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.

Throughout 21 historical novels, plucky Richard Sharpe has been one of Wellington's most capable, albeit wayward, officers during the Napoleonic conflicts, and he continues in this latest. In 1811, Sharpe finds himself in besieged Cadiz, which is likely to fall to French forces unless our hero can save the English ambassador from blackmail by a beautiful prostitute. Musket balls, grapeshot, cutlasses, plotters, backstabbers, and a myriad of other dangers abound. Paul McGann, a former Dr. Who and a popular face on British television, has a youthful baritone, which he employs to deliver a serviceable rendering. One could wish that he had mustered up more vigor and personality--despite all the intrigue and adventure, he is without luster and a trifle tedious. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine


In the latest of the Captain Sharpe novels, it is 1811 and Sharpe and his men are in Spain, where, in addition to doing battle (Sharpe's preferred occupation), he has agreed to help a diplomat retrieve some embarrassing love letters. Crossley's performance is outstanding. Not only are the Spanish, French, Irish, Scottish, and Spanish accents excellent, the voices are perfect for the characters, especially Sharpe's, which has the roughness associated with his rise through the ranks rather than birthright. The battle scenes are so realistic that the listener will be transported back in time amidst the noise and the chaos, captured so brilliantly by Crossley. He is also superb at reading the humorous dialogue. S.S.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

July 15, 2007
Set in southern Spain in 1811, this latest title in the ongoing Richard Sharpe saga, which first appeared in the 1980s, actually falls betweenSharpe's Escape andSharpe's Battle . While blowing up a French pontoon bridge, Richard and some of his riflemen are separated from their regiment and end up in Cadiz, where the British ambassador has them help retrieve compromising letters. Afterward, while awaiting a ship to Lisbon, Richard is drawn into the Battle of Barrosa-a real event in which the British scored a remarkable victory against a larger French force. The great strength of the Sharpe novels is Cornwell's uncanny knack for almost constantly keeping Richard in seemingly impossible situations and extricating him convincingly. This book starts thrillingly but then slows down and gives Richard too little to do. Steven Crossley does a fine job narrating, but this is one of the weaker contributions to the series. Recommended with reservations.-Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.