Average customer rating:
- Different take on Dragons
- Terribly Exciting
- great story, ok execution
- Well-imagined combination of history, fantasy, and manners
- A fine beginning.
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His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1)
Naomi Novik
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0345481283
Release Date: 2006-03-28 |
Book Description
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.
When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.
Customer Reviews:
Different take on Dragons.......2007-10-14
What if Dragons were around during the Napoleonic Wars. What if they were used to fight. This is the premise of this book and boy does it stand up to the challenge. I loved it. Pure fantasy, pure entertainment, not to be missed.
Capt Will Laurence and his crew board a french ship at sea. Aboard the ship they find a dragon egg, the egg is about to hatch. The french ship has been delayed by disease and weather and the shell of the egg is hard. When they discover what they have Will has the men draw lots to see if they can halter the dragon. Sometimes this is not possible and the dragon flies away. The English dragon force is severely limited and this dragon is more than needed in the English ranks.
At the hatching the dragon doesn't seem to like anyone especially the chosen one. However, he approaches Will and asks him a question. Yes, dragons are born sentient and with full abilities to speak. Will answers the question and then the dragon asks what is his ( the dragon's ) name? Will tells him his name is Temeraire.
Thus begins the stunning adventures of Will and his dragon Temeraire. Will must resign his commission and follow Temeraire to his assignment with the English flying forces. But Temeraire is a very unusual dragon and he gets more unusual as time goes by. It seems he is a chinese dragon, a Chinese Imperial. Not bred to be a fighting dragon at all, however his intelligence is able to help both he and Will face the war.
I loved this book, and I plan to buy every one of the sequels, including THRONE OF JADE, BLACK POWDER WAR, and EMPIRE OF IVORY. Thank goodness they are all out and I don't have to wait for a release. Good luck and good reading. Such a wonderful book and thrilling adventure.
Terribly Exciting.......2007-10-14
An interesting take on the Napolionic wars, Dragons are used as an aerial force with England outnumbered by the French. Captain Lawrence, a Naval captain captures a French ship and is surprised to find a dragon's egg on board. He captures the egg for England. To his and his crew's horror, the egg hatchs soon after.
The story, in this case an Audio book, gets more exciting as the book nears its end and Laurence and his dragon enter the Aerial Corps. I did get lost with some of the names of the characters but it didn't detract from the action.
The narrator reads the story with wonderful inflections and the only critism is that he gives the dragon's funny, evil old man voices. I imagined deeper dragon voices.
great story, ok execution.......2007-09-25
I read a lot of reviews before I bought HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON and almost all of them got around to making the same two points: the story is fantastic, the writing is fairly flat. Lo and behold, now that I have read the book I have to say that all those reviews were on-target. It is totally delightful to read about dragons in the Napoleonic Wars, and bizarrely fitting: of course the same people that charge into battle on horses, or frail wooden ships, would be at home on flying beasts. The details are wonderfully worked out, the blend of historical research and imagination is hard to read without real relish.
Novik maintains a steady level of tension throughout the book. The story doesn't really build to a climax and then resolve; but there are no dull passages, and no saggy middle. Her characters are a little wooden and Laurence, in particular, is so painfully noble that even if he were more vividly drawn he would still be fairly one-dimensional.
I might read more of this series, and I'm sure that I'd enjoy it. But I can't imagine feeling very passionate about it, given what I know of the first installment.
Well-imagined combination of history, fantasy, and manners.......2007-09-23
I was a little hesitant about the Novik novels at first, never having been a dragon fiction fan and not being able to recall what was the last grown-up fantasy novel I read, unless you count "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" as fantasy fiction. Still, I knew that Novik was partly inspired by the works of Patrick O'Brian and Jane Austen, weighty names that lent some worth to her reputation. By the middle of the first novel, the well wrought combination of dragons, Napoleonic wars, and Regency propriety sealed Novik's reputation for me. And it's a good one.
The best thing about the series is the friendship between a Jack-Aubrey-styled hero, Will Laurence, and the Chinese-by-nature and British-by-nurture Imperial dragon, Temeraire, named for a French ship captured by the English at the Battle of Lagos in 1759. (Temeraire's egg was taken from a French ship that Laurence had won.) I was completely won over by Temeraire, who is curious, polite, brave, eager for knowledge and action, and harbors revolutionary inclinations. He and Will make a brilliant team as they endure danger and triumph during their battles against the French.
A fine beginning........2007-09-17
Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey, 2006)
It took me almost a year after I first started hearing about Naomi Novik's Temeraire Trilogy to actually get round to reading the first book in the series, and I regret that. This is some fine stuff right here. Novik has reimagined the world as it was in Napoleon's time, creating an alternate universe where only one thing is changed: the existence of dragons. This is an entry in the martial-fantasy subgenre, where the emphasis is off swords and sorcery and is more on military tactics and the like (viz. Elizabeth Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion or Steven Erikson's Malazan books), but Novik goes one deeper, spending a good deal of time examining the mores and customs of the time, and figuring out how the existence of dragons might affect those (as well as the obvious effect on the military). The result is a quite stunning period piece. Oddly, though, what it most reminds me of is Joan Aiken's The Stolen Lake, but without Aiken's sense of whimsy.
Temeraire is a dragon, still unhatched when the book begins. Navy captain Will Laurence gets the egg as part of the bounty after capturing a French warship, and after the dragon hatches, it befriends Laurence, and the two of them set off on a grand adventure in the Napoleonic wars.
The book's been called by more than one reviewer "Patrick O'Brian with dragons." I, embarrassingly, have not yet read O'Brien, but if he's this much fun, I'll start as soon as I can. Novik's martial writing is on a par with Erikson's, if not on the same epic plateau, while her examination of customs and mores has a nice subtlety to it. A fine book, this, and I'm much looking forward to the rest of the series. ****
Book Description
A dangerous ring of spies, a game of mistaken identities, and a heartwarming romance of unlikely pairs come together in Lauren WilligÂ's engaging and exciting third novel THE DECPTION OF THE EMERALD RING. Praised for the “cheerfully postmodern and energetic . . .romance-adventure hybrids [that] have escaped the clutches of niche fiction.” (The Onion A.V. Club), her Pink Carnation series is garnering her critical acclaim and a loyal fan base.
Lauren WilligÂ's debut The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, appeared on retailer bestseller lists in hardcover and made a big splash in sales in trade paperback. Her second book, The Masque of the Black Tulip, was selected as a BookSense Pick for January 2006, and continue to rack up incredible reviews. Lauren WilligÂ's passion for authentic historical detail coupled with her talent for enthralling love stories make her series the perfect read for lovers of romance, history and adventure.
The year is 1803 and England and France remain at odds. Hoping to break the English once and for all, Napoleon backs a ring of Irish rebels in uprisings against England and sends the Black Tulip, FranceÂ's most deadly spy, to the Emerald Isle to help. What they donÂ't know is that also in Ireland is EnglandÂ's top spy, the Pink Carnation, who is working to shut the rebels down. Meanwhile, back in England, Letty Alsworthy intercepts a note indicating that her sister, Mary, is about to make the very grave mistake of eloping with Geoffrey Pinghingdale-Snipe (second in command of the League of the Purple Gentian). In an attempt to save the family name, Letty tries to stop the elopement, but instead finds herself swept away in the midnight carriage meant for her sister and is accidentally compromised. Geoff and Letty, to each otherÂ's horror, find themselves forced into matrimony. Then, Geoff receives word that he is to travel to Ireland to help the Pink Carnation and disappears immediately after their wedding ceremony. Letty learns of GeoffÂ's disappearance and, not to be outdone by her husband, steals away on a ship bound for Ireland, armed and ready to fight for her husbandÂ…and to learn a thing or two about spying for England.
As in her previous tales, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and The Masque Of the Black tulip, our modern-day heroine and hero, Eloise Kelly and Colin Selwick, continue their budding romance in this captivating third novel in the series.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-10-10
Once again, I was very pleased with Lauren Willig's writing. Her books are so funny! I have people asking what I'm reading because I'm continually laughing out loud. This book was the third in the series. The first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, was by far the best of the three. This one was delightful, though.
