Soldering On
So you've read every book in the Sharpe series and are wondering what to read next? Well below are a list of books that you might find enjoyable.
Also by Bernard Cornwell:
The Starbuck Chronicles:
Rebel
Copperhead
Battle Flag
Bloody ground
Redcoat.
My personal favourite [after Sharpe of course].
Set during the American War of Independence this story has a wide cast
of characters both real and fictitious. One of the interesting things about
this book is that several characters seem to hover between the status of
hero and villain. No one seems to be totally 'good'. My favourite is Kit
[don't call me kitten] Vane who I think should be the number one suspect
in the search for Richard Sharpe's father.
The Warlord Chronicles.
By Other Authors:
On Land.
Too Few For Drums by R.F Delderfield
Written in 1964 this book seems to be a blueprint
for many of the later novels about the Napoleonic War. In it we meet a
young naive Ensign Graham who is left in charge of a small group of infantrymen
following the sudden death of his Captain. Abandoned behind enemy
lines, Ensign Graham has to earn the respect of his men and learn how to
lead them as they fight their way to safety. Assisting him is the veteran
Sergeant Fox and a camp follower named Gwyneth. But this is not a romance
novel. It is a simple story that concentrates on one the small group of
men and their private battle rather than the larger view of the war.
The ending is realistic rather than happy. Be prepared to shed a tear.
The Other Side of the Hill by Peter Luke
This is the based on the true story of Harry Smith
and the young Spanish girl he rescued during the sack of Badajoz and later
married. It is a story that has been told many times but I particularly
likes this version. It is full of interesting little details and scenes
and lots of memorable characters. Watch out for the nuns in the convent.
Bonaparte's Sons by Richard Howard
Richard Howard is supposed to be a pseudonym for
a well-known historical writer. At first I wondered if it could be BC himself
trying his hand at telling the tale form the French point of view. There
were certainly similarities in some sections. But by the end of the novel
I had changed my mind. Whilst the story was engaging, I found it to be
disjointed in parts. I don't know if this was due to bad editing or simply
sloppiness. Also I was left with the distinct feeling that the writer could
have done so much more with the characters. There are two more books in
the series, Bonaparte's Invaders and Bonaparte's Conquerors.
A Shred of Honour by Tom Connery
This novel sits on the boarder between land and sea. George Markham is a lieutenant in the army who has been assigned to a group of marines aboard the 'Hebe'
Markham is almost an antithesis of Sharpe; a well born, Irish bastard of a well known General, who can't seem to stay out of trouble. He acts before he thinks, can't keep his mouth shut in front of authority [in fact he talks too much all round I think <G>] and much prefers women's company to men's. He just doesn't know how to command his troops who are a mixture of men traded off from the 65th foot and marines. Needless to say the two groups hate each other and Markham has to somehow pull them together. The men under his command are interesting too including the Sergeant, a Scot named Rannoch who seems to be a Harper type character. Markham been accused of cowardice in the past [court marshalled but he got off] he's broke, likes to duel and chases every woman he sees.
It has some great actions scenes [set during the siege of Toulon in France, and of course our hero manages to meet most of the famous men who were around at that time, including 'Captain' Bonaparte. Yes there are a few holes in it, but I so enjoyed the fast pace that I tended to forgive a few little inconsistencies.
It is obvious that Connery has read Sharpe and there are a few similarities that may cause BC to curse, but these were rather minor really and I got the feeling that Connery had done more research than BC. He seemed to have better grasp of the little details that really make the characters and story come alive. The book was more reminiscent of BC's earlier works that concentrated more on Sharpe and his men rather than the 'bigger picture'.
There are now another two books in the series, Honour Redeemed and Honour be Damned. It really is the closest thing to Sharpe that I have come across.
Tom Connery also writes naval stories as David
Donachy.
By Sea.
The Aubrey/Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian
There are already twenty books in this series with
the promise of more to come. O'Brian writes with wit and humour in fact
one review calls him a male version of Jane Austen. Full of details, you
can almost smell the salt as you turn the pages. But it is the characters
themselves that keep you wanting more, long after you have finished reading.
Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin share an extraordinary friendship for two
men who seem so different. Great descriptions of naval battles, interesting
and humourous little anecdotes. These books are a must read.
The Devils Own Luck by David Donachy.
This is the first in currently five novels that
focus on the brothers Harry and James Ludlow. Harry is a Captain although
no longer in the royal navy after being court marshalled for duelling.
James is an artist [well there's one in every family isn't there] and between
the two of them they get into more trouble than the whole of Wellington's
Army! The first book deals with a murder and contains a scene that would
have been right at home in one of Ann Rice's Beauty Novels. But for
all the tension and danger that Donachie tries to build there is still
something lacking. However I did enjoy the story. The mystery angle
is certainly interesting and we do get find out a little about the interesting
activities that take place 'below decks' which usually only get a passing
mention in most naval stories.
More to come soon
By Jenny Jones
Last updated 6 December 1999