Mark E. (Redjack) reviewed Sharpe's Trafalgar : Richard Sharpe and the Battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805 (Sharpe, Bk 4) on + 14 more book reviews
Yet another amazing adventure from Bernard Cornwell. Sharpe is every bit as gripping as Horatio Hornblower.
Amy B. (BaileysBooks) reviewed Sharpe's Trafalgar : Richard Sharpe and the Battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805 (Sharpe, Bk 4) on + 491 more book reviews
This is the chronological Book 4 of the Richard Sharpe series.
This is really the first Sharpe book that I was compelled to read because I was genuinely curious to see how it ended, and not because I was determined to finish it simply because I started it.
After so much time spent in India, Sharpe is finally returning to England. Therefore, Cornwell gets to trade in the hot dusty sands of India for the wide open seas. And just as Cornwell loves to go into exacting detail about troop movements and weaponry, so too does he literally drown the reader in nautical terminology and life aboard ship.
However, underneath all of the descriptions are a genuinely interesting story and a welcome continuation of the budding character development we have recently seen in Sharpe. For the first few books it seemed that Sharpe hardly even talked, which made him appear like an afterthought in his own storyline. But Sharpe is now more of the main character that he is intended to be, and that has made this series worth reading.
My only complaint is that every book in this series seems to follow the same basic pattern: Sharpe is down on his luck/in a scrape; he gets put in a seemingly innocent but ultimately harrowing situation; he ends up being at exactly the right place at the right time to be the hero who saves the day; and, in one way or another, he usually gets the girl. While that formula makes the book moderately predictable, it is still worth reading because it is still a good story. And in the end, thats really all that matters.
This is really the first Sharpe book that I was compelled to read because I was genuinely curious to see how it ended, and not because I was determined to finish it simply because I started it.
After so much time spent in India, Sharpe is finally returning to England. Therefore, Cornwell gets to trade in the hot dusty sands of India for the wide open seas. And just as Cornwell loves to go into exacting detail about troop movements and weaponry, so too does he literally drown the reader in nautical terminology and life aboard ship.
However, underneath all of the descriptions are a genuinely interesting story and a welcome continuation of the budding character development we have recently seen in Sharpe. For the first few books it seemed that Sharpe hardly even talked, which made him appear like an afterthought in his own storyline. But Sharpe is now more of the main character that he is intended to be, and that has made this series worth reading.
My only complaint is that every book in this series seems to follow the same basic pattern: Sharpe is down on his luck/in a scrape; he gets put in a seemingly innocent but ultimately harrowing situation; he ends up being at exactly the right place at the right time to be the hero who saves the day; and, in one way or another, he usually gets the girl. While that formula makes the book moderately predictable, it is still worth reading because it is still a good story. And in the end, thats really all that matters.
Leo T. reviewed Sharpe's Trafalgar : Richard Sharpe and the Battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805 (Sharpe, Bk 4) on + 1775 more book reviews
As Mr. Cornwell includes detailed descriptions of the mayhem when ships with many cannon laid side by side and poured shot into each other, this is a very bloody book. It also includes some introspective moments by the protagonist. The thoughts of some of the other characters are included as in his other books.
With the title being what it is, I wondered how he would get Ensign Sharpe into the sea battle. The plot for that is quite believable, starting with our hero awaiting passage in Bombay on an Indiaman.
The ending seems foolish as the protagonist and the widow of a Lord are entertaining thoughts of a future life together, impossible in Georgian times.
With the title being what it is, I wondered how he would get Ensign Sharpe into the sea battle. The plot for that is quite believable, starting with our hero awaiting passage in Bombay on an Indiaman.
The ending seems foolish as the protagonist and the widow of a Lord are entertaining thoughts of a future life together, impossible in Georgian times.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
Despite being mostly at sea, this was one of the best Sharpe stories yet. But, as I love naval fiction, I may be prejudiced.