I love the fact that the characters from previous books frequently pop up in this one. They are all characters I've grown to love - so I don't mind hearing about what they're up to. The Deception of the Emerald Ring does introduce relatively new main characters. Letty, the heroine of the story, is not as endearing as Henrietta of book 2 was, but she's lovable just the same.
I was also very pleased that Willig gave us something to look forward to concerning Eloise and Colin. I absolutly can't wait till the third book comes out!!
Great read. Willig is an excellent writer.
Bestseller Material.......2007-09-29
Lauren Willig's Deception of the Emerald Ring was one of the best books I've read in a long time. The thing I loved most was the strong female lead not competeing for the spotlight with the male lead. For those who are really unsure about reading a period drama, fear not: although the book is set in 1803, there is no tough Shakespeareian-esque language to muddle through and it does not solely focus on the past. Every few chapters, Willig jumps forward to the present day with her character Eloise Kelley as a doctoral candidate researching the events of 1803, so you are basically discovering the happenings of the past along with Eloise (and there is also Eloise's personal life unfolding as well, mainly having to do with the handsome man providing material for her dissertation. You just have to read to find out what happens with this beautiful man).
Boo to forced marriages, Stopped there.......2007-09-12
I read the first two and liked the strong main characters. However, this book starts off with a girl being forced into marriage by cultural norms. I realize it is the custom of the time, and that is fine, but to use it as the jumping off point for a book of female empowerment is wrong. I stopped reading after that, which incidentally was in the first or second chapter. I don't remember, as I have blocked it from my memory.
I strongly recommend The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which is the first book in the series and the best of all.
French Spies in Ireland? Who knew?.......2007-08-14
A few years back, I picked up a hardbound book on a remainder table titled The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. It looked rather fluffy and a touch silly, but I was in desperate need of something to read at the time, and went on ahead and purchased it. I was expecting a so-so novel, but what I got was a funny, smart novel that had me laughing as I enjoyed it. Afterwards, I kept my eyes open for any further works by Lauren Willig.
In the third novel of the series, The Deception of the Emerald Ring the game between French and English spies continues. Letty Alsworthy is in London for the Season with the rest of her family, including her beautiful sister Mary, their flitterwit of a mother, and a father who means well, but can't seem to pass a bookstore without picking up a few new volumes. Which means that it's up to Letty to keep the family together, the bills paid, and things running smoothly. Besides, she knows that a suitor will not look at her twice, especially if Mary is in the room. But Letty is wise enough to know that if her sister goes through the elopement that she's planning, it's going to simply ruin the rest of the family. So, in the middle of the night in nothing more than her nightgown and a cloak she tries to find Lord Pinchingdale to tell him that it simply can't happen.
When the carriage that is bringing her to Lord Pinchingdale stops, she suddenly finds herself in the very passionate embrace of the viscount, who seems not to mind at all that she's isn't Mary. Worst still, two of Pinchingdale's friends are there, witnesses to the entire escapade, and Letty and Pinchingdale find themselves wed to each other, with neither of them happy about it at all. In fact, the groom is so unhappy that he leaves in the middle of the wedding celebrations, and a humiliated Letty decides to follow him -- off to the scarcely calm land of Ireland, where a revolt supported by the French is looming.
And suddenly, Letty finds herself in the middle of conspiracies, meetings in dark dank churches, sinister men in black, and all sorts of aliases and plots, all with the mysterious Pink Carnation at the center of it. Will poor Letty manage to keep her wits around her, and solve the awful dilemna of her marriage to Pinchingdale, who seems to loathe her on sight?
I have to say that this installment of Lauren Willig's of her series is rather exciting. For one, the action is shifted rather quickly from London to a place that isn't used very often for the Napoleonic wars -- Ireland. This really kept my interest, as I had no idea that the French were happily formetting revolution there, and seeking to use the country as a staging point for a possible invasion of England instead of just going across the Channel.
Nor does Willig forget the modern day story of Eloise Kelly and Colin Selwick. Eloise's scholarly researching into the Pink Carnation gives some amusement, not to mention her meddling grandmother's attempts to get her married off. It does get annoying in spots, as it does break up the story of Letty and Pinchingdale at the worst possible moments, and it does get predictable.
With those caveats in mind, it's still a fairly good story, and Willig's prose and mannerisms fit in nicely with the writing style of the Regency novel. Too, it's clear that she's paying homage to Baroness Orczy's novels of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Lastly, it's the fact that she can do research and isn't afraid to put in new elements into the ongoing story, and that I can always applaud.
Winding up, this gets a good four stars in all. If you like a smart, witty historical novel with plenty of slyness and a few laughs, this series would fit the bill nicely.
Recommended.
So exciting!.......2007-06-17
I had so much trouble putting this down. I really enjoy all the characters, and can't wait for the next book in the series!
Book Description
Widely considered the greatest novel ever written in any language, War and Peace has as its backdrop Napoleon's invasion of Russia and at its heart three of the most memorable characters in literature: Pierre Bezukhov, a quixotic young man in search of spiritual joy; Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, a cynical intellectual transformed by the suffering of war; and the bewitching and impulsive Natasha Rostov, daughter of a count. As they seek fulfillment, fall in love, make mistakes, and become scarred by battle in different ways, these characters and their stories interweave with those of a huge cast, from aristocrats to peasants, from soldiers to Napoleon himself.
In this first English translation in more than forty years, Anthony Briggs faithfully reveals Tolstoy's art in stirring prose, clearing up ambiguities that have plagued many modern translations. This volume also includes an afterword by eminent historian Orlando Figes, a list of characters, descriptions of the three main battles, chapter summaries, and notes. Both epic and intimate, a compassionate portrait of humanity and an engrossing read, this is the War and Peace of choice for a whole new generation.
Customer Reviews:
Magnificent Achievement.......2007-10-11
"Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of the
Buonapartes. But I warn you, if you don't tell me that this means war,
if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by
that Antichrist--I really believe he is Antichrist--I will have
nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend, no longer
my 'faithful slave,' as you call yourself! But how do you do? I see
I have frightened you--sit down and tell me all the news."
- Anna Pavlovna in War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
It was 1805 and the novel opens up at a reception given by Anna. With these words she greeted Prince Vasili Kuragin who we learn in the novel is a personage of stature and importance among the St. Petersburg elite.
Anna is referring to Napoleon as the antichrist, she feels that he is routing Europe; and that the king of Russia, Alexander I, must save them all against this terrible and dreadful man.
And so begins one of the most famous masterpieces of all time.
WAR AND PEACE has a simple plot which encompasses the valiant attempts by the Russian people to hold off a military invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte and the French. Some of the segments of the novel deal with war strategy which could have benefited leaders if they simply perhaps had read Tolstoy.
As the story begins we find that the Russians have formed an unlikely alliance with the Austrians. Because of this alliance, we find the small and inadequate Russian army having to march from Moscow to Austria. That in of itself is daunting.
This alliance falters at best and as a consequence the Russian army loses almost all of its army resulting oddly enough in several years of peace. The Russian aristocracy does not have to make any sacrifices at first and their lives continue just as before. Thus the meaning of the title, WAR AND PEACE.
However, after 1810, another five years later, we find Napoleon becoming more successful in Europe and worries arise that he will plan next to invade the Russian homeland. In June of 1812, he does precisely that which the Russian people and the army feared most: he crossed the frontiers into Russia and the real war began.
As Tolstoy described, "an event took place that was contrary to all human reason and human nature."
We meet the Bolkonski's (the elder Prince, the younger Prince Andrei, his sister Princess Marya, Andrei's pregnant wife Lize), the Rostov's (the Count and Countess, Vera, Nicholai, Natasha, Sonya and Petya), the Bezukhov's (the dying Count, his illegitimate son Pierre and various relations to the dying man), the Kuragin's (Prince Vasili and his wife, the beautiful Helene, Anatole, and Hippolyte), Denisov, Dolohov, Boris, Kutuzov (the general) and about 600 characters in the book. The primary ones are the ones that I have named.
Prince Andrei and Count Pierre Bezukhov (very important Tolstoy characters) are opposites in every way; yet are friends and their friendship, separate lives and families play a critical role in Tolstoy's novel. The Bolkonski's and the Rostov's lives weave and bind together as one goes further into the novel and these threads of their lives become a strong and durable fabric which will support these families as they progress through their respective years together. Though each of us, as do these characters, exercises free will; the decisions that we make (even years before certain life's events) depict the relationships that all of our decisions have upon each other and the impact they have on our future happiness or prosperity. Tolstoy even takes a detour at the end of the novel and digresses "much more than he should" about this and that...and how power is bestowed and basically how we reap what we sow (a familiar Tolstoy theme not always related to agriculture).
