Sharpe Box Set: Sharpe's Tiger / Sharpe's Triumph / Sharpe's Fortress

Sharpe #1-3

by Bernard Cornwell

Three classic Richard Sharpe adventures. Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Seringapatam, 1799 When a senior British officer is captured by the Tippoo of Mysore’s forces, Sharpe is offered a chance to attempt a rescue, which in turn offers an escape from the tyrannical Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. Richard Sharpe and the battle of Assaye, September 1803 Sergeant Richard Sharpe witnesses a murderous act of treachery by an English officer who has defected from the East India Company to join the Mahratta Confederation. In the hunt for the renegade Englishman, Sharpe penetrates deep into enemy territory where he is followed relentlessly by his worst enemy, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Gawilghur, December 1803 Sir Arthur Wellesley's army is closing on the retreating Mahrattas in western India. Marching with the British is Ensign Richard Sharpe, newly made an officer, wishing he had stayed a sergeant.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, War, Military History

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Cornwell 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.

Reviews

[Ceara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these books. They are very description heavy (which if you are a non-visual person like me, you might get lost once or twice). I was very interested in Sharpe’s character, his mindset and the changes he went through. As well as the historical notes at the end. It’s very interesting to see Cornwell’s inspiration and him highlighting what actually happened. There will be other character’s you love and others you will hate with your whole heart (but I think that shows how good Cornwell’s writing is).

However, storyline wise, they do become a bit repetitive. That can happen when you have three books in one. I also know that these three were written later to help the reader understand how Sharpe became an officer. I just wish Cornwell changed it up a bit more between the three books.

Overall, I took my time and I did enjoy the books. I am into history, but even if you’re not, I would recommend these books because I learnt a lot and enjoyed them at the same time.

[Toby McMillen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am currently listening my way through the Richard Sharpe series on Audible.com by Bernard Cornwell, and have found myself enjoying it much more than I thought I would. Historical fiction at its best, I say. I only gave it 4 stars because, as I know it is a series, it is fairly predictable that Sharpe, even when he finds himself in the most hopeless of situations, always comes out alive--at least--in the end.
It is, however, quite enjoyable to follow Sharpe as he fights his way across Europe and India with the British Army & Navy of the early 1800's. I must say that Cornwell manages to portray the horrors & brutality of the actions of war during this period of history with a chilling clarity.

[Bookbear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finished the book, with hesitation. But I also finished the series with it.

I so want to like those books and buy the other ones, too, but it's not going to happen.

Cornwell writes well, I like the way he tells the story. I like the main story itself, too, the fight of the British against the Mahrattas.
So far, so great.

What really got on my nerves is that side quest with Hakeswill. He's a really awful nutcase and gives some spice to the story. But.
I got served more or less the same thing in each of these three books. In the first one, after many clashes between Sharpe and Hakeswill, we see Sharpe sort of handing him over to the tigers, which are used to kill people sentenced to death by the Tippoo. End of book.
Next book we learn that the tigers weren't hungry.
In that book the tigers get exchanged for an elephant (who also was used to kill people) End of Book
Next book - Hakeswill is still alive because the elephant didn't like to get poked by a knife. I am sure an elephant getting poked is really pissed off and will not just run away. But oh well it could be. This book ends with Sharpe pushing Obadiah into a snake pit. End of book.

I guess in book 4 it will be something new. The author got lazy with that. Plus we have learned that Sharpe is full of profound anger, and loves fighting, doesn't hesitate to risk his live and doesn't hesitate to kill people (like that Captain or whatever who sold him to that Indian marketeer).
Oh yes, he does hesitate. He acts completely out of character with his nemesis. Here it's like he want to kill but not do it himself. Could be a character streak, but again we've learned that he isn't like that. Why does he do it like that? So that the author has his little cliffhanger and can keep using Hakeswill in the next book, too.

Copy and paste, these books.

5 stars for the general story and its telling.
1 star for the copy and paste
deduction of 1 star, since I decided I don't want to read even the book I bought, let alone get the others.

Had such high hopes after the first book in this triplet, damn it!

[David Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharpe lives on....

Many years after the Sharpe series on TV, I discovered the series of books and I am transported back into the Army of old.

The only downside of watching the tv series first is that Sharpe is and will forever be that northern chap Sean Bean. I even found myself reading his dialogue in Sean’s accent!!

[Jeff Senior · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read most of the Sharpe books plus a lot of The Last Kingdom novels. Pure escapism, plenty of action as well as hateful villains and brave heroes with lots of historical references. Some of the escapes from almost certain death might be difficult to believe but it's great writing that sweeps the action along.

[Paul Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharpe's Fortress completed.

Cornwell has created a fast paced and engaging story with Sharpe. His flaws are real and relatable.
He rage is understandable.
The moral fibre which makes him a hero clear for all to see.

Easy to read but never anything less than great to read. Highly recommended for light escapism.

Sean Bean is Sharpe. That's who I see and you probably will too.

[Mrs. N. Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unputdownable trilogy

This series of books keep you gripped throughout. Great pace with good characterisation. A great distraction from modern life. Looking forward to Sharpe’s next outing.

[Thibault Du Pont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems oddly anti French and I don't understand why he leans in to this so much.

[Alan McNamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast moving series. Well worth reading with deep historic incedents and other facts.