No. 10 in the Richard Sharpe series.[return][return]It s still 1810, and the British Army and Captain Richard Sharpe are still in Portugal. Bought by Sharpe s stolen gold, Wellington has had built enormous defences known as the Torres Vedras just north of Lisbon, constructed with Sharpe s stolen gold. Wellington has ordered the Portuguese countryside stripped of all food, hoping in that manner to force the French to retreat out of starvation, since Napoleon s army existed by living off the land. As yet, the French do not have any idea of these new defences.[return][return]But in any country, under any conditions, there are always those who put profit ahead of patriotism. Two such are the Ferreira brothers. One is a major in the Portuguese Army, playing both side, the English and the French. But, convinced that the French army is unstoppable, he throws in with them in order to safeguard his family fortune through war profiteering making money by selling hoarded, contraband food while his countrymen starve. The other, nicknamed Ferragus, is a thug, a criminal for whom this is simply another way to earn even more money than he already has through other criminal activities.[return][return]Sharpe runs into the brothers while on patrol as the allied army retreats down the country, headed for Lisbon. He and Ferragus strike up an instantaneous hatred, but for the present, Ferragus has to back down as Sharpe orders a supply of contraband food belonging to the brothers to be destroyed. But unknown to the British or Portuguese authorities, the brothers have hidden a huge amount of stores food, forage, military supplies in Ferragus warehouse in Coimbra, a town that is best known for its ancient university, one of the oldest in Europe. Sharpe is destined for a confrontation in Coimbra, a dramatic escape from the town only to wind up at the Battle of Bussaco just north of the town.[return][return]Standard Cornwell and Sharpe, with the usual climax of the story being a graphically-described bloody battle between the English and Portuguese on one side, and the French on the other. This has all the elements that a fan of the series is used to seeing excitement, well-researched history, and excellent writing. [return][return]Highly recommended.
As Aventuras de um Soldado nas Guerras Napoleônicas. Dificilmente o nome da série poderia defini-la tão bem. Claro que alguns dos livros não são exatamente sobre as Guerras Napoleônicas, mas a época ainda é a mesma, e a narrativa da série começou depois da Revolução Francesa.Em setembro de 1810, as tropas de Arthur Wellesley estavam em Portugal, empenhadas em impedir o avanço do exército de Napoleão Bonaparte pela Europa continental. Naturalmente, é lá que encontramos Richard Sharpe.Uma das estratégias do Duque de Wellington para acabar com o avanço francês era manter o exército inimigo com fome. Assim, sempre que o exército britânico avançava, toda a comida que pudesse ficar para trás deveria ser destruída. Um pouco de economia básica nos diz que se algo não está disponível no mercado, mas a demanda continua alta, o preço sobe. E quando o produto é algo tão necessário quanto comida, não é de se admirar que o preço tenha subido o suficiente para alguns homens mais gananciosos arriscarem traição para enriquecer.Mas não é essa a trama deste livro. É assim que Sharpe faz mais alguns inimigos, ao obedecer às ordens do duque de Wellington, ele impede a venda de alimentos aos franceses e se vê inimigo de pessoas bastante poderosas. E é delas que ele deve fugir.Para quem nunca leu os livros dessa série, a palavra no título sempre faz referência a algum momento do livro. Nesse caso, é a fuga de Sharpe, escapando de seus inimigos e dos franceses. No exército britânico daquela época, patentes eram bens comprados, e quase nunca realmente merecidos. Sharpe era uma grande exceção à regra e tenta, mais uma vez, provar que mereceu todas as promoções que conquistou sem a ajuda de dinheiro.Continue lendo em: http://blablablaaleatorio.com/2013/03...
What do You think about Sharpe's Escape (2013)?
Bernard Cornwell is still my favourite writer as far as fighting is concerned - I believe him to be the only one who has made me want to read long fights and battles. That said, and being this the second Sharpe book I've read... Sharpe seemed to be the only competent fighter, while the rest ranged from slightly to completely incompetents. Allowance on the incompetence range is made to Harper and Wellington (although this one is obvioulsy untouchable due to hierarchy and Sharpe's personal respect). Also, all the officials who do not interact directly with Sharpe and who agree with him.Bernard Cornwell é o meu autor favorito no que diz respeito a lutas - acho que é o único que me faz querer ler situações longas de batalhas ou lutas. Dito isto, e sendo este o segundo livro da série Sharpe que leio, parece-me que Sharpe é o único soldado/oficial/homem competente. Todos os outros parecem raiar desde o ligeiramente a extremamente incompetente. Excepção feita para Harper e Wellington (embora este último seja obviamente intocável graças à hierarquia a ao respeito pessoal de Sharpe por ele). Juntam-se a esta lista todos aqueles oficiais que concordam mas, de outro modo, não interagem directamente com Sharpe.
—Teresa
Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe’s Escape has Napoleon and his marshal within reach of their goal of total conquest of the Spanish peninsula. The British redcoats are retreating towards Lisbon. But they have a plan—the scorched earth should bring down the mighty armies of France down before they can fully defeat the defenders. But there is a spy among the British who is working to provide much-needed food to the French.Part 10 of the Sharpe series, this once again demonstrates all that makes Cornwell one of my most favorite authors. He takes a few interesting historical events, adjusts them minimally to fit his plot, and takes the reader through breathtaking descriptions of battles past actual historical events. In the end, he then tells the reader what all of what he just experienced has really happened, and where Cornwell had to adjust history slightly to fit into his book.Historical fictions at its best.
—Jorgen Schäfer
It's still 1810 and we're still in Iberia slugging it out with the French in the Peninsular War. This is probably the fourth or fifth Sharpe book in the aforementioned setting and while things are wearing a bit thin, this was still fun. Honestly, the worst thing I'm ever gonna probably say about a Sharpe book was that "it was fun." Okay, I just looked at the rest of the settings of the rest of the series and there's like fucking eight more Peninsular stories...so I should probably resign myself to hanging around in Spain with this series for the time being. It's a good setting, don't get me wrong! Poor Spain has been totally destabilized and turned into a semi-wasteland fought over by the French, British, Portuguese and partisans of all shapes and sizes, plus there's a huge battle every six months or so. It's good, hearty stuff and true literary risks and surprises are like the Spanish Inquisition in this series in that no one expects them (and unlike the Spanish Inquisition in that they never actually show up.)The plot of this one is pretty watery...as usual we have a pretty decent villain in the physically-imposing psycho Ferragus. Ferragus digs brutally beating dudes to death with his fists and then stuffing them in his basement with an order to his cronies to "slit their bellies and give the rats something to work on." Early in the book Sharpe predictably pisses him off and they spend the rest of the book embroiled in a feud from which one will not emerge. (view spoiler)[Sharpe dies. Just kidding. (hide spoiler)]
—Nate
