Sharpe’s Triumph: Book Review

This is the second book in the series, and I must say that I am looking forward to reading the others. Bernard Cornwell, the author, is slowly becoming one of my favourite author. As per my previous review, this book follows similar formula like Cornwell’s other series, the Kingdom, but the book still make you want to read more. For me is because the main character is fallible and you can’t help but root for him to ‘win’.

What I also like is that at the end of the book, the writer will tell how the real war had happened/recorded (yes, the book uses real wars/battles), and what he had filled up the blank. And I think it is quite ingenious that he manages to slip in the main character into these possible situation, creating a wholesome historical fiction.

There’s also the British humour peppered throughout, that makes you chuckle and smile. This is all in between the horrors of wars where soldiers are cut in half or corpses mingled together by cannonballs. There is also the grim and dull side of wars, where the march and heat, described detailed enough that you can sympathize with the characters, even the ‘enemy’ side.

In the previous book, Private Sharpe manages to become a sergeant. He initially feels happy in his position, but through certain circumstances, he then started to think about being an officer. The pull and push, the motives of the character, is told in a brilliant manner. There is no poetic monologue, just plain thoughts from Sharpe, but they feel so raw and real, that I am quite moved when reading it. Who am I to know how it feels like to be a soldier 200 years ago, but the writer managed to make me feel as if I understand the dreams and wishes.

Overall I would say this is a great book, and greatly recommended for fans of historical fictions. There are quite a lot of archaic words, which is suitable since the book background is in the 1800s, so reading the e-book version helps.

Thank you for reading.