Sharpe's Triumph - Bernard Cornwell

In the fall of 1803 Richard Sharp is still in Seringapatam India. 4 years after we were introduced to the private he hasn't moved very far. Rewarded with Sargent stripes for his role in freeing prisoner of war Colonel McCandless from the Tippoo's dungeons, he has continued to serve her majesty's army by helping Major Stokes maintain the defenses of Seringapatam.

Our story begins with Sharpe sent on an errand to retrieve and transport back 80,000 rounds of musket cartridges from a nearby fort. While he is there, a surprise attack wipes out the defenders and most of the women and children in the fort. Sharpe survives by accident. Having taken a glancing blow on the head from a musket ball, Sharpe is assumed to be dead given the huge quantity of blood that poured from his head.

When Sharpe returns to Seringapatam and reports what occurred, he finds out that the man who lead the raid, Major Dodd, was recently a Lieutenant in her Majesty's army. Having signed on with the Mahrattas, he was immediately promoted and promised a fortune for his services in helping to defeat the British.

Shortly after Sharpe has settled back into his routine at Seringapatam, Colonel McCandless arrives and takes Sharpe back to the war. McCandless has been tasked with capturing Major Dodd and returning him to the British army to stand trial. Never having seen the man, McCandless requisitions Sharpe to aid him in this perilous mission.

Cornwell continues to paint a vivid and accurate picture of this period in history. Using the backdrop of actual events and battles, he places his characters in situations that allow us to witness the history through the eyes of people involved rather than through the dry recitation of history books filled with dates and names. We get a feel for life at the time.

Sharpe's Tiger - Bernard Cornwell

My library has a number of Cornwell's books. I have read a few of them and enjoyed them all. The Sharpe series is not well represented though. I have a slightly compulsive habit of reading a series in order whenever possible. Fortunately, I have been able to locate and download all but 2 of the books in this series. The missing titles come late in the series so I have hopes that I will locate and acquire them in a timely manner.

Sharpe's Tiger introduces us to Richard Sharpe in 1799. A private in Her Majesty's army who is contemplating desertion. But where can he run to in India? Add in the fact that he is in love with a Sargent's widow and running really isn't much of an option.

Mary Bickerstaff is a beautiful woman. And Sharpe isn't the only one with designs on her. Sargent Hakeswill has already blocked Sharpe's attempt to get permission to marry her. But Hakeswill has no desire to wed rather, he sees a business opportunity. He goads Sharpe into hitting him in front of witnesses. After a verdict of 2000 lashes, Hakeswill is certain he will be able to arrange the sale of marry into a local brothel. With Sharpe dead, there is no one left to protect her.

General Harris has a suicide mission he needs a volunteer for. Sharpe appears made to order for the job. After a mere 200 lashes, he has the punishment stopped and Sharpe brought to his tent. Sharpe agrees to the Generals offer on condition that he be made a Sergeant should he be successful.

The story is told with great detail and admirable attention to historical accuracy. The fact that this is a series and this is the first chronologically, we know that Sharpe will be successful. Watching him attain that success is quite enjoyable.

Stonehenge - Bernard Cornwell

One of the great mysteries our ancestors have left us is Stonehenge. What was it for? How was it built? There is a lot of speculation by various authorities. It was a calendar. It was a shrine for sacrifice. It is a road sign for galactic travellers. The fact is, no one really knows what purpose it served.

We have a much clearer picture of how it could have been built though. And we have a pretty good idea of when it was built. Cornwell takes us back four thousand years and tells the story of the peoples who inhabited this part of Britain at the time.

We are treated to an introduction of a tribe who live their lives fishing and hunting. A chief whose ambitions are only to make the lives of his people as easy and boring as possible. He is not looking to expand the territory they control. He is not looking to be anymore prosperous than his neighbors. He has 3 sons and wants them to grow up knowing peace.

His sons, however, envision a different future for the tribe. The oldest sees the weakness in everyone around them and in that weakness he sees opportunity. The middle son is devoted to the gods they worship and desires only to please them. The youngest is the most ambitious of the three.

Cornwell does a masterful job of introducing and describing daily life. Although there are not written records of this period, he is careful to make sure that all aspects of the tale are consistent with the archaeological evidence of life at the time. Granted there is plenty of speculation about how Stonehenge was built and why. But the descriptions he provides of the process are supported by the known technologies employed at the time.

Maybe he provides and accurate description of how and why Stonehenge was built and maybe he doesn't. But Stonehenge is not the actual focus of the book. The story of the brothers is what is important. And this story is most compelling. I highly recommend Stonehenge to anyone with an interest in British pre-history or a penchant for Greek tragedy style plots.