JasonKoivu

Battle is right in the title and battle is all up in the joint! In this episode Rifleman Richard Sharpe finds himself with Wellington's army trying to maintain a foothold in Spain and in danger of being pushed back into Portugal or even right out of Europe by Napoleon's forces.

In a series started in 1981 and completed in 2007, Sharpe's Battle falls somewhere in between, yet feels very much like an old school Cornwell book. It's heavier on fighting and the plot isn't nearly as twisty as some later-written volumes.

One surprisingly missing element is a love interest. For once, Sharpe does not seduce or is not seduced by the femme fatale (at least not to the usual extent, if ya know what I mean.... No? .... I mean sex.) But he does manage to provoke an enemy officer and start a personal battle, as per usual. Again, he must fight the French infantry while also defeating another nemesis in order to clear his name.

If it's so repetitious why do I keep reading them? They're fun, and Cornwell knows how to write action sequences. He also does his homework, so these are often interesting from a historical perspective...always keeping in mind that reality must on occasion be tweaked for the benefit of the story. I usually listen to the Frederick Davidson-narrated audiobook versions while I'm out for some exercise or toiling on some yard project. When you've got a monotonous task to do, Sharpe is a pleasant diversion.


Rating Note: Not bad, so I'll bump it up to a 3.5