At the Sharpe Start

The ratings say it all, having read much of Cornwell's work I am a slight latecomer to what is probably his most famous series. It's been well worth waiting for! Even at this relatively early stage of his writing career Cornwell has created a genuinely worthy lead character and a story to match. Even more importantly he has created a nemesis for Sharpe in Sergeant Hakeswell who as a villain genuinely makes your skin crawl. It's a heady mix with a rich background of the Indian subcontinent and a varied cast of characters brought to life by the excellent narration from Rupert Farley.

I got a slight impression that maybe this was just a tad rough round the edges compared to the polish of the author's more recent work but so many of his trademarks such as the strong characters, rich historical detail and fine story-telling are there that it never became a distraction.

In short, an excellent start that will probably have you hungry for more.

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26 people found this helpful

If you like the TV series your love the complete saga

Love the Sharpe series I have read the books and wanted to revisit them. The narrator really does the story justice.

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1 person found this helpful

quality book.

Been a long time since I read the book it is a quality story. I enjoyed listening to the audio book version Rupert Farley gives a good performance.

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Loved it

amazing, took me far too long to get round to these after loving the TV show as a kid, I finished in a day can't wait for to start the next one

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awesome listen well worth the time would heartily

would heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys a good adventure with a very relatable underdog come not so good lol

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Brilliant!

The voices were convincing and reflected those of the TV series. The story is compelling, and it is great to find out about Sharpes early years in the army! Must listen.

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Fabulous - well worth a listen!

Great story, made all the better by the narration which, with the possible exception of Stephen Fry, is the best that I’ve heard so far on Audible! Switching from Scottish, Indian, French, London and an very authentic Sheffield accent, sometimes in the same paragraph, is quite a skill, and Rupert Farley does it extremely well! Great audiobook - onto Sharpe’s Triumph now!!

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Great storytelling and brilliant narration

This is good, old fashioned storytelling with an exciting plot, interesting historical detail and great characters. The narration is excellent, with authentic accents that really bring it to life. I shall be moving swiftly on to the next in the series.

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loved it

really good book narrator is entertaining and the story is one of the best in the sharp series

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loved the book

Enjoyed having the book read to me in the way I'd imagined it. Tipu's tiger can be seen in the V&A. at least it was there in the 1990's .

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