The novel is quite long, and that is the reason I found that I picked up this book in the past and then put it down (not completely grasping the naming structures and not having time I felt to give it my full attention). However, after having finally taken the time to read this great manuscript, it really is a simple story about life, love (true or not), loyalty, friendship, responsibility (real accountability or feigned) and leadership. It is also once again a story of families and their love for each other and how they are able to show their love for one another or how the love is still present; but remains emotionally hidden or ineffectual. And it is a story of how one must understand the true meaning of life and must be content in one's own skin; before love can truly blossom and be realized.
Truthfully, the plot does revolve around the aspects of war and peace as it relates to Napoleon invading Russia; but it also shows a country growing and changing as the characters do in the novel. Each one of the families goes through its own reflective period of war and peace in their own lives as well. The story line is superb...if you like historical fiction; and the characterizations and their development are unparalleled.
Some Helpful Suggestions:
1. Take the time to read and/or listen to an unabridged version of this masterpiece (like the one done by Neville Jason). Just start out slowly and read a few chapters every day if you are limited in time. It is one of those novels that can be reread and not only do you enjoy the story line each time; you also come away from it learning a lot about life itself and you can profit from this reflection while embarking on your own personal path. Some of the events may ring true with your own life or with your own family. Even though the country and/or time period may be different; life, heart felt emotion remain quite the same.
2. Secure a translation that you like and/or a reader you can stay with. Go to your local bookstore and/or sample a chapter on line to see if you like the language used; do you like a more traditional translation much like Tolstoy's own language or would you prefer more modern jargon and interpretations. I prefer the traditional; but that is not always what works for everyone. If you want to listen to the book, make sure to listen to samples of the reader's voice to make sure that their voice is palatable to your tastes. Everyone's taste in sound is different.
3. Join a book club or an on line discussion group to keep you going and/or read or listen to the book with a friend or family member. These discussions will add to the enjoyment of reading this masterpiece. It really is meant (I feel) to be shared.
4. Get used to the Russian naming conventions and their use of nicknames. Write them down as you come across them and then you will know which characters to associate with which nicknames the next time. Nicknames are common with us today as well. If a girl's name is Jennifer, some may call her Jennifer, Jen, Jenny or if her middle name is Patricia (JP for short) and different members of the family could call her different pet names. This Russian novel is no different than real life.
5. I gave the following assistance when I reviewed Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and the characters and names in War and Peace follow the same rules regarding patronymics and names with three parts. Here is a reprint of the suggestion: "Sometimes the names of the characters themselves can be confusing: so a hint to the reader might be to think of each Russian character's name as having THREE PARTS: the FIRST part is the first name (examples here are for Levin and Kitty) like Konstantin or Ekaterina, the SECOND part is a patronymic which is the father's first name accompanied by a suffix which means son of or daughter of like Dmitrich (son of Dmitri) or Alexandrovna (daughter of Alexander) and then the THIRD part which is the surname like Levin or Shcherbatskaya. Thus the explanations of the three part names for Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya (nicknamed Kitty) and for Konstantin Dmitrich Levin (Levin).
War and Peace is not a novel to be missed; very much like Anna Karenina (both by Leo Tolstoy). With both, but especially with War and Peace, you must envision that you will finish the book and keep at it. It really is not hard; you will get to know the characters in the book as if they were family members or best friends with all of their strengths and their frailties - the spectrum that makes these characters real in their humanness.
Rating: 5 stars - A+ (Very highly recommended)
Bentley/October 2007
War and Peace
Did you know that Tolstoy is funny?.......2007-08-29
The extended scenes in Russian society are scathingly funny about the aristocracy and the military leaders. I don't remember that coming across in previous translations.
This is an extremely readable translation that does justice to some of the most vividly realized and moving characters in all literature. It really is a page-turner.
The only serious misstep is the crude "working-class" dialog attributed to the common soldiers, which is as inept as the dated attempts at characterization of the lower classes in authors such as Agatha Christie. I haven't read the original Russian, but Tolstoy was too fine a writer to make this kind of mistake.
Just starting.......2007-08-20
I'm a new reader to War and Peace and when I went to the bookstore to buy it I read several different translations. I found this one to be easy to understand and very readable. I recommend this translation to a newbie like myself.
Missing the Flavor.......2007-07-05
Although a new translation, Briggs has used British English and has Russian Soldiers using words like "mate" and "bloke." Almost as bad as Constance Garrett having Russians say "bloody this" and "bloody that" and "By Jove!" in some of her translations. Maybe the best in English so far, however, unfortunately; the soldiers and characters speak like Brits and not like Russians--a major flaw in my opinion. Misses the flavor of 19th Century Russia. If possible I would recommend waiting for the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation...(hopefully they make one)
History is bunk (told over the course of 1,358 pages).......2007-07-01
I can't decide if I read "War and Peace" because, by many accounts, it's "perhaps the greatest novel ever written" or because I wanted to brag to people that I actually finished reading the darn thing. Let's face it: "Anna Karenina" is now part of Oprah's Book Club. I can't go there, folks. I just can't.
"War and Peace" is a most confounding "novel." Of course, its author famously denied it was a novel in the first place. First of all, it doesn't need to be this long. Trust me, I finished Proust -- I also have no life -- and I didn't feel nearly as burdened with "À la Recherche du Temps Perdu" ("In Search of Lost Time") as I did with "War and Peace."
For those seeking a plot summary, there really is no plot to speak of -- which I don't have a problem with, actually. It's a snapshot of Russian aristocratic life during and after the Napoleonic Wars, climaxing with the 1812 French invasion of Russia, the destruction of Moscow and the disastrous retreat of Napoléon's Grande Armée.
Tolstoy's thoughts on history are interesting (and probably correct), although I'd cut out the excruciating second part of the epilogue. Fans of Napoléon will be disappointed, as Tolstoy is a rabid Russian nationalist and never misses an opportunity to heap scorn on Le Empereur.
This translation is not bad, actually. Granted, I haven't read any others -- and probably never will. The prose here is crystal clear and I didn't have a problem with the Russian names -- perhaps, once again, because I read Proust with all his myriad French characters. It should be noted that Anthony Briggs often portrays Russian serfs as speaking with cockney English accents. A bit odd.
Book Description
For more than twenty years, Richard Sharpe, the brave and dashing officer who rose from rags on the street to a commission in his majesty's army, has been thrilling audiences on both the page and on screen. Now the incomparable Bernard Cornwell ("the greatest writer of historical novels today"*) returns with a thrilling new installment—the first new Sharpe novel in more than two years.
The year is 1811. With the British army penned into a small part of Portugal, and all of Spain fallen to the invader except for the coastal city of Cádiz, the French appear to have won their war. Captain Richard Sharpe has no business being in Cádiz, but when an attack on a French-held bridge goes disastrously wrong, Sharpe—accompanied by Harper, his loyal Irish sergeant, and the obnoxious Brigadier Moon—finds himself in a city under French siege. It is also a town riven by political rivalry. Some Spaniards believe their country's future would be best served if they broke their alliance with Britain and forged a friendship with Napoléon's France; their cause is only strengthened when some letters written to a prostitute by the British ambassador fall into their possession. They resort to blackmail, and Sharpe, raised in the gutters of London and taught to fight, is released into the alleys of Cádiz to find the woman and retrieve the letters.
Yet defeating the blackmailers will not save the city. That is up to the charismatic Scotsman, Sir Thomas Graham, who takes a small British force o attack the French siege lines. The attack goes horribly wrong; Sir Thomas's outnumbered army is trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea, and on a March morning, at Barrosa, Richard Sharpe finds himself embroiled in one of the most desperate infantry struggles ever fought. Sir Thomas has his own reasons for revenge, as does Sharpe, who goes into battle seeking the French colonel who precipitated the disaster that stranded Sharpe in Cádiz. In a bloody and stirring battle, Sharpe and the English get their revenge and their victory, but at a terrible cost. A triumph of both historical and battle fiction, Sharpe's Fury will sweep both old and new Sharpe fans into their hero's incredible adventures.
