Sharpe's Triumph: Richard Sharpe and the Battle of Assaye, September 1803. Bernard Cornwell

by Bernard Cornwell

Book Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the second installment in the world-renowned Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty's Army at the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0006510302
• ISBN13: 9780006510307
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 381 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Don't worry...the formula works perfectly.

This is the second of the Sharpe books I have read and the second in the series chronologically even though they were not published in this order. Already I am picking up on what I suspect may be a recurring formula for these books: an amicable working relationship with a somewhat disinterested senior officer, another senior officer who acts as a mentor, an ephemeral love interest, the sub-plot of the antagonist character (Hakeswill) dogging Sharpe's every step, the obscure battle (Ahmednugger) that acts as a precursor for the main conflict, the climactic battle in which Sharpe proves himself to his superiors, and the temporary resolution of tension while leaving enough loose ends for the next novel. This is exactly what I usually dislike about serialized novels.However, Cornwell does such an excellent job of creating realistic characters as Sharpe, McCandless, Hakeswill, as well as putting a human face on the true life characters of Wellington, Wallace, Pohlman, etc., that this novel stands far above the usual formulaic novels of the genre. Sharpe is not a monofaceted hero without flaws and, like most of us, experiences conflicting emotions and motivations. The malignant Hakeswill, a coward at heart, is obsessed with Sharpe's demise even to the detriment of his own career.But what truly makes this a first rate novel (and series for that matter) is historical accuracy. While concurrently reading Jac Weller's "Wellington in India", one can trace every detail of the battles of Ahmednugger and Assaye in Sharpe's Triumph. Indeed, Cornwell himself praises Weller's trilogy on Wellington and uses it as his primary historical reference. So even though plot development may be a bit predictable on the fictional side, the historical aspects of this novel are so solid and absorbing that the result is a perfect piece of historical fiction.

Early Sharpe, redux

This is the second novel of Sgt. Sharpe's early service (following TIGER), set in exotic India with places, battles, and currents of empire-building of which most American's haven't the faintiest idea. Here we finally see the enigmatic event (long alluded to in the original Sharpe series set later in Spain) that forever indebts the future Duke of Wellington to Sharpe; that icy young general in not one but two brilliant actions; Sharpe at his most ferocious ever; Sgt. Hakesbill at his absolute evil worst, consumed with jealousy and private revenge; and Sharpe receiving his first promotion to officer. After a meandering buildup, which includes a convincing Temptation of Sharpe by private pay, the climactic battle scene is horrendous, a vast set piece in front of Assaye where we witness the extreme heroism of the steadfast Scottish 78th under shot, shell, and shrapnel, 600 men (at the start) who rout 100,000. Just incredible. The battle that made the reputation of imperturbable Wellington. As usual, Cornwell brings the era alive through his details of everyday life, without the excessive technical fascination of techno-novels.

Up from the ranks

Cornwell takes us back to India in this book and the action is as intense as the novels set in Spain and France. These novels focusing on Sharpe's early career are especially interesting because the show him without the support of his Riflemen and without the officer's rank that is the source of much of his pride and many of his problems.But this is the novel where Sergeant Sharpe suddenly realizes that his ambitions go far beyond his non-commissioned rank. And in making the decision to try to rise to officer he knows that he is consigning himself to an almost certain death, because his only chance to become an officer is through an act of suicidal bravery on the battlefield that is noticed by a senior officer. The decision to attack at Assaye by Sir Arthur Wellesley gives Sharpe his opportunity. Longtime readers of the Sharpe novels know what he did to get himself promoted at Assaye, and Cornwell does his usual masterful job in describing this horrific, heroic deed. This book has everything Sharpe fans have come to love, and anyone who has never read this series should gather up their pennies and carve out a few weekends to devour them all. You'll find yourself addicted.

Try it, you might like it...

Sharpe`s Triumph is set in India around 1803. Richard Sharpe is a Sargent in one of the latest of the series by Bernard Cornwell. In this book he meets his ruthless enemy again, Sargent Oberdiah Hakeswill, who is intent on ruining Sharpe`s career and life, but Sharpe has other amitions and fulfills them in an act of suicidal bravery at the battle of Assaye, where he saves the life of the then Major-General Authur Wellesley, who was soon to become the famous Duke of Wellinton. I really enjoyed this book because it is of the usual high standard that Bernard Cornwell insists on working in, and that is a good thing. I think that people who enjoy Bernard Cornwell`s books would definately enjoy this book, the only regrets that I have about this book are that there was no cheerful, grinning Sargent Harper (see Sharpe`s Rifles), and that, as allways, the books never seem to go on long enough.