Sharpe's Story by Bernard Cornwell

Sharpe's Story by Bernard Cornwell

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first picked up a Sharpe book in a public library, sometime in the mid 80s not long after they were originally published. I think it was probably the third or fourth book in the sequence, and after devouring that one I went back to the start with "Sharpe's Eagle" and then followed the rest through in order until I had caught up with the author Bernard Cornwell's prodigious output, to Waterloo and beyond. I also watched and enjoyed the TV adaptations, although it is tempting to wonder what they would have been like if the original choice to play Sharpe, Paul McGann, had not been injured on set necessitating his replacement by Sean Bean who really has made the role his own.

Sharpe's Story is a brief account by the author of the genesis and progression of the series, with excerpts and examples to illustrate the horrors of battle in that time and the nature of Sharpe's own ruthless brutality. While some readers would apparently prefer Sharpe to be noble and honourable, Cornwell relishes having Sharpe fight dirty, as he fights battles for those that cannot fight for themselves.

The book closes with an autobiographical essay, describing the author's early life with his adoptive parents who were members of a strict religious sect called the Peculiar People. Out of five adopted siblings, one sadly committed suicide, one remained a Baptist and the remainder did not follow the beliefs that were forced upon them. As the author puts it bluntly, God, one; The Devil, four. This early experience informed the author's atheism and his natural preference for cakes and ale rather than virtue!

A slim volume, and probably one for fans of the series only, but interesting and informative nonetheless.

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