Customer Reviews:
Cornwell continues his betrayal.......2007-07-28
I read all of the original Sharpe series in the eighties and thought that the series had come to it's natural conclusion with Sharpes Waterloo in 1990. I was very suprised to see Sharpes Devil a couple of years later and to my mind this was a book too far in the series. Cornwell was always writing other books including the excellent Redcoat as well as his nautical thrillers. When he started the Starbuck chronicles I was delighted and followed Nates adventures in the same manner as I had Sharpe's. Then, after the Sharpe series had been shown on tv Cornwell abandoned "The Starbuck Chronicles" mid-series (after four books)and resurrected Sharpe. Not to sound too cynical but the only reason for this betrayal of fans who had bought the new books and were following Starbuck could only have been money...Cornwell betrayed and sacrificed the Starbuck fans for a newer and more lucrutive market...the new Sharpe fans worldwide who came to the books after the tv series. In order to continue to cash in along came all the new books each one inserted in a different period of Sharpe's career. If you have read the original series you won't recognise Sharpe's description in the new books..because it's Sean Bean!...Thanks Bernard, how's the yacht?
Another good yarn from the imagination of Bernard Cornwell.......2007-06-04
Several years ago I began reading Sharpe books aloud to my dyslexic husband. At the time, I was less than excited by military stories of any sort, but love makes you do all sorts of strange things, and over time I have become a fan of both Sharpe and his creator, Bernard Cornwell.
"Sharpe's Fury" is a solid entry in the series, a fast-moving and enjoyable read. However, it is not a typical Sharpe book. Instead of being in the thick of battle, Sharpe observes from the fringes--which is probably fitting since, as Cornwell points out in his historical note, Sharpe should not have been at Barrosa.
Even if he's not rampaging across the battlefield, Sharpe still has something to do (retrieving some indiscreet letters), and still manages to leave destruction in his wake.
As much fun as it is to watch Sharpe blow things up and bed pretty girls, it isn't until the last hundred pages that we get to the real meat of the story. Cornwell is a master of describing the bloody chaos of the battlefield and there was plenty of both blood and confusion at Barrosa. It is particularly fitting that the capture of a French eagle by Sergeant Patrick Masterson be included as Masterson's real life exploits helped inspire the character of Sharpe.
sharpe`s fury.......2007-05-12
another good one from cornwell. but he had to go into the past (of sharpe`s) to do it. i hope he does one that will not go into sharpe`s past. but ither way, we need more of shape
Ray Schmitt's Review.......2007-03-14
This book was boiler plate Sharpe. It lacked the craftmenship and scope of such fine books as Sharpe's Regiment and Sharpe's Waterloo which were two of Cornwell's best. I enjoyed it, however.
Cornwell/Sharpe does it again!.......2007-02-22
Cornwell has produced another great novel with Sharpe and Harper. I somehow missed this one, it was the last of the Sharpe series that I hadn't read. I don't know where its possible for him to continue writing this series but I wish he would put out more!
Book Description
A shy and lonely seventeen-year-old, Horatio Hornblower embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy as a midshipman on board H.M.S. Justinian. In action adventure and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Friendship .......2006-09-09
This is the next Hornblower chronologically, it was not the next one written. Now that the series is completed it makes sense to read it as Hornblower's career progresses in the Royal Navy.
The whole series is a pleasure to read full of action and adventure; with enough time for a little romance.
Get acquainted with one of the most popular characters in modern literature.
After reading this you will be back for more. And that is a wonderful thing.
Hornblower is beached........2005-12-05
The Hornblower books are a great Napoleonic War era British Navy series. I definitely recommend the series if you like this genre.
This Hornblower is so far the one I've liked the least. It's not too eventful until the end. I think it was meant to show Hornblower in new situations (not just another battle, he spends most of the book hiding in France) to highlight additional facets of his personality. Kudos for trying to develop the character better but I can't say I learned much new about him. Still, worth reading if you like the series.
I have given this book a 4 but it was close to a 3. For me, a 5 is a book that 1) I would recommend to others regardless of whether they read the genre and 2) will most likely reread again in the near future. A 4 is one that 1) I'd recommend if they like the genre and 2) may read again. A 3 I liked but probably would never reread, a 2 was just ok, and a 1 was a waste of time.
Heartwrenching and warming.......2004-12-07
This is generally high up on most HH fans' favorites list. And there's no wonder why. For the first time, our heroic Hornblower has failed and lost his ship---which back then, was worse than death for the captain---it's a personal book with Hornblower worrying about his actions and the consequences to them. In addition, the care and attention he shows to Bush is heartwarming, his concern for his future and promise, "I'll make you a captain if it's the last thing I do." This book really put into perspective the fact that while Hornblower may not view Bush as the smartest of men, he IS his best friend. The affair with Marie also can pull a few internal strings, the devotion Marie has for this man and her haunting, "You're a man women can fall in love with." (attempting to get the quote right.)
A must-read. The pivot of the series.
dull episode in series.......2004-09-01
The premise of the book leaves Hornblower without a ship and defeat in the hands of French forces. He is to be sent to French for trial and execution. This book wasn't as entertaining as previous books in the series. The misery is still a recurring theme in Forester's books and the author also toys with Hornblower's torn feelings between two women in England as well as another he runs into in France. Hornblower worries about Bush, his court martial, his wife, Lady Barbara, his unborn child which served as the tension in the story. This really didn't serve the book in making it exciting yet in series like this you'll get a book that serves as a transition from one book to the other. The story felt like this kind of book. This book was trying to get Hornblower from the battle in the previous book back to London for the next book. This book had no plot really of the ongoing battle between France and Britain where one side was trying to outwit the other nor tension between characters the way "Midshipman" or "Lieutenant" did. Considering how Forester wrote the books out of sequence it's probably understandable to have a book like this in order to complete the picture of Hornblower's career. So Forester shouldn't be blamed for the lack of plot. The book on its own isn't that great yet necessary in order to maintain continuity of the series.
Escape, daring do, and knigthood........2004-02-27
Flying colors begins where Ship of the Line left off. Hornblower is in a Spanish prison in Rosas after sacrificing his ship Sutherland by attacking and destroying an enemy fleet. Along with his loyal lieutenant Bush and his servant Brown, Hornblower is soon loaded on a carriage for the trip to Paris where he is to be hanged as a public display by Napoleon. But of course it's hard to hang a man when the author is on his side. The carriage breaks down in a snowstorm and as luck would have it there is a river and a boat nearby. Always a man of action Hornblower makes his escape and stumbles into the home of a left over royal sympathizer who helps his party to hide until spring when they can make their way down river and escape. In the French port, Hornblower assumes the identity of a Dutch officer, commandeers a captured English cutter, Witch of Endor, and a crew of slave laborers to sail out of the harbor under French noses. Despite his constant self doubt he returns triumphantly to England where he finds out that during his absence his wife died, his beloved Barbara's husband died, and instead of losing his rank for losing his ship he is knighted to the order of the bath for heroism (and politics). The detail of ships and sailing in the early 19th century make the Hornblower series must reading for any man who loves the sea.
Average customer rating:
- Plunge into plenty of warfare and treachery
- Eh
- The quick and dirty review
- Still wow...
- dreary disappointment, just one long string of depressing battles
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Black Powder War (Temeraire, Book 3)
Naomi Novik
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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Similar Items:
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Throne of Jade (Temeraire, Book 2)
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His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1)
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Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4)
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Beguilement (The Sharing Knife, Book 1)
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Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 1)
ASIN: 0345481305
Release Date: 2006-05-30 |
Book Description
“A splendid series.”
–Anne McCaffrey
“Naomi Novik has done for the Napoleonic Wars what Anne McCaffrey did for science fiction: constructed an alternate reality in which dragons are real in a saga that is impressively original, fully developed, and peopled with characters you care about.”
–David Weber, author of the Honor Harrington series
After their fateful adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty’s Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, are waylaid by a mysterious envoy bearing urgent new orders from Britain. Three valuable dragon eggs have been purchased from the Ottoman Empire, and Laurence and Temeraire must detour to Istanbul to escort the precious cargo back to England. Time is of the essence if the eggs are to be borne home before hatching.
