Sharpe's Fury

July 31, 2006
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.

October 1, 2006
Set in 1811 and culminating at the Battle of Barossa, this 21st novel (which chronologically follows Sharpe's Escape) featuring the rifleman Richard Sharpe has the protagonist stuck in the Spanish city of Cadiz, with the task of recovering some incendiary letters by any means necessary. McGann speaks with a smooth British accent, and his voice conveys a blend of confidence and masculinity that ideally suits this tale of soldiering and warfare. This abridged adaptation is, for the most part, quite effective, but some characters-such as Fr. Salvador Montseny-feel as though they've been given short shrift. Also, the many protracted battle sequences interest at first, but quickly grow tedious, while the character-driven parts of the narrative feel neglected. The audio works best when Cornwell is in storyteller mode; Sharpe is an engaging and likable hero, and the most entertaining parts of the book are those featuring him doing more than firing his rifle. Not Cornwell's or Sharpe's best, but fans should be pleased with this tale, even if the abridgment may leave them wanting more.