"New Sharpe novel" Topic

The latest Sharpe novel is due out soon – 21st October. Sharpe's Storm.

There is actually a month in that time period that hadn't been covered yet?
Amazing!

He didn't cover it earlier because of the bad weather.

Can we look forward to Sharpe's Shower, Sharpe's Gale, and Sharpe's Sunshine?

Or does Cornwell mean the storming of a breach? But, IIRC, Sharpe has already led a storming party in an earlier novel; surely even he wouldn't be mad enough to do that twice?

Perhaps one day, Sharpe's Half Pay can give him – and us – a break from his all derring-do?

Sharpe's Whist
Well, if he ever aspires to be a Gentleman, he better learn Whist.

Mrs Cornwall probably wants a new sofa or something.

Publication was put back until Oct 25 a couple of months ago.
It's traditional on this forum to be very scathing of the "Sharpe" novels but over the past 40 years they've generated a tremendous amount of new interest in "our" period.
I doubt a lady who is terminally ill has that much interest in "a new sofa"?

I don't think it's unusual for an historical series of novels to be forced to compress time and to slot whole books into improbably short periods of "real" time.

The problem is the author plans a number of books but when the first ones are a success, he is forced to be cavalier with dating as he expands the series. Cornwall certainly does this, as well as adding novels both before and after the main focus.

The great Patrick O'Brien expected to write 1-2 Aubrey-Maturin novels but the more he wrote, the more difficulty he had with fitting them into the period.

Thus later novels, that realistically take place over many months & even years, are sandwiched together over what, on the surface, seems to happen over a much shorter time frame.

I would suggest if this offends you, you're free not to read the latest Cornwall books.

Not offended at all. Just amused at how many times he can recycle his 3 basic plots.

I have loved the Sharpe books. But I do think he has milked this cow enough. I wish he would go back to Starbuck and finish his Civil War series. Plus, unless I read this wrong, it appears the new book sells for $40.00 USD. Don't like Sharpe that much.

It is offered as £22.00 GBP in the UK but you can always wait until the paperback version becomes available. I might be doing this because I'm only half way through the first volume of Adrian Goldsworthy's Napoleonic series about the fictional British 106th Regiment. Anyway, one can always put it on one's Christmas list if anyone asks for suggestions. LOL

I always enjoy a new Sharpe's book – I treat them like long comic books. It's something that I'll read every so often then forget about until another one comes out.

Sure, Richard Sharpe is always the same, but so is Spiderman.

I am halfway through the series yet seem to not picked it up in about 2 years. Maybe it's the same like a action hero movie.
Not to say won't go back.

Yes, sadly it does look like the title won't be available until next year. But it is impressive how the author, considering all the personal, health and private problems he has experienced, that he is actually still managing to research and write.

We are so lucky to have someone like Bernard Cornwell write so many books about our period.
Sure they are not perfect.
I have most of the early ones, not so sure I can read full novels now at my age, so much else to do.

Digby – you could always watch the Sharpe TV series instead. I watched Sharpe's Enemy last night. One of my favourites, with baddie characters Obadiah Hakeswill and Major Ducos. Sadly, it was the last episode including Hakeswill and also the great Spanish character, Teresa Moreno. In terms of novels, just read one chapter or a few pages at a time. That's what I do, although I also find myself reading three or more books at the same time! LOL

That TV series. Nothing will compare with Sean Bean confronted with a Liz Hurley rather forcibly "Deshabille" and just presenting "my compliments ma'm" while keeping his eyes on her face. For a "Johnny Jump Up" he did have style……