Yet disaster threatens the mission at every turn–thanks to the diabolical machinations of the Chinese dragon Lien, who blames Temeraire for her master’s death and vows to ally herself with Napoleon and take vengeance. Then, faced with shattering betrayal in an unexpected place, Laurence, Temeraire, and their squad must launch a daring offensive. But what chance do they have against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?
Customer Reviews:
Plunge into plenty of warfare and treachery.......2007-09-16
For a long time now, I've been pretty disappointed in what passes for fantasy, that genre of fiction that deals with worlds more imaginative than scientific. I had devoured my fill over the decades, and now, well, everything was starting to read the same. But this summer I found out about Naomi Novik's ongoing series about dragons in an alternate Earth of the Napoleonic Wars.
Three books later, I'm still pretty happy.
Black Powder War picks up right where the previous novel, Throne of Jade left off. A Celestial dragon, Temeraire and his companion, Will Laurence, are still in China, dealing with the changes that Yongxing's conspiracy has wrought, in a brief prolouge, and then they are returning to England and the war in Europe. But a devastating fire on their transport strands them in Macao, and worse still, a message from the Admiralty to go to the Turks in Istanbul to carry three precious dragon eggs to England -- if they can dodge Napoleon's armies in Europe. But without a ship, how are they going to navigate the lands across Asia?
And conveniently too, a guide is available at the moment. Tharkay, half-Asian, half-European, is willing to take on the job, for a price of course. And he doesn't bother to hide his contempt for the English, or indeed, any Europeans either. With Tharkay, and his eagle in hand, Laurence and Temeraire set off across China and the Asian deserts to the subtle, rather byzantine politics of Istanbul, encountering bandits of both the human and dragon variety, and death from both hunger and lack of water.
But when they reach Istanbul, and the Turks, it's going to be a hard lesson in politics and the eastern way of thinking. For it seems that someone has lied to them, in a very devastating way... and there's still Napoleon and his Grande Armee marching to the east and the Russians.
I don't want to go much more into the story, as there is a lot that is covered, and I don't want to give away much more of the plot. I will say that there's hardly a dull moment in this story and the reader doesn't have much time to catch their breath between the varied adventures that Laurence and Temeraire and their crew go through. Along with the martial battles on the air and the ground, quite a bit of skullduggery and sneaking about at night, there are the intrapersonal conflicts as well, especially between Laurence and Tharkay.
There is also Temeraire's determination to change the treatment of dragons in England, where they are treated little better than semi-intelligent creatures, and what he saw in China. And while Laurence can't agree more, he's also far more canny in just how English society works, and fears for that the dragon is setting himself up for disappointment.
Too, the reader is in for a real treat with the antics of the feral pack of dragons led by Arkhady, and the unique twist that is given for the culture of dragons -- this was something that I found to be a very pleasant surprise and a masterful touch in world creation. Finally, there is a new character introduced towards the end, Iskierka, whom I suspect is going to make quite a mark in later novels in the series.
One of the reasons that drew me to the series in the first place was Novik's use of history and historical characters. In Black Powder War, she proves that she knows how to use these twists, and her depictions of warfare are especially chilling at times. Her writing style is certainly improving, and it shows. Her characters are finding their own voices, and proving that they are intricate, complex people.
As a touch of whimsy, she has at the end of the book a letter written by a gentleman to the Royal Society that seeks to prove that dragons are far too inept to understand mathematics. There is also an excerpt from the next novel, Empire of Ivory, which if proves to be true (the author warns the reader that the book is still in the writing stages and could change), promises to be particularly devastating.
These novels do need to be read in order, as the author does not provide either a synopsis or any backtracking in her story to fill in the blanks. They are also rather important blanks, so try not to skip anything.
All in all, I'm hooked on this series, and I am looking forward to the next volume, due in late September. So much so that I've preordered my copy...
Eh.......2007-08-07
Maybe if the publisher contained this initial trilogy in one book it would've been a little better, but the story didn't seem as enchanting or engaging as His Majesty's Dragon. A lot of waiting around. The preview for the next book looks promising though.
The quick and dirty review.......2007-07-19
- Not as good as the first book
- Better than the second
It's a good read and continues to layout the foundation of where the Temeraire world will go. I know I can't wait for more :)
Still wow..........2007-07-08
Third in the series (After "Temeraire - His Majesty's Dragon" and "Throne of Jade"), it's also the least accessable, possibly the best researched, and still absolutely brilliant. There's a lot of down and not much up in this book, but all that means is a lot of looking-forward to the next book.
I'm already looking at the date the next book will be released, and debating if it would be worth it to spend the money for the hardcover...
dreary disappointment, just one long string of depressing battles.......2007-06-29
after the exuberance of the first book in this trilogy, His Majesty's Dragon, I found the 2nd book (Throne of Jade) to be a boring series of political arguments and this 3rd book to be a boring series of weary battles. OK, the feral dragons lightened it up a bit, but it was, overall, a depressing book with no satisfying resolutions. The author is obviously more interested in keeping the franchise going than in pleasing her readers or taking care of her characters. Enough already! If I hadn't fallen in love with Temeraire enough to keep slogging on, I would never have finished this book. Buy it used!
Book Description
Another exciting addition to our growing collection of sea stories, BEAT TO QUARTERS is a favorite among devotees of Horatio Hornblower, England's most durable sailor.
The creation of C.S. Forester (AFRICAN QUEEN, THE GOOD SHEPHERD), Hornblower is known and admired throughout the Western world. Winston Churchill was a notable enthusiast; he mentioned Hornblower in his WW II memoirs.
In BEAT TO QUARTERS, a still young Hornblower is captain of the 36-gun frigate Lydia. He sets his course for Spain and Nicaragua in his ongoing quest to cut Napoleon's lines wherever he crosses them.
Customer Reviews:
The First Hornblower Adventures.......2007-08-07
I don't get it... why is this book so highly rated?
There must be a lot of nostalgic old folks who read these as kids... Or in light of having read the entire series, have decided to have an unusual opinion in order to sound erudite in matters of Hornblower. Or they could know something which I don't; however, let me respectfully submit that Beat to Quarters is pretty mediocre as action/adventure/historical fiction novels of the 1930's go. The characters seem contrived, the archvillian hopelessly cliche, and the storytelling is painfully explicit. Not to say that I didn't enjoy it, because I did -- the pacing is good, and as forced as it may seem, Forester is trying to create interesting, complex characters, which pays off in the later novels. The writing improves tremendously too, so keep with them if you can.
Righto, the summary. Horatio Hornblower is captain of the frigate Lydia, the sole English ship wandering about the Pacific. Horatio is marked by his reserve and and critical powers which he applies as vigorously to himself as that which surrounds him, but despite all this, he is garrulous, and therefore has a habit of saying "Ha... H'm" in conversation to avoid speaking too much. Lieutenant Bush is loyal, but, as we are told, unimaginative, so it's up to Horatio to come of with all the brilliant plans. He has been sent on a mission to aid in an uprising against the Spanish in Central America, but, as the delegate of a morally disinterested third party, he finds that alliances can be slippery things... There's a bit of romance mixed in with all the sea battles, but since Horatio never quite gets clear of trouble, there's not a dull moment throughout the entire 250 odd pages... That's probably all I can say without giving away the rest of the story -- I recommend Beat to Quarters for anyone who wants a light read and is a fan of seafaring stories of the Napoleonic era.
We have to compare O'Brien and Forester, right? From what I've read of both of them, O'Brien is the better writer, but Forester is a lot more readable. Hornblower doesn't feel as historic, which is partly because Forester didn't do his research quite as throughouly, but also because O'Brien succeeds in creating characters which feel genuinely "foreign". Jack and Stephen are not men of our time to be sure, but this also makes them a lot more difficult to relate to.
Well, there's my two cents. :)
Historical Fiction at Its Best...and a Grand Hero.......2007-02-20
C. S. Forester, Beat to Quarters.
Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander
I've begun reading C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels for the fourth or fifth time and I'm enjoying them almost as much as the first time through. Last year, I read about half of Patrick O'Brian's stunning Aubrey-Maturin sea novels for a second time: they didn't lose a thing in the rereading, they're so good. Both authors knew their subject matter thoroughly -naval battle in the age of sail, the sea campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Both succeeded admirably in conveying the nature and feel of life at sea in crowded, sometimes ungainly, often elegant wooden sailing vessels that in the heat of battle often became floating coffins for the men who inhabited them. Self-doubting Hornblower and his loyal lieutenant Bush, ebullient Jack Aubrey and his surgeon-spy friend Stephen Maturin are men we easily come to admire, full-fleshed characters. The love stories which form a second melody in many of the books in both series are engrossing; you root for the course of true love, for Hornblower's indomitable Lady Barbara and Jack's virginal and stubbornly maternal Sophie.
There are differences. O'Brian is the more consistently superior writer and you laugh more when you read his books. Forester has the annoying habit of telling the reader about changes (largely naval practices) that occur later than the events described rather than, as does O'Brian, simply letting the details of the narration build up a sense of past times in the reader's mind. But Foresterr doesn't indulge himself often and it's a very minor irritation in a splendid narrative that spreads across how eleven novels.
The ambition of these writers is abashing. How did they keep narrative focus through eleven (in Forester's case) and eighteen (O'Brian's) books? How did they succeed -and succeed they truly did--in creating real characters who mature from book to book and communicate their humanity as well as their heroism to readers of a time two hundred years later? These are exceptional books.
The best boy's adventure book ever.......2006-11-19
This book (often collected with "Ship of the Line" and "Beat to Quarters" as "Captain Horatio Hornblower" is the best "boy's" adventure book ever, the gold standard by which all others are measured. It inspired, among others, O'Brien's Aubrey, Cornwell's Sharpe, Kent's Bolitho, and Weber's Harrington. It works perfectly as a sea story and romance, as the middle class Hornblower, Captain of the Lydia, meets and falls in love with Lady Barbara, the sister to the Duke of Wellington. Along the way he battles enemies of superior force, overcoming them as well as his own inferiority complex. Historical detail is superb and this book, as well as the series as a whole, is a superb introduction to the Napoleonic period, particularly class society in Britain. Forester passed away before he could write to Trafalgar, but Hornblower and the Atropos has a lovely description of Lord Nelson's funeral that I remember vividly 39 years later and used as a guide on a recent trip to London last month.
A Wonderful Friendship .......2006-09-09
This is the next Hornblower chronologically, it was not the next one written. Now that the series is completed it makes sense to read it as Hornblower's career progresses in the Royal Navy.
The whole series is a pleasure to read full of action and adventure; with enough time for a little romance.
Get acquainted with one of the most popular characters in modern literature.
After reading this you will be back for more. And that is a wonderful thing.
C.S. Forester's Beat to Quarters.......2006-08-31
For new readers to the Hornblower saga, this is the book to start with, even though it's not the first book chronologically. It introduces many main characters, like Leutienant Bush, Lady Barbara Wellesley, and of course, Horatio himself.
Customer Reviews:
Sharpe clashes with Hakeswille and the French in the Spanish mountains.......2007-04-20
"Sharpe's Enemy" is a classic Sharpe novel - fast-paced, bloody, and chock full of the highs and lows of the soldier's life. "Enemy," despite its more vicious moments, is also one of the most humorous of all the Sharpe novels. Taken together, this is one of the high points in this stellar series.
"Enemy" spans a few days around Christmas, 1812. There are two basic plots going on. The first is the most sinister. Sharpe's tormentor and the titular enemy is Obadiah Hakeswill. He is the man who unfairly flogged Sharpe in India, and later Hakeswill tried to rape Sharpe's wife Teresa and threatened their infant daughter with a bayonet. But Hakeswill brags that he cannot be killed, and there may be some truth to that because Hakeswill now leads a strong force of desperate brigands who have murdered and raped their way into a stronghold that dominates a pass in the mountains.
To make matters worse, Hakeswill has kidnapped several women, including the wife of a French officer and the Lady Farthingdale, wife of an elderly British officer, Sir Augustus Farthingdale. Hakeswill has ransomed Lady Farthingdale for a considerable sum, and Sharpe and Harper are charged with handing over the ransom and retrieving the Lady. While on the mission, they encounter a French party on the identical mission, and they form a temporary alliance.
Without giving away too many plot points, the second main plot line of the novel involves Sharpe and Harper leading an outmanned British force against a massive French column. Only through ingenuity and daring can Sharpe hope to make the French pay for every yard of ground through the pass, and it is evident to all that Sharpe is fighting a lost cause.
But as the French will learn, nobody fights a lost cause better than Richard Sharpe.
"Enemy" is one of the strongest novels in the series because there are so many great supporting characters. Harper, Hagman, and the usual suspects are always present, but Cornwell introduces us to Captain Fredrickson, the one-eyed soldier's soldier, to General Nairn, the seemingly foolish but very wise British officer, and to various and sundry other characters, including many on the French side. Cornwell also gets to reintroduce the reader to the British rocket, that woefully inaccurate yet occasionally lethal weapon that hasn't been seen since Sharpe's India days. Sharpe's use of these rockets against an advancing French column leads to one of the most thrilling battle scenes Cornwell has yet written. And that's saying something.
Also look for a lot of humor resulting from the appearance of the gorgeous Lady Farthingdale, with whom Sharpe has already a passing familiarity . . .
If you're a fan of the Sharpe novels, don't skip over any of the earlier novels to get to this one, but make sure you keep reading!
A Great Series.......2006-08-15
This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.
Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...
And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.
A ripping good yarn.......2006-05-20
I was a little skeptical in tackling this novel, since my favorite books in the Sharpe series have generally been the ones that hewed closest to the events of actual historical battles, and I knew going into it that "Sharpe's Enemy" was built around a wholly invented battle. But, somewhat to my surprise, I found this a ripping good yarn and thoroughly enjoyable.
Cornwell is simply the best.......2005-10-30
Bernard Cornwell remains at his best in this novel. Bernard Cornwell is a writer who's really good at what he does. The story is supenseful, the characters are interesting (Cornwell makes you either care about them or hate their guts),and the narrative is superbly paced. I love the movies (Sean Bean is the English Clint Eastwood), but the books are so much better than the movies, so much better!(By the way, there are numerous Sharpe websites and at least one Bernard Cornwell website.)Buy them, read them,love them!
Marvelous!!.......2003-05-14
Bernard Cornwell just keeps getting better and better as these books progress! This is now the 13th volume on Sharpe's timeline, and the 6th in order of publication. The character development continues to improve as new personae are introduced in each installment. An especially appealing new character is the one-eyed and mutilated rifle captain , "Sweet William", who joins Sharpe and Harper in this highly entertaining novel.
The time is late 1812 with Christmas approaching. A renegade army of British , Spanish , Portuguese , and French deserters have captured the "wife" of Colonel Sir Augustus Fotheringdale (what a name!), another of those rich and aristocratic and enormously egotistical bungling incompotents that seem to pop up regularly in these novels. Sharpe is selected to rescue the damsel in distress who is being held at an old castle and watchtower on the Northern border of Portugal , known as "the Gateway of God". He is provided by Wellington with two additional companies of riflemen and a batallion of Welsh Fusileers as reinforcements. Sharpe , now a Major , commands the rescue operation and manages to effect it with only minimal losses. The subsequent interference by Sir Augustus manages to result in the death of Colonel Kinney , the commander of the Fusileers , leaving Sharpe as the only experienced senior officer present. Also liberated is the wife of a French Colonel , who is returned promptly to her husband . The French seemingly have also mounted a rescue attempt , but only as a cover for an invasion of Portugal. Sharpe manages to uncover the scheme and settles in to thwart the French and brings them to battle , seeking to buy time for Wellington to respond.
There are many interesting twists and turns to the plot , in which Sharpe encounters his old mortal enemy , Obadiah Hakeswill , fights a battle , commands a batallion , and suffers a tragic loss.
This is one of the best Richard Sharpe novels ; not necessarily "the best" , but close enough. Five stars.
Amazon.com
For military-history buffs, Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels are the literary equivalent of potato chips: you can't read just one. And in this case, why would you want to? Blending meticulous research and old-fashioned entertainment, the series follows the roguish adventurer Richard Sharpe as he swashbuckles his way through the Napoleonic Wars. In Sharpe's Trafalgar, the author ventures into Patrick O'Brian's maritime territory. Anchors aweigh, lads, and bring on the detailed descriptions of the ship's guns and their firing mechanisms!
In the beginning of the book, our hero sets sail for England after five months of service in India. The plot revolves around a disguised diplomat, a marauding French warship, and an improbable love affair with a comely English aristocrat. But make no mistake, the real draw here is combat. The battle scenes crackle with energy, and we can practically feel the chop of the waves and smell the reek of gunpowder. (We can also smell 600 unwashed men in close quarters with rats, sewage, and bilge rot, but that's another matter entirely.) The last hundred pages fly by at a furious clip, cannons pounding and cutlasses hacking, as Cornwell re-creates the naval battle of Trafalgar.
These days, of course, we know that war is bloody and brutal, not honorable or fair. We like even our most appealing warriors to have some passing acquaintance with their dark side, and Sharpe does take a decidedly antiheroic stance on the experience of hand-to-hand combat:
He was ashamed when he remembered the joy of it, but there was a joy there. It was the happiness of being released to the slaughter, of having every bond of civilization removed. It was also what Richard Sharpe was good at. It was why he wore an officer's sash instead of a private's belt, because in almost every battle the moment came when the disciplined ranks dissolved and a man simply had to claw and scratch and kill like a beast.
Beast or no beast, Sharpe is far more interesting and complex than the musket-wielding action figure he might first appear. And it's nearly impossible not to take some pleasure at his bloody exploits. Sharpe's Trafalgar is a superb example of the ripping good yarn--it confirms our secret conviction that war may be hell, but it's actually pretty exciting too. --Mary Park
Book Description
The year is 1805, and the Calliope, with Richard Sharpe aboard, is captured by a formidable French warship, the Revenant, which has been terrorizing British nautical traffic in the Indian Ocean. The French warship races toward the safety of its own fleet, carrying a stolen treaty that could provoke India into a new war against the British -- and render for naught all that Sharpe has bravely fought for till now.
But help comes from an unexpected quarter. An old friend, a captain in the Royal Navy, is on the trail of the Revenant, and Sharpe comes aboard a 74-gun man-of-war called Pucelle in hot pursuit. What results is a breathtaking retelling of one of the most ferocious and one-sided sea battles in European history, in which Nelson -- and Sharpe -- vanquish the combined naval might of France and Spain at Trafalgar.
Download Description
"Special feature! This e-book edition contains ""Sharpe's Skirmish: Richard Sharpe and the Defence of Tormes, August 1812,"" an original and e-book exclusive short story by Bernard Cornwell. It is 1805 and Ensign Richard Sharpe, having secured a reputation as a fighting soldier in India, is on his way home to join the newly formed Green Jackets. The voyage should be a period of rest but his ship is riven with treachery and threatened by a formidable French warship, the Revenant, which is terrorizing British shipping in the Indian Ocean. An old opponent of Sharpe's is aboard his ship, and the voyage is further disturbed by the Lady Grace Hale, apparently as unreachable as she is beautiful. Sharpe also has friends, notably a captain of the Royal Navy who is hunting the Revenant and who rescues Sharpe when all seems lost. The hunt turns into a stern chase as the French warship races home, carrying a treaty that could ignite India into a new war against the British. Yet when the Revenant encounters the combined French and Spanish fleets off Cadiz it seems that Sharpe's enemies on board appear to have him trapped. Yet over the horizon is another fleet, led by Nelson, and Sharpe's revenge will come in a savage climax when the two armadas meet on a calm October day off Cape Trafalgar. Sharpe's Trafalgar introduces Richard Sharpe to the horrors of a battle at sea, and finds him at his most ruthless as he struggles, not just for revenge, but for a woman he loves. "
Customer Reviews:
Great change of pace after the India books.......2007-10-16
An homage to Patrick O'Brian's "Master and Commander", the series based on the British Navy of the same period. The fan of both will see numerous similarities.
Sharpe's new friend, Captain Joel Chase, is the spitting image of Jack Aubrey. He's a bluff, good-natured fighting captain whose men would follow him through the gates of Hell, and he personally feels the same way about Admiral Lord Nelson. Sound familiar? He rarely flogs erring sailors. He loves his coffee. He pays for extra powder and shot out of his own pocket so that his crew can practice gunnery. And he's loyal to friends like Sharpe, who comes to Chase's rescue during a Bombay brawl with a dishonest merchant who cheated them both.
There are other touches as well. Sharpe's struggle to climb the masts and perhaps avoid using the maintop's "lubber hole" refers to the same running gag about Stephen Maturin, Aubrey's friend and intrepid but without sealegs.
Sharpe, a soldier, doesn't really belong at Trafalgar. But Cornwell contrives a plausible way to get him there, as Sharpe returns to Britain in 1805 to join a rifles regiment. The India books were fun but, after we've seen all those city walls stormed, all those rajahs plundered, and all those hideous Oriental tortures meted out, it's time to move on. Putting Sharpe on a ship, with its backstays and quarterdecks and scuppers pouring blood during battle, is a fine change of pace.
Cornwell's battle detail is typically gripping. And in this book Sharpe finds a romance that, one senses, may be more fateful than those he's had in previous books.
Sharpe at Trafalgar- You must be kidding!!.......2007-09-22
I took out this book from the library because I had read Sharpe's Rifles and Sharpe at Waterloo and had liked both of them. But Sharpe at Trafalgar, you must be kidding! Anyway, Sharpe had to get home from India in 1805, so he ends up at Trafalgar. The book works and I could not stop reading it. Two nights I stayed up til 1:00 am reading this book. Highly recommended for a great fun read.
On the way home from India Sharpe gets caught up in the Battle of Trafalgar.......2007-06-15
Only Richard Sharpe could get caught up in a fleet battle on the way home from India and find romance on a Royal Navy line-of-battle ship. But he does, and it's a highly entertaining read.
Sharpe's Trafalgar is set at the conclusion of the trilogy of novels in India in which he obtains some treasure, gets promoted to be an officer after saving the life of General Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington), and deals with the traitor Dodd. Shipping home to join the 95th Rifles, Sharpe initially takes passage on an East Indiaman, and finds an old opponent as one of the passengers. Treachery follows and the ship is captured by the French.
However, as the story is about Sharpe's Trafalgar, we know that he will not remain a prisoner of war for long. And sure enough, after an involved series of events, including the obligatory rescue of a lady in distress, Sharpe and his fellow passengers find themselves guests on a Royal Navy 74 gun ship of the line, chasing a French battleship half-way round the world. Until both ships arrive off Cape Trafalgar on 21st October 1805 ...
As usual Bernard Cornwell has done a great deal of research so that the Napoleonic era battles he describe seem real, and in the historical note at the end he explains that many of the events described during the battle of Trafalgar were based on things which really happened.
The next novel after this in the chronological sequence is "Sharpe's Prey," the main action of which is set two years later in 1807 when Napoleon's continental blockade results in war between Britain and Denmark. That book also tells you what happens to Sharpe's relationship with Grace, the heroine of "Sharpe's Trafalgar".
If you liked the other Sharpe books, you will like this one.
A Great Series.......2006-08-15
This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.
Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...
And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.
an Aubrey/Maturen fan's first forray into Sharp's books.......2006-06-13
Well, this is a very preliminary write-up of this book and I do promise to come back to it if I have anything that will make me give it more than three stars...
I am sorry to say, I am not happy. This particular book, Trafalgar, is the first I'm reading in the series. I have just finished the entirety of the Aubrey/Maturin series. (I weep that there is not more!) I tried Hornblower and could not face the incredibly poor writing and the odious character development. I gave up on that. Then I found this book... My hopes soared!! Then they were crushed!
Here is a nice quote that motivates what I am going to say next. Here is Sharpe on the deck of a company ship at night with one "Lady Grace" ... for god's sake. (I hope you have your barf bag handy.)
"... once they [her arms] were free she snaked them around his neck and pulled his face to hers and kissed him so fiercely that Sharpe tasted blood from her lip. She sighed, then placed her cheek against his. `Oh, God.' she said softly, `I wanted you to do that since the moment I first saw you.'
Sharpe hid his astonishment. `I thought you hadn't noticed me.'
`Then you are a fool, Richard Sharpe.' "
Then, they head down to the virmin-filled stearage and have woopie! I am not even kidding you!
