Sharpes Books

A Bloody Good Read

Sharpe's Tiger

Sharpes Tiger 1799, Siege of Seringapatam
Published: 2nd June 1997

ISBN 0-00-225010-1 (hardcover edition)
ISBN 0-00-649035-2 (paperback edition)

Sharpes Tiger gets 3 1/2 Stars Another Sharpe Book

Sharpe's Tiger is the first of the of the 3 Indian prequels so the Richard Sharpe Peninsular War Series sees Sharpe as a Private in the British army in India.

This book was written later than the books which proceed it and see Bernard Cornwell trying to fill in the back story. We also see him covering Arthur Wellseys indian campaign, and it starts with the siege of Seringapatam in 1799.

Other familiar faces that make the prequel are Sergeant Obidiah Hakeswill, and William Lawford as mere Lieutenant.

The easily detestable Hakeswill makes for the main villain of the piece and though as dislikable as always, he comes across no different than he was written 10 years later, which is little disappointing.

Also the facts that we are reading a prequel, and that Bernard has given large parts of the back story before, removes some of the suspense from Sharpe's Tiger. We know the eventually outcome so we know that it is hard for Sharpe to prosper to well, or suffer to permanent a setback. Despite this the plot still takes a number of twists and turns, and sometime leaves you wondering where it is going to go.

Maybe it would be a different book if I hadn't read after the rest of the series, and had approached it as the first book in the series, but that was not how I Came to this book.

As for the rest of Sharpe Tiger its the usual stuff, Bernard very direct and pacy writing style, the usual suspects in type s of characters, and the attention to detail that you do expect from Mr Cornwell. Also worth noting I did get a sense of India from the book, and it felt remarkable different from the Peninsular war series. Even if some of the bad guys were still Frenchies.

 

Synopsis

Considering running from the army with the pretty widow Mary Bickerstaff, Richard Sharpe is provoked into sticking Bully boy Sergeant Hakeswill. Sentenced to 2000 lashes as punishment he is relieved to be release after 200 by Lieutenant William Lawford.

This is so he can accompany Lawford on a mission behind enemy lines in Seringapatamto rescue Colonel Hector McCandless from the prison of the Sultan Tippo.

Lawford and Sharpe fake deserting and join the Tippos army under Colonel Gudin a french officer. Sharpe is then faced with a difficult choice, keep running, join the tippos army or complete his mission.

Sharpe's Tiger - Main Characters

Richard Sharpe
Lieutenant William Lawford
Mary Bickerstaff
Colonel Arthur Wellesley
Colonel McCandless
Tippoo Sultan
Colonel Jean Gudin
Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill
Brevet Lieutenant Fitzgerald
Ensign Hicks
Captain Morris
Major Shee