Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Sharpe's Enemy: Richard Sharpe and the Defense of Portugal, Christmas 1812 by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0-14-029434-1 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 10 April, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.44 (9 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Marvelous!!
Comment: Bernard Cornwell just keeps getting better and better as these books progress! This is now the 13th volume on Sharpe's timeline, and the 6th in order of publication. The character development continues to improve as new personae are introduced in each installment. An especially appealing new character is the one-eyed and mutilated rifle captain , "Sweet William", who joins Sharpe and Harper in this highly entertaining novel.
The time is late 1812 with Christmas approaching. A renegade army of British , Spanish , Portuguese , and French deserters have captured the "wife" of Colonel Sir Augustus Fotheringdale (what a name!), another of those rich and aristocratic and enormously egotistical bungling incompotents that seem to pop up regularly in these novels. Sharpe is selected to rescue the damsel in distress who is being held at an old castle and watchtower on the Northern border of Portugal , known as "the Gateway of God". He is provided by Wellington with two additional companies of riflemen and a batallion of Welsh Fusileers as reinforcements. Sharpe , now a Major , commands the rescue operation and manages to effect it with only minimal losses. The subsequent interference by Sir Augustus manages to result in the death of Colonel Kinney , the commander of the Fusileers , leaving Sharpe as the only experienced senior officer present. Also liberated is the wife of a French Colonel , who is returned promptly to her husband . The French seemingly have also mounted a rescue attempt , but only as a cover for an invasion of Portugal. Sharpe manages to uncover the scheme and settles in to thwart the French and brings them to battle , seeking to buy time for Wellington to respond.
There are many interesting twists and turns to the plot , in which Sharpe encounters his old mortal enemy , Obadiah Hakeswill , fights a battle , commands a batallion , and suffers a tragic loss.
This is one of the best Richard Sharpe novels ; not necessarily "the best" , but close enough. Five stars.
Rating: 5
Summary: best in show
Comment: i've been reading the sharpe books since a little girl and this one has never failed to make me cry. Possibly the most beautifully written ending to any book I have read- proof to the huge empathy that Cornwell evokes in readers for his characters. A wonderful book and one that i shall never tire of reading
Rating: 5
Summary: What a Great Story!
Comment: 'Sharpe's Enemy' by Bernard Cornwell is probably the best in the Sharpe series. There is nothing lacking in the story: evil and corrupt enemies, damsels in distress, heart breaking pathos and (of course) hard-fought battles. The year is 1812 and it's Christmas time in Spain. Joining Sharpe in 'Enemy' is his trusty companion Sargent Harper, the battle scared Captain 'Sweet William' and the often drunk Lieutenant Harry Price. Typical of Cornwell's Sharpe adventures are the enemy forces that will stop at nothing in their efforts to defeat the brave British soldiers.
Major Sharpe is given the task of liberating two officer's wives and capturing the forces of Pot-au-Feu, a 'Marshal' in the renegade army. During his ransom negotiations with the deserters, he encounters his old nemesis the evil and twisted Obadiah Hakeswill. Other enemies include: Sharpe's commanding officer the incompetent and cowardly Colonel Sir Augustus and the evil and conniving French Major Ducos. One of the refreshing themes in this story is that the enemies are not just the French army but the people that are supposedly his allies. Surprisingly enough during a temporary treaty he gains some respect for a few of the Napoleon's officers. Throughout the course of the story he commands a battalion, defends a castle and wins countless battles.
For people that have never read a Sharpe book I would like to quote a couple of sentences as an example of Cornwell's style.
'Charge!
This was the way to end it! Sword in hand and charging, and even though the battle was lost he could still make these
French regret the day they had come to the Gateway of God. He could put fear in them for their next battle, he would make them remember this place with sourness.'
This is Cornwell's gritty style. Sharpe is a soldier's soldier and hero for all ages.
 |
Title: Waterloo (Sharpe's Adventures) by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0140294392 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 02 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
 |
Title: Sharpes Gold: Richard Sharpe and the Destruction of Almeida, August 1810 by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0140294317 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
 |
Title: Sharpes Eagle by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0140294309 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
 |
Title: Sharpe's Devil : Chile 1820 by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060932295 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 01 August, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
 |
Title: Sharpe's Battle: Spain 1811 by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060932287 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 16 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
