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Sharpe's
Devil |
| Five years after the
Battle of Waterloo, Sharpe's peaceful retirement in Normandy is shattered by a plea for
help. An old friend, Don Blas Vivar, is missing in Chile, reported dead at rebel hands - a
report his wife refuses to believe. She appeals to Sharpe to find out the truth. So it is that Sharpe and his constant companion in adventure, Patrick Harper, find themselves bound for Chile via St Helena, where they have a fateful meeting with the fallen Emperor Napoleon. Sharpe and Harper are convinced that they are on their way to collect a corpse; neither can imagine the dangers that await them in Chile. "Cornwell at his inventive best" OXFORD TIMES
Reviews "It wasn't until I happened across the the Sharpe series on TV that I realised these books even existed, I collected the video's and am in the process of reading the books, which I can now say are well recommended. Although for me, Sean Bean will always be Major Sharpe in my imagination as I read the books (even such as this one, which hasn't yet been made into a TV drama) - I only think this enhances the experience of reading the books, for they are extremely well written, and on TV, the characters are extremely well portrayed."
"I love to read Bernard Cornwell! This book is great! I presume the history is fairly accurate--I don't really know. There is morality, loyalty worked into such an exciting story. I enjoy thinking about the title character. There are several different characters who could be the 'Devil' Napeolan, Cochran, the corrupt Spanish officials. Loyalty is given nice contrat. There is the Spanich nobelman (Sharp's frient), and Cochran the rebel showing ends of the spectrum. Then there is Sharpe--usually completely loyal, but the 'proper' authorities are so corrupt he has to fight aganist them for his life!"
"It is 1821, six years after the Battle of Waterloo. Richard Sharpe, veteran of the French Wars, has made his home and family in Normandy. However, the sudden arrival of Blas Vivar's wife alerts this instinctive hero to trouble. It is up to Sharpe in locating General Blas Vivar and bring him back from revolutionary Chile. Seeking out a fattened Patrick Harper - formerly his Irish sergeant-major - the two friends make their way by ship to the distant shores of the New World. They stop off at St. Helena to pay their respects to an exiled emperor: once the Scourge of Europe, now a saddened, sickened old man, plagued by what his own greatness could have brought France. Despite his restrictions, and being a former enemy, Napoleon proves a charming, almost sympathetic host. Yet, from almost beginning to end, Sharpe is tricked into aiding a conspiracy that could drench all the Americas in blood and turmoil. I won't spoil it for you by elaborating. But I will mention that the last (chonologically!) Sharpe adventure proves most entertaining: with varied, believable characters, a strange land fully described, peopled by treacherous, corrupt, and deceitful officials who delight in toying with two foreigners on an honourable mission. The interesting aspect of this great plot is that Spain gradually becomes Sharpe's enemy. In particular, I loved the delicate interview with Napoleon; Bautista proved a most cowardly, cunning arch-villain, and the wild, courageous rebel Cochrane added extra spice to a gripping read. Sharpe is set on course for an insane pursuit to find the truth about Vivar - and escape the jaws of certain death! "
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Buy
the book online in... |
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Paperback - 288 pages (24 May,
1993) HarperCollins
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Paperback
(August 1993) Harper Prism US edition: great price, fast delivery US edition: grearice, fast veBuy it online |
Audio
Cassette (March 1994) Chivers Audio Books
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Buy the book online in...
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Paperback - 322 pages (August 1999)
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Audio Cassette Csst/unabr edition (April 1994)
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(USA)
