excentricidade desse personagem. De princípio ao fim, a personagem de Nathaniel não é muito credível. Ou seja, jamais consegue ter aquele carisma que os principais personagens de Cornwell têm. Não é muito coerente a sua forma de agir, nem lógico as causas que o levam a tomar parte de um lado que não é o seu. Depois, um dos principais pormenores das obras de Cornwell, é ter sempre um personagem forte que combate como um leão e que inspira nos seus inimigos temor. Com Nathaniel isso não acontece. Pouco mais do que um miúdo, ele próprio não sabe bem o que anda ali a fazer e, na única batalha que este volume descreve, Nathaniel assume uma postura e age de uma forma estranha.
Algo que também não apreciei, foi a quase ausência de cenas de violência militar. Ou seja, qualquer livro de Cornwell é semeado abundantemente de cenas de batalhas ou de conflitos extremamente violentos e reais. Aqui isso não se passa. Exceptuando uma ou outra escaramuça, apenas nas últimas páginas surge uma batalha entre os dois exércitos. Claro que escorre então muito sangue, homens e cavalos esventrados, etc e tal, mas o certo é que não chega para elevar este livro a um dos melhores deste autor que, pessoalmente, é um dos melhores do gênero histórico.
July 3, 2012
This is a great Civil War series ... vivid action scenes, memorable characters, all against the backdrop of this brutal conflict. Any Civil War buff would really enjoy this series.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews