Sharpe's Fury

October 1, 2006
Set in 1811 and culminating at the Battle of Barossa, this 21st novel (which chronologically follows Sharpe's Escape) featuring the rifleman Richard Sharpe has the protagonist stuck in the Spanish city of Cadiz, with the task of recovering some incendiary letters by any means necessary. McGann speaks with a smooth British accent, and his voice conveys a blend of confidence and masculinity that ideally suits this tale of soldiering and warfare. This abridged adaptation is, for the most part, quite effective, but some characters-such as Fr. Salvador Montseny-feel as though they've been given short shrift. Also, the many protracted battle sequences interest at first, but quickly grow tedious, while the character-driven parts of the narrative feel neglected. The audio works best when Cornwell is in storyteller mode; Sharpe is an engaging and likable hero, and the most entertaining parts of the book are those featuring him doing more than firing his rifle. Not Cornwell's or Sharpe's best, but fans should be pleased with this tale, even if the abridgment may leave them wanting more.

July 31, 2006
Capt. Richard Sharpe, upstart rifleman, performs a sensitive mission for Henry Wellesley, the duke of Wellington's younger brother and special envoy to Spain in Cadiz, in bestseller Cornwell's rousing 21st military historical (after 2005's Sharpe's Escape
). A secret cabal of Spaniards who favor a rapprochement with France threatens the alliance between England and Spain in the fight against Bonaparte. The conspirators, who include a murderous priest, Fr. Salvador Montseny, have stolen some unfortunate love letters Wellesley wrote to his prostitute amour, Caterina Blazquez, and plan to use them to embarrass the British. It's up to Sharpe to recover the letters and save the alliance. Meanwhile, British troops, with little help from the Spanish army, maneuver to lift the French siege of Cadiz. As usual, Sharpe must contend with a snobbish superior officer, Brigadier Moon, who gets his just reward in a delicious surprise twist at battle's end. One hopes the nasty Father Montseny, who disappears from the action too soon, will return to bedevil Sharpe in future installments.

July 1, 2006
Once again, Cornwell is right on target, providing an irresistible combination of rousing military history, penetrating character analysis, and suspenseful martial intrigue. In the twenty-first entry in the best-selling Sharpe series, Cadiz, the last bastion of Spanish independence, is under siege, and it is up to the ever-resourceful Richard Sharpe and his stalwart unit of British soldiers to foil their ruthless French enemies in the winter of 1811. Of course, nothing is that simple, as Sharpe and his comrades become embroiled in much more than basic military maneuvers. The action culminates in the historic Battle of Barossa, which Cornwell--as usual--re-creates in painstakingly bloodcurdling detail. This new installment in a masterful, long-running series set during the Napoleonic Wars, which will appeal equally to devoted fans and to crossover readers who devoured the novels of the late Patrick O'Brian, is stirring British military history at its finest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

August 15, 2006
Sharpe ("The Last Kingdom") is back, and his fans will be delighted that Cornwell has returned from his medieval hiatus (e.g., "Pale Horseman") and has Sharpe once again fighting Napoleon's minions in 1811 Spain. The indiscreet British ambassador to Spain has not only taken a mistress who turns out to be a prostitute, but he has written her incriminating letters implying that England wishes to take over Spain's colonial possessions. Sharpe's job is to get the letters back before Spain again becomes Bonaparte's ally. He faces a treacherous Spanish admiral, a murderous priest, an atrocity-committing French officer, and the utter incompetence of one of his own superior officers. As in the other Sharpe novels, there is a lot of action here, played out in sturdy prose. By count, this is the 21st novel starring Sharpe, and readers will hope for a 22d. (Some will also hope that Cornwell will finally complete his Nathaniel Starbuck series about the Civil War.) Recommended for anybody who likes slam-bang historical fiction." -Robert Conroy, Warren, MI"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.