Rating: 
Summary: More Intrigue, Less Battle, Still Excellent
Review: This entry in Corwell's Napoleonic Wars series follows the further exploits of Cpt. Sharpe during the Salamanca Campaign of June and July, 1812. It brings the same ingredients to the tale that can be found in abundance throughout the series: action, intrigue, a beautiful woman, gory battle scenes, and a lethal villain. This time, the villain is a French spymaster keen to discover the identity of England's top spy, "El Mirador," and destroy his network. Although captured at the very beginning, he later manages to escape and elude capture, almost killing Sharpe and Harper along the way. The following scenes of Sharpe's journal through the army medical corps is horrific. Cornwell follows the nastiness with some of the series most sentimental and tender moments, as he shows Harper's devotion in nursing Sharpe back to health. Interwoven is the now-married Sharpe's temptation by the lusciousness of "La Marquessa," a French/Spanish aristocrat at the top of Salamanca's social ladder. Here, Cornwell does exceedingly well at portraying the opulence of the upper crust, and Sharpe's discomfort in mixing with them. Kudos are also due for his seamless insertion of two historically based Irishmen as important supporting characters. Less successful is his sleight of hand at concealing the identity of "El Mirador," which somewhat weakens the enjoyment. The battle scenes take up somewhat less space than in some of the other books, but as always, are nicely done. Another fine entry in the series.
Rating:
Summary: More Intrigue, Less Battle, Still Excellent
Review: This entry in Corwell's Napoleonic Wars series follows the further exploits of Cpt. Sharpe during the Salamanca Campaign of June and July, 1812. It brings the same ingredients to the tale that can be found in abundance throughout the series: action, intrigue, a beautiful woman, gory battle scenes, and a lethal villain. This time, the villain is a French spymaster keen to discover the identity of England's top spy, "El Mirador," and destroy his network. Although captured at the very beginning, he later manages to escape and elude capture, almost killing Sharpe and Harper along the way. The following scenes of Sharpe's journal through the army medical corps is horrific. Cornwell follows the nastiness with some of the series most sentimental and tender moments, as he shows Harper's devotion in nursing Sharpe back to health. Interwoven is the now-married Sharpe's temptation by the lusciousness of "La Marquessa," a French/Spanish aristocrat at the top of Salamanca's social ladder. Here, Cornwell does exceedingly well at portraying the opulence of the upper crust, and Sharpe's discomfort in mixing with them. Kudos are also due for his seamless insertion of two historically based Irishmen as important supporting characters. Less successful is his sleight of hand at concealing the identity of "El Mirador," which somewhat weakens the enjoyment. The battle scenes take up somewhat less space than in some of the other books, but as always, are nicely done. Another fine entry in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: This Series Never Fails to Disappoint!
Review: This is the fifth of the Sharpe novels I've read, and I won't rest until I've read them all! Cornwell is the kind of writer who grabs you with the first sentence, and he has an amazing capacity for creating a suspenseful narrative. But it's the characters that get you; Richard Sharpe with his "mocking grin of a scar"; the ever loyal Patrick Harper, and the clever Major Hogan, among others. I recommend these book sot everyone who (a)likes Napoleonic fiction,(b)likes a good read,(c)believes in heroes.
Rating:
Summary: Spies and battles
Review: This novel was reprinted by Signet in 2004. The story is set before, during, and after the battle of Salmanca. Sharpe crosses paths with the evil French Colonel Leroux, a man who will kill his own followers if it suits his purpose, and is given orders from General Wellington to hunt him down. Events lead Sharpe into a relationship with yet another woman, and we find him cheating on his wife. Experience has never taught Sharpe never to trust a woman, and he gets what he deserves.
Sharpe is given up for dead, but miraculously rebounds with the help of Sergeant Harper, and if able to rejoin his company during the battle. Enemy agents and misinformation play a role in the planning of the battle. Some secret identities become a bit transparent as the story progresses. The White Hats win, at least if you are on the side of the British.
Rating:
Summary: Sharpe does it again
Review: Why did I like this book?
*Excellent adventure
*Thrilling intrigue
*Exciting military strategies
*Extraordinary camaraderie
*Vicious villains I don't know pick one...I enjoyed Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe's Sword". The year is 1812, the location is Salamanca Spain. It is here that General Wellington must battle the French forces for the Western portion of the peninsula. Wellington's goal is to defeat the French, Sharpe's goal is to survive and be with his men. Captain Sharpe finds himself surrounded by spies and treachery, friends become enemies and enemies become friends. Sharpe can only place his trust in his faithful chosen men or in the doughty Major Hogan. Everyone else is suspect. Unlike the other Sharpe books, "Sword" doesn't spend a lot of time with the battles. Sharpe is drawn into a different battle field... the battle field of palace intrigue. Before long Sharpe is sharing the company of the beautiful... and mysterious La Marquesa. He battles the evil Colonel Leroux. Leroux's claim to fame is his usage of torture and cruelty. Along the way Sharpe is shot, lied to and very nearly stabbed by the same sword he covets. I started with the PBS/BBS series, graduated to the audio tapes and now have read most of the novels. I wholeheartedly endorse the Sharpe series. It's great entertainment.
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