Jimmy
It's quite amazing to see how quickly Bernard Cornwell found his formula with the Sharpe novels. As the first of the books to be written, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the writing quality, but I can certainly see how this book kicked off the success story of the series more generally. It's true that this particular tale felt a bit less nuanced than the ones that come before it chronologically - Sharpe essentially does no wrong, the adversaries are telegraphed and are all eminently punchable in the face, and the romance was about as deep as the Spanish allies are reliable. But the core story beats just work, and Cornwell clearly demonstrates a natural aptitude for depicting the realities for battle from the ground level with all its confusion and brutality. A solid, fun read, nothing ground-breaking but a perfect palate cleanser after something heavy.
It's quite amazing to see how quickly Bernard Cornwell found his formula with the Sharpe novels. As the first of the books to be written, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the writing quality, but I can certainly see how this book kicked off the success story of the series more generally. It's true that this particular tale felt a bit less nuanced than the ones that come before it chronologically - Sharpe essentially does no wrong, the adversaries are telegraphed and are all eminently punchable in the face, and the romance was about as deep as the Spanish allies are reliable. But the core story beats just work, and Cornwell clearly demonstrates a natural aptitude for depicting the realities for battle from the ground level with all its confusion and brutality. A solid, fun read, nothing ground-breaking but a perfect palate cleanser after something heavy.