Sharpe's Revenge

No. 19 in the Richard Sharpe series.

I simply don’t know how Cornwell does it. He manages to turn out book after book in this series of consistently excellent quality, with taut writing, interesting characters, and page-turning plots. Sharpe’s Revenge is no different.

Napoleon’s defeat seems imminent, but, Sharpe has more personal concerns; the book opens with what turns out to be a hilarious duel (in its outcome) between Sharpe and Captain Bampfylde, the leader of the combined Army-Navy expedition that was the core of the plot to the previous book, Sharpe’s Siege.

Meanwhile, Sharpe’s French nemesis, Major Ducos, ever politically astute, ahs decided that the emperor can’t win—and so he absconds with Napoleon’s personal show more treasure, cleverly laying a false trail of evidence that leads back to Sharpe. Sharpe, arrested for the crime, escapes to track down the real thieves and come to a personal reckoning with Ducos.

As usual, Cornwell captures the sense of the era. As he writes in the Historical Note, Wellington’s army was the finest Britain has ever had; in 1814, after Napoleon’s surrender, that army was dispersed to outposts around the world. Many of the soldiers had taken Spanish and Portuguese wives, but were unable to bring their families back with them to England, causing enormous suffering for the women and children who were left behind. Cornwell does a good job of seamlessly interweaving this bit of human interest into the story.

His greatest strengths, however, are in his battle descriptions, and in this book, we’re treated to two; the battle of Toulouse and Sharpe’s last encounter with Ducos.

Oh, yes, Sharpe’s romantic life—not the strong point of his character. There’s an interesting and ironic development along those lines as well. This aspect of Sharpe’s career has not been and is not now the highlight of the series but it’s there and in this book, it’s a nice twist.

Cornwell has no peer in this genre. Another truly outstanding book in the series.

Highly recommended. show less

3.5 stars, really )
I think in this book the plot stretches too far from reality similitude, it becomes a bit too complicated and overloaded with plot moving actions.
However, Cornwell keeps the overall level of language and depths of characters depiction, so the book does not fall far from the entire series.
Sharpe's wife Jane gets few pages of her own and their marriage, that seemed hasty and based on fantasy proves as such, which is an interesting and not entirely expected development. Still, the choices Sharpe makes at the end of the book fall squarely within the scope of his character.

It's 1814 and the British and Spanish forces have fought their way into France and assault Toulouse in one of the more bloody wars of a bloody campaign.

But victory there doesn't lessen the risks Sharpe faces. Indeed, it increases them for he and his comrade Captain William Frederickson face the pernicious fussiness of British bureaucracy. And not all the French had given up thoughts of revenging themselves on a seemingly unstoppable enemy. As Sharpe chases the Frenchman who claimed he'd stolen Napoleon's gold, he finds a great wrong had been done to an honourable enemy. And the dead man's wife thought she'd had little reason to spare Sharpe when he came calling. Sharpe's own wife had also betrayed him but she was in London.

This book show more doesn't build up to a grand finale, rather starting out that way with the sacking of Toulouse. It tends to feel it's a winding down of the series, which it is in a sort of way but Sharpe has one more battle to face - one of the best known in British history - Waterloo itself! show less

Much better than the last book, Sharpe's Siege. I am starting to like the non-battlefield novels more, getting a glimpse into life of the times. Cornwell researches his battles so well and certainly brings them to life. But after 17 books of battles...there is not a whole lot of new detail to add in the actual battle scenes. Sharpe's Revenge pits himself, Harper and Sweet William against Ducos. I like the camaraderie and honest emotions displayed in the book. Personally I would like to see the series venture into Sharpe's adaptation to civilian life...I would like to see sort of a Sherlock Sharpe and his Dr. Harper situation. Cornwell could research famous murders rather than battles...Almost finished the series now...just a couple of show more books to go. show less

Sharp's Revenge takes place during a lull in the fighting of the Napoleonic Wars while Napoleon was in exile in Elba. Sharpe and another officer are falsely accused of stealing a large amount of the French Empires treasure. Both the English and French authorities are after Sharpe and he has to prove he didn't steal the gold. Before the story is over officials of the British, French, Naples and Vatican are after him. Meanwhile he has not heard from his wife Jane. What happens. It is a full of suspense, saying more would ruin it.

Framed for a crime he did not commit, Sharpe goes to clear his name. Even in a time of peace he cannot rest. Things looked very bleak at times, I wanted to see how he could succeed.

I'm reading this out of any kind of order, so there are things from prior books I missed.

Another thoroughly enjoyable Sharpe story. Accused of something he didn't do, Sharpe has to prove himself innocent - hence the revenge. All good stuff...