Sharpe's Devil: Richard Sharpe and the Emperor, 1820-1821

Set in Chile after the Napoleonic Wars. Was a good read that reminded me of Sharpe's Trafalgar with all the naval warfare.

Six years after the end of the Napoleonic wars, ex-Rifleman Richard Sharpe toils on his French wife's farm in Normandy. Times are a little tough, so when the fabulously wealthy wife of a former Spanish comrade asks him to travel to Chile to find her missing husband, he can't refuse the gold that comes with the request. Naturally, Sharpe rounds up the now-rotund and prosperous tavern-keeper Patrick Harper before setting sail for South America. Their vessel is a Spanish one, ferrying a number of patronizing and foppish Spanish officers who are off to fight the Chilean rebels (who are led by the intriguing half-Spanish, half-Irish gentleman Bernardo O'Higgins). These Spaniards decide to take a minor detour to St. Helena to gawk at the imprisoned Napoleon, and of course Sharpe and Harper can't resist the chance to pay their own respects. The ex-emperor is by now rotting away in his dank mansion, with peeling wallpaper, a poor wine-cellar, and a large British garrison to keep him company. Treated like a curiosity in a zoo, he is disdainful of the Spaniards, but is intrigued by Sharpe and Harper, who are clearly fellow warriors. Cornwell has a lot of fun with this section, as the two old soldiers talk shop, honor each other, and Sharpe, with his customary naivite is unwittingly drawn into intrigue. Eventually, the ship arrives in Chile, where Sharpe is told the man he is seeking, Captain-General Vivar, is actually dead. Of course, Sharpe is suspicious when a body can't be produced, and soon he and Harper have run afoul of the thoroughly evil Spanish Governor-General Bautista. Events entertainingly run their course, and soon the dynamic duo find themselves on the side of the rebels seeking to eject the Spaniards from Chile. They come under the wings of Admiral Cochrane, a Scottish Lord turned rebel seaman, and all around adventurer. Cochrane is a wildly daring and bold leader, a real life figure of such improbability that many readers will want to rush out and read one of the biographies about his exploits (The Audacious Admiral Cochrane by and The Sea Wolf by being two). Once in Cochrane's company, the action ratchets up until the climactic battle at Valdivia, where the ragtag rebel navy crushed the entrenched and more numerous Spanish defenders in an audacious action, heralding an end to Spanish rule. The rout also allows Sharpe to unravel the mystery of what befell Captain-General Vivar, and of course, exact retribution on the nasty Bautista. This is indubitably a change of pace and setting from the regular Sharpe books, but a welcome one. As always, the military action is well described, there are evil villains, interesting supporting characters, and a heavy dose of vivid personages from history on hand. It's hard to imagine anyone making the nominally drab topic of Chilean independence come alive more vividly than Cornwell does here. There's a lot packed into this one, and Cornwell even manages to raise the specter of one of history's more inter

Although I enjoy history and historical novels, I've never particularly cared for military history. But as anyone who has enjoyed the "Sharpe" television ( & video) series will attest, there's so much more to these stories than mere military history. This is the first Bernard Cornwell novel I've read, and it certainly won't be the last. Without a doubt, fans of the show will not be disappointed with this novel; in fact, it is a must-read as it is the very last Sharpe novel, and it has not been dramatized (so far).As for the story (without giving anything away--this is all in the prologue), it is 1820 and Sharpe & Harper are reunited for an expedition to Chile in search of an old friend. En route, they visit St. Helena and have the honour of meeting the imprisoned Napoleon, who entreats Sharpe to convey a gift to an admirer in Chile.This novel is an absolute page-turner, and Cornwell is truly a master storyteller. Suffice it to say that no knowledge of military tactics or manoeuvres is necessary in order to fully enjoy this gem of a novel. Any action or suspense is seasoned with liberal doses of humour, and there is a most delightful array of entertaining characters. Lastly, the story is made all the more memorable by the historical afterword.This novel is sure to please. Highly recommended to anyone who loves a thrilling, action-packed read, and particularly to aficionados of historical fiction.

The final novel in the Richard Sharpe series, (thus far,) has retired Lt. Col. Richard Sharpe undertaking a mission to find an old friend in revolutionary Chile. With Patrick Harper at his side Sharpe first visits the isle of St. Helena with it's one tourist attraction: the Emperor Napoleon. After a brief audience with Bonoparte Sharpe heads to Chile where he faces the local Spanish Captain-General Bautista. Eventually Sharpe and Harper throw their lot in with the rebels and their rogue of an Admiral, Lord Cochrane. This novel is yet more proof of Cornwell's ability to tell an exciting story while at the same time evoke with absolute vision the early nineteenth century into the reader's mind. I hope this isn't the last book in the Richard Sharpe novels but if it is it is a fitting ending to a series that rank among the great adventure stories of modern fiction.

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!

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!