Bernard Cornwell is the author of over fifty novels, including the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales, which serve as the basis for the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina.
Sharpe (The Last Kingdom) is back, and his fans will be delighted that Cornwell has returned from his medieval hiatus (e.g., Pale Horseman) and has Sharpe once again fighting Napoleon's minions in 1811 Spain. The indiscreet British ambassador to Spain has not only taken a mistress who turns out to be a prostitute, but he has written her incriminating letters implying that England wishes to take over Spain's colonial possessions. Sharpe's job is to get the letters back before Spain again becomes Bonaparte's ally. He faces a treacherous Spanish admiral, a murderous priest, an atrocity-committing French officer, and the utter incompetence of one of his own superior officers. As in the other Sharpe novels, there is a lot of action here, played out in sturdy prose. By count, this is the 21st novel starring Sharpe, and readers will hope for a 22d. (Some will also hope that Cornwell will finally complete his Nathaniel Starbuck series about the Civil War.) Recommended for anybody who likes slam-bang historical fiction.-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Capt. Richard Sharpe, upstart rifleman, performs a sensitive mission for Henry Wellesley, the duke of Wellington's younger brother and special envoy to Spain in Cadiz, in bestseller Cornwell's rousing 21st military historical (after 2005's Sharpe's Escape). A secret cabal of Spaniards who favor a rapprochement with France threatens the alliance between England and Spain in the fight against Bonaparte. The conspirators, who include a murderous priest, Fr. Salvador Montseny, have stolen some unfortunate love letters Wellesley wrote to his prostitute amour, Caterina Blazquez, and plan to use them to embarrass the British. It's up to Sharpe to recover the letters and save the alliance. Meanwhile, British troops, with little help from the Spanish army, maneuver to lift the French siege of Cadiz. As usual, Sharpe must contend with a snobbish superior officer, Brigadier Moon, who gets his just reward in a delicious surprise twist at battle's end. One hopes the nasty Father Montseny, who disappears from the action too soon, will return to bedevil Sharpe in future installments. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
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