I must tell you I was almost violently ill. This is the kind of hideous flaring-nostrils writing reserved for Jessica Steele novels. Why not just rename him Fabio Sharpe and have done. I am still dry retching as I write these words. This is just plane old trash.
I will, as I say, give it another chance. One more. If I am more impressed I will come back and modify my rating and add to this. Oh, God! I hope this improves.
Average customer rating:
- Another good Sharpe book
- A high-water mark in the Rifleman Sharpe series
- A Great Series
- Hawkeswill kills everything including this book
- One of the better Sharpe novels
|
Sharpe's Company (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #13)
Bernard Cornwell
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Sharpe's Honour (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #16)
ASIN: 0451213424
Release Date: 2004-08-03 |
Book Description
Looming on the border of Portugal and Spain is the fortress of Badajoz. To lead an assault on its thick, sheer walls and battlements is suicide, yet Richard Sharpe must lead one. Inside the walls are his wife and daughter, and only he can save them. Outside is the misshapen, vengeance-crazed Sergeant Obadiah Haskewill, a man determined to kill Sharpe. Sharpe knows that in the heat of battle only the cold steel of his battered sword and the ruthless bloodlust of a soldier at war will protect him from the danger of both sides. Third in a series taking Sharpe all the way to Waterloo.
"Consistently exciting...these are wonderful novels." (Stephen King)
Download Description
To stem the Napoleonic tide, Sharpe must capture a fortress-where his wife and infant daughter are trapped-while protecting himself from a fellow officer determined to destroy him. "The world may have a new literary hero. His name is Richard Sharpe."-Philadelphia Inquirer "A masterful blend of fiction and historical detail."-Newsday
Customer Reviews:
Another good Sharpe book.......2007-07-13
In the early months of 1812, Wellington led his army to French-occupied Spain. Captain Richard Sharpe participates in the storming of the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. The siege of Badajoz is bloody for the British army. They failed twice before and now Wellington wants the fortress at any cost. As Wellington moves on Badajoz, a new Colonel and a new Captain arrive from England and the command of Sharpe's Light Company has been given to this new Captain who bought the promotion. Sergeant Hakeswill, who is ruthless, cruel, indestructible and Sharpe's oldest and toughest enemy also joins the company. Hakeswill could do anything to terrorise everyone in the company, including Sharpe and Harper. Sharpe desperately fights for his company, and for Teresa, the woman he loves and with her is Antonia, their daughter, both blocked in the besieged city of Badajoz.
Again, Mr Cornwell did an excellent job in Sharpe's company. I would highly recommend this book to any Cornwell fan and any history buff.
A high-water mark in the Rifleman Sharpe series.......2007-03-06
Bernard Cornwell's series of Sharpe novels has delighted countless readers over the years. Cornwell is (famously or infamously, depending on your perspective) writing these novels out of historical sequence, so even though while "Sharpe's Company" is in the middle of the Sharpe series chronologically, it is among the earliest books Cornwell wrote about Wellington's favorite rogue. And it is easily among Cornwell's best books ever - thrilling, ghastly, funny, and with perhaps Cornwell's greatest villain, Obadiah Hakeswill.
[Full disclosure - I read "Sharpe's Company" after reading the terribly disappointing "Hannibal Rising," and have Cornwell up on a bit of a pedestal right now. A gushing review follows.]
Like all soldiers from the stews of London, born without name or wealth, Richard Sharpe started life in the British army as a lowly private. While serving with Lord Wellington (then merely Colonel Wellesley), Sharpe had the misfortune of serving under Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill, a grossly fat and evil man who knows that he cannot die - he even survived a hanging! Taking an instant hatred to Sharpe, Hakeswill has Sharpe flogged in events chronicled in Cornwell's "India Trilogy," a sub-set of the Sharpe novels. Sharpe swears revenge and thinks he has killed Hakeswill off . . . only to have the insane Sergeant return in "Sharpe's Company."
Hakeswill is the kind of man who will trump up flogging charges on a soldier in order extort sexual favors from the soldier's desperate wife . . . and then kill her and frame her husband. Truly evil, Hakeswill's love for rape is only matched by his hatred of Sharpe. So what happens when Hakeswill comes across Sharpe's lover, the gorgeous partisan Teresa? He must have her, both to possess her beauty and to ruin Sharpe.
And also, what is to happen when Sharpe finds himself demoted when a wealthier man buys his Captaincy and Hakeswill is put in charge of the 95th Rifles? A mere Lieutenant, Sharpe still outranks Hakeswill, but just barely. This gives Hakeswill the opportunity to ruin the Rifles, the only other thing Sharpe holds as dear as Teresa.
Things are dire enough for Sharpe, what with the return of the mad, gibbering Sergeant. But he must also contend with Wellington's siege of Badajoz, perhaps the most impregnable French-held fort in all of Spain. Even the redoubtable Major Hogan despairs of British boots ever getting inside that mountain of rock and guns. And yet Sharpe must lead men inside, if not only for his honor and to earn his Captain's bars, but also to save Teresa and his new-born daughter, Antonia, who live inside the fortress.
Cornwell writes a battle scene as well as anyone, and he has never been in finer form than with his description of the horrific siege. Perhaps shockingly for a proud Brit, Cornwell pulls no punches at the terrible crimes committed by the British soldiers once they crack open those walls - the robberty, rape and murder of the innocents is one of the most depressing passages you will ever read.
For high adventure, slightly leavened with comedy, you will not find anything better than "Sharpe's Company." Read these novels in order - don't start with this book, because the characters will make much more sense if you have the entire back-story.
A Great Series.......2006-08-15
This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.
Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...
And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.
Hawkeswill kills everything including this book.......2006-08-11
I've eagerly poured through this great series, but was sorely disappointed to see a re-appearance of Sgt. Hawkeswill. His presence ads nothing to this book, other than a great unbelievable diversion.
Sharpe mutters about his life-long desire to kill his arch nemesis Sgt. Hawkeswill at least every 200 pages of every book in the series. Then Sharpe, who has not hesitated to kill before, finds Hawkeswill alone in a barn raping his wife, and then decides to let him go?????? This is the same man that murdered 500 innocent people just so he could leave a city, and now he suddenly wants an honorable public death for for his arch enemy??? Cornwell has made Hawkeswill into the ultimate evil nemesis, and he is just too evil and too lucky to be believed. Having Hawkeswill again and again dance around Sharpe and his friend Sgt. Harper makes Sharpe's other exploits all that more unbelievable. How could anyone that is so easily fooled by the insane Hawkeswill accomplish all the heroics described in this and other books? Here is a guy that tracked one enemy through mountains, rivers, etc. for weeks, just for beating him up, but when he finds Hawkeswill raping his wife (for the second time), threating to kill his child, after Hawkeswill has already killed his good friend Cpt. Knowles, and had Sgt. Harper flogged and demoted, he lets Hawkeswill jump out the window without even a chase???? The Sharpe character wanders all over the place from a vile evil killing machine to a goof-balled mush-mellon.
Fortunately, we have not had to contend with Hawkeswill for a long time in the series, and hopefully we will not see him again.
One of the better Sharpe novels.......2006-04-01
"Sharpe's Company" is one of the better books in the Sharpe series with a mostly convincing plot, a geniunely interesting series of complications for our hero Richard Sharpe to deal with (including a demotion, the birth of a daughter and the return of the evil Sgt. Hakeswill) and some really terrific battle scenes.
If you've read any of the Sharpe in India "prequel" novels ("Sharpe's Tiger," "Sharpe's Triumph" and "Sharpe's Fortress"), this is an especially rewarding book because of the return of Sharpe's old nemesis Hakeswill.
While a great adventure yarn, the book isn't quite perfect. As some previous reviewers have noted, there are a few contrived lapses in the way the characters behave, particularly the failure of the normally aggressive Sharpe to quickly and cleanly end his Hakeswill problem. But, if you've read the Sharpe in India prequels, you're likely to just see this as an ongoing weakness of Sharpe, who tended to do things in India such as force Hakeswill into a snake pit and then walk off without ensuring that the snakes actually finished off Hakeswill. (If I wanted to get all literary, I could possibly account for this by spinning out some psychological theory about Hakeswill's role as a distorted father figure for the orphaned Sharpe, but, hey, this really isn't *that* kind of historical novel ...